Abstract: A hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including the hydrogen generator are disclosed. The hydrogen generator includes a reactant that undergoes a thermal decomposition reaction to produce hydrogen when heated. A laser is used to initiate the reaction. The reactant is contained in a reactant composition in a user-replaceable disc-shaped fuel unit. The reactant composition can be segregated into individual quantities. The fuel unit and the laser beam are periodically realigned by incrementally rotating the fuel unit and/or incrementally redirect the laser beam.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition is disclosed. An fluorinated oligomer is combined with a diluent monomer and a photoinitiator to form the radiation-curable coating composition. The fluorinated oligomer is substantially free of isocyanate groups. The radiation-curable compositions provide a suitable coating for substrates, are resistant to penetration by water and liquid hydrocarbons, retain their physical properties over a wide temperature range and exhibit immeasurably low surface friction properties.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition is disclosed. An fluorinated oligomer is combined with a diluent monomer and a photoinitiator to form the radiation-curable coating composition. The fluorinated oligomer is substantially free of isocyanate groups. The radiation-curable compositions provide a suitable coating for substrates, are resistant to penetration by water and liquid hydrocarbons, retain their physical properties over a wide temperature range and exhibit immeasurably low surface friction properties.

Abstract: A radiation-curable composition is disclosed. An fluorinated oligomer is combined with a diluent monomer and a photoinitiator to form the radiation-curable coating composition. The fluorinated oligomer is substantially free of isocyanate groups. The radiation-curable compositions provide a suitable coating for substrates, are resistant to penetration by water and liquid hydrocarbons, retain their physical properties over a wide temperature range and exhibit immeasurably low surface friction properties.

Abstract: A method for installing and curing a cured in place lateral seal at the connection between a main pipeline and a lateral connection is provided. The method includes placing a resin impregnated lateral seal in the form of a top hat with a brim portion and short tubular portion onto a cylindrical flexible bladder cartridge having a tubular recess for receiving the tubular portion of the seal with the brim portion along the outer portion of the bladder, placing an assembly carrying the bladder to the location of the lateral and pressing the brim portion of the seal against the interior of the main pipeline and everting the tubular portion out of the tubular recess into a portion of the lateral to form the seal. Radiant energy, preferably, light is then applied to the resin to initiate the cure, the bladder is cooled and then deflated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating a resin impregnable flexible liner for lining a lateral pipe which leads into a main pipe having at one end a flexible collar for installation at the location where the lateral liner meets the main is provided. The seal is formed using a pipe template with an opening conforming to the lateral to be sealed. A tubular portion of liner is inserted into the opening and a ring of flexible impregnable material is bonded to the tubular portion about the opening. An expandable plug holds the elements in position during bonding.

Abstract: An apparatus for installing a cured in place lateral seal in an existing main pipeline wherein the lateral seal includes a brim portion bonded to a short tubular portion is provided. The apparatus includes a flexible bladder mounted on a cylindrical housing with the bladder having a recess with an inflatable arm which can be tucked within the housing for receiving the tubular portion of the seal with the brim portion along the outer portion of the bladder. The cartridge is removably mountable on a sled or robot device with positioning motors for positioning the seal at the opening of the lateral pipeline. The use of replaceable bladder cartridges allows an operator to load a second new seal on a cartridge a first seal on a bladder cartridge mounted on the sled is being cured in place.

Abstract: A multi-layered iridescent reflective coating for a fishing lure and the method for applying the coating to the surface of the lure. The coating preferably comprises a base layer, an optical stack comprising at least 3 layers of refractive material, and a protective layer. The layers of refractive material are vacuum deposited on a lure pre-coated with an ultraviolet cured polymer base layer. The optical stack can be applied to painted lures, pre-colored lures, or undecorated lures. The substrate, or lure surface, does not affect the process but can yield varying iridescent effects, depending on the texture and color of the substrate surface. The relative thickness of each optical layer and its relation to the other layers in the optical stack combine to achieve a variety of iridescent effects. A protective layer having a low refractive index is applied over the finished optical stack.

