Abstract: A branched melt-polymerized polycarbonate having pronounced non-Newtonian flow behavior is disclosed. The polycarbonate is suitable for preparing molding compositions and the preparation of a variety of molded articles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polycarbonate resin that has a viscosity average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 17,000 and has characteristic features in an iron content, a free total phenol content, a content of a releasing agent, a fraction of hydroxyl end groups, a 1H-NMR spectrum or the like. The polycarbonate resin has less defects due to flash without increase of an addition amount of a releasing agent to an unnecessary level and therefore is suitable for a material of an optical disk substrate.

Abstract: A dental restorative composition comprises about 35 to about 43 wt %, based on the total dental restorative composition, of a polymerizable, ethylenically unsaturated resin composition, wherein the resin composition comprises, based on the resin composition alone, about 25 to about 35 wt % PCDMA, about 40 to about 50 wt % EBP-DMA, about 18 to about 28 wt % Bis-GMA, and about 55 to about 70 wt %, based on the total dental restorative composition, of a filler system, wherein the filler system comprises a silanized barium glass containing about 20 to about 60 wt % barium oxide based on the weight of silanized barium glass. Such dental restorative compositions display an ability to flow under ambient conditions and this increases their utility where improved flexural strength and ease of application is desired.

Abstract: A process for the production of high molecular weight aliphatic polycarbonates is disclosed. The process entails a first stage wherein a low molecular weight aliphatic polycarbonate is prepared and a second stage where the low molecular weight aliphatic polycarbonate is condensed with diaryl carbonate in a melt transesterification process to form a high molecular weight aliphatic polycarbonate. The resulting high molecular weight aliphatic polycarbonate is suitable for the production of extrudates, films and molded articles.

Abstract: A method of preparing block copolymers by solid state polymerization is described. A mixture of a partially crystalline polycarbonate having activated terminal aryloxy groups, for example terminal methyl salicyl groups, when heated together with an oligomeric polyester having reactive terminal hydroxy groups under solid state polymerization conditions affords block copolymers. The activated terminal aryloxy groups play a key role in preserving the block lengths of the starting materials. A control sample in which the partially crystalline polycarbonate lacks activated terminal aryloxy groups, for example polycarbonates substituted by phenol, affords a much lower molecular weight, more highly randomized copolymer product. The product block copolymers are useful as “weatherable” plastic materials.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a new N-carboxyamino acid anhydride and polyamino acid using a simple process operation. The method for manufacturing N-carboxyamino acid anhydride comprising reacting &agr;-amino acid with di-tert-butyltricarbonate. The method for manufacturing polyamino acid comprising decarboxylating the N-carboxyamino acid anhydride obtained by reacting &agr;-amino acid with di-tert-butyltricarbonate.

Abstract: Polycarbonate produced by melt condensation of a diaryl carbonate and a dihydric phenol in the presence of a basic catalyst to produce an intermediate polycarbonate composition is finished by quenching with both an alkyl tosylate quencher and phosphorous acid. The efficiency of quenching can be measured by UV retention. Surprisingly, although phosphorous acid alone has no impact on the UV retention, the combination of alkyl tosylate quenchers and phosphorous acid provides a significant improvement over the use of the alkyl tosylate quencher alone. Thus, the method of the invention permits a reduction in the amount of alkyl tosylate quencher used, and can achieve superior results which cannot be achieved even by increasing the alkyl tosylate levels.

