Abstract: This invention relates to metal-containing inserts, such as transformers, that are encapsulated, via compression molding processes, with at least one wet lay thermoplastic sheet material and that do not experience significant visible cracking during heat cycling.

Abstract: Stable, fluid polyvinyl alcohol-containing microgels in water having a Brookfield viscosity of 1.15 to 1000 centipoises may be prepared more economically from a dry blend which comprises (A) a polymer mixture consisting of at least about 0.5% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol and one or more polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of up to about 99.5% by weight of starch and up to about 33% by weight of sodium carboxymethylcellulose, said polyvinyl alcohol having a Hoeppler viscosity of about 4 to 150 centipoises and having at least about 50 mole percent of the monomeric units present as vinyl alcohol units, (B) water-soluble, solid titanium salt of a hydroxy carboxylic acid of 2 to 10 carbon atoms in an amount which provides about 0.05 to 10 parts by weight of tetravalent titanium ions per 100 parts of polymer mixture, and (C) about 0.05 to 20 parts by weight of water-soluble, solid hydroxy carboxylic acid of 2 to 10 carbon atoms per 100 parts of polymer mixture.

Abstract: Mixture of polyvinyl alcohol-polysaccharide microgel in water comprising water and, based on the total mixture, about 0.1 to 10 percent by weight of a partially crosslinked mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and polysaccharide in which the mixture is partially crosslinked with titanium ions, said polyvinyl alcohol being present in an amount of 0.05 to 9.95 percent by weight, said polysaccharide being present in the amount of about 0.05 to 9.95 percent by weight and being selected from the group consisting of about 0.05 to 9.95 percent by weight of starch and about 0.05 to 3 percent by weight of sodium carboxymethylcellulose, said microgel being a stable fluid derived from polyvinyl alcohol which has a Hoeppler viscosity of about 4 to 150 centipoises and in which at least about 50 mole percent of the monomeric units are vinyl alcohol units, the water and partially crosslinked mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and polysaccharide having a Brookfield viscosity of about 1.