Abstract: Coating compositions that include acrylic polymers as reinforcing agents. The coating compositions are radiation-curable and include a multifunctional acrylate component, an acrylic monomer diluent, an acrylic polymer, and a photoinitiator. The acrylic polymer is not radiation-curable and lacks hydrogen-donor groups, urea groups, and urethane groups. The acrylic polymer is non-reactive and does not chemically bond to the crosslinked network formed by curing the acrylate components. Instead, the acrylic polymer reinforces the cured network through physical interactions. Representative acrylic polymers include (meth)acrylates that lack substituents with hydrogen-donor, urea, and urethane groups.

Abstract: An optical fiber coating composition that includes an acrylic copolymer. The acrylic copolymer is a block copolymer that includes two or more acrylic blocks. The two or more acrylic blocks differ in glass transition temperature (Tg). The acrylic copolymer may include an acrylic block with a Tg above 50° C. and an acrylic block with a Tg below 0° C. Representative monomers from which the repeat units of the acrylic blocks are derived include alkyl(meth)acrylates. In one embodiment, the acrylic copolymer includes an acrylic block with repeat units derived from methylmethacrylate and an acrylic block derived from butylacrylate. The acrylic copolymer lacks urethane groups, lacks urea groups, lacks radiation-curable groups, and is otherwise unreactive with other components in the coating composition. The acrylic copolymer features high solubility in common acrylate-based radiation-curable coating compositions and can be provided at high concentrations in acrylate-based coating compositions.

Abstract: An optical fiber is disclosed that includes a primary coating formed from a radiation curable composition that includes a curable cross-linker essentially free of urethane and urea functional groups, a curable diluent, and a non-radiation curable component comprising (thio)urethane and/or (thio)urea groups. The primary coating features low Young's modulus, low Tg, and high tensile strength. The optical fiber exhibits low microbend losses in wire mesh drum and basketweave tests.

Abstract: A low cost composition that cures rapidly and which is suitable for coating an optical fiber comprises at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer; at least one photoinitiator; and at least one non-radiation-curable polar polymer having pendent groups that facilitate low energy chemical bonding, hydrogen bonding, dipolar interactions or other interactions with radical compounds formed during polymerization of the monomer. The non-radiation-curable polar polymer(s) are inexpensive and reduce and/or eliminate the need for expensive urethane acrylate oligomers, without sacrificing properties, and while achieving rapid cure speeds.

Abstract: Coating compositions that include acrylic polymers as reinforcing agents. The coating compositions are radiation-curable and include a multifunctional acrylate component, an acrylic monomer diluent, an acrylic polymer, and a photoinitiator. The acrylic polymer is not radiation-curable and lacks hydrogen-donor groups, urea groups, and urethane groups. The acrylic polymer is non-reactive and does not chemically bond to the crosslinked network formed by curing the acrylate components. Instead, the acrylic polymer reinforces the cured network through physical interactions. Representative acrylic polymers include (meth)acrylates that lack substituents with hydrogen-donor, urea, and urethane groups.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing urethane-free polyfunctional acrylate compounds. The method includes reaction of a polyol with acrylic acid in the presence of an inhibitor. A catalyst may also be present. The catalyst may be an acid and the inhibitor may be a substituted phenol compound. Excess acid may be removed by adding a salt and excess water may be removed by adding a drying agent. The reaction converts alcohol groups of the polyol to acrylate groups to provide a radiation-curable polyfunctional acrylate compound. The reaction is applicable to polyols generally and provides a scalable high yield process for forming urethane-free polyfunctional acrylates over a wide range of molecular weights. Coatings made from the acrylate products exhibit modulus and tensile strength characteristics favorable for primary fiber coatings.

Abstract: A low cost composition that cures rapidly and which is suitable for coating an optical fiber comprises at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer; at least one photoinitiator; and at least one non-radiation-curable polar polymer having pendent groups that facilitate low energy chemical bonding, hydrogen bonding, dipolar interactions or other interactions with radical compounds formed during polymerization of the monomer. The non-radiation-curable polar polymer(s) are inexpensive and reduce and/or eliminate the need for expensive urethane acrylate oligomers, without sacrificing properties, and while achieving rapid cure speeds.

Abstract: A coating composition including a reinforcing agent. The coating composition may include one or more radiation-curable monofunctional monomers, one or more radiation-curable multifunctional monomers or oligomers, a photoinitiator, and a reinforcing agent. The monofunctional monomers, multifunctional monomers, and multifunctional oligomers may include acrylate groups. The reinforcing agent may be an acrylic co-polymer that includes two or more repeat units. At least one of the repeat units includes chemical groups that enable self-association of the acrylic co-polymer. Self-association of the acrylic co-polymer may improve the tensile strength of coatings formed from the coating compositions.

