Abstract: A process for preparing a coating on an object by plasma polymerizing a first compound under conditions to deposit a layer onto the object, the object comprising a nanocomposite polymer. In addition, the object so coated.

Abstract: A process of making a crystalline powder and the powder. The process includes providing at least a precursor material; hydrothermal synthesis to create a predetermined amount of boehmite as an intermediate product from the at least precursor material; hydrothermal synthesis to convert at least a portion of the boehmite to alpha alumina, wherein any remaining, un-converted boehmite is attached to alpha alumina. The process may be part of a process to make and extrudate and the extrudate. The composition and extrudate may include alpha alumina crystals with surface adhesions of boehmite. An apparatus for hydrothermal synthesis of high purity alpha alumina powder, the apparatus including an autoclave with titanium liners, a pressure relief system and a heat exchanger.

Abstract: A coating composition comprising platy magadiite pigment(s); a paper product comprising platy magadiite pigments; and an aqueous suspension comprising platy magadiite and a suspending agent selected from the group consisting of; polyacrylate polymers, polyvinylalcohol polymers, maleic anhydride-containing copolymers, and polyphosphates, and a latex dispersion or emulsion of latex polymers selected from the group consisting of styrene butadiene polymers, acrylic polymers, carboxylated acrylonitrile: butadiene polymers, polyvinylchloride, polyvinyledenechloride, polystyrene, fluorinated polyethylene and polypropylene, and polytetrafluoroethylene; and an article or formulation comprising a platy layered silicate.

Abstract: A method for producing synthetic magadiite, including the step of: heating a liquid aqueous colloidal silica suspension, the liquid aqueous colloidal silica suspension having a mole ratio of sodium hydroxide to silica and a mole ratio of water to silica effective to produce a synthetic magadiite wherein more than fifty percent by weight of the synthetic magadiite is platy synthetic magadiite. The synthetic platy magadiite can be converted to the acid form and: (a) heated to produce quartz-like plates; or (b) alkylated to produce an organophilic material. In another aspect, the instant invention is a method for the production of platy sodium octasilicate which includes the step of: heating a liquid aqueous colloidal silica dispersion containing silica, sodium oxide, and water, the mole ratio of the silica to the sodium oxide being in the range of from about 3.5 to about 10.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device which is used for the spectral analysis of optical signals and which is based on the stimulated Brillouin scattering effect. The invention also relates to the associated measurement method which makes use of the optical signal amplification caused by the Brillouin scattering effect. The Brillouin scattering effect enables the selective optical amplification of a determined component of the optical spectrum of the signal to be analysed, known as the problem signal, for the measurement thereof with a determined dynamic range, sensitivity and resolution. According to the invention, the problem signal is introduced into an optical fibre together with a narrowband optical signal, known as the probe signal, with a determined wavelength. Said probe signal propagates in the opposite direction to that of the problem signal, such that both signals interact inside the fibre owing to the Brillouin effect.

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic compounds, such as biphenyl, are alkylated with an alkylating agent, such as propylene, in the presence of an acidic mordenite zeolite catalyst under conditions sufficient to produce a mixture of substituted polycyclic aromatic compounds enriched in the para alkylated isomers, such as p,p'-di(isopropyl)biphenyl. The novel acidic mordenite catalyst is characterized by its silica/alumina molar ratio, its porosity, and a Symmetry Index. The p,p'-disubstituted isomers of polycyclic aromatic compounds are useful as monomers in the preparation of thermotropic, liquid crystal polymers.