Described is a cyclic olefin-based copolymer has a constitutional unit (A) derived from an α-olefin having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a constitutional unit (B) derived from a cyclic olefin without an aromatic ring, and a constitutional unit (C) derived from a cyclic olefin having an aromatic ring. Also described is a medical container containing a cyclic olefin-based copolymer having a constitutional unit (A) derived from an α-olefin having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a constitutional unit (B) derived from a cyclic olefin without an aromatic ring, and a constitutional unit (C) derived from a cyclic olefin having an aromatic ring.

Described is a cyclic olefin-based copolymer has a constitutional unit (A) derived from an α-olefin having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a constitutional unit (B) derived from a cyclic olefin without an aromatic ring, and a constitutional unit (C) derived from a cyclic olefin having an aromatic ring. Also described is a medical container containing a cyclic olefin-based copolymer having a constitutional unit (A) derived from an α-olefin having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a constitutional unit (B) derived from a cyclic olefin without an aromatic ring, and a constitutional unit (C) derived from a cyclic olefin having an aromatic ring.

An optical element includes a first light-transmissive member made of a first resin and having a first surface having an aspheric shape and a first joint surface provided on the side opposite from the first surface, a second light-transmissive member made of a material different from the material of the first light-transmissive member and having a second joint surface, and a first joining member and a second joining member that join the first joint surface and the second joint surface to each other. The first joining member is made of a silicone adhesive and disposed in the smaller one of effective diameter regions of the first light-transmissive member and the second light-transmissive member. The second joining member is made of an adhesive having adhesiveness higher than the adhesiveness of the silicone adhesive and is disposed outside the first joining member and outside the smaller effective diameter region.

An optical element includes a first light-transmissive member made of a first resin and having a first surface having an aspheric shape and a first joint surface provided on the side opposite from the first surface, a second light-transmissive member made of a material different from the material of the first light-transmissive member and having a second joint surface, and a first joining member and a second joining member that join the first joint surface and the second joint surface to each other. The first joining member is made of a silicone adhesive and disposed in the smaller one of effective diameter regions of the first light-transmissive member and the second light-transmissive member. The second joining member is made of an adhesive having adhesiveness higher than the adhesiveness of the silicone adhesive and is disposed outside the first joining member and outside the smaller effective diameter region.

A microenvironment including a shell structure, the shell structure configured to hold semiconductor wafers, wherein the microenvironment includes a blend of cyclo olefin copolymer and one or more polyolefin polymers. The blend may further include a conductive material, such as carbon nanotubes to enhance conductivity of the blend. The blend may be free of impact agents, mold release agents, and plasticizers.

Disclosed herein is a lens comprising a central portion that comprises a first polymer; and a peripheral portion that comprises a second polymer; where the peripheral portion surrounds the central portion; and where the peripheral portion has a skeletal density that is greater than its bulk density. Disclosed herein too is a method of manufacturing a lens comprising injecting into a mold a molten polymer to produce the lens; where the lens comprises a central portion; and a peripheral portion; where the peripheral portion surrounds the central portion; and where the peripheral portion has a skeletal density that is greater than its bulk density.

Disclosed herein is a lens comprising a central portion that comprises a first polymer; and a peripheral portion that comprises a second polymer; where the peripheral portion surrounds the central portion; and where the peripheral portion has a skeletal density that is greater than its bulk density. Disclosed herein too is a method of manufacturing a lens comprising injecting into a mold a molten polymer to produce the lens; where the lens comprises a central portion; and a peripheral portion; where the peripheral portion surrounds the central portion; and where the peripheral portion has a skeletal density that is greater than its bulk density.

A degradable EVOH high-barrier composite film, characterized in that the materials of various layers in the composite film all obtain approximately-consistent biodegradability by introducing biomass, and the additive amount of the additive master batch in the materials of each layer is controlled within the range of 0.3-15% of the total mass of the materials of the corresponding layer; the hydrophilic activity of the hydrophilic groups in the additive master batch should be greater than or equal to that of the hydrophilic groups in the materials of each layer; by adding the additive master batch, the mole ratios of the hydrophilic groups to carbon atoms of the materials of various layers tend to be consistent, namely, the bioactivities tend to be consistent, so that the degradation rates of the materials of various layers in the composite film tend to be consistent. The present invention makes contribution to obtaining approximately-consistent bioactivities and approximately-consistent biodegradation rates by balancing the mole ratios of the hydrophilic groups to carbon atoms in the materials of various layers, and the appearance, the functions and the physical and mechanical properties of a product remain unchanged.

The present invention relates to a catalyst mixture containing at least one metal complex according to the formula (1)

CyLMZ.sub.p  (1), and at least one metal complex according to the formula (2)

InLMZ.sub.p  (2), wherein Cy is a substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand that contains the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and 3 additional methyl groups, wherein R.sup.1 means H, halogen or a C.sub.3-C.sub.20 substituent and R.sup.2 means a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 substituent, In is an indenyl ligand, optionally substituted with one or more substituents R.sup.3, wherein the one or more substituents R.sup.3 mean independently C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl substituents, and independently for each formula (1) and (2) M is a group 4 metal Z independently is an anionic ligand, p is number of 1 to 2, preferably 2, and L is an amidinate ligand of the formula (3)

##STR00001## wherein the amidine-containing ligand is covalently bonded to the metal M via the imine nitrogen atom, and Sub1 is a substituent comprising a group 14 atom through which Sub1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom and Sub2 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, through which Sub2 is bonded to the imine carbon atom.

A polymeric sheet having low density and comprising a low to non-existent amount of cyclic olefinic polymers (COP) and/or cyclic olefinic copolymers (COC). The overall density of the sheet may be lower than water. The sheet may be stretched and then heat shrinked onto an article. The sheet may be used as a label or package to wrap articles therewith.