Abstract: A cured in place lateral seal impregnated with a curable resin in the form of a "floppy top hat" for sealing the connection between an existing main conduit and a lateral connection is provided. The seal includes a brim portion bonded to a relatively short tubular section with the resin impregnable surfaces facing each other. The seal is formed by placing an annular ring about an opening in a template in the form of a pipe having a dimension and opening corresponding to the existing conduit and lateral, placing a tubular section of cured in place lining through the ring and the opening and bonding the tubular portion to the brim portion. The seal is impregnated with a resin by sealing the end of the tubular portion and then by placing the seal into a container with resin and drawing a vacuum to wet out the impregnable layer.

Abstract: An essentially isocyanate-free polyurethane, polyurea, polyethylenic oligomer is disclosed which is unusually strong and elastic and which possesses improved solvent solubility. This oligomer is the reaction product of: (1) organic diisocyanate; (2) a stoichiometric deficiency of difunctional materials reactive therewith and consisting essentially of: (A) diol component selected from polycarbonate diol and polyoxyalkylene glycol, this diol component having a molecular weight of from 200 to 2000; (B) dihydric bisphenol-based alkylene oxide adduct containing from 2-6 alkylene groups per molecule; and (C) a diprimary diamine component selected from alkylene diamine and polyoxyalkylene diamine, this diamine component having a molecular weight of from about 60 to 800. Components (A) and (B) are present in a mole ratio of, from 1:1.5 to 1:5 and component (C) is present to supply from 5 to 30 equivalent percent of the total equivalents of component (2).

Abstract: The reaction product of an adduct of an ethylenically unsaturated monohydric alcohol, such as 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, with an organic diisocyanate in which one of the two isocyanate groups is more strongly reactive than the other, such as isophorone diisocyanate, is reacted with a phenoxy resin in solvent solution. The alcohol is used in a molar excess of at least about 3% up to 30% to insure the absence of any significant proportion of unreacted diisocyanate. The phenoxy resin which is reacted with is a high molecular weight hydroxy functional polyether having a number average molecular weight above 10,000 and an hydroxy functionality in the range of from about 20 to about 300. The adduct is used in an amount to introduce about 1.5 to about 20 ethylenically unsaturated groups per molecule of the polyether, and the reaction is continued to substantially eliminate unreacted isocyanate functionality.

Abstract: Liquid coating compositions adapted to be cured by exposure to ionizing radiation are disclosed in which a liquid vehicle of coating viscosity having an ethylenically unsaturated portion comprising one or more polyethylenically unsaturated materials adapted to cure on radiation exposure, pigment dispersed in the vehicle, and an acrylate-functional radiation-curable dispersant having free carboxyl group for wetting the pigment and assisting in the stable dispersion of the pigment in the vehicle. This dispersant is an acrylate-functional carboxylic acid amide carrying free carboxyl groups, especially an adduct of a polyacrylate and a stoichiometric deficiency of a primary amine to provide a secondary amine having acrylate functionality, the secondary amine functionality being reacted with a polycarboxylic acid anhydride to form amide groups therewith.

Abstract: An essentially isocyanate-free polyurethane polyurea polyethylenic oligomer is disclosed which is unusually strong and elastic. This oligomer is the reaction product of: (1) organic diisocyanate; (2) a stoichiometric deficiency of difunctional materials reactive therewith and consisting essentially of: (A) diol component selected from polycarbonate diol and polyoxyalkylene glycol, this diol component having a molecular weight of from 200 to 2000; (B) dihydric bisphenol-based alkylene oxide adduct containing from 2-10 alkylene groups per molecule; and (C) a diprimary diamine component selected from alkylene diamine and polyoxyalkylene diamine, this diamine component having a molecular weight of from about 70 to 800. Components (A) and (B) are present in a weight ratio of from 1:4 to 9:1 and component (C) is present to supply from 30 to 60 equivalent percent of the total equivalents of component (2).

