Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer tube can include a thermoplastic elastomer component disposed within a matrix. In an embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer component is disposed within the matrix in a thermoplastic elastomer phase having a number of domains. At least approximately 50% of the domains of the thermoplastic elastomer component have an aspect ratio of no greater than approximately 1.5. In a particular embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer tube comprises at least approximately 20 wt % of the thermoplastic elastomer component and no greater than approximately 50 wt % of a polyolefin component. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer component includes styrene.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automobile interior sheet using a bioresin that includes: 5 to 100 parts by weight of a bioresin prepared from a starch extracted from at least one natural plant selected from the group consisting of corn, potato, sweet potato, sugar cane, bamboo, or similarities thereof; 30 to 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) resin or a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin; 5 to 40 parts by weight of a compatibilizer; 0.1 to 1.5 part by weight of a lubricant; and 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of a crosslinking agent. The present invention can prepare an automobile interior sheet using a bioresin that is applicable to vacuum molding and excellent in sewing performance to offer remarkable performances not only in securing the product performance, embossing quality and sensorial quality such as hand feeling as an automobile surface material required to have various mechanical characteristics but also in reducing emission of CO2 and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC).

Abstract: An adhesive composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a fluorine-containing polymer and 2 to 30 parts by weight of an unsaturated compound containing at least one polar group selected from the group consisting of an epoxy group and a carboxyl group, wherein the fluorine-containing polymer has been graft-modified with the polar group-containing unsaturated compound by irradiation of ionizing radiation, a production process thereof, and formed products such as a heat-shrinkable tube equipped with a layer composed of the adhesive composition.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an optical film which suffers neither flatness deterioration nor film breakage and is free from problems concerning undulating undulation and partial light leakage. The process for optical film production comprises laminating a cellulose ester resin layer (A) to an acrylic resin layer (B) by coextrusion. The process is characterized in that the cellulose ester resin layer (A) contains 55 to 99 mass % cellulose ester resin and the acrylic resin layer (B) contains 55 to 99 mass % acrylic resin, that the web is conveyed while keeping the layer (A) and the layer (B) in contact with the surface of a first cooling roll and the surface of a second cooling roll, respectively, and that when the surface temperature of the first cooling roll and the surface temperature of the second cooling roll are expressed by Ta (° C.) and Tb (° C.), respectively, then the Ta (° C.) and Tb (° C.) satisfy the following relationship (1). (Ta?80)° C.<Tb(° C.)<(Ta?5)° C.

Abstract: A flexible tubing material includes a radiation crosslinked blend of a first elastomeric polymer including a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer, an ethylene vinyl acetate elastomer, a polyolefin elastomer with a second elastomeric polymer including a polyolefin elastomer, a diene elastomer, or combination thereof, with the proviso that the first elastomeric polymer and the second elastomeric polymer are different. In an embodiment, a method of making a material includes providing the first elastomeric polymer, providing the second elastomeric polymer, blending the first elastomeric polymer and the second elastomeric polymer, extruding or injection molding the blend, and crosslinking the blend with radiation.

Abstract: Temperature resistant multilayer composites, methods for making same, and articles made therefrom. The method can include extruding one or more polyolefin polymers having a MFR from less than 90 dg/min through at least one die having a plurality of nozzles to form a plurality of continuous fibers, at least one die operating at a melt pressure from greater than 500 psi (3447 kPa) to form at least one elastic meltblown layer; adhering the at least one elastic meltblown layer to at least one extensible layer to form a multilayer composite; and at least partially crosslinking the elastic meltblown layer or the extensible layer or both.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multilayer film having an active oxygen barrier layer that comprises an oxygen scavenging composition that is a blend of a thermoplastic resin (A) having carbon-carbon double bonds substantially in its main chain, a transition metal salt (B), and an oxygen barrier polymer (C) having oxygen barrier properties that can be further enhanced by exposing the composition to a source of ionizing radiation e.g., electron beam radiation. Irradiation improves the oxygen scavenging abilities of the oxygen scavenging composition so that oxygen can be intercepted and scavenged as it passes through the film. The resulting irradiated multilayer film has improved active barrier properties in comparison to the same film prior to irradiation. As result, the multilayer film of the present invention can be used in packaging applications to help maintain a low oxygen atmosphere in the interior of a package.

