Abstract: Methods of sulfonating a polymer are provided. One method of sulfonating a polymer includes exposing sulfur dioxide and oxygen to free radical producing energy and contacting the polymer with the product of preceding step. Desirably, the steps of exposing sulfur dioxide and oxygen to free radical producing energy and contacting the polymer with this product are performed in a reduced pressure environment. Another method of sulfonating a polymer includes contacting the polymer with sulfur dioxide and oxygen and exposing the contacted polymer to free radical producing energy. The polymer may be contacted with a mixture of sulfur dioxide and oxygen or the polymer may be separately contacted with sulfur dioxide and oxygen. When the polymer is separately contacted with sulfur dioxide and oxygen, the polymer may first be contacted with sulfur dioxide and then contacted with oxygen.

Abstract: An air bag cover (14) for use in a supplement inflatable restraint system includes an air bag cover skin made of a polymeric material. The cover skin includes a weakened tear seam region (16) for guiding the tearing of the air bag cover skin in response to air bag inflation. The tear seam region is weakened by photodegradation, i.e., selective exposure to ultraviolet light (20) which breaks polymer bonds within the polymeric material of the tear seam region. Photodegradation reduces the tensile strength and/or the percent elongation (measured at break) of the tear seam region (16) compared to the rest of the air bag cover skin (24).

Abstract: A method for producing a plastic aggregate for use in concrete compositions includes exposing high density plastics to ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of a strong alkali. The plastic may be recycled plastic which has been washed and cut into strips. Plastic aggregates according to the invention have an increased affinity for common concrete binders such as portland cement. A cement composition made with such plastic aggregates may include up to 60% by volume of plastic aggregate. The plastic aggregates are well adapted for use in concrete compositions used to make pre-cast concrete components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the chemical modification of solids containing alkyl groups. It is provided that the solids containing alkyl groups are heated to temperatures above their melting point and subjected to a plasma treatment in a frequency range from 10 kHz to 10 GHz.

Abstract: The disk-shaped optical information medium of this invention includes: a first substrate having a center hole; a second substrate having a center hole; and a radiation curable resin interposed between the first and second substrates for bonding together the first and second substrates, wherein the optical information medium further includes a stopper for preventing the radiation curable resin from protruding into the center holes of the substrates, and a space between the first and second substrates of at least a half of a clamp region for clamping the optical information medium is filled with the resin.

Abstract: A method for fabricating soft tissue implants using a mold. The cavity surface of an initially untextured mold, made of an organic material such as epoxy, is given a thin film coating of material that has pinholes and is resistant to atomic particle bombardment. The mold cavity surface is then subjected to atomic particle bombardment, such as when placed in an isotropic atomic oxygen environment. Microscopic depressions in the mold cavity surface are created at the pinhole sites on the thin film coating. The thin film coating is removed and the mold is then used to cast the soft tissue implant.

Abstract: A method (38) for packaging a microelectronic device (10) and a device (10) packaged by the method (38). The method (38) includes a step of providing (42) a first material (16) on an active surface of the microelectronic device (10). The first material (16) has a first temperature coefficient of expansion. The method (38) also includes steps of heating (46) the microelectronic device (10) and the first material (16) to a predetermined first temperature and molding (48) a second material (20) about the microelectronic device (10) and the first material (16). The second material (20) has a second temperature coefficient of expansion less than that of the first material (16). A final step of cooling (50) the first material (16), the second material (20) and the microelectronic device (10) provides a packaged microelectronic device (30).

Abstract: A very thin inner layer composed of a polymer chosen for its barrier and/or inertness properties is fabricated within a container preform constructed mainly from another polymer, or a structure of polymers. The inner layer on the preform is produced either by a controlled coating method involving coating of the injection mold core rod prior to injection molding or by a coating applied directly to the preform after injection molding. This enables both inner and main layers to be brought together at a time when the interface between them is molten. A tie layer can be employed, when desirable, to enable the layers to be combined without melting the layer interface.

Abstract: Provided is a fast and efficient method of burnishing a brake pad. The brake pad is contacted with a heat source having a power density greater than about 270 Mw/m.sup.2. Also provided is pre-burnished brake pad having an increased coefficient of friction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a panel having a foam interlayer. A flexible cover is placed adjacent a first mold in an open tool. A rigid substrate is placed adjacent a second mold, or alternately, is place atop the flexible cover in the first mold, of the opened tool. The first and/or second molds are electrically isolated from one another and from the associated manufacturing equipment. A vacuum draws the cover against the first mold and retains the cover in position during the manufacturing operation. The tool is moved to a closed position and the cover is positioned juxtaposed the substrate. The cover and substrate are positioned a distance apart thus creating a space therebetween. A vacuum is created in the space and a radio frequency (RF) electric field is applied between the first and second molds. The RF electric field causes a plasma to be created within the space. The plasma activates both the cover and the substrate. While the space is still under vacuum, a foaming material is injected into the space.

