Abstract: Electron beam radiation of resin blends and compounds comprises in major part by weight of cellulose acetate accelerates the rate and increases the degree of biodegradation of the compounds and products made therefrom, and renders the same fully compostable, without sacrifice of physical properties.

Abstract: A utensil for use in preparing foods in a microwave oven comprises a microwave transparent, nonconductive, ceramic, opentop food receiving vessel, a microwave transparent, nonconductive, ceramic cover for closing the open top of the vessel, special glaze or coating sintered onto at least the interior surfaces of the vessel and cover or onto both the interior and exterior surfaces thereof; the glaze or coating being comprised of a dielectric matrix and semiconductive particles dispersed throughout the matrix; the percent loading of the conductive particles in the matrix being such that the food contained in the vessel is partially shielded from microwave energy and the glaze absorbs microwave energy and the glaze absorbs microwave energy and converts it to thermal energy concentrated at the utensil so that the outside surface of the food is browned and crisped and the food is cooked from the outside to the inside by the heat transferred to the food from the utensil, as well as being cooked in part from the ins

Abstract: Environmentally friendly, disposable, degradable and/or recyclable plastic articles are made from water soluble, miscible, high molecular weight, thermoplastic, polymeric resin blends that are comprised by weight of about 65% to 95% high molecular weight water soluble thermoplastic resin having an inverse solubility characteristic and about 35% to 5% of at least one of certain high molecular weight thermoplastic polymers that are functionally compatible (miscible) with the inversely soluble resin. The articles are insoluble when used for their intended purposes, but become soluble when exposed to tepid or cool water and degradable when buried in a land fill or compost. The inversely soluble resin comprises high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide). The compatible polymer is selected from the group consisting of Nylon 11, Nylon 12, polycaprolactone, polycaprolactone, polyethylene-co-acrylic acid, polyethylene-co-methacrylic acid, polyethylene-co-vinylacetate and polyethylene-co-vinylalcohol.

Abstract: A container for baking and browning food when subjected to microwave energy and method of making same. A metal substrate has a ferrite-containing coating with a thickness between about 9.5 mils and about 10.5 mils on one surface and a coating on the other surface suitable for use in a microwave oven. The ferrite-containing coating includes a ferrite and a binder of epoxy resin and polyamide resin and plasticizer resin with the ratio by weight of ferrite to binder maintained between about 1.0 to about 1.8 to 1.0. The coated metal is cold drawn to provide a container suitable for heating various foods to a specified temperature in a short time. The coating is applied to the metal as a paint and then dried. Multiple thin coatings are applied to obtain the final thickness.

Abstract: A container for baking and browning food when subjected to microwave energy and method of making same. A metal substrate has a ferrite-containing coating with a thickness between about 9.5 mils and about 10.5 mils on one surface and a coating on the other surface suitable for use in a microwave oven. The ferrite-containing coating includes a ferrite and a binder of epoxy resin and polyamide resin and plasticizer resin with the ratio by weight of ferrite to binder maintained between about 1.0 to about 1.8 to 1.0. The coated metal is cold drawn to provide a container suitable for heating various foods to a specified temperature in a short time. The coating is applied to the metal as a paint and then dried. Multiple thin coatings are applied to obtain the final thickness.

Abstract: Batter-based baked goods, such as brownies, are produced by subjecting a microwave-transparent pan containing unbaked and non-frozen batter to microwave energy in a microwave oven. The oven has a klystron transmitting energy at a frequency having a wave length, in inches, equal to .lambda.. The pan, which is free of sharp corners, has bottom and side walls and an open top for receiving the batter, and has its bottom wall and thus the batter spaced apart from the interior bottom wall of the oven by a microwave transparent spacer means. The bottom and side walls confine the batter in the pan to predetermined height, width and length dimensions such that each dimension is a multiple of the quarter wavelength .lambda./4 of the frequency of the microwave energy applied to the batter; preferably such that one dimension, in inches, is a .lambda./4, where A is an odd integer from 1 to 15, another one of the dimensions is B .lambda./4 where B is an even integer from 2 to 12, and the remaining dimension is C .lambda.