Abstract: Liquid coating compositions adapted to be cured by exposure to ionizing radiation are disclosed in which a liquid vehicle of coating viscosity having an ethylenically unsaturated portion comprising one or more polyethylenically unsaturated materials adapted to cure on radiation exposure, pigment dispersed in the vehicle, and an acrylate-functional radiation-curable dispersant having free carboxyl group for wetting the pigment and assisting in the stable dispersion of the pigment in the vehicle. This dispersant is an acrylate-functional carboxylic acid amide carrying free carboxyl groups, especially an adduct of a polyacrylate and a stoichiometric deficiency of a primary amine to provide a secondary amine having acrylate functionality, the secondary amine functionality being reacted with a polycarboxylic acid anhydride to form amide groups therewith.

Abstract: Nonvolatile plasticizers are provided which are the carboxyl-functional amide reaction product of: (1) a secondary amine-functional adduct of an acrylate compound, like 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate or a monohydric caprolactone monoacrylate, and about one amine equivalent per acrylate group in the acrylate compound, of an organic primary amine such as a polyoxypropylene monoprimary amine having a molecular weight in the range of about 50 to about 8000; with (2) a dicarboxylic acid anhydride, like phthalic anhydride. These plasticizers have improved wetting properties and are particularly useful in nitrocellulose compositions, such as nail polish.

Abstract: High solids thermosetting organic solvent solution coating compositions are disclosed which are particularly useful for sealing the pores in fiber reinforced plastics. These compositions contain a mixture of resins comprising (1) from 30% to 70% of one or more hydroxy functional resins having a number average molecular weight of at least about 700, a Gardner bubble viscosity less than about Z.sub.4 measured in methyl ethyl ketone at 90% solids at 25.degree. C., and at least 5% of the hydroxy groups thereof being primary hydroxy groups, (2) from 10% to 70% of low molecular weight epoxy ester made by esterifying one or more resinous polyepoxides having a 1,2-epoxy equivalency of at least 1.2 with an approximately stoichiometric proportion of monocarboxylic fatty acid to provide an essentially epoxy-free ester having a Gardner bubble viscosity less than Z.sub.4 at 75% solids in xylol at 25.degree. C.

Abstract: An essentially linear polyester oligomer having hydroxyl and carboxyl terminal groups for subsequent cure and its production are disclosed. This polyester oligomer is produced by first adducting approximately equimolar amounts of diol carrying two primary hydroxyl groups and a dicarboxylic acid anhydride to form an hydroxy acid. The carboxyl groups of this hydroxy acid are then esterified by reaction with an approximately stoichiometric proportion of diol carrying one primary hydroxyl group and one secondary hydroxyl group, the stoichiometry being based on the total hydroxyl content of the diol and the carboxyl content of the hydroxy acid, to form an hydroxyl-terminated oligomer. This hydroxyl-terminated oligomer is then adducted with a polycarboxylic acid monoanhydride having a carboxyl functionality of at least 3, this monoanhydride being used in an amount of 0.01 to 0.15 equivalents of anhydride per hydroxyl equivalent in the hydroxyl-terminated oligomer.

Abstract: An essentially linear polyester oligomer having hydroxyl and carboxyl terminal groups for subsequent cure and its production are disclosed. This polyester oligomer is produced by first adducting approximately equimolar amounts of diol carrying two primary hydroxyl groups and a dicarboxylic acid anhydride to form an hydroxy acid. The carboxyl groups of this hydroxy acid are then esterified by reaction with an approximately stoichiometric proportion of diol carrying one primary hydroxyl group and one secondary hydroxyl group, the stoichiometry being based on the total hydroxyl content of the diol and the carboxyl content of the hydroxy acid, to form an hydroxyl-terminated oligomer. This hydroxyl-terminated oligomer is then adducted with a polycarboxylic acid monoanhydride having a carboxyl functionality of at least 3, this monoanhydride being used in an amount of 0.01 to 0.15 equivalents of anhydride per hydroxyl equivalent in the hydroxyl-terminated oligomer.