Abstract: A process for producing polycarbonate designed to improve the quality of polycarbonate as a polymerization product polymer and reduce the investment and operating costs is provided. Polycarbonate is produced in two horizontal cylindrical agitation reactors provided with agitation blades successively extended through the vessel and partly with agitation blades having a screw function, as horizontally ganged together in series without any agitator center shaft, where the primary agitation reactor is a uniaxial horizontal agitation reactor with the agitation blades rotating at a low speed ranging from 1 rpm to 10 rpm, while keeping a clearance between the inner wall of the vessel ad the agitation blades in a range of 1 mm to 50 mm, and the secondary agitation reactor is a biaxial horizontal agitation reactor with agitation blades provided horizontally and in parallel, without any rotating center shaft, which conducts treatment by agitation at a low speed ranging from 1 rpm to 15 rpm.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of transparent copolycarbonate is disclosed. The copolycarbonate the molecular structure of which contains more than 35 mole % of units derived from dihydroxydiphenylene is prepared by the melt transesterification process wherein the final temperature of the reaction is reached in less than 40 minutes after reaching the starting temperature.

Abstract: A continuous process for the preparation of copolycarbonate resins has great advantages in preparing molding materials of intricate structure or of thin-wall: the molding process may be conducted easily at a relatively low temperature; the copolycarbonate has excellent impact strength especially at a low temperature; and they have excellent melt flow, i.e. 2 to 3 times of the conventional polycarbonates. The present invention is a new polycondensation process which is carried out sequentially by using serially connected tube-type reactors to simplify the process; and enhancing the rate of reaction for an incorporation of comonomer into the polymer backbone resulting from varying Reynols Number, Linear Viscosity and Weber Number.

Abstract: A resin composition having a high refractive index and low dispersion characteristics including a carbonate residue, a phosphonic acid residue and a dihydric phenol residue, wherein the mol fractions of the phosphonic acid residue and the carbonate residue satisfy 1>(a)/{(a)+(b)}≧0.5 wherein (a) represents the number of moles of the phosphonic acid residues, and (b) represents the number of moles of the carbonate residues.

Abstract: To produce an aromatic polycarbonate excellent in physical properties and hue by a simplified step as compared with a conventional one. A process for producing an aromatic polycarbonate, which comprises the following steps (1) to (3): (1) a step of reacting phenol with acetone in the presence of an acid catalyst to convert part of the phenol into bisphenol A, to obtain a bisphenol A/phenol composition, (2) a step of supplying the bisphenol A/phenol composition held in a molten state in a liquid form to an aromatic polycarbonate production step, and (3) a step of reacting the bisphenol A and a carbonate material to produce an aromatic polycarbonate.

Abstract: A method for preparing a polycarbonate comprises preparing a free hydroxyl-containing polycarbonate and reacting the hydroxyl-containing polycarbonate with a mixture of (B) a symmetrical optionally activated aromatic carbonic acid diester and (C) an optionally substituted aromatic hihydroxy compound, diol or diacid. A copolymerization reagent comprises a mixture of (B) a symmetrical optionally activated aromatic carbonic acid diester and (C) an optionally substituted aromatic hihydroxy compound, diol or diacid. A copolymer comprises [polycarbonate]x moieties; (B) [symmetrical optionally activated aromatic carbonic acid diester]y moieties and (C) [optionally substituted aromatic hihydroxy compound, diol or diacid]z moieties, wherein x, y and z are mole percents of the copolymer.

Abstract: A process for preparing a melt transesterification catalyst is disclosed. The process entails (i) obtaining a phenol adduct of phosphonium phenolatein the form of crystalline solid and (ii) storing the solid phenol adductin a closed container at relative humidity of 30 to 70 % and at temperature of −30 to 50° C. The thus prepared catalyst is suitable in the production of polycarbonate in the melt transesterification process.

Abstract: A process for producing polycarbonate is disclosed. The process entails using equipment having leakage rate less than 10−3 liter He×mbar/sec. The polycarbonate thus produced is characterized by its enhanced thermal stability.