Abstract: A method for producing batter-based baked goods, such as brownies, are produced by subjecting a microwave-transparent pan of batter to microwave energy in a microwave oven. The pan, free of sharp corners, is spaced apart from the interior bottom wall of the oven's cavity, and has height, width, and length dimensions such that when one dimension, in inches is N.lambda./4, where N is an odd integer from 1 to 15, then one of the other dimensions is N.lambda./4, wherein N.lambda./ is an even integer from 2 to 12, and the remaining dimension is N.lambda./4 wherein N is either an odd integer from 1 to 15 or an even integer from 2 to 12, being the wavelength of waves eminating from the klystron of the microwave oven.

Abstract: A pellicular laminate comprising: a web of polypropylene film, on at least one surface of which is a layer of polyurethane; a metal, preferably a ductile metal such as gold, which has been deposited on that surface of the polyurethane layer farthest away from said web, by sputtering; a layer of adhesive on the exposed metal surface; and a release liner in the form of a film of polyester or the like covering, but separable from, said adhesive layer. With the web and the release liner removed, the remaining pellicular laminate is useful in shielding structures from electromagnetic radiation by applying the laminate to the surface of the structure to be shielded with the adhesive side towards the structure.

Abstract: A pellicular laminate comprising: a web of polypropylene film, on at least one surface of which is a layer of polyurethane; a metal, preferably a ductile metal such as gold, which has been deposited on that surface of the polyurethane layer farthest away from said web, by sputtering; a layer of adhesive on the exposed metal surface; and a release liner in the form of a film of polyester or the like covering, but separable from, said adhesive layer. With the web and the release liner removed, the remaining pellicular laminate is useful in shielding structures from electromagnetic radiation by applying the laminate to the surface of the structure to be shielded with the adhesive side towards the structure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiant energy reflector comprising a laminated article mounted on a contoured support. The article includes a specularly reflective layer of silver protected on one side thereof from deterioration-inducing agents by a transparent cover sheet of polymeric material, and on the opposite side thereof by a non-polymeric protective layer of substantially inert and corrosion-resistant material. Also disclosed is a method for producing the article which yields an intimate and tenacious bond between the cover sheet, reflective layer and protective layer, thus reducing the likelihood of delamination.

Abstract: A light modulating device such as a liquid crystal display or polarizer is fabricated using optically biaxial plastic material as a substrate. The plastic biaxial material replaces the glass substrate of the LCD, or the cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) of the polarizer. The biaxial material is a type of stretched plastic, which is more flexible than glass, and much thinner in typical display applications. Typical plastic biaxial materials are chemically stable with liquid crystals and much more stable than isotropic plastics (CAB). The material is optically anistropic, but optical axes of the material are chosen to be outside the field of view over which the device will be observed.

Abstract: A twisted nematic liquid crystal material is sandwiched between two electrode carrying polymer film or sheet substrates in a liquid crystal display assembly. The substrate material preferably is a semi-crystalline aromatic heterochain polymer characterized by a glass transition point (T.sub.g) of at least 90.degree. C. and devoid of secondary transitions in the -50.degree. C. to +80.degree. C. range. The crystallinity of the polymer material is controlled so that the crystallite size in the polymer material is substantially smaller than the wave length of visible light (350-750 micrometers). In a preferred embodiment, an optically isotropic top substrate is formed by a sheet of amorphous cast thermosetting acrylic resin and the lower substrate is formed by a flexible sheet of semi-crystalline aromatic heterochain polymer.

Abstract: An anti-static package composed of a multiply flexible film. The inner ply is an anti-static material and the outer ply is an electrically insulating material. A conductive metallic ply is sandwiched between the inner and outer ply. The conductive material is sputtered onto one of the two plies and the other ply is bonded by an adhesive bond to the metal ply.