A PVB film for HUD, a forming mold and a forming method thereof are presented. The accuracy error of HUD imaging achieved by the PVB film for HUD is ±0.1 mrad. The forming mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold, the two of which can form an enclosed mold cavity when clamped together, wherein protective films are disposed on inner surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold, respectively, for supporting PVB material and preventing the PVB material from bonding with the upper mold and the lower mold, and wherein shapes of the protective films match shapes of the upper mold and the lower mold.

An imprint method provided herein includes the steps of: adding a soluble material to a master mold; solidifying the soluble material to form a soluble mold having a mold pattern; adhering a dissociable tape to the soluble mold to separate the soluble mold from the master mold; placing the soluble mold onto a polymer layer of a workpiece for imprint; applying a high temperature and a pressure to the soluble mold to allow the polymer layer having an imprint pattern corresponding to the mold pattern and solidification, and to dissociate the tape; and providing a solvent to dissolve the soluble mold to obtain an imprint workpiece having the imprint pattern.

The invention is directed to a method for producing an upgraded polymer product from recycled polyvinyl butyral, to a polymer product obtainable by said method, to a construction material comprising such polymer product, and to a use of an extruder vacuum pump.

The method of the invention comprises feeding a polymer feed stream to an extruder, wherein said polymer feed stream comprises a recycled polyvinyl butyral; melting said polymer feed stream in the extruder to produce polymer melt and passing said polymer melt through one or more degassing zones connected to a vacuum pump; measuring the melt flow index of the polymer product,
wherein the vacuum pump is operated at a pressure that is controlled by the measured melt flow index of the polymer product.

A PVB film for HUD, a forming mold and a forming method thereof are presented. The accuracy error of HUD imaging achieved by the PVB film for HUD is 0.1 mrad. The forming mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold, the two of which can form an enclosed mold cavity when clamped together, wherein protective films are disposed on inner surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold, respectively, for supporting PVB material and preventing the PVB material from bonding with the upper mold and the lower mold, and wherein shapes of the protective films match shapes of the upper mold and the lower mold.

There is disclosed a surgical sponge device comprising a sponge portion and a handle portion The sponge portion is formed from an open cell foam material having an external surface. The handle portion comprises a grip at one end thereof that compressively grips mutually opposed external surface regions of the sponge portion an edge of the sponge portion. Substantially all of the external surface of the sponge portion is formed as an uncut external surface, except for at least one predetermined region of the external surface that is located close to the grip, the at least one predetermined region of the external surface being formed as a cut external surface. Because most of the external surface of the sponge portion is uncut, it will be free of unwanted particulate material.

An apparatus (100) for manufacturing pods (M) for beverage extraction machines is described, comprising: movement means to advance a belt (110) of waterproof material in a predetermined rectilinear direction (A), a plurality of forming plates (125) arranged below the belt and provided with at least one cavity (135), movement means to advance said forming plates in a synchronized manner with the belt, and a plurality of operational devices (165, 200, 300, 400, 500) arranged in succession along the belt; wherein said operational devices comprise for example one device for pressing down a portion of the belt into the cavity of the forming plate, a device for releasing a dose of a powder substance inside a cap (C1), a device for compacting the dose, a device for applying a second cap (C2), a device for sealing the second cap to the belt.

An apparatus (100) for manufacturing pods (M) for beverage extraction machines is described, comprising: movement means to advance a belt (110) of waterproof material in a predetermined rectilinear direction (A), a plurality of forming plates (125) arranged below the belt and provided with at least one cavity (135), movement means to advance said forming plates in a synchronized manner with the belt, and a plurality of operational devices (165, 200, 300, 400, 500) arranged in succession along the belt; wherein said operational devices comprise for example one device for pressing down a portion of the belt into the cavity of the forming plate, a device for releasing a dose of a powder substance inside a cap (C1), a device for compacting the dose, a device for applying a second cap (C2), a device for sealing the second cap to the belt.

A method, i.e., trapping of structural coloration (TOSC), for fabricating solid 3D network-structured photonic crystals featuring tunable visible structural colorations includes the steps: a PS-PVP copolymer is dissolved in a chloride-containing solvent and is cast as an initial film, the copolymer self-assembles into 3D periodic network-structured morphology; the copolymer in the initial film is swollen in a polar solvent to form a solvated film; the solvated film is dried to form a solid photonic crystal. During evaporation of the polar solvent, the PVP blocks of the copolymer become glassy and form a thin glassy layer on the surface of the solvated film such that the 3D network structures of the copolymer in solvated state can be preserved into the solid photonic crystal revealing the similar periodicity and dimension to that in solvated state, which is very distinct from the film having 1D lamellar structure.

A method and a PVB cleaning and/or upgrading system for cleaning and upgrading post-consumer and/or post-industrial polyvinyl butyral is provided. The system includes an extraction station for extraction with liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide. The extraction station comprises a sealable container with means for introducing pressurized liquid carbon dioxide into the container and means for stirring PVB material. The station further includes transfer means for transferring the pressurized liquid carbon dioxide containing extracted plasticizer and/or contaminants from the container to a distillation unit. The distillation unit separates extracted plasticizer and/or contaminants from the carbon dioxide, by evaporation of the liquefied CO2. The system further includes pressurizing means, such as a compressor, for pressurizing and liquefying of the CO2 evaporated in the distillation unit.

A method, i.e., trapping of structural coloration (TOSC), for fabricating solid 3D network-structured photonic crystals featuring tunable visible structural colorations includes the steps: a PS-PVP copolymer is dissolved in a chloride-containing solvent and is cast as an initial film, the copolymer self-assembles into 3D periodic network-structured morphology; the copolymer in the initial film is swollen in a polar solvent to form a solvated film; the solvated film is dried to form a solid photonic crystal. During evaporation of the polar solvent, the PVP blocks of the copolymer become glassy and form a thin glassy layer on the surface of the solvated film such that the 3D network structures of the copolymer in solvated state can be preserved into the solid photonic crystal revealing the similar periodicity and dimension to that in solvated state, which is very distinct from the film having 1D lamellar structure.