Abstract: The invention includes optical elements for applications in regions with stringent fire safety regulations, whose color rendering index Ra is at least 97 at a thickness of 4 mm, and which are flame-retardant according to DIN 60332 and are mainly composed of a plastic having at least one structural element selected from the group consisting of sulphones, sulphides, ethers, esters, ketones and imides.

Abstract: The invention includes optical elements for applications in regions with stringent fire safety regulations, whose colour rendering index Ra is at least 97 at a thickness of 4 mm, and which are flame-retardant according to DIN 60332 and are mainly composed of a plastic having at least one structural element selected from the group consisting of sulphones, sulphides, ethers, esters, ketones and imides.

Abstract: The method of protecting a polymeric plastic from attack by bacteria and fungi includes providing bioactive glass particles having a mean particles size preferably less than 2 ?m as an additive incorporated into the polymeric plastic. The bioactive glass particles contain 40 to 60% by weight of SiO2, 10 to 30% by weight of CaO, 10 to 35% by weight of Na2O, 2 to 8 % by weight of P2O5, 0 to 25% by weight of CaF2, 0 to 10% by weight of B2O3, 0 to 8% by weight of K2O and/or 0 to 5% by weight of MgO. The additive is included in amounts of up to 25% by weight in the polymeric plastic.

Abstract: The present invention relates to beam shaping elements, such as for example lenses, diffractive elements or mirrors, which exist as composites, comprising an inorganic substrate and an organic substrate in the form of a polymer, which can be thermally cured at temperatures between 0 and 180° C. Preferably, the organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes and silicones. According to a preferred embodiment, it is a polyurethane. The beam shaping elements according to the present invention have advantageous properties with respect to precision, rigidity and durability and can further be produced in an easy way by means of an economic method, which method is also subject of the invention.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of materials with a crystal-like superstructure or an inverse crystal-like superstructure, particularly photonic crystals, wherein—the materials with crystal-like superstructure are obtained by self-organization or induced, controlled processes—and—by hypercritical drying.

Abstract: An antimicrobial, water-insoluble silicate glass powder is provided. The starting glass includes 30 to 70 weight percent SiO2, 0 to 1 weight percent Na2O, 0 to 1 weight percent K2O, 0 to 40 weight percent MgO, 0 to 40 weight percent CaO, 0 to 40 weight percent SrO, 0 to 40 weight percent BaO, 0 to 25 weight percent Al2O3, 0 to 20 weight percent P2O5, 0 to 20 weight percent B2O3, wherein the sum of the alkali oxide contents is less than 1.5 weight percent in the total composition of the starting glass. The starting glass also includes, as biocidally active components, ions or atoms of the elements Ag, Zn, Cu, Ce, Te, or I with total proportions of greater than 2.5 weight percent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bioactive glass as additive for polymers, wherein the bioactive glass contains 40 to 90 percent by weight SiO2; 4 to 45 percent by weight CaO; 0 to 35 percent by weight Na2O; 2 to 16 percent by weight P2O5; 0 to 25 percent by weight CaF2; 0 to 10 percent by weight B2O3; 0 to 8 percent by weight K2O and/or 0 to 5 percent by weight MgO. The invention also relates to a polymer comprising bioactive glass, wherein 1 to 30 percent by weight of bioactive particles are contained in relation to its overall weight The invention further relates to the utilization of bioactive glass in households, packaging, food processing, sealing materials, garments, medicine, sanitation, automotive industry, building industry, plastic coatings and adhesives.

Abstract: Impact-modified thermoplastic polymer mixtures comprise copolymers (component A) formed from sulfur dioxide (a1), from vinyl aromatic compounds (a2), from unsaturated polar compounds (a31) selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formula (I) 1