Abstract: The microfiltration membrane cartridge filter is formed by pleating a porous membrane sheet having a mean pore size of 0.05 to 10 .mu.m, rounding the sheet in the form of a cylinder, liquid-tightly sealing joints of the rounded sheet and liquid-tightly sealing opposite ends of the cylinder by end plates, wherein pores in the opposite end portions of the cylindrical pleated membrane are filled up with a high molecular-weight polymer to reject the liquid-permeation of the opposite end portions of the cylindrical pleated membrane. The microfiltration membrane cartridge filter can be made wet to water easily so that an integrity test for the filter is carried on easily.

Abstract: Methods of sulfonating a polymer are provided. One method of sulfonating a polymer includes exposing sulfur dioxide and oxygen to free radical producing energy and contacting the polymer with the product of preceding step. Desirably, the steps of exposing sulfur dioxide and oxygen to free radical producing energy and contacting the polymer with this product are performed in a reduced pressure environment. Another method of sulfonating a polymer includes contacting the polymer with sulfur dioxide and oxygen and exposing the contacted polymer to free radical producing energy. The polymer may be contacted with a mixture of sulfur dioxide and oxygen or the polymer may be separately contacted with sulfur dioxide and oxygen. When the polymer is separately contacted with sulfur dioxide and oxygen, the polymer may first be contacted with sulfur dioxide and then contacted with oxygen.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the selective heat-induced deposition of solid material from gas-phase or super-critical fluids to produce three-dimensional parts by pyrolysis of the fluids. The apparatus involves computer/feedback control of the evolving shape by direct monitoring of the volumetric deposition rate or growth profile, and modifying light beam focal properties, the position and orientation of the deposit relative to the beam foci, and/or the pressure and flow of reactants to the growth zone. The precursor gases may be pressurized and heated to the critical point or beyond, becoming super-critical fluids, without condensation. Growth occurs by diffusion of reactants to the growth zone through a boundary layer over the deposit. One method of growth includes directing a large-area impinging jet of precursor fluid(s) onto a deposit interface, while limiting the reaction zone to a smaller area determined solely by size of the heated zone (through use of a radiant beam, e.g.).

Abstract: The surface of a web or film is modified to impart the material with improved properties including wettability, printability, adhesion and static reduction. Such surface modification is achieved with an electrode structure which causes a filamentary discharge to pass generally horizontally across a surface of the electrode structure. A substrate to be treated is then positioned adjacent to the surface of the electrode structure so that the filamentary discharge is caused to flow horizontally across the surface of the substrate, in turn modifying the surface of the substrate and achieving the desired improvement in properties.

Abstract: A process for producing a hollow or sheet molded product having a superior appearance is provided, which process is characterized in that a multi-layer molded product having a surface layer (A) of a propylene random polymer of m.p. of 100.degree. to 150.degree. C. having a thickness of 1 to 20% of that of the molded product, and a substrate layer (B) of a thermoplastic resin of a m.p. higher than that of the propylene random polymer is formed and the surface layer (A) is heat-treated into a molten state, followed by immediately cooling to form a smooth surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for causing the polymerized excess monomer to separate from a molded lens by increasing the surface energy of the flange area of one mold piece, causing the polymerized excess monomer to stick thereto. Specifically when manufactured under inert atmosphere conditions, a particular manifold is needed to supply an oxygen bearing gas, air, to the area to be treated while preventing the oxygen from contaminating the lens manufacturing area of the molds or diluting the nitrogen atmosphere of other lens process areas. It has been found that generation of the ionized oxygen by means of a corona treatment electrode sufficiently increases the adherence of the polymer to the mold piece so treated.

Abstract: A nitrogen-containing compound of the following general formula (1) is kneaded into a resin molding material, the kneaded mixture is molded, and the surface of the resulting article is subjected to corona discharge treatment. Then, an electrostatically charged coating is sprayed on the article. ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group of 6-22 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may be the same or different and each represents an alkyl group of 1-4 carbon atoms; n represents 2-3. In accordance with this invention, a shaped resin article with remarkably improved electrical conductivity can be obtained from a resin of low electrical conductivity substantially without affecting the physical properties and color of the resin and with high productivity. Furthermore, a resin article with high surface resistivity can be electrostatically coated with high coating efficiency and improved results in appearance and productivity substantially without affecting the physical properties of the resin.

Abstract: A method of producing a plasma treated article in a tool having electrically isolated conductive members, wherein at least one of the members has a surface closely conforming to the surface of the article which is to be treated. The method includes the steps of placing the article between the members so as to create a relatively small bounded space between the article surface and the closely conforming member surface, drawing a vacuum in the bounded space, introducing a polymerizable gas into the bounded space and applying an electric field between the members to create a plasma in the bounded space to react with the article surface.

Abstract: A process is provided for creating a watermark on a polymeric sheet. The sheet is passed between abutting rollers, at least one of said rollers having a recessed and/or raised motif, to form an impression on the sheet corresponding to the motif, and then orienting by stretching the sheet. The impressed and oriented sheet has dark areas corresponding to the raised portions and light areas corresponding to recessed portion of the motif.

Abstract: A method for treating contact lenses involves irradiation of the contact lens with high energy radiation while immersed in an aqueous medium such as saline solution.