Abstract: Compositions, particularly for forming dental products, having a hardenable self-supporting structure with sufficient malleability to be subsequently customized into a second shape and then hardened, and methods.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring a strength of a test specimen are provided. The method includes the steps of selecting a tensile load of interest for the test specimen, and bulk heating the test specimen at a localized region such that the test specimen is placed under the tensile load of interest. The method further provides for determining whether the tensile load of interest has caused a failure at the localized region. Bulk heating the test specimen provides a non-destructive evaluation technique that is unachievable through conventional approaches.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for attaching a wire with a work machine. At least one mat of one of hook type and a loop type material covers a substantial portion of a predetermined wire pathway on a work machine. At least one strip of the other of the hook type and the loop type material wraps respective portions of the wire and mates with the one of the hook type and the loop type material of one of the mats.

Abstract: Compositions of polyphosphazene-containing polymers and methods of preparation thereof are provided. The disclosed compositions encompass telechelic functionalized polyphosphazenes and a variety of block and graft polyphosphazene-polystyrene, polyphosphazene-polysiloxane, and polyphosphazene-ROMP of norbornene copolymers. Methods for the preparation of such compositions generally involve generation of a polydichlorophosphazene species, attachment of a function group to the resultant polyphosphazene compound, and coupling the functionalized polyphosphazene with a corresponding organic or inorganic polymers or polymerizing the functionalized polyphosphazene with corresponding organic molecules.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of polyphosphazenes is provided that includes the cationic solution polymerization reaction of a phosphoranimine, using a main group or transition metal halide, or other appropriate halide salt, including a linear phosphazene salt of any chain length, or a preformed non-phosphazene polymer containing a main or transition metal chloride, as an initiator. In a preferred embodiment, triarmed-star polyphosphazenes having the formula N{RN(H)R'.sub.2 P--(N.dbd.PR'.sub.2).sub.n }.sub.3 are prepared via this method. Also, a methods for synthesis of the monomer Cl.sub.3 P.dbd.NSiMe.sub.3 and cyclic trimer N.sub.3 P.sub.3 X.sub.6 from the reactants N(SiR.sub.3).sub.3 and PX.sub.5 are also described.

Abstract: In a priming piston loading double acting pump for high viscosity materials, the shovel plate assembly is formed of a flexible, abrasion resistant disk or cup. The disk may be made from silicon rubber and the cup may be made from a glass filled Teflon polytetrafluoroethylene material. The clearance between the plate assembly and the intake cylinder is essentially zero to allow for a build-up of a vacuum as the plate assembly moves downwardly and out of the intake cylinder to greatly enhance the loading ability of the pump.