Abstract: A masking film comprises a light-shielding peelable layer which is provided on a transparent support and comprises a polymer binder comprising a vinyl chloride resin, a rubberlike resin and a thermoplastic resin having OH groups and being compatible with the rubberlike resin and the vinyl chloride resin, wherein the polymer binder comprises a mixed nitrile rubber of a nitrile rubber having an acrylonitrile content of about 33% by weight and a Mooney viscosity of about 50 to 90 and another nitrile rubber either having an acrylonitrile content of about 28 to 32% by weight and a Mooney viscosity of about 35 to 70 or having an acrylonitrile content of about 33% by weight and a Mooney viscosity of about 35 to 50. The masking film simultaneously exhibits appropriate flexibility, good pick-up property, peelability and anti-blocking property of the light-shielding peelable layer and is stable against degradation of these properties with time.

Abstract: A method for producing a copolyamide, which comprises (1) heating either one dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of adipic acid and a mixture containing 40 mol % or more of adipic acid to a temperature higher than the melting point of adipic acid but lower than a temperature lower by 30.degree. C. than the melting point of the resulting copolyamide, (2) dropping a diamine comprising paraxylylene diamine and metaxylylene diamine into the heated dicarboxylic acid before a conversion of the dicarboxylic acid reaches 90 mol %, (3) stopping dropping of the diamine before the conversion of the dicarboxylic acid reaches 90 mol %, and dropping metaxylylene diamine or a diamine mixture of metaxylylene diamine and paraxylylene diamine in place of the diamine until a molar ratio of the total of the diamines to the total of the dicarboxylic acids becomes 0.97 to 1.03, and (4) heating a reaction system to a temperature higher than a temperature lower by 30.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for the production of a polyamide, which comprises polycondensing adipic acid prepared by nitric acid oxidation and containing 1 ppm by weight or less of a free mineral acid as an impurity with a diamine represented by formula (1)H.sub.2 N--CH.sub.2 --R--CH.sub.2 --NH.sub.2 . . . (1)wherein R denotes a linear or branched alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a m-phenylene group, a p-phenylene group, a 1,3-cyclohexylene group or a 1,4-cyclohexylene group; a polyamide produced by said process; and a film or sheet made of the above polyamide.

Abstract: A biodegradable plastic composition for forming biodegradable shaped bodies which includes a poly-.beta.-hydroxybutyrate having a viscosity of n.sub.A at 185.degree. C. and a polycaprolactone having a viscosity of n.sub.B at 185.degree. C., wherein the poly-.beta.-hydroxybutyrate is present in an amount C.sub.A of 10-45 or 55-85% by weight based on the total weight of the poly-.beta.-hydroxybutyrate and the polycaprolactone, and wherein n.sub.A, n.sub.B and C.sub.A satisfy the following condition:4.times.10.sup.-3 .times.C.sub.A -1.7.ltoreq.log (n.sub.A /n.sub.B).ltoreq.4.times.10.sup.-3 .times.C.sub.A -1.3.

Abstract: An oxygen scavenging composition comprising an intimate mixture of (A) a compound having a skeleton of the following formula (1), ##STR1## wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, m is an integer of 3 to 5, and n is an integer of 1 to 3, provided that m+n equals 6,(B) a transition metal compound and (C) a phosphorus compound. This composition is useful in a variety of fields requiring prevention of rust formation on metal, prevention of oxidation and decay of an organic substance, preservation of foods, prevention of insects and prevention of mold.

Abstract: A polyamide resin composition obtained by melting and kneading(A) a first polyamide containing not less than 90 mol %, based on the total recurring units, of a m-xylylene adipamide unit of the formula, ##STR1## and (B) a second polyamide showing a semicrystallization time of not more than 30 seconds in a constant-temperature crystallization at 160.degree. C. and having a solubility parameter in the range of 13.+-.1.5;(C) under the conditions where the following relationship is satisfied,(0.025C-2.2).ltoreq.log R.ltoreq.(0.025C-0.5)wherein C is a proportion (wt. %) of the first polyamide based on the total weight of the first and second polyamides, and R is a ratio of the melt viscosity of the first polyamide to the melt viscosity of the second polyamide at a temperature higher by 20.degree. C. than the melting point of that one of the first and second polyamides which has a higher melting point than the other, provided that C is in the range of 20 to 95 (wt. %);and a film produced therefrom.

Abstract: A transparent gas-barrier multilayer structure comprising (A) at least one layer of a polyamide composition comprising (a) 30 to 80 parts by weight of a first polyamide composed of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid as a main acid component and an aliphatic diamine as a main diamine component and (b) 70 to 20 parts by weight of a second polyamide composed of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid as a main acid component and m-xylylenediamine as a main diamine component, the total amount of the first polyamide and the second polyamide being 100 parts by weight, and (B) at least one layer of a thermoplastic resin other than the polyamide composition, said at least one layer (A) being bonded to said at least one layer (B).

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for heating a strip of metallic material in a continuous annealing furnace and more particularly to an improvement relating to a method and apparatus for heating a strip of metallic material in a continuous annealing furnace in which annealing of the strip is continuously carried out in such a manner that a gas serving to adjust temperature of the strip, is blown toward the strip through a plurality of gas jet nozzles which are arranged on one side or both sides of the strip, wherein the temperature and flow rate of the strip are properly determined to a required level in response to the changing of the operating conditions such as the heat cycle, line speed, thickness of strip, width of strip and the like.

Abstract: A gas-barrier multilayered structure comprising (A) at least one layer of a copolyamide composed of (a) a dicarboxylic acid component composed of 55 to 70 mole % of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid component and 45 to 30 mole % of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid component consisting substantially of 20 to 30 mole % of isophthalic acid and 5 to 20 mole % of terephthalic acid, and (b) a diamine component composed substantially of a m-xylylenediamine component, and (B) at least one layer of a thermoplastic resin other than the copolyamide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for heating a strip of metallic material in a continuous annealing furnace and more particularly to an improvement relating to a method and apparatus for heating a strip of metallic material in a continuous annealing furnace in which annealing of the strip is continuously carried out in such a manner that a gas, serving to adjust temperature of the strip, is blown toward the strip through a plurality of gas jet nozzles which are arranged on one side or both sides of the strip, wherein the temperature and flow rate of the strip are properly determined to a required level in response to the changing of the operating conditions such as the heat cycle, line speed, thickness of strip, width of strip and the like.

Abstract: A steel belt cooling apparatus is provided on both sides of a running steel belt. Each cooling apparatus has a gas cushion type nozzle essentially consisting of two slit nozzles which extend in the lateral direction of the steel belt with each nozzle head inclined inwardly toward the other and a flat plate between the slit nozzles. On the flat plate are a plurality of ribs extending from the slit nozzle on the upstream side to the slit nozzle on the downstream side and arranged in parallel across the width of the steel belt. The ribs may be provided such that the height of the tips of the ribs may be the same as the height of the tips of the gas cushion nozzle.

Abstract: A cyclone comprising a cylindrical portion and an inverted conical portion, the cylindrical portion having a gas inlet connected thereto in its tangential direction and a gas outlet perforated through a ceiling panel thereof, the gas inlet allowing the introduction of a gas including powders therethrough, the inverted conical portion being connected to the cylindrical portion under its lower edge and having a collected powder outlet at the lower end thereof, characterized in that the gas outlet is perforated through the ceiling panel of the cylindrical portion so that the central axis of the gas outlet may be coaxially coincident with the central axis of the cylindrical portion; a cylindrical exhaust gas guide is disposed under the ceiling panel so as to surround the periphery of the gas outlet; and when a cross section of the cylindrical portion is separated into four sectors by an imaginary line passing through an intersection of an inner wall of the gas inlet and the cylindrical portion and passing through

Abstract: A process for preparing a polyamide is provided. The polyamide is prepared by causing a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine to polycondensate directly under an atmosphere of an inert gas at atmospheric pressure. The polycondensation reaction is mainly carried out in two diamine component-adding steps, one step comprising adding part of the diamine to the molten dicarboxylic acid until the molar ratio of the diamine to the dicarboxylic acid is brought to within the range of from 0.900 to 0.990 while raising continuously the temperature of the reaction mixture to a temperature not exceeding about 5.degree. C. above the melting point of the object polyamide and the other step comprising adding the remainder of the diamine to the reaction mixture maintained at a temperature higher than about 10.degree. C., but not exceeding about 35.degree. C. above the melting point of the object polyamide until the overall molar ratio of the diamine to the dicarboxylic acid is brought to within the range of from 0.995 to 1.005.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polyamide is provided. The polyamide is prepared by effecting direct polycondensation reaction of a dicarboxylic acid component containing at least 80 mole % of adipic acid and a diamine component containing at least 70 mole % of m-xylylene diamine under an atmosphere of an inert gas and at atmospheric pressure at a controlled temperature which is higher than the melting point of the dicarboxylic acid component and which can maintain the reaction mixture in a uniformly-fluidized state throughout the reaction.

Abstract: A process for producing an aromatic polyester carbonate resin in which the molar ratio of the dihydric phenolic compound residue to aromatic dicarboxylic acid residue to carbonate bond is in the range of 2:0.5:1.5-2:1.4:0.6 and these constituent components form an alternating configuration of high regularity, said process comprising a first step wherein in producing a hydroxyl-terminated aromatic oligocarbonate by reacting a dihydric phenolic compound with a halogenated carbonyl compound in a reaction medium consisting of water and a water-immiscible solvent in the presence of a basic inorganic compound, the reaction is carried out by using the basic inorganic compound in an amount of 0.6-1.6 moles per mole of the dihydric phenolic compound and the halogenated carbonyl compound in an amount of 0.3-0.

Abstract: A process for the isolation of particulate polyarylene esters having good thermal stability and hydrolytic stability, which comprises adding to a solution of a polyarylene ester in an organic solvent a poor solvent for the polyarylene ester at least in an amount such that said solution reaches a cloud point, followed by subjecting said mixed solution to an aging treatment whereby the polyarylene ester precipitates as solids, characterized in that said poor solvent is a mixed poor solvent consisting of 5-95% by weight of an aliphatic alcohol with 1-5 carbons and the other poor solvent for the polyarylene ester, the amount of said mixed poor solvent added being within the range of 100-200% by weight of the amount such that said solution reaches the cloud point and not exceeding the amount of said solution.

Abstract: A method for isolating a polyarylene ester from a solution of the polyarylene ester in tetrahydrofuran and/or dioxane which is prepared by polycondensing a dihydric phenol compound and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid or its derivative, which comprises adding water to the solvent solution to form a water-containing solution, the weight ratio of water to the solvent solution being from 0.01 to 0.5, subjecting the resulting water-containing solution to an aging treatment, then precipitating substantially all of the polyarylene ester as a particulate solid from the water-containing solution, and separating the precipitated polyarylene ester from the water-containing solution.

Abstract: A steering wheel assembly in which a hub is mounted at one end of a steering shaft and is connected to a rim by a plurality of spokes. A cover is mounted over the spokes and is formed by a base layer and a coated surface layer of a resilient material. The free end of a bent portion of the cover is disposed adjacent to an outer edge portion of the hub.