A method for managing and/or treating obesity and/or overweight and/or for inducing weight loss. The method includes orally administering to a patient a composition capable of being transformed into a hydrogel foam after its introduction into the patient stomach. The hydrogel foam occupies at least 20% of the volume of the patient stomach.

The present invention generally relates a polymer-metal junction comprising PEEK-PEmEK copolymers compositions, in contact with a metal substrate, wherein the PEEK-PEmEK copolymer having R.sub.PEEK and R.sub.PEmEK repeat units in a molar ratio R.sub.PEEK/R.sub.PEmEK ranging from 95/5 to 45/55. The present invention also relates to shaped articles including the polymer-metal junction, and methods of making the polymer-metal junctions.

Provided are a superabsorbent polymer and a preparation method thereof. According to the present invention, a superabsorbent polymer having high centrifuge retention capacity and absorption rate may be prepared by using a specific foam stabilizer.

Methods for reducing moisture content of alkaline earth metal carbonate may include introducing alkaline earth metal carbonate having a moisture content ranging from about 0.1% by mass to about 10% by mass into a primary crusher and operating the primary crusher to obtain alkaline earth metal carbonate particles having a top cut particle size d.sub.90 of 90 microns or less. The method may also include introducing the particles into a primary grinder and operating the primary grinder to obtain reduced-size alkaline earth metal carbonate particles having a median particle size d.sub.50 of about 60 microns or less. The method may further include introducing the reduced-size particles into a classifier mill and operating the classifier mill to obtain further-reduced-size alkaline earth metal carbonate particles having a median particle size d.sub.50 of about 12 microns or less, and a moisture content of about 0.15% by mass or less.

The present disclosure relates to a method for preparing a super absorbent polymer. More specifically, the above method performs a polymerization reaction of a monomer in the presence of an aqueous dispersion of hydrophobic particles, and thus a super absorbent polymer having an improved absorption rate can be prepared without deterioration in absorption properties.

A semi-solid biodegradable refrigerant gel and methods of making same are disclosed. The semi-solid biodegradable refrigerant gel includes water, a biodegradable thickening agent, a crosslinking agent, an optional secondary crosslinking agent, and a chelating agent. The semi-solid biodegradable refrigerant gel does not require encasement in a high-barrier containment material.

[Object] To provide a friction material, which is manufactured by forming a non-asbestos-organic (NAO) friction material composition, used for a disc brake assembled in such as a passenger car, which does not degrade the inhibitory effect of rusting and prevents seizure due to corrosion even if the automotive while the parking brake in operation is left under a high humidity state for a long period of time. [Means to Resolve] A friction material, which is manufactured by forming the NAO friction material composition including a binder, a fiber base material, a friction modifier, a lubricant, a pH adjuster, and a filler, where the friction material composition contains 2-6 weight % of alkali metal salt and/or alkaline earth metal salt as the pH adjuster relative to the total amount of the friction material composition, 1-7 weight % of fibrillated organic fiber as the fiber base material relative to the total amount of the friction material composition, and 0-0.5 weight % of water-repelling component relative to the total amount of the friction material composition.

There are provided a polishing composition that gives, in the step of polishing a wafer, a flat polished surface having a reduced height difference between a central region and a peripheral region (laser mark region) of the wafer, and a method for producing a wafer using the polished composition. A polishing composition comprising water, silica particles, an alkaline substance, and an amphoteric surfactant of formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 is a C.sub.10-20 alkyl group, or a C.sub.1-5 alkyl group containing an amide group; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a C.sub.1-9 alkyl group; and X.sup.−is a C.sub.1-5 anionic organic group containing a carboxylate ion or a sulfonate ion. Silica particles in the form of an aqueous dispersion of silica particles having a mean primary particle diameter of 5 to 100 nm may be used. A method for producing a wafer, wherein in the step of polishing a wafer, polishing is performed until a height difference between a central region and a peripheral region of the wafer becomes 100 nm or less.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a process improvement additive suitable for polymer processing, wherein this process improvement additive comprises a carrier polymer, a binding component and one or more fluoropolymers and wherein this process improvement additive further comprises one or more zeolites. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for processing a polymer, wherein a process improvement additive is added to the polymer prior to processing and wherein this process improvement additive comprises a carrier polymer, a binding component, one or more fluoropolymers and one or more zeolites.

(Co)polymer matrix composites including a porous (co)polymeric network; a multiplicity of thermally-conductive particles, and a multiplicity of endothermic particles distributed within the (co)polymeric network structure; wherein the thermally-conductive particles and endothermic particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the particles and the (co)polymer (excluding the solvent). Optionally, the (co)polymer matrix composite volumetrically expands by at least 10% of its initial volume when exposed to a temperature of at least 135° C. Methods of making and using the (co)polymer matrix composites are also disclosed. The (co)polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as heat dissipating or heat absorbing articles, as fillers, thermal interface materials, and thermal management materials, for example, in electronic devices, more particularly mobile handheld electronic devices, power supplies, and batteries.