Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing substantially rounded thermosetting or thermoplastic polymer particles and also to a device used therefor. The process includes forming a mixture of polymer pellets with at least one surfactant in an aqueous medium, rapidly melting the polymer pellets under plug flow and plug free heating conditions, shearing the melted pellets into the polymer particles, and rapidly cooling the polymer particles under plug free cooling conditions. Thermosetting particles can include a blend of thermosetting polymers and crosslinking agents. The device provides for plug free conditions to ensure high production rates with substantially no clogging in the polymer conveying and polymer shearing means used in the device. The plug flow conditions ensure more uniform and predictable shearing conditions, since the polymer pellets under the plug flow condition results in substantially no pellet to pellet variation in the pellet temperature.

Abstract: This invention concerns a process for imparting corrosion and creep resistance to a coating prepared from a particulate polymer composition and applied from a fluidized bed or by electrostatic spraying over metal substrates. The process of the present invention provides for maintaining the content of acid functionality of an acid-functionalized semicrystalline or acid-functionalized amorphous particulate polymer of the particulate polymer composition within a desired range. The acid functionality on the particulate polymer can be maintained, by crosslinking and/or neutralizing, within a desired range of the acid content which results in imparting corrosion and creep resistance to the coating applied over the metal substrates. Neutralizing the acid functionality of the polymer component results in hardening the coatings resulting therefrom. The process further provides for adding anticorrosive pigments to the composition for further improving corrosion resistance of the resultant coatings.

Abstract: This invention is a moisture-stable, flexible, structural adhesive strand which is suitable for use in the manufacture of an elongated pile article. The strand of this invention is comprised of a core of reinforcing multifilaments and a sheath of moisture-sensitive thermoplastic resin. The cross-sectional area ratio of reinforcing filaments to thermoplastic resin is in the range of about 0.04 to less than 0.3.

Abstract: An apparatus for corona discharge treatment of an article, and in particular an article comprising a conductive composite, includes a first electrode, which is a rotating, high-frequency voltage electrode and a second electrode, which is preferably a translation table, disposed with respect to the high-frequency voltage electrode so as to provide a return path to ground. The translation table supports the article to be treated, and oscillates with respect to the first electrode. Since translation table supports the article to be treated, the article itself is grounded, which is important when treating conductive composite articles. An adjustment mechanism provides a constant gap between the high-frequency voltage electrode and the article, so that the voltage does not seek the article. This enhances the efficiency of the corona treatment of the article. The first electrode rotates continuously and independently of the motion of the article in order to dissipate heat from the high-frequency voltage electrode.

Abstract: A method for heating a composite comprising a nonconductive material that is a thermoplastic or a thermoset reinforced with conductive materials such as carbon fibers, by incorporating coupling particles in the structure. The structure is oriented in the plane of a magnetic field induced at frequencies from 3 kHz to 7 MHz, whereby the coupling particles respond as susceptors to the induced magnetic field and are preferentially heated (carbon fibers are not heated).