Abstract: A shaped article made of a polymeric composition comprising as the essential component a saturated linear polyester or polyamide comprising a structural unit of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are same or different and each represents a monovalent organic group such as a monovalent aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic group having one or more carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms) and m and n are each an integer of 0 to 3 in an amount of 0.01 to 50 moles per 100 moles of the total ester or amide linkages in the molecule of the polyester or polyamide is irradiated with actinic rays so that chain-linking takes place between or among the molecules of the polyester or polyamide, whereby the physical and chemical properties of the shaped article are favorably enhanced.

Abstract: A shaped article having a refractive index of not less than 1.625 at least in one direction and possessing excellent physical properties and various uses, which can be prepared by stretching a molded product, which is made of a polymeric material comprising at least 80 mol% of the repeating units of the formula: ##STR1## and having an intrinsic viscosity of not less than 0.25 dl/g when measured in a mixture of phenol and sym.-tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 6 : 4 at 30.degree. C. and has a refractive index of not more than 1.610 at least in one direction, at a temperature of 120.degree. to 230.degree. C. with a stretch ratio of 2 to 20 in the same direction as the refractive index is measured, or by melt extruding the polymeric material at a temperature higher than 230.degree. C. and not higher than 360.degree. C. while or immediately followed by stretching with a deformation speed of not less than 20 times the speed of the melt extrusion.

Abstract: A drawn film of polyamide having an oxygen permeability coefficient of not more than 5 .times. 10.sup.-13 ml.cm/cm.sup.2.sec.cmHg, a breaking strength of not less than 14 kg/mm.sup.2, a breaking elongation of 30 to 150%, a yield strength of not less than 7 kg/mm.sup.2 and a yield elongation of 2 to 6%, which can be manufactured by drawing an undrawn polyamide film biaxially at a temperature within a certain range and optionally heat treating the resulting drawn film, the said undrawn polyamide film being made of a polyamide having a relative viscosity of about 2.0 to 4.0 when measured with a solution thereof in 96% sulfuric acid at a concentration of 1 g/100 ml at 25.degree. C and containing in the molecule not less than 70% (mol) of the repeating unit constituted with metaxylylenediamine or its mixture with paraxylylenediamine and an .alpha.,.omega.

Abstract: A block copolymer of 99.8 to 90 % by weight of a polyamide segment and 0.2 to 10 % by weight of a polyether segment dispersed in an island state of not more than about 10 .mu. in particle size, the polyamide segment comprising at least one diamine component containing 100 to 50 mol % (preferably 100 to 70 mol %) of m-xylylenediamine or its mixture with p-xylylenediamine and at least one dicarboxylic acid component containing 100 to 50 mol % (preferably 100 to 70 mol %) of at least one aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, the polyether segment comprising at least one polyether having a molecular weight of 2,000 to 20,000 and an amino group or a carboxyl group at at least one terminal position thereof and the block copolymer having a scattering index of not less than 1.