Abstract: Polycarbonates are produced by reacting a monomeric carbonate component with at least one diphenol or dialcohol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst, wherein the molten component is mixed with the transesterification catalyst by stirring and a transesterification product is produced, which is polycondensated. For polycondensation, the transesterification product is passed through a preliminary reactor, at least one intermediate reactor and one final reactor, the reactors being connected in series and having a substantially horizontal driven shaft with stirrers attached thereto. It is ensured that in the preliminary reactor and in the final reactor a dwell time of the melt of 5 minutes to 2 hours is maintained, that the temperatures in the preliminary reactor are maintained in the range from 220 to 300° C. and in the final reactor in the range from 240 to 350° C.

Abstract: A polycarbonate containing a repeating segment represented by Formula (I) wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl; R2 represents a divalent linkage selected from the group consisting of alkylene containing one or more heteroatoms of halogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, silicon, and phosphorus, arylalkylene, and arylene; Ar1 and Ar2 each independently represent aromatic groups; and P represents a hydrogen atom, or a hydroxyl protective group.

Abstract: A process for preparing polycarbonate is composed of the steps of transesterifying a dialkyl oxalate and a phenolic compound to give a diaryl oxalate; decarbonylating the diaryl oxalate to give a diaryl carbonate; reacting the diaryl carbonate with a polyvalent hydroxyl compound in the presence of a catalyst containing an amine compound or an ammonium compound to give the polycarbonate, removing a phenolic by-product/amine by-product mixture; collecting the mixture; purifying the mixture so that the amount of the amine by-product in the mixture is reduced to give a phenolic by-product mixture not containing the amine by-product in an amount of more than 600 ppm; and, utilizing thus purified phenolic mixture as a whole or a part of the phenolic compound in the first step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel polycarbonate and its use a material in the production of molded articles and semifinished products, especially for transparent articles such as data memories or radio compact discs, slabs, cellular sheets, films, housings, panes, especially panes for motor vehicles, diffusion glasses, but also for electrical applications or the constructions of houses.

Abstract: Polycarbonate compositions incorporating long chain alkylphenol endgroups, for example cardanol, show enhanced pit replication characteristics when molded into optical disks. The enhancement in molding performance is especially pronounced at the shortest mold cycle times tested. Thus, a blend of 75 parts by weight bisphenol A polycarbonate 92 percent encapped with phenol, and 25 parts by weight bisphenol A polycarbonate about 100 percent endcapped with cardanol showed enhanced pit replication performance in optical disk molding trials relative to the same bisphenol A polycarbonate alone and analogous blends utilizing short chain alkylphenols.

Abstract: The present invention provides a two-stage process for the production of polyester carbonates with aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, the polyester carbonates obtained thereby, a process for the production of extrudates and molded articles from the polyester carbonates, and the extrudates and molded articles obtained thereby.

Abstract: Methods of synthesizing high molecular weight polycarbonate polymers are described. Also described are polycarbonates produced by these methods.

Abstract: A new method of converting oligomeric chloroformates to high molecular weight polycarbonate is presented. By carefully controlling the relative concentrations and amounts of hydroxyl and chloroformate groups present in the oligomeric polycarbonate, the method of the invention provides for the efficient preparation of polycarbonate while minimizing phosgene usage. The product polycarbonates prepared by the method of the invention are fully capped with no additional phosgene required beyond that needed to prepare the oligomeric chloroformate starting material. The method of the present invention provides polycarbonates having non-detectable levels (<5 ppm) of aromatic hydroxyl endgroups, low polydispersity, and low levels of residual monomer and endcap, thereby obviating the need for monomer and endcap recycle.

Abstract: An optical disk substrate formed of an aromatic polycarbonate resin obtained by a reaction between an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a carbonate diester and in which the content of undissolved substances that emit light by irradiation with light having a wavelength of 380 nm and have a size of 30 &mgr;m or greater is 100 pieces or less per kg of said resin, and a molding material therefor. According to the present invention, there can be provided an optical disk substrate in which the number of white spots that occur in the passage of a long period of time is very small and the reliability of writing and reading of information is highly stable.

