A method for synthesizing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution is disclosed. The preferred PAN polymer has a PDI (Mw/Mn) of about 2 or less. Such PAN polymer is synthesized by controlled/living radical polymerization using a special RAFT (Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer) agent. Also disclosed is a method for producing carbon fibers from PAN polymer with low PDI.

Described herein is high-energy-violet-light (HEVL) absorbing benzotriazole vinylic monomers that have an adequate solubility in an organic solvent (e.g., 1-propanol), a better compatibility with polymerizable components present in a hydrogel lens formulation, and an absorption peak at a wavelength of from 410 nm to 425 nm. They are suitable for making hydrogel contact lenses that can significantly block HEVL from 380 nm to 450 nm but cannot block significantly blue lights (from 450 nm to 495 nm).

A composition is disclosed, comprising a block copolymer, at least one homopolymer or copolymer of butene, and at least one olefin homopolymer or copolymer, wherein said block copolymer has hydrogenated low-vinyl polybutadiene end blocks with a specific gravity>0.85 g/cc, and a controlled distribution midblock of polyalkenyl arene/hydrogenated diene. Although the block copolymer has a preferred linear structure as a triblock copolymer, it may also be branched or radial coupled copolymer that has at least 2 arms or more. The composition is useful for rotational molding, slush molding, injection molding, extrusion or compression molding, or thermoforming or calendering for making articles that are resistant to chemicals such as diesel fuel, for the automotive market, for example. The MFR of the block copolymer is 1 to about 50 g/10 min. at 230 C., with a wt. of 2.16 kg.

A photocurable resin composition contains a radically polymerizable compound (A), polysilsesquioxane particles (B), and a curing agent (C). Polysilsesquioxane particles (B) have polysilsesquioxane at least at the surface of the particles. The radically polymerizable compound (A) is a mixture of multifunctional radically polymerizable compound (A-1) and monofunctional radically polymerizable compound (A-2), including at least multifunctional radically polymerizable compound (A-1) in more than 60% by mass. Multifunctional radically polymerizable compound (A-1) has an ethylenically unsaturated group equivalent of 250 g/eq to less than 700 g/eq. The amount of polysilsesquioxane particles (B) is 5 to 30 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of radically polymerizable compound (A).

An optical film including a polymer including a repeating unit A including a repeating unit represented by the following Chemical Formulas 1 to 3, or a combination thereof; and a repeating unit B derived from a monomer having an unsaturated bond copolymerizable with the repeating unit A, wherein the optical film has a short wavelength dispersion of an in-plane phase-difference value (R.sub.e) (450 nm/550 nm) ranging from about 0.81 to about 1.20, and a long wavelength dispersion of an in-plane phase-difference value (R.sub.e) (650 nm/550 nm) ranging from about 0.90 to about 1.18: ##STR00001##
wherein, in Chemical Formulas 1 to 3, the variables R.sup.1 to R.sup.21 are defined herein.

Provided are new functionalized nitrile rubbers, which may optionally also be in partially or wholly hydrogenated form, and also a process for preparing them by metathesis of nitrile rubbers in the presence of a metathesis catalyst and at least one functionalized allyl compound. The new functionalized nitrile rubbers are suitable for producing vulcanizable mixtures and allow the production of vulcanizates having very stable networks. Also made possible, in particular, is the synthesis of block copolymers.

A plastic article is recited having a plastic shell including walls defining a cavity. Within the cavity is an in-situ foam core including expanded polymer beads. A layer of the expanded polymer beads includes a layer of distorted beads adjacent to the walls. The in-situ foam core has a thermal bond to the walls.

A mold for in-mold foam-molding of a polyolefin-based resin for producing a molded article includes a first mold part, a second mold part, and a divided mold that holds an insert material, wherein the insert material has a protrusion part, the divided mold is formed on the first and the second mold parts in correspondence with the protrusion part of the insert material, the first mold part has a first holding surface, the second mold part has a divided mold member having a second holding surface and a biasing part that guides the divided mold member movably in the mold opening/closing direction and constantly biases the divided mold member toward the first holding surface, and the base portion of the protrusion part of the insert material is configured for being held between the first and second holding surfaces by the divided mold.

The present invention provides a method for producing a non-woven fiber fabric by spinning a molten polymer. Thus, a non-woven fiber fabric which is substantially free from a solvent, different from the case of spinning a polymer solution, but yet has an extremely small fiber size (diameter of 0.5 m or less) is provided. The non-woven fiber fabric comprises an olefin-based thermoplastic resin fiber, said fiber having an average fiber size of 0.01-0.5 m, and said non-woven fiber fabric having an average pore size of 0.01-10.0 m and being free from a solvent component.

Methods of molding a barrel, such as a syringe barrel having very low draft, are disclosed. Thermoplastic syringes having very low interior draft angels are also disclosed.