Abstract: An elastic film, particularly for hygiene articles, has at least one layer that is produced extrusion of an elastomer polymer composition and subsequently cross-linked. The elastomer polymer composition contains a mixture of 40 to 90 parts by weight of a styrene block copolymer, 5 to 50 parts by weight of a plasticizer oil, and up to 10 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polymer. The layer of the elastomer polymer composition is cross-linked by treatment with electron beams. The elastomer polymer composition additionally contains 2 to 20 parts by weight of a reactive plasticizer that has a mole mass of less than 10,000 kg/kmol, is compatible with soft segments of the styrene block copolymer, and has functional acrylate groups.

Abstract: The substrates of the present invention comprise a polyimide base polymer derived at least in part from non-rigid rod monomers together with optionally rigid rod monomers where the substrates are cured under low tension. The resulting polyimide materials have been found to provide advantageous properties (e.g. balanced molecular orientation, good dimensional stability, and flatness) particularly useful for electronics type applications.

Abstract: Chaotic advection causes the formation of various encapsulates in binary phase composites. Such composites are successfully formed with thermoplastics that are present in desired amounts by weight or volume. With a batch type chaotic mixer, the process starts with selecting suitable polymers, mechanically mixing the raw material, heating the mixture, instilling chaotic advection by agitation for a period of time and cooling and recovering the composite. With continuous flow types of chaotic mixers, the process starts with melting the component polymers in separate extruders capable of component melt flows in predetermined proportions.

Abstract: Touch fasteners with different portions having different material properties, and methods and apparatus for making such a product. In one embodiment, the fastener includes a cross-linkable polymer, and a first portion of the fastener is cross-linked and a second portion of the fastener is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to a degree less than said first portion. In another embodiment, the fastener is made in a continuous process on a rotating mold roll having a plurality of fastener element mold cavities extending into the mold roll from its outer circumferential surface.

Abstract: An irradiated multilayer film has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is an outer heat seal layer containing a blend of a highly branched homogeneous polymer and a semicrystalline polymer. The highly branched homogeneous polymer has at least 40 branches per 1000 methylene groups, an Mw/Mn less than 3.0, and a density of less than 0.89 g/cc. The highly branched homogeneous polymer is present in an amount of from about 1 to 50 weight percent, based on layer weight. The semicrystalline polyolefin has a density of at least 0.90 g/cc. The semicrystalline polyolefin is present in an amount of from about 60 to 99 weight percent, based on total layer weight. The second layer contains a thermoplastic polymer in a crosslinked polymer network. A process for making a packaging article includes coextruding the first and second layers, irradiating the resulting multilayer film, and thereafter heat sealing the first layer to itself or another component of the packaging article.

Abstract: An irradiated multilayer film has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is an outer heat seal layer containing a blend of a highly branched homogeneous polymer and a semicrystalline polymer. The highly branched homogeneous polymer has at least 40 branches per 1000 methylene groups, an Mw/Mn less than 3.0, and a density of less than 0.89 g/cc. The highly branched homogeneous polymer is present in an amount of from about 5 to 50 weight percent, based on layer weight. The semicrystalline polyolefin has a density of at least 0.90 g/cc. The semicrystalline polyolefin is present in an amount of from about 50 to 95 weight percent, based on total layer weight. The second layer contains a thermoplastic polymer in a crosslinked polymer network. A process for making a packaging article includes coextruding the first and second layers, irradiating the resulting multilayer film, and thereafter heat sealing the first layer to itself or another component of the packaging article.