Abstract: Mixed alkali metal salts of phosphoric acid in combination with a co-catalyst such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) are excellent transesterification catalysts for use in the preparation of polycarbonate from bisphenol A and diphenyl carbonate. The mixed alkali metal phosphate salts were shown by kinetic measurements made on a model system composed of p-tert-octylphenol and bis(p-cumylphenyl) carbonate to be inherently more potent catalysts than salts of phosphoric acid comprising a single alkali metal ion. In addition to providing higher rates of polymerization, the new catalysts were shown to provide polycarbonates containing reduced levels of Fries rearrangement product relative to polymerization reactions catalyzed by conventional catalyst systems such as sodium hydroxide together with TMAH co-catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing polymer pellets is disclosed. The process that is particular suitable for making polycarbonate pellets entails extruding a polymer melt, cooling the extrudate by contacting it with a cooling fluid and pelletizing the solidified polymer. The process is characterized in that the cooling fluid has a solids particle content of at most 10 ppm.

Abstract: An in-mold primer coating adapted to be applied in-mold to a thermoplastic substrate and heat cured to form a thermoset surface coating on the molded substrate. The in-mold primer coating comprises a coreactive polymerizable composition comprising an epoxy-acrylate oligomer having a molecular weight from about 350 to about 2500, a hydroxyl functional acrylate or methacrylate, a vinyl aromatic monomer such as styrene, and a small amount of acrylic or methacrylic acid, with the balance being other diacrylate and/or other ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s), if any.

Abstract: Shape memory polymer compositions, articles of manufacture thereof, and methods of preparation and use thereof are described. The shape memory polymer compositions can hold more than one shape in memory. Suitable compositions include at least one hard segment and at least one soft segment. At least one of the hard or soft segments can contain a crosslinkable group, and the segments can be linked by formation of an interpenetrating network or a semi-interpenetrating network, or by physical interactions of the blocks. Objects can be formed into a given shape at a temperature above the Ttrans of the hard segment, and cooled to a temperature below to Ttrans of the soft segment. If the object is subsequently formed into a second shape, the object can return to its original shape by heating the object above the Ttrans of the soft segment and below the Ttrans of the hard segment.

Abstract: This specification discloses polycarbonates for optical use. These polycarbonates are prepared by reacting a bisphenol and carbonic diester in the presence of an alkaline compound catalyst. These polycarbonates have: (i) an intrinsic viscosity (IV) as determined at 20° C. in methylene chloride of between 0.34 and 0.38; (ii) a glass transition temperature (Tg) as determined by DSC of between 143 and 147° C.; and (iii) an intrinsic viscosity (IV) and glass transition temperature (Tg) ratio complying with the following general formula (A): IV×95.888+107.9<Tg<IV×95.888+113.

Abstract: An upflow reactor for the production of bisphenol A from acetone and phenol includes a vessel, a catalyst bed disposed within the vessel, and a reactant distribution/product collection system disposed within the vessel. The reactant distribution/product collection system includes a perforated distributor disposed at a lower end of the reactor. The reactant distribution/product collection system further includes a perforated collector disposed at an upper end of the reactor. A method for producing bisphenol A from acetone and phenol includes introducing the reacting mixture containing acetone and phenol to the distributor, directing it upward through the catalyst bed, and recovering the reacted acetone and phenol as bisphenol A together with other isomers and non reacted species. A method for avoiding catalyst bead carryover from the bed in an upflow reactor includes receiving a product of the upflow reactor into the collector disposed at an upper end of the reactor through a screen with proper slit size.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing polycarbonate, said method comprising (A) oligomerising in the presence of a catalyst at least one dihydroxyaromatic compound at a temperature in a range between about 220-280° C. and a pressure in a range between 180 mbar and 20 mbar, said catalyst comprising a tetraarylphosphonium compound and optionally a co-catalyst, to provide an oligomeric polycarbonate having a number average molecular weight, Mn, in a range between about 1000 and about 6000 daltons; and (B) in a second step heating the oligomeric polycarbonate formed in step (A) at a temperature range between about 280 and about 310° C. and a pressure in a range between about 15 mbar and about 0.1 mbar, to provide a polycarbonate having a weight average molecular weight, in a range between about 15,000 and about 50,000 daltons, said product polycarbonate comprising less than 1000 parts per million Fries product.

