Disclosed is a real-time method for detecting copper and silver in water in parts per billion. Total silver is detected by adding a nitric acid solution to the sample; after the silver is digested, adding a buffer solution comprising water, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate and EDTA to the sample; adding an indicator comprising Cadion 2B, EtOH, and Triton X-100 to the sample; then reading the absorbance of the sample after light with an approximate target peak of 515 nm is sent through the sample; and determining the silver concentration by comparing the absorbance of the sample to the absorbances of known silver standards. Total copper is detected by adding a nitric acid solution to the sample; after the copper is digested, adding a buffer/indicator solution to the sample, where the solution comprises water, sodium citrate dihydrate, hydroxal amine hydrochloride and bathocuproine disulfonate; after one minute, reading the absorbance of the sample after light with an approximate target peak of 480 nm is sent through the sample; and determining the copper concentration by comparing the absorbance of the sample to the absorbances of known copper standards. A monitoring device for determining the level of copper or silver in a sample implements the disclosed methods.

A process including combining polystyrene and a first solvent to form a polystyrene solution; heating the polystyrene solution; adding a second solvent to the polystyrene solution with optional stirring whereby polystyrene microparticles are formed via microprecipitation; optionally, cooling the formed polystyrene microparticles in solution; and optionally, removing the first solvent and second solvent. A polystyrene microparticle formed by a microprecipitation process, wherein the polystyrene particle has a spherical morphology, a particle diameter of greater than about 10 micrometers, and a weight average molecular weight of from about 38,000 to about 200,000 Daltons. A method of selective laser sintering including providing polystyrene microparticles formed by a microprecipitation process; and exposing the microparticles to a laser to fuse the microparticles.

Improved methods and apparatus for additive manufacture of an ophthalmic lens, such as a contact lens or intraocular lens. The improvements are directed to repeated application of a monomer according to a pattern of energy transmissibility, such as grayscale image. The method includes intermittent pinning of deposited polymerizable mixture and final cure of the deposited polymerizable mixture. A pattern of multiple defied areas may be manufactured, with each area representing an amount of energy transmissibility associated with that area. Each area may have a light value based upon a scale, such as an 8 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit, 64 bit scale or other scale. In some embodiments, each area may refer to a smallest single component of a digital image.

Composite materials with adjustable spectral properties comprised of IR-reflecting micro-domains overlaying an IR-transparent elastomeric matrix, and capable of dynamically controlling IR radiation transmission are described, as well as methods of fabrication thereof. Systems with capabilities to regulate IR radiation (including heat) transmission based thereon, and methods of regulating IR radiation transmission (including thermal regulation) using the same are also provided.

A three-dimensional object comprises stacked substrate layers infiltrated by a hardened material comprising engineered powder that is transformed into a substance that flows and subsequently hardens into the hardened material in a spatial pattern that infiltrates positive regions, and does not infiltrate negative regions, in the substrate layers. The powder may be emulsion aggregation powder, chemically-produced toner powder, or a combination. It may be a thermoplastic or thermosettable polymer and may include nylon, elastomers, polyolefins, polyethylene, polyether ether ketone, polyimide, polyetherimide, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene, polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, and polyaryletherketone, or a combination. The powder particles may have a pre-specified controlled shape and/or a non-homogenous composition. Surface treatments and/or additives may be used to control powder flow and charge distribution. Each substrate layer may be a sheet-like structure comprising fibers held together by binder. The binder may include sodium silicate.

A phase difference film composed of a resin containing a copolymer including polymerization units A and B, the phase difference film including a cylindrical phase separation structure that generates a structural birefringence, the phase separation structure including a phase (A) having the polymerization unit A as a main component and a phase (B) having the polymerization unit B as a main component, and the phase difference film satisfying the following condition (1) or (2). Condition (1): D(A)>D(B) and f(B)>0.5, and a direction giving a maximum refractive index among in-plane directions and an orientation direction of a cylinder in the phase separation structure are parallel to each other. Condition (2): D(A)>D(B) and f(A)>0.5, and a direction giving a maximum refractive index among in-plane directions and an orientation direction of a cylinder in the phase separation structure are orthogonal to each other.

Disclosed herein are a foamed resin molded body that has excellent impact resistance and rigidity and that is hardly fractured even when subjected to high impact, and a method for manufacturing the same. The foamed resin molded body is made of an olefin-based resin composition containing an olefin resin and a polyamide resin, the olefin-based resin composition has a continuous phase containing the olefin resin and a dispersed phase dispersed in the continuous phase and containing the polyamide resin, and the dispersed phase contains a melt-kneaded product of the polyamide resin and an elastomer having a reactive group that reacts with the polyamide resin.

A method and an arrangement for producing a workpiece using additive manufacturing techniques involve pre-process, in-process and post-process measurement in order to determine individual characteristics of one or more workpiece layers. In particular, dimensional and/or geometrical characteristics of a workpiece layer are measured before the next workpiece layer is produced. Advantageously, production parameters are controlled in response to individual material characteristics determined prior to the production process. Also advantageously, measurement results are fed back into a production process in order to increase accuracy, reliability, repeatability and precision of the production process.

A composition useful for additive manufacturing is comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer blended with an aliphatic polyketone, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a continuous phase having dispersed therein separated domains of polyketone. The composition is useful for additive printing methods employing heating and extrusion of the composition to form extrudates that are printed an article comprised of fused layers of the composition. The composition facilitates the formation of extrusion based elastomeric additive manufactured articles.

Methods of making molded polystyrene articles are described. The methods include introducing steam into a mold simultaneous to filling the mold with foam particles, and cooling the mold without the use of cooling water. The method can be performed faster and with a lower temperature differential than conventional molding processes, permitting faster turn-around to the production of subsequent molded articles. The molded articles produced by the method can have thicker side walls, improved foam particle fusion, and improved compression properties as compared to conventional EPS molding processes.