The invention is comprised of a coalescent and non-ionic surfactant blend additive for use in water-based architectural coating formulations. The dual-function blend is produced by reacting 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate with ethylene oxide in the presence of a basic catalyst and separating the desired ethoxylated coalescent and non-ionic surfactant blend from the reaction product.

A plastic optical component with a high cutting ratio of blue light, and a method for producing the plastic optical component. The plastic optical component includes a benzophenone compound represented by formula (1) and an addition polymer obtained by radical polymerization of a monomer. The method for producing the plastic member includes a step of curing a mixture including the monomer, the benzophenone compound represented by formula (1), and a radical initiator.

Provided are a rubber composition that shows a balanced improvement in fuel economy and abrasion resistance while having good processability, and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition containing: a rubber component including a copolymer containing a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene monomer, a structural unit derived from farnesene, and a structural unit derived from a compound represented by the formula (1) below; and carbon black and/or silica, ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are the same as or different from each other and each represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-C30 hydrocarbon group.

The present invention is directed toward a polymer and a method for making a polymer that has nanostructures incorporated into the matrix of the polymer. The method of the invention involves the following steps: mixing a precursor solution for the polymer with a precursor for the nanostructures to form a mixture; forming nanostructures in the mixture from the precursor of the nanostructures; and forming a polymer from the precursor solution of the polymer so that the nanostructures are incorporated into the polymer matrix.

The present invention is directed toward a polymer and a method for making a polymer that has nanostructures incorporated into the matrix of the polymer. The method of the invention involves the following steps: mixing a precursor solution for the polymer with a precursor for the nanostructures to form a mixture; forming nanostructures in the mixture from the precursor of the nanostructures; and forming a polymer from the precursor solution of the polymer so that the nanostructures are incorporated into the polymer matrix.

The present invention is directed toward a polymer and a method for making a polymer that has nanostructures incorporated into the matrix of the polymer. The method of the invention involves the following steps: mixing a precursor solution for the polymer with a precursor for the nanostructures to form a mixture; forming nanostructures in the mixture from the precursor of the nanostructures; and forming a polymer from the precursor solution of the polymer so that the nanostructures are incorporated into the polymer matrix.

A seed or seedling is coated with underivatized guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, underivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, or hydroxypropyl cellulose, the coated seed or seedling having a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container to at least two months.

A seed or seedling is coated with underivatized guar, cationic hydroxypropyl guar, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid), polyacrylate, poly(ethylene glycol), polyethyleneoxide, poly(vinyl alcohol), polyglycerol, polytetrahydrofuran, polyamide, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, underivatized starch, cationic starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca, waxy maize, sorghum, waxy sarghum, sago, dextrin, chitin, chitosan, xanthan gum, carageenan gum, gum karaya, gum arabic, pectin, cellulose, hydroxycellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, or hydroxypropyl cellulose, the coated seed or seedling having a shelf-life at room temperature in ambient conditions in an unsealed container to at least two months.

A method for producing an amphiphilic particle or an anisotropic particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles, polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain polymerized monomer-swollen particles, and hydrolyzing the polymerized monomer-swollen particles. An amphiphilic particle is adapted to stabilize a first type of multiphasic mixture comprising a first aqueous phase having a first pH and a second type of multiphasic mixture comprising a second aqueous phase having a second pH.

A polymerizable composition for an optical material includes: an allyl carbonate compound (A) including two or more allyloxycarbonyl groups at a terminal which is represented by General Formula (1); and a radical polymerization initiator (B). The radical polymerization initiator (B) includes at least one kind of radical polymerization initiator (B1) which is a peroxyester-based radical polymerization initiator, and a radical polymerization initiator (B2). ##STR00001##