Abstract: Usually, polycarbonate polymerization is limited by the rate at which inhibitory byproducts, such as phenol and salicylate, can be removed from the reaction. To facilitate the removal of volatile reaction byproducts from the reaction as polymerization occurs, the present invention provides a spray mist reactor. The formation of a spray mist polymerization reaction allows for the creation of an enormous surface area for exchange of volatile byproducts. The present invention is applicable to polymerization of polycarbonate and its copolymers starting with monomers or oligomers. The invention may be used to increase throughput and minimize initial investment for a give melt process, especially the fast reacting bis(methylsalicylate) carbonate process.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a transparent or translucent thermoplastic composition comprising a thermoplastic polycarbonate resin and a phosphorescent phosphor with an aluminate matrix expressed by MAl2O4 in which M is calcium, strontium or barium. Said phosphorescent phosphor is present in a quantity of 0.01 to 2.0% by weight with respect to the quantity of polycarbonate resin and possesses a median particle size of less than 10 micrometer. Forming an object by injection molding using said transparent or translucent thermoplastic composition is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polycarbonate resin that has a viscosity average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 17,000 and has characteristic features in an iron content, a free total phenol content, a content of a releasing agent, a fraction of hydroxyl end groups, a 1H-NMR spectrum or the like. The polycarbonate resin has less defects due to flash without increase of an addition amount of a releasing agent to an unnecessary level and therefore is suitable for a material of an optical disk substrate.

Abstract: Polyphthalate polyesters or polyester/polycarbonates are prepared from phthalates and 4,4′-[1-methyl-4-(1-methyl-ethyl)-1,3-cyclohexandlyl]-bisphenol.

Abstract: A thermoplastic molding composition is disclosed. The composition that contains a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polycarbonate, a transparent polycarbonate-polyester-blend, a copolyestercarbonate and a transparent polyester and a compound of formula (I) and one or more compounds of formula (II) wherein a is 1 to 17, b is 0 to 16, c is 6 to 14, d is 3 to 7, e is 6 to 14, f is 3 to 7, g is 5 to 40 and a+b is 9 to 25 and n is 1 to 10, was found to be especially suitable for co-extrusion applications.

Abstract: Disclosed are copolymers including an alkylene carbonate, and a method of preparing the same. The copolymers are represented by Formulas 1 and 2, and they are prepared with terpolymerized lactide or delta-valerolactone, carbon dioxide, and alkylene oxide, in the presence of a catalyst. (wherein, —O—A— is an opened alkylene oxide structure, the alkylene oxide being selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, 1-butene oxide, 1,1-dimethylethylene oxide, cyclopentene oxide, cyclohexene oxide, 1-phenylethylene oxide, 1-vinylethylene oxide, and 1-trifluoromethylethylene oxide; and x and y are independently an integer being equal to or less than 2,000, n is an integer, and n=(z-x-y), wherein z is an integer being equal to or less than 20,000.).

Abstract: A thermoplastic molding composition that contains a polycarbonate resin having specific extensional Theological properties is disclosed. The composition is particularly suitable for preparing containers.

Abstract: Solid particles containing 10 to 90 parts by weight of a dihydroxy compound and 10 to 90 parts by weight of a carbonic acid ester are disclosed. Also disclosed is a process for the production of these particles, an apparatus suitable for the process and a method for their use in production of polycarbonate by transesterification of carbonic acid esters with dihydroxy compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to polycarbamates of the formula I in which R and R′ are identical or different and are alkyl groups having 1-4 carbon atoms and n is a number from, on average, 2 to 5.

