Multilayer polymer sheets are provided, as well as related methods, systems, and appliances.

Methods and apparatus for fabricating high-resolution thin-layer metal patterns and 3D Metal structures are provided. The methods and apparatus operate via photo-(stereo)lithography at room temperature. The printed metal patterns, for example silver patterns, exhibit high electrical conductivity, comparable to or better than the conductivity of the silver printed by current laser sintering or thermal annealing at high temperature.

A container thermoformed from a polymeric multilayer sheet includes a cavity for containing food. The sheet includes a polymeric interior layer positioned between (i) a polymeric outer layer of the sheet and (ii) a polymeric inner layer of the sheet that is in opposing face-to-face relation with, and at least partially defines, the cavity of the container. The interior layer includes post-consumer recycled polymeric material. The sheet includes a polymeric barrier layer positioned between the interior layer and inner layer. The barrier layer restricts inward passage of at least some of any gasses originating from the post-consumer recycled polymeric material.

Presented and described is a method for reclaiming thermoplastic materials intended for recycling, such as, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in the form of flakes. According to the invention, in a first step, the flakes are exposed to an oxidative fluid and heat until contaminated flakes are modified such that, in a second step, they are separated from the remaining flakes as a result of this modification.

A biaxially oriented polyester film having the following physical property is provided: when cooled from the molten state at a cooling rate of 20° C./min, an observed recrystallization temperature is 175° C.-200° C. The biaxially oriented polyester film is formed by a thick sheet before bidirectional stretching that is melted and extruded by an extruder and then cooled and formed on a casting roll. The thick sheet before stretching having the following physical property as analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry: a crystallization rate is less than 10%.

This disclosure provides new containers, preforms, methods, and designs for small and light-weight carbonated beverage packaging that provide surprisingly improved carbonation retention and greater shelf life, while still achieving light weight. This disclosure is particularly drawn to small PET containers for carbonated beverages, for example less than or about 400 mL, and methods and designs for their fabrication that attain unexpectedly good carbonation retention and shelf life.

A liquid crystal polyester resin for laminate, wherein, in a molecular weight distribution of an absolute molecular weight measured by a gel permeation chromatograph/light scattering method, an area fraction of a portion having an absolute molecular weight of 10,000 or less is 10 to 40%, and an area fraction of a portion having an absolute molecular weight of 50,000 or more is 3 to 20%, relative to 100% of the total peak area.

A multilayer sheet comprising first, second, and third layers is provided. The first layer consists of a co-polyester having an elongation at break of greater than 70%. The second layer consists of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer having an elongation at break of greater than 200% and a hardness of about 60 A to about 85 D. The first layer has a hardness greater than the hardness of the second layer. A mold is provided and the multilayer sheet is thermoformed over the mold to form a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities configured to receive and position a patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement. Excess material is trimmed from the thermoformed multilayer sheet to form the multilayer dental aligner.

A plastic preform apparatus is disclosed that is suitable for forming a bottle. The plastic preform apparatus features a neck portion adapted to engage a closure and includes a support ring at its lowermost point. The neck portion features a first wall thickness, and an elongated body portion including a cylindrical wall portion and an end cap. An upper segment of the body portion adjacent to the support ring features a second wall thickness substantially similar to the first wall thickness and less than a third wall thickness in a lower segment of the body portion.

Physical foaming a footwear component with a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid is provided. The method include temperature conditioning a mold and then engaging the mold with a robot that conveys the mold to a press. At the press a gas counter pressure is applied to a cavity of the mold before injecting a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid into the cavity of the mold. The process continues with releasing the gas counter pressure from the cavity of the mold and then removing the footwear component from the cavity of the mold. The parameters of the method are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner.