Abstract: A polymer composition that comprises an aromatic polyester, a laser activatable additive, and a mineral filler is provided. The mineral filler has a median size of about 35 micrometers or less and the laser activatable additive has a mean size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

Abstract: A polymer composition that comprises an aromatic polyester, a laser activatable additive, and a mineral filler is provided. The mineral filler has a median size of about 35 micrometers or less and the laser activatable additive has a mean size of about 1000 nanometers or less.

Abstract: A laminate that contains a film on which one or more conductive elements are disposed is provided. The film is formed from a polymer composition that contains an aromatic polyester and an additive that is “laser-activatable” in the sense that it can be activated by a laser direct structuring (“LDS”) process. By selectively controlling the nature of the polymer composition and its respective components, the present inventors have discovered that a film can be readily formed that has good heat resistance, yet is also capable of exhibiting good adhesion to the conductive elements due to the fact that such elements can be integrally formed on the film using an LDS process.

Abstract: A thermoplastic composition that contains a unique combination of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer, dielectric material, laser activatable additive, and a fibrous filler is provided. The nature of the components and/or their concentration are selectively controlled in the present invention to maintain a high dielectric constant, good mechanical properties (e.g., deflection under load), and good processibility (e.g., low viscosity), yet still be laser activatable. Thus, the thermoplastic composition can be readily shaped into a thin substrate and subsequently applied with one or more conductive elements using a laser direct structuring process (“LDS”).

Abstract: A melt-extrudable polymer composition that contains a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer, non-metallic filler, and metallic filler is provided. The composition is particularly well suited for forming cooking articles (e.g., cookware, bakeware, etc.). When incorporated into such an article, for instance, the metallic filler in polymer composition can be readily detected (e.g., by a metal detector), which in turn allows any foodstuffs prepared with the article to be tested for possible contamination. In addition, the specific nature of the liquid crystalline polymer and relative concentration of the non-metallic and metallic fillers are also selectively controlled so that the resulting composition can possess a relatively high degree of melt viscosity and/or melt strength, which allows the composition to better maintain its shape during melt extrusion.

Abstract: A process for forming shaped three-dimensional products is described made from a composition containing at least one filler and an aromatic liquid crystal polymer. In one embodiment, the process includes forming a substrate such as a film, a sheet or a tube, through an extrusion process. Once the substrate is formed, the substrate is then heated and fed to a shaping process. The shaping process may comprise a thermal forming process or a blow molding process. In order to form the three-dimensional products, the aromatic liquid crystal polymer has a high heat of crystallization, a high melt temperature and/or a high melt viscosity.

Abstract: Polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys are described as are methods of forming the polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys. The polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys are formed according to a melt processing method that includes melt processing a polyarylene sulfide with a reactively functionalized disulfide compound and a liquid crystal polymer in a one or two step process. The reactively functionalized disulfide compound is added in a stoichiometric amount to react with a portion of the polyarylene sulfide. The melt processing forms a polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer copolymer that is a compatibilizer in the alloy. The polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys may provide low chlorine content products having excellent strength characteristics.

Abstract: A polymer composition that can be readily melt-extruded into a shaped three-dimensional substrate (e.g., tube) and also applied with a conductive element using a laser direct structuring (“LDS”) process. In this regard, the composition contains a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and a laser activatable additive. The specific nature of the polymer and relative concentration of the polymer and additive are selectively controlled so that the resulting composition can possess both a relatively high melt viscosity and melt strength.

Abstract: Blow molded articles are made from a polymeric composition containing a polyphenylene sulfide resin. The composition can further contain a reinforcing agent, such as glass fibers, and a combination of an organosilane coupling agent and an impact modifier. It was discovered that the combination of the aminosilane coupling agent and the impact modifier substantially increased the low shear viscosity and melt strength of the composition without increasing the high shear viscosity of the composition. The increase in the low shear viscosity makes the composition particularly well suited to molding articles with a complex shape. When producing blow molded articles, for instance, the composition provides better control over wall thickness while having improved interior surface smoothness at higher throughput and extrusion rates.

Abstract: A process for forming shaped three-dimensional products is described made from a composition containing at least one filler and an aromatic liquid crystal polymer. In one embodiment, the process includes forming a substrate such as a film, a sheet or a tube, through an extrusion process. Once the substrate is formed, the substrate is then heated and fed to a shaping process. The shaping process may comprise a thermal forming process or a blow molding process. In order to form the three-dimensional products, the aromatic liquid crystal polymer has a high heat of crystallization, a high melt temperature and/or a high melt viscosity.

Abstract: Blow molded articles are made from a polymeric composition containing a polyphenylene sulfide resin. The composition can further contain a reinforcing agent, such as glass fibers, and a combination of an organosilane coupling agent and an impact modifier. It was discovered that the combination of the aminosilane coupling agent and the impact modifier substantially increased the low shear viscosity and melt strength of the composition without increasing the high shear viscosity of the composition. The increase in the low shear viscosity makes the composition particularly well suited to molding articles with a complex shape. When producing blow molded articles, for instance, the composition provides better control over wall thickness while having improved interior surface smoothness at higher throughput and extrusion rates.

Abstract: Blends of poly(arylene sulfide)s, liquid crystalline polyesters and liquid crystalline poly(esteramide)s exhibit a lower melt viscosity than would be expected based on the melt viscosities of analogous blends of liquid crystalline polyesters and poly(arylene sulfide)s that have the same overall amount of liquid crystalline polymer. The viscosities are reduced over a wide range of compositions. Such blends are useful in the manufacture of electronic components, particularly connectors.