Abstract: To provide a packaging bag that eliminates need to house plural types of contents in separate packaging bags and which can be used easily, wherein plural types of contents are separately housed in each partitioning space of a single packaging bag so as to be mixed together upon being used. Thus, there is provided a packaging bag made of a synthetic resin film, wherein a layer constituting an inner surface is formed of a blend of straight-chain low-density polyethylene resin and polybutene-1 resin, and an internal space of the packaging bag is partitioned by a partitioning heat sealed portion that is parallel with opposite heat sealed portions perpendicular to a film flowing direction and which is narrower than the opposite heat sealed portions, thereby forming a plurality of housing spaces.

Abstract: Powder of a simple substance or a combination of a plurality of carbides of metals belonging to the IVa, Va and VIa families in the Periodic Table is mixed with a ferrous-family metal powder or non-ferrous metal powder having the same composition as the treatment target (2) as a simple substance or a combination of a plurality of metals, and this is compressed and molded, and then preliminarily sintered to form a sintered electrode (12) serving as a discharge processing electrode; and said device is provided with a switching unit which alters electrical conditions at the time when the base member of the treatment target (2) is directly subjected to a discharging surface treatment and the electrical conditions at the time when a hard coat film (13) that has been formed is subjected to a discharging surface treatment according to the characteristics of the treatment target material.

Abstract: A method of making the a multilayer, biaxially oriented, heat shrinkable thermoplastic film includes a layer having between 50 and 100 parts by weight ethylene/alpha-olefin C4-C12 copolymer, and between 0 and 50 parts by weight of a polymer selected from polyolefin, and modified polyolefin, the layer having more than one melting point when detected by diffential scanning calorimetry according to ASTM D-3418; wherein the total thickness variation in the multilayer film is lower than ±10%.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated optical phase-change recording medium for use with near-field optical head devices and which exhibits superior wear resistance and improved lifetime. According to the method, the surface of a composite optical phase-change media structure deposited onto a substrate is subjected to ion beam deposition of a DLC over-coat to a thickness of no greater than about 450 .ANG.. Preferably the DLC is ion beam deposited onto the phase-change recording layer at the surface of the medium structure or onto a germanium-containing adhesion-promoting interlayer to achieve the desired adhesion of the DLC to the surface of the medium structure.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polymeric compositions capable of providing enhanced crosslinking efficiency, to single and multilayer films having the subject composition contained within at least one layer of said film, to a method of treating said film to provide enhanced crosslink within said at least one layer of the film and to the resultant cross-linked film product as well as articles made from said cross-linked film product.

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: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a catheter. This method includes the manufacturing of a tube-like basic body with a proximal and a distal end, the arranging of a connecting member to the proximal end, and the finishing of the distal end, wherein for the basic body at least partially material has been used which forms cross links when irradiated and wherein the basic body is exposed to controlled radiation.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a multilayer, cross-linked, heat shrinkable, polyolefin film, the film having at least one inner layer including a thermoplastic polymer sandwiched between two outer layers including a thermoplastic polymer different from the thermoplastic polymer of the inner layer, including the steps of coextruding the polymers into a tape; cross-linking the tape; and converting the cross-linked tape into a heat shrinkable film by orientation; wherein scrap material produced in the manufacture of the heat shrinkable film is incorporated by recycling the film into the coextrusion step in an amount up to 50% by weight of the total film weight.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multilayer heat-shrinkable, puncture-resistant biaxially oriented film is disclosed. The method includes a double bubble orientation step and extruding a primary tube that includes at least one substantially linear ethylene homopolymer or interpolymer, wherein the substantially linear ethylene homopolymer or interpolymer has an uniform branching distribution, a melt flow ratio, I.sub.10 /I.sub.2,.gtoreq.5.63, and a molecular weight distribution, M.sub.w /M.sub.n, defined by the equation M.sub.w /M.sub.n .ltoreq.(I.sub.10 /I.sub.2)-4.63, and is also characterized as having essentially no linear polymer fraction, a single DSC melting peak, a density greater than about 0.85 g/cc, and a favorable gas extrusion critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture.