A casting apparatus for manufacturing polymer film includes a die for discharging a molten polymer and having discharge direction oriented at a discharge angle offset from horizontal. The apparatus includes a first chill roll having a first diameter and a second chill roll having a second greater diameter. There is a first gap between the first chill roll and the second chill roll. The discharge angle is of a predetermined magnitude to gravity assist delivery of the molten polymer to the first gap. The second chill roll is positioned to gravity support the film exiting the first gap along a first length of a first side of the film. A first polishing roll is positioned downstream first and second chill rolls. The first polishing roll engages and cools a second length of a second opposite side of the film. The first length is substantially equal to the second length.

In this molded surface fastener, plural engaging elements having a stem portion and an engaging head portion formed integrally on the stem portion are standing on the base portion, at least one pawl portion having a pawl width dimension narrower than a width dimension at a boundary between the stem portion and the engaging head portion is protruded on an outer peripheral edge part of the engaging head portion, and a back surface of pawl of the pawl portion is formed at different angles with respect to a back surface of head portion of the engaging head portion. Such a molded surface fastener of the present invention has a substantial engaging force with respect to a female surface fastener and can make a texture of its surface comfortable.

The present invention is directed toward transparent films prepared from soluble aromatic copolyamides with glass transition temperatures greater than 300 C. The copolyamides, which contain pendant carboxylic groups are solution cast into films using N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), or other polar solvents. The films are thermally cured at temperatures near the copolymer glass transition temperature. After curing, the polymer films display transmittances >80% from 400 to 750 nm, have coefficients of thermal expansion of less than 20 ppm, and are solvent resistant. The films are useful as flexible substrates for microelectronic devices.

The present invention is directed toward transparent films prepared from soluble aromatic copolyamides with glass transition temperatures greater than 300 C. The copolyamides, which contain pendant carboxylic groups are solution cast into films using N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), or other polar solvents. The films are thermally cured at temperatures near the copolymer glass transition temperature. After curing, the polymer films display transmittances >80% from 400 to 750 nm, have coefficients of thermal expansion of less than 20 ppm, and are solvent resistant. The films are useful as flexible substrates for microelectronic devices.

In this molded surface fastener, plural engaging elements having a stem portion and an engaging head portion formed integrally on the stem portion are standing on the base portion, at least one pawl portion having a pawl width dimension narrower than a width dimension at a boundary between the stem portion and the engaging head portion is protruded on an outer peripheral edge part of the engaging head portion, and a back surface of pawl of the pawl portion is formed at different angles with respect to a back surface of head portion of the engaging head portion. Such a molded surface fastener of the present invention has a substantial engaging force with respect to a female surface fastener and can make a texture of its surface comfortable.

A roll-to-roll manufacturing machine suitable for processing and producing polymer films that contain nanostructures, including but not limited to multifunctional polymer films. The machine applies a liquid polymer on a substrate to form a liquid polymer film, at least partially embeds nanostructures into the liquid polymer film, melt casts a layer of a molten polymer on the liquid polymer film to produce a thin polymer film, organizes the nanostructures in a thickness direction of the thin polymer film comprising applying an electric field to the thin polymer film, aligns the nanostructures in the thin polymer film by simultaneously subjecting the thin polymer film to heat and a field that aligns the nanostructures, and solidifies the thin polymer film to freeze the nanostructures along nanocolumns in a thickness direction of a solidified polymer film resulting therefrom.

A laminated panel is provided which comprises, or consists of, a core panel to which an elastomeric resin impregnated single finishing printed paper layer has been applied. The paper for the single finishing printed paper layer is printed to provide a design feature on the laminated panel. Preferably, the design feature has been printed on a lower surface of the single finishing printed paper layer. As a result of the resin impregnation and heating and pressing operations, the single finishing printed paper layer becomes translucent or transparent, and thus allows the printed design feature to become visible. The design feature can be printed onto the single finishing printed paper prior to treatment with the elastomeric resin, or printed onto the previously treated elastomeric resin impregnated paper. The laminated panels can be used in the production of laminated flooring, wall panels or furniture panels.

Multilayer riblet applique and methods of producing the same are described herein. One disclosed example method includes applying a first high elongation polymer material to a web tool, where the web tool is to be provided from a first roll, and heating, via a first heating process, the first high elongation polymer material. The disclosed example method also includes applying a second high elongation polymer material to the first high elongation polymer material, and heating, via a second heating process, the second high elongation polymer material. The disclosed example method also includes applying, via a laminating roller, a support layer to the second high elongation polymer material.

Disclosed is polymer-ceramic composite material with colossal permittivity, comprising polymer matrix and ceramic powders embedded in the polymer matrix, wherein a part of the polymer matrix is exposed and adsorbed to the surface of the ceramic powders, and the polymer is electrically insulating. This invention simultaneously achieves large dielectric constant, negligible dielectric loss and high energy density in flexible composite capacitors based on metal-ion co-doped colossal permittivity materials. The host oxides used in this CP system is friendly to the environment, non-toxic and abundant. Additionally, the process developed is relatively simple, low cost and suitable for mass production-scale. Therefore, these composite capacitors have great technological potential for many applications. Compared to the conventional ceramic materials, composites of this invention are lightweight, scalable and easily fabricated into complex shapes towards miniaturization of the compact systems. The additional flexibility feature also possesses broad application prospects in modern electronic and energy storage devices.

In embodiments, a flexible mat forming system includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities; a hopper that receives a hardenable paste and deposits the hardenable paste into the mold cavities as the drum rotates relative to the hopper; and a sheet of mesh material that is fed between the hopper and the mold cavities facing the hopper. The hopper includes a plurality of side walls and a bottom panel having an opening, wherein the plurality of walls and the bottom panel define an interior chamber; and an auger rotatably mounted in the interior chamber and having a plurality of radially extending protrusions along a length thereof, the radially extending protrusions including angled surfaces to displace the material received in the interior chamber along a length of the interior chamber to fall through the opening into the mold cavities.