Abstract: A process for the production of phosphonium phenolates is disclosed. The process entails reacting a phosphonium halide and phenol in an aqueous alkaline solution.

Abstract: A method for producing polycarbonate based on 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexanone and 4,4-(metaphenylene diisopropyl) diphenol is disclosed. The method is characterized in that the recovery and/or further processing of the polycarbonate is performed at temperatures below 290° C. The polycarbonate thus produced has high purity and high transmission and is suitable for the manufacture of optical data stores.

Abstract: A method for end-capping polycarbonate resins, comprising the step of processing a mixture comprising a polycarbonate having free hydroxyl-end groups and an end-capping reagent in a melt transesterification reaction to produce a polycarbonate resin, wherein the end-capping reagent comprises a mixture of: (a) at least one species of a symmetrical activated aromatic carbonate, and (b) at least one species of an optionally-substituted phenol, whereby said end-capping reagent reacts with at least some of the free hydroxyl end-groups of the polycarbonate to produce an end-capped polycarbonate resin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a synthetic method comprising contacting at least one diaryl carbonate with one or more dihydroxy aromatic compounds in the presence of a transesterification catalyst under melt polymerization conditions to afford a product polycarbonate. The transesterifcation catalysts used according to the method of the present invention are polyhydropolyborates in combination with tetraalkylammonium or tetraalkylphosphonium compounds which serve as co-catalysts. The transesterification catalysts employed according to the method of the present invention provide polycarbonates having reduced levels of Fries rearrangement product relative to conventionally employed catalysts such as sodium hydroxide in combination with tetramethylammonium hydroxide co-catalyst.

Abstract: A method for end-capping polycarbonate resins, comprising the step of processing a mixture comprising a polycarbonate having free hydroxyl-end groups and an end-capping reagent in a melt transesterification reaction to produce a polycarbonate resin, wherein the end-capping reagent comprises a mixture of: (a) at least one species of a symmetrical activated aromatic carbonate, and (b) at least one species of an optionally-substituted phenol, whereby said end-capping reagent reacts with at least some of the free hydroxyl end-groups of the polycarbonate to produce an end-capped polycarbonate resin.

Abstract: Disclosed are glycidyl di-nitropropyl carbonate and poly(glycidyl di-nitropropyl carbonate) which is prepolymer used as an energetic binder for an insensitive and high performance explosive. The present invention introduces the nitro group instead of the nitrate group, thereby enabling to provide the prepolymer having the high thermal stability (thermal decomposition initiating temperature of at least 200° C. or higher) more excellent than that of the conventional energy binder.

Abstract: A process for producing polycarbonate is disclosed. The process entails transesterification of at least one carbonic ester with a mixture that contains dihydroxyl compound and phenol. The amount of bisphenol A in the mixture is 10 to 100 mol % relative to the amount of dihydroxyl compound and phenol is present in the mixture in an amount of 0.1 to 200% relative to the weight of bisphenol A.

Abstract: A thermoplastic composition is described, based on a copolycarbonate which includes at least two structural units. Structure I is usually a conventional carbonate based on bisphenol A, while structure II is a bisphenol carbonate which includes branched or linear groups extending from a bridging carbon atom or carbon group which connects two aromatic rings. The compositions exhibit very good melt flow, along with enhanced shear-thinning behavior. These characteristics are important for optical disc applications. Thus, related articles are described, along with processes for preparing such articles.

Abstract: An improvement to the melt transesterification reaction of diaryl carbonate with dihydroxy aryl compound is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of an aromatic polycarbonate by a polycondensation reaction or a solid phase polymerization reaction under a flow of an inert gas, wherein an alcohol or a phenol, which is produced as a by-product, is separated from the inert gas using a scrubber. In accordance with the present invention, since the by-product can be separated efficiently, an aromatic polycarbonate can be produced under a flow of an inert gas by an efficient and simplified process.