Abstract: A sound dampening laminate includes a fiberboard core interposed between two resin impregnated paper layers, one of the paper layers being a design layer comprising a design and the paper layer opposite the design layer being a balancing layer. The fiberboard core has a sound dampening feature, such as a plurality of grooves penetrating from the exposed surface of the balancing layer into the fiberboard core, an energy-absorbing layer interposed between two fiberboard material layers, two layers having different resonant properties or a combination of those features. A sound dampening material, such as silicone rubber, butyl caulk, polyurethane elastomers, ethylene vinyl acetate, or acrylic viscoelastic polymers may be positioned within the grooves.

Abstract: A lithographic printing surface is prepared using a thermal lithographic printing plate which requires no chemical development to remove areas of the imaged plate. The processless thermal lithographic printing plate has a sheet substrate; a hydrophilic layer on the sheet substrate; and a thermally sensitive imaging layer on the hydrophilic layer. The hydrophilic layer contains about 30 weight % of an aluminosilicate or clay, and preferably has an exterior surface which is micro-porous. The imaging layer preferably is micro-porous. The imaging layer is exposed imagewise using infrared laser radiation to produce an imaged layer. The imaged layer is treated with a conditioner liquid to produce a lithographic printing surface.

Abstract: A method for directly imaging a lithographic printing surface using infrared radiation without the requirement of pre- or post-UV-light exposure, or heat treatment employs a printing plate which contains a support with a hydrophilic surface overcoated with an imaging layer. The imaging layer contains at least one polymer having bonded pendent groups which are hydroxy, carboxylic acid, tert-butyl-oxycarbonyl, sulfonamide, amide, nitrile, urea, or combinations thereof; as well as an infrared absorbing compound. The imaging layer may contain a second polymer which has bonded pendent groups which are 1,2-napthoquinone diazide, hydroxy, carboxylic acid, sulfonamide, hydroxymethyl amide, alkoxymethyl amide, nitrile, maleimide, urea, or combinations thereof. The imaging layer may also contain a visible absorption dye, a solubility inhibiting agent, or both.

Abstract: Lithographic plate compositions and a method for their production have been discovered that are especially useful in conjunction with digitally controlled lasers to directly construct printable images on lithographic plates. The plates comprise a substrate and an ablatable polymeric coating on the substrate where the ablatable, imageable coating is prepared by in situ or solution polymerization of conjugated monomers deposited on the plate by vapor deposition or in solution. Examples of such monomers are thiophene, pyrrole and aniline.

Abstract: Elastomeric compositions containing EPDM elastomers are provided, the vulcanizates of which show substantially improved adhesion properties with good dynamic ozone resistance, superior aged fatigue life and high resilience. The EPDM used is of high molecular weight and has a non-conjugated diene content of at least 6 weight percent preferably at least 7.5%. The composition also contains highly unsaturated elastomers, such as natural rubber and polybutadiene, as the additional elastomeric components.