The invention relates to the use of a mineral having perovskite structure in vinyl aromatic polymer foam, i) for decreasing the thermal conductivity, ii) for increasing the mechanical properties (namely compressive strength and bending strength), or iii) for improving the self-extinguishing properties of the foam. The polymer foam further comprises one or more athermanous additives selected from a) powder inorganic additive selected from powders of silica and calcium phosphate, b) powder carbonaceous additive selected from powders of graphite, carbon black, petroleum coke, graphitized carbon black, graphite oxides, and graphene, and c) powder geopolymer and powder geopolymer composite.

Provided are a monovalent anion selective ion exchange membrane and a method of manufacturing the ion exchange membrane. In regard to the monovalent anion selective ion exchange membrane, a surface portion thereof has a high amount ratio of a cation exchange polymer electrolyte, a central portion thereof has a high amount ratio of an anion exchange polymer electrolyte, and an amount ratio of the anion exchange polymer electrolyte with respect to the cation exchange polymer electrolyte continuously increases in the thickness direction thereof from the surface toward the center. Due to this structure, compared to monovalent anions, polyvalent anions may permeate much less through the exchange membrane. Thus, high selectivity for monovalent anions may be obtained.

Methods of recording a volume Bragg grating are provided. A recording medium is formed from a matrix polymer precursor, an inimer comprising a polymerizable functional group and a controlled radical reactive group, a first photoinitiator system that is more reactive with the polymerizable functional group than the controlled radical reactive group in the presence of an excitation source, and a photoredox catalyst. The medium is cured thereby forming a support matrix. The medium is exposed to light causing the first photoinitiator system to react with the polymerizable functional group and to polymerize the inimer within the support matrix thus forming a latent grating image of the volume Bragg grating within the medium. The latent grating image comprises a plurality of bright fringes and a plurality of dark fringes. A concentration of polymerized inimer is higher in the plurality of bright fringes than in the plurality of dark fringes.

The invention relates to the use of a mineral having perovskite structure in vinyl aromatic polymer foam, i) for decreasing the thermal conductivity, ii) for increasing the mechanical properties (namely compressive strength and bending strength), or iii) for improving the self-extinguishing properties of the foam. The polymer foam further comprises one or more athermanous additives selected from a) powder inorganic additive selected from powders of silica and calcium phosphate, b) powder carbonaceous additive selected from powders of graphite, carbon black, petroleum coke, graphitized carbon black, graphite oxides, and graphene, and c) powder geopolymer and powder geopolymer composite.

A process for the modification of a surface of a solid material, including the step of contacting the surface with a surface-modifying compound under irradiation with light of a wavelength in the range of 200 to 800 nm optionally in the presence of a photoinitiator, wherein a) the surface has SiOH groups, COH groups or epoxy groups and the surface-modifying compound is a hydrosilane, or b) the surface has OSiH groups and the surface-modifying compound is a silanol or an alcohol.

There are disclosed methods for reforming a polymeric surface of an article formed, for example, by additive process molding, and articles read in accordance with this process. The reforming of the surface results in reduced surface roughness such that the article is similar in surface smoothness to an article made by injection molding.

This invention relates to the field of thermal insulation. In particular, the invention describes superinsulation articles having a desired porosity, reduced pore size and cost-effective methods for manufacturing such articles. In one aspect of the present invention, the article may comprise a material system with at least about 20% porosity. In a further aspect of the invention, an article may comprise greater than about 25% of nanopores having a pore size no greater than about 1500 nanometers in its shortest axis.

Methods for treating post-consumer and/or post-industrial waste containing impact modified polymers of monovinylidene aromatic monomers are disclosed. The methods may include forming a solution comprising a solvent and at least one post-consumer and/or post-industrial waste comprising an impact modified polymer wherein the polymer is based on monovinylidene aromatic monomers and an impact modifier having a specific particle size and morphology; separating and removing undissolved and/or undispersed material in the solution from the solution; and separating and removing the solvent from dissolved and/or dispersed material to recover the impact modified polymer; wherein the solvent dissolves and/or disperses the impact modified polymer, and wherein the recovered impact modified polymer maintains the impact modifier particle size and morphology.