The present invention relates to a rapid and innovative mechanism for initiating anionic ring-opening polymerization of laurolactam by means of latent initiators on the basis of thermally activatable N-heterocyclic carbene compounds, such as, more particularly, N-heterocyclic carbene-CO.sub.2 compounds and carbene-metal compounds (NHCs). With the new initiation mechanism it is possible accordingly to realize molecular weights (M.sub.w) of from 2000 up to more than 30,000 g/mol, and narrow polydispersities. The polymerizations may be carried out both in bulk and in solution in a suitable solvent. Compounds of this type are thermally latent and on heating initiate a polymerization to polylaurolactam in high yields, up to a quantitative conversion, whereas at room temperature there is no reaction. Polydispersity and molecular weight of the polylaurolactam can be adjusted through the choice of the initiator and of the reaction conditions.

An insulating material, in particular a permeable fire-proof sound insulating material comprising water glass and rubber, in particular recycled rubber, consisting of a harden-able mixture which contains 47 to 61 wt % of rubber granulate, 30 to 50 wt % of aqueous sodium silicate, 0.1 to 0.5 wt % water glass stabiliser, 0.4 to 1.5 wt % water glass hardener, and 2 to 6 wt % of aluminium hydroxide, the surface of the rubber granulate being provided with carbon black, the carbon black constituting 0.1 to 1 wt % of total weight. A method for the production of insulating material, according to which firstly the rubber granules are mixed with an aqueous solution of carbon black so as to coat their entire surface, then is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution aluminium hydroxide and the whole is mixed so as to form an insulating mixture, and then a water glass stabiliser is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution, and then to this solution is mixed water glass hardener, with this solution being further stirred for 1 to 10 minutes to form a binder solution, and the insulating mixture is added to the binder solution with constant stirring, and the whole is mixed, and the resulting mixture is then poured into the application site.

A prefabricated concrete pool including concrete walls and a pan-formed concrete floor, as well as a method of fabricating a prefabricated swimming pool, the method including erecting an external wall form, erecting an internal wall form opposing the external wall form, and positioning pan forms on a floor form.

The present invention relates to a composition for preparation of latex pads, comprising natural latex, artificial latex, sliver nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, and active carbon mixed in a specified proportion. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing latex pads from the composition.

Device and method for producing a plurality of microlenses from a lens material. The method includes: applying lens material intended for the embossing of the microlenses to a plurality of first lens molds distributed on a first embossing side of a first die for embossing of the microlenses, moving the first die and a second die located essentially parallel, in an X-Y plane, and opposite the first die, on top of one another in a Z-direction running essentially perpendicular to the X-Y plane, embossing the microlenses by shaping and curing the lens material, the shaping taking place by moving the first and second embossing sides on top of one another, up to a thickness D.sub.1 of the lens material in the Z-direction, wherein the lens material of each microlens at least during curing is separate from the lens material of each microlens which is adjacent in the X-Y plane.

Collapsible vessels comprising a rubbery material can be folded or scrunched into a small volume, and then spring into a shape suitable for holding water or food such as for a pet.

A control method and a control apparatus for a paraffin dispenser in an embedder, a paraffin dispenser and an embedder are provided. The control method includes: collecting information of a current mold so as to acquire an identification of the current mold; determining whether the identification of the current mold is correct; and controlling the paraffin dispenser to pour paraffin into the current mold, when it is determined that the identification of the current mold is correct.

Osteoconductive synthetic bone grafts are provided in which porous ceramic granules are embedded in a biocompatible matrix material. The grafts, which may also include one or more of a coating, a reinforcing bio-absorbable mesh, and an osteoinductive protein or peptide, are generally porous and may incorporate fenestrations.

A method of making a solvent cast polymer composite film comprising (a) contacting barium titanate, a titanate coupling agent (TCA) and a mixing solvent to form a barium titanate and TCA solution; (b) dispersing at least a portion of the barium titanate and TCA solution to form TCA treated barium titanate; (c) contacting at least a portion of the TCA treated barium titanate with a polyetherimide and a casting solvent to form a polymer composite casting solution; (d) casting at least a portion of the polymer composite casting solution onto a casting substrate to form a solvent cast polymer composite solution; and (e) curing at least a portion of the solvent cast polymer composite solution to form the solvent cast polymer composite film.

A method of forming a porous sol gel, including a dried porous sol gel, is provided comprising forming a sol gel from a sol gel-forming composition comprising a silane solution and a catalyst solution; and non-supercritically drying the sol gel to provide a dried porous sol gel having no springback. The dried porous sol gel can include dried macroporous or mesoporous sol gels or dried hybrid aerogels. The materials may contain open or filled pores. Such materials are useful as thermal insulators.