Abstract: There are provided compositions, optical data storage media and methods of using the optical data storage. The compositions comprise a non-linear sensitizer comprising one or more platinum ethynyl complexes capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to a reactant that undergoes a photochemical change upon triplet excitation.

Abstract: There are provided optical data storage media and methods of optical data storage using the same. The optical data storage media comprises a non-linear sensitizer capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to a reactant that undergoes change upon triplet excitation. The refractive index change (?n) of the medium is at least about 0.005, or even at least about 0.05.

Abstract: There are provided compositions, optical data storage media and methods of using the optical data storage media. The compositions comprise a non-linear sensitizer comprising one or more subphthalocyanine reverse saturable absorbers capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to a reactant that undergoes a photochemical change upon triplet excitation.

Abstract: A polyester block terpolymer comprising an amorphous block comprising a polystyrene dicarboxylate; a crystallizable block comprising a polyethylene glycol; and an aliphatic diol block; wherein the amorphous block is a continuous phase and the crystallizable block is a dispersed phase, and wherein the dispersed phase is less than about 200 nanometers in size.

Abstract: A polymer composite prepared by melt blending, comprising an amorphous polymer; and a crystallizable polymer; wherein upon cooling the polymer composite, the amorphous polymer forms a continuous phase and the crystallizable polymer forms a dispersed phase, and wherein the dispersed phase is less than 200 nanometers in size.

Abstract: A method of making polycarbonate includes the steps of forming polycarbonate by a melt transesterification method using an activated diaryl carbonate, and compounding the polycarbonate with a phosphorus-containing compound that has an abstractable proton or hydrolyzable group. The phosphorus-containing compound is compounded with the polycarbonate in an amount sufficient to result in an improvement in the color properties of the polycarbonate as compared to pellets formed from the same polycarbonate without addition of the phosphorus-containing compound.

Abstract: A method for preparing a molded article includes the steps of (a) obtaining a polycarbonate resin and (b) molding the polycarbonate resin. The polycarbonate resin is made by a transesterification reaction using an activated diaryl carbonate such that the polycarbonate is susceptible to the formation of internal ester linkages (IEL). The method occurs with the proviso that the polycarbonate resin, the molding conditions or both are selected to control the amount of IEL formed during the molding process to a level of less than 0.4 mol %.

Abstract: A method of producing a polycarbonate, the method comprising: polymerizing a dihydric phenol and a carbonate precursor in the presence of oxalic acid to produce a polycarbonate with a yellowness index of less than or equal to 10 measured in accordance with ASTM E313 test method on molded samples having a thickness of about 2.5 millimeters; wherein the amount of oxalic acid ranges from about 20 parts per million to about 350 parts per million, relative to an amount of the dihydric phenol; wherein the dihydric phenol is represented by Formula (I): wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and n is an integer having a value of 1 to 4.

Abstract: Polycarbonates incorporating terminal carbonate groups derived from ester-substituted activated carbonates in a transesterification process have unfavorable properties with respect to color, hydrolytic stability and thermal stability, particularly when the polycarbonate containing such end groups is molded. The number of activated carbonate end groups formed during the melt transesterification formation of polycarbonate can be reduced by reacting a dihydroxy compound with an activated diaryl carbonate in the presence of an esterification catalyst to produce a polycarbonate, in the presence of a monohydroxy chainstopper such as para-cumyl phenol in an amount that results in 35 to 65 mol % of the end groups being derived from the monohydroxy chainstopper. Suitably, the reactants are provided such that the molar ratio of activated diaryl carbonate to the total of dihydroxy compound plus ½ the chainstopping reagent that is less than 1.

Abstract: An improved method for the preparation of ester-substituted diaryl carbonates prepared by reacting phosgene with recycle streams of ester-substituted phenols from reaction processes using a tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide catalyst, a tetraalkyl phosphonium hydroxide catalyst, or both, where at least one alkyl group of the tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide or the tetraalkyl phosphonium hydroxide is a methyl group. The improvement includes the step of treating the recycle stream to reduce the concentration of a trialkyl amine, trialkyl phosphine, or both, if present, from the recycle stream prior to reacting it with phosgene to form the ester-substituted diaryl carbonate.

Abstract: Polycarbonates incorporating terminal carbonate groups derived from ester-substituted activated carbonates, for example terminal methyl salicyl carbonate (TMSC) derived from the use of BMSC as the activated carbonate in a transesterification process, have unfavorable properties with respect to color, hydrolytic stability and thermal stability, particularly when the polycarbonate containing such end groups is molded. The number of activated carbonate end groups formed during the melt transesterification formation of polycarbonate can be reduced, however, without sacrificing the benefits of using an activated diaryl carbonate, and without requiring a separate reaction or additional additives by reacting a dihydroxy compound with an activated diaryl carbonate in the presence of an esterification catalyst to produce a polycarbonate, wherein the molar ratio of activated diaryl carbonate to dihydroxy compound is less than 1 when expressed to at least three decimal places, for example 0.996 or less.

Abstract: A method of preparing polycarbonate includes a steps of providing a melt reaction mixture and allowing the melt reaction mixture to react to build molecular weight, thereby preparing the polycarbonate. The melt reaction mixture has a dihydroxy compound, an ester substituted diaryl carbonate mixture, and a melt transesterification catalyst where the ester substituted diaryl carbonate mixture may contain acid-substituted phenol. The method also includes the step of adjusting the molar ratio of acid-substituted phenol, if present, to melt transesterification catalyst (acid-substituted phenol/catalyst) in the melt reaction mixture to an amount of less than 10.

Abstract: A method for storing holographic data, said method comprising: step (A) providing an optically transparent substrate comprising a polymer composition and a light absorbing chromophore, said polymer composition comprising a continuous phase and a dispersed phase, said dispersed phase being less than about 200 nm in size; and step (B) irradiating a volume element of the optically transparent substrate with a holographic interference pattern, wherein the pattern has a first wavelength and an intensity both sufficient to cause a phase change in at least a portion of the dispersed phase within the volume element of the substrate to produce within the irradiated volume element refractive index variations corresponding to the holographic interference pattern, thereby producing an optically readable datum corresponding to the volume element.

Abstract: Polycarbonates incorporating terminal carbonate groups derived from ester-substituted activated carbonates, for example terminal methyl salicyl carbonate (TMSC) derived from the use of BMSC as the activated carbonate in a transesterification process, have unfavorable properties with respect to color, hydrolytic stability and thermal stability, particularly when the polycarbonate containing such end groups is molded. The number of activated carbonate end groups formed during the melt transesterification formation of polycarbonate can be reduced, however, without sacrificing the benefits of using an activated diaryl carbonate, and without requiring a separate reaction or additional additives by reacting a dihydroxy compound with an activated diaryl carbonate in the presence of an esterification catalyst to produce a polycarbonate, wherein the molar ratio of activated diaryl carbonate to dihydroxy compound is less than 1 when expressed to at least three decimal places, for example 0.996 or less.

Abstract: Polycarbonates incorporating terminal carbonate groups derived from ester-substituted activated carbonates in a transesterification process have unfavorable properties with respect to color, hydrolytic stability and thermal stability, particularly when the polycarbonate containing such end groups is molded. The number of activated carbonate end groups formed during the melt transesterification formation of polycarbonate can be reduced by reacting a dihydroxy compound with an activated diaryl carbonate in the presence of an esterification catalyst to produce a polycarbonate, in the presence of a monohydroxy chainstopper such as para-cumyl phenol in an amount that results in 35 to 65 mol % of the end groups being derived from the monohydroxy chainstopper. Suitably, the reactants are provided such that the molar ratio of activated diaryl carbonate to the total of dihydroxy compound plus ½ the chainstopping reagent that is less than 1.

Abstract: A method of making polycarbonate includes the steps of forming polycarbonate by a melt transesterification method using an activated diaryl carbonate, and compounding the polycarbonate with a phosphorus-containing compound that has an abstractable proton or hydrolyzable group. The phosphorus-containing compound is compounded with the polycarbonate in an amount sufficient to result in an improvement in the color properties of the polycarbonate as compared to pellets formed from the same polycarbonate without addition of the phosphorus-containing compound.

Abstract: A method for preparing a molded article includes the steps of (a) obtaining a polycarbonate resin and (b) molding the polycarbonate resin. The polycarbonate resin is made by a transesterification reaction using an activated diaryl carbonate such that the polycarbonate is susceptible to the formation of internal ester linkages (IEL). The method occurs with the proviso that the polycarbonate resin, the molding conditions or both are selected to control the amount of IEL formed during the molding process to a level of less than 0.4 mol %.

Abstract: A method of producing a polycarbonate, the method comprising: polymerizing a dihydric phenol and a carbonate precursor in the presence of oxalic acid to produce a polycarbonate with a yellowness index of less than or equal to 10 measured in accordance with ASTM E313 test method on molded samples having a thickness of about 2.5 millimeters; wherein the amount of oxalic acid ranges from about 20 parts per million to about 350 parts per million, relative to an amount of the dihydric phenol; wherein the dihydric phenol is represented by Formula (I): wherein R is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and n is an integer having a value of 1 to 4.

Abstract: An improved method for the preparation of ester-substituted diaryl carbonates prepared by reacting phosgene with recycle streams of ester-substituted phenols from reaction processes using a tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide catalyst, a tetraalkyl phosphonium hydroxide catalyst, or both, where at least one alkyl group of the tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide or the tetraalkyl phosphonium hydroxide is a methyl group. The improvement includes the step of treating the recycle stream to reduce the concentration of a trialkyl amine, trialkyl phosphine, or both, if present, from the recycle stream prior to reacting it with phosgene to form the ester-substituted diaryl carbonate.

Abstract: This invention relates to an extrusion method preparing polycarbonates from a solution of an oligomeric polycarbonate. A mixture of bis(methyl salicyl)carbonate (BMSC), BPA and a transesterification catalyst are first equilibrated at moderate temperatures to provide a solution of polycarbonate oligomer in methyl salicylate. The solution is then fed to a devolatilizing extruder, where the polymerization reaction is completed and the methyl salicylate solvent is removed. The solution comprising the oligomeric polycarbonate can also be pre-heated under pressure to a temperature above the boiling point of methyl salicylate and subsequently fed to a devolatilizing extruder equipped for rapid flashing off the solvent. The method provides polycarbonate with greater efficiency than the corresponding process in which unreacted monomers are fed to the extruder. Additionally, the method of the invention does not require the isolation of a precursor polycarbonate comprising ester-substituted phenoxy terminal groups.