Abstract: A radiation curable composition is disclosed that includes a curable cross-linker essentially free of urethane and urea functional groups, a curable diluent, and a non-radiation curable component comprising (thio)urethane and/or urea groups. Coated optical fibers having a primary coating formed from this radiation curable composition, as well as optical fiber ribbons that contain the coated optical fibers are disclosed. Methods of making the optical fibers and ribbons are also disclosed.

Abstract: A coated microcarrier for cell culture includes a microcarrier base and a polymeric coating grafted to the base via a polymerization initiator. A method for forming the coated microcarrier includes (i) conjugating a polymerization initiator to the microcarrier base to form an initiator-conjugated microcarrier base; (ii) contacting the initiator-conjugated microcarrier base with monomers; and (iii) activating the initiator to initiate polymerization and graft the polymer to the base.

Abstract: A coated microcarrier for cell culture includes a microcarrier base and a polymeric coating grafted to the base via a polymerization initiator. A method for forming the coated microcarrier includes (i) conjugating a polymerization initiator to the microcarrier base to form an initiator-conjugated microcarrier base; (ii) contacting the initiator-conjugated microcarrier base with monomers; and (iii) activating the initiator to initiate polymerization and graft the polymer to the base.

Abstract: A coated microcarrier for cell culture includes a microcarrier base and a polymeric coating grafted to the base via a polymerization initiator. A method for forming the coated microcarrier includes (i) conjugating a polymerization initiator to the microcarrier base to form an initiator-conjugated microcarrier base; (ii) contacting the initiator-conjugated microcarrier base with monomers; and (iii) activating the initiator to initiate polymerization and graft the polymer to the base.

Abstract: A plasticized ceramic-forming mixture and a method for stiffening the mixture, the mixture comprising a combination of inorganic powder, one or more plasticizing organic binders, a radiation-curable monomer, a photoinitiator, and water, and the method comprising stiffening the surfaces of extruded shapes of the mixture by applying electromagnetic energy to the surfaces following extrusion.

Abstract: A process for forming microcarriers includes contacting an initiator-conjugated microcarrier base with one or more monomers and activating the initiator to initiate polymerization and to graft a polymer from the base via the initiator or a remnant thereof. At least one of the monomers is conjugated to a polypeptide so that incorporation of the monomer into the forming polymer conjugates the polypeptide to the polymeric coating as it is formed in situ.

Abstract: A coated microcarrier for cell culture includes a microcarrier base and a polymeric coating grafted to the base via a polymerization initiator. A method for forming the coated microcarrier includes (i) conjugating a polymerization initiator to the microcarrier base to form an initiator-conjugated microcarrier base; (ii) contacting the initiator-conjugated microcarrier base with monomers; and (iii) activating the initiator to initiate polymerization and graft the polymer to the base.

Abstract: A coated fiber for cell culture includes a fiber core having an exterior surface and a polymeric coating suitable for culturing cells disposed on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the fiber core. A polypeptide may be conjugated to the polymeric coating. A method for forming the coated fiber includes coating a polymer layer to an exterior surface of a fiber core to produce the coated fiber. The coating may occur as the fiber is being drawn.

Abstract: Extruded ceramic bodies such as extruded honeycomb bodies formed of plasticized ceramic powder pastes made from paste batches comprising one or a combination of ceramic powders together with a water vehicle and a cellulose ether binder, wherein a high-molecular-weight polymeric dispersant is incorporated in the batches to reduce batch mixing torque and extrusion pressure while maintaining the stiffness and mechanical durability of the extrusions.

Abstract: A plasticized ceramic-forming mixture and a method for stiffening the mixture, the mixture comprising a combination of inorganic powder, one or more plasticizing organic binders, a radiation-curable monomer, a photoinitiator, and water, and the method comprising stiffening the surfaces of extruded shapes of the mixture by applying electromagnetic energy to the surfaces following extrusion.

Abstract: A method of forming a temporary hermetic seal for an OLED device. The method includes the steps of providing a first glass substrate having at least one OLED device disposed thereon, providing a second glass substrate having one or more frit walls disposed thereon, disposing sealant grease about a periphery of the first or second substrate and joining the first substrate to the second substrate to form an hermetically sealed glass envelop containing at least one OLED device.