Solid state draw a laminated polymer billet containing two or more polymer compositions laminated to one another to prepare an oriented polymer composition.

A method for manufacturing a crosslinked polyolefin separator and the crosslinked polyolefin separator obtained therefrom are provided. The method includes non-grafted polyolefin having a weight average molecular weight of 300,000 or more and silane-grafted polyolefin having a weight average molecular weight of 300,000 or more. The method minimizes gel formation, a side reaction occurring in an extruder during the manufacture of the separator, and provides the separator having a uniform surface.

This disclosure relates to an article that includes a nonwoven substrate, a first film supported by the nonwoven substrate, and a second film such that the first film is between the nonwoven substrate and the second film. The first film includes a first polymer and a pore-forming filler. The difference between a surface energy of the first film and a surface energy of the nonwoven substrate is at most about 10 mN/m. The second film includes a second polymer capable of absorbing and desorbing moisture and providing a barrier to aqueous fluids.

A transparent thermoformed high barrier plastic bottle is provided for use in storing food and beverages, personal care products, health care products, and other applications that require excellent transparency and barrier properties. The transparent thermoformed high barrier plastic bottle includes first and second outer layers formed using a transparent polyester or polyester copolymer; an inner nanolayer sequence including a plurality of nanolayers a) including ethylene vinyl alcohol, alternating with nanolayers b) including at least one of ethylene ethyl acrylate, low density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene, each of the nanolayers b) having a degree of crystallinity less than about 45%; and adhesive layers between each of the two outer layers and the inner nanolayer sequence. A method for producing a transparent thermoformed high barrier plastic bottle is also provided.

The invention relates to a stretched polymer film made of a polyamide composition comprising a semi-crystalline semi-aromatic polyamide (PPA), wherein the PPA consists of repeat units derived from aromatic dicarboxylic acid comprising at least 80 mole % of terephthalic acid, relative to the total amount of aromatic dicarboxylic acid; and diamine comprising at least 5 mole % 1,4-butanediamine and at least 5 mole % 1,6-hexanediamine, relative to the total amount of diamine, the combined amount of 1,4-butanediamine and 1,6-hexanediamine being at least 60 mole % relative to the total amount of diamine; and 0-2 mole % of other monomeric units, relative to the total amount of aromatic dicarboxylic acid, diamine and other monomeric units. The invention further relates to a process for preparing the polyamide film by melt extrusion and stretching of the film.

The invention provides a polyamide resin composition (1) containing a polyamide (A) and a free volume modifier (B), and having a free volume, as measured according to a positron annihilation method, of 0.0545 nm.sup.3 or less. The invention also provides a polyamide resin composition (2) prepared by adding from 0.005 to 1.200 parts by mass of a polysilsesquioxane (B) whose main chain is comprised of siloxane bonds, to 100 parts by mass of a polyamide (A) that contains a diamine unit including an aromatic diamine unit represented by the following general formula (I) in an amount of 70 mol % or more and a dicarboxylic acid unit including at least one of a linear aliphatic dicarboxylic acid unit represented by the following general formula (II-1) and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid unit represented by the following general formula (II-2) in a total amount of 50 mol % or more: ##STR00001##
wherein n in the general formula (II-1) indicates an integer of from 2 to 18, and Ar in the general formula (II-2) represents an arylene group.

A tapered implantable device includes an ePTFE tubular member having a tapered length portion. The tapered length portion provides rapid recovery properties. The tapered length portion can feature a microstructure that includes a multiplicity of bent fibrils.

The present invention provides for concentrated aqueous silk fibroin solutions and an all-aqueous mode for preparation of concentrated aqueous fibroin solutions that avoids the use of organic solvents, direct additives, or harsh chemicals. The invention further provides for the use of these solutions in production of materials, e.g., fibers, films, foams, meshes, scaffolds and hydrogels.

The present disclosure relates to stretching apparatus and method for aligning microfibrils. Specifically, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for aligning microfibrils along a single direction, which includes: a first elastic substrate onto which a composition containing microfibrils is loaded; and a stretching module which stretches the width of the elastic substrate. In accordance with the apparatus the present disclosure, microfibrils or cells may be aligned along a particular direction simply by pulling and then releasing the elastic substrate. The present disclosure is also useful for culturing of the aligned cells because the physiological activity of the cells can be maintained and cytotoxicity can be prevented.

This disclosure provides an investigation of the kinetic uptake properties of water in amorphous PEF and PET across the entire water activity interval at various temperatures, and also investigates the corresponding equilibrium uptake properties at the same conditions. Uptake data were measured using three independent and complementary methodologies, and excellent agreement was observed among all three methodologies. Accordingly, this disclosure provides for methods of plasticizing poly(ethylene furanoate) film by cold water sorption, and provides a plasticized poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) film made according to the disclosed methods. Methods for making thin films of PEF are also provided.