The optical fibers disclosed is a single mode optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to the core region. The core region can have a radius r.sub.1 in a range from 3 μm to 7 μm and a relative refractive index profile Δ.sub.1 having a maximum relative refractive index Δ.sub.1max in the range from 0.25% to 0.50%. The cladding region can include a first outer cladding region and a second outer cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to the first outer cladding region. The first outer cladding region can have a radius r.sub.4a. The second outer cladding region can have a radius r.sub.4b less than or equal to 45 μm and comprising silica based glass doped with titania.

The invention relates to a method for preparing polyester polyols containing monools, and to their use, in particular for preparing polyurethane/polyisocyanurate rigid foams (also referred to hereafter as PUR/PIR rigid foams) with improved fire performance.

The invention relates to a curable amphiphilic siloxane polyurethane coating composition. The invention also relates to methods of making and using the curable amphiphilic siloxane polyurethane coating composition of the invention. The invention also relates to methods for reducing or preventing biofouling of a surface exposed to an aqueous environment comprising the use of the curable amphiphilic siloxane polyurethane coating composition of the invention.

The optical fibers disclosed is a single mode optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to the core region. The core region can have a radius r.sub.1 in a range from 3 μm to 7 μm and a relative refractive index profile Δ.sub.1 having a maximum relative refractive index Δ.sub.1max in the range from 0.25% to 0.50%. The cladding region can include a first outer cladding region and a second outer cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to the first outer cladding region. The first outer cladding region can have a radius r.sub.4a. The second outer cladding region can have a radius rob less than or equal to 45 μm and comprising silica based glass doped with titania.

A disclosed multimode optical fiber comprises a core and a cladding surrounding the core. The core has an outer radius r.sub.1 in between 20 μm and 30 μm. The cladding includes a first outer cladding region having an outer radius r.sub.4a and a second outer cladding region having an outer radius r.sub.4b less than or equal to 45 μm. The second outer cladding region comprises silica-based glass doped with titania. The optical fiber further includes a primary coating with an outer radius r.sub.5 less than or equal to 80 μm, and a thickness (r.sub.5−r.sub.4) less than or equal to 30 μm. The optical fiber further includes a secondary coating with an outer radius r.sub.6 less than or equal to 100 μm. The secondary coating has a thickness (r.sub.6−r.sub.5) less than or equal to 30 μm, and a normalized puncture load greater than 3.6×10.sup.−3 g/micron.sup.2.

An alternative polyurethane composition is provided comprising a reaction product of an azidated polyol and a poly(alkynyl carbamate) allophanate prepolymer, wherein the poly(alkynyl carbamate) allophanate prepolymer comprises a reaction product of a first alkynol and a poly(alkynyl carbamate) prepolymer, in the presence of a metallo-organic compound of the formula: M(acac).sub.n, wherein, M=a metal, acac=an acetylacetonate residue, and n=2 or 3, wherein the poly(alkynyl carbamate) prepolymer comprises a reaction product of a polyisocyanate and a stoichiometric equivalent of a second alkynol, and wherein the polyisocyanate comprises isocyanate groups and uretdione groups. The inventive alternative polyurethane compositions may be used to provide solventborne or waterborne coatings, adhesives, sealants, films, elastomers, castings, foams, and composites.

New shape memory polymer compositions, methods for synthesizing new shape memory polymers, and apparatus comprising an actuator and a shape memory polymer wherein the shape memory polymer comprises at least a portion of the actuator. A shape memory polymer comprising a polymer composition which physically forms a network structure wherein the polymer composition has shape-memory behavior and can be formed into a permanent primary shape, re-formed into a stable secondary shape, and controllably actuated to recover the permanent primary shape. Polymers have optimal aliphatic network structures due to minimization of dangling chains by using monomers that are symmetrical and that have matching amine and hydroxl groups providing polymers and polymer foams with clarity, tight (narrow temperature range) single transitions, and high shape recovery and recovery force that are especially useful for implanting in the human body.

This invention relates to urethane acrylic hybrid polymer dispersion with robust dry/wet adhesion and the basecoats prepared therefrom for automotive applications. In this system, the polyurethane dispersion (PUD) prepolymer is based on a combination of polyols and aliphatic diisocyanates. The acrylic portion is based on (meth)acrylated monomers. A combination of this hybrid polymer dispersion and other resins having defined glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) values, organic and/or inorganic rheology modifiers, and different additives including pigment, dispersant, and defoamer are used to prepare waterborne basecoats having modified appearance and performance. The final coatings show excellent dry/wet adhesion to the primer for automotive applications.

A thermosetting conductive adhesive that can exhibit high conductivity (low connection resistance) when cured at a high temperature in a short time. The present invention also provides a thermosetting conductive adhesive that has excellent adhesive strength when cured at a high temperature in a short time. The thermosetting conductive adhesive according to the present invention includes components (A) to (D): component (A): a urethane-modified polyfunctional (meth)acrylate oligomer that is either an aromatic urethane-modified (meth)acrylate oligomer having six (meth)acryl groups in the molecule or an aliphatic urethane-modified (meth)acrylate oligomer having two (meth)acryl groups in the molecule; component (B): a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer; component (C): an organic peroxide; and component (D): conductive particles, in which when the component (A) is an aliphatic urethane-modified (meth)acrylate oligomer having two (meth)acryl groups in the molecule, the component (B) is a monofunctional acrylate monomer.

There is provided a urethane resin that is excellent in adhesive strength, and maintains high adhesive strength even after exposure to high temperature and humidity. A urethane resin obtained by reacting a glycol-modified aromatic hydrocarbon-formaldehyde resin (A) modified with a glycol with a polyisocyanate (B) having two or more free isocyanate groups in a molecule.