A method for reducing the resistivity of a thermoplastic film containing carbon nanotubes includes connecting an electric power supply to the thermoplastic film containing carbon nanotubes and passing electric current through the thermoplastic film containing carbon nanotubes to heat the thermoplastic film to an elevated temperature and align carbon nanotubes within the thermoplastic film. The thermoplastic film is solid at room temperature.

A thermochromic device includes a film and a number of vanadium dioxide nanowires disposed within the film. The film is manufactured by hot extruding a material that includes a polymer and a plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires on a drum to form a rough film.

A carrier for expansion of pluripotent stem cells is provided, wherein the carrier comprises a substrate comprising one or more outer surfaces, wherein the one or more outer surfaces are modified with gas plasma treatment, and one or more structured indentations on one or more of the outer surfaces. The carrier has a length at least about 0.2 mm, a width at least about 0.2 mm, and a height in a range from about 0.05 mm to 1.2 mm and each of the structured indentations has a major axis in a range from about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, a minor axis in a range from about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm and a depth in a range from about 0.025 mm to about 0.5 mm. A method of making the carrier, and culturing stromal cells using the same carrier are also provided.

Implementations described herein are directed to forming objects including one or more layers of a polymeric material that include a magnetic material. The objects can be produced by forming one or more first layers that include a first polymeric material. The one or more first layers can be free of a magnetic material. Additionally, the object can be produced by forming one or more second layers that include a second polymeric material having a magnetic material. For example, the one or more second layers can include a polymeric material embedded with magnetic particles. The one or more first layers and the one or more second layers can be formed by extruding the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material onto a substrate according to a pattern. A magnetizing device can be used to magnetize the magnetic material included in the one or more second layers.

An enhanced elastomer molding process applies an electric field to an elastomer doped to include dielectric ceramic particulates inserted in a cavity of a mold while maintaining a temperature at or near a melting point of the elastomer and a Curie temperature of the ceramic particulates. Because a material's dielectric constant is related to the material's net remnant ferroelectric polarization, which may be increased by poling near the material's Curie temperature, applying the electric field to the elastomer doped with the dielectric ceramic particulates increases the dielectric constant of the dielectric ceramic particulates. This maintains the high elasticity of the elastomer while increasing the elastomer's dielectric constant of the material by increasing the value of the dielectric constant of the dielectric ceramic particulates included in the elastomer.

A carrier for expansion of pluripotent stem cells is provided, wherein the carrier comprises a substrate comprising one or more outer surfaces, wherein the one or more outer surfaces are modified with gas plasma treatment, and one or more structured indentations on one or more of the outer surfaces. The carrier has a length at least about 0.2 mm, a width at least about 0.2 mm, and a height in a range from about 0.05 mm to 1.2 mm and each of the structured indentations has a major axis in a range from about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, a minor axis in a range from about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm and a depth in a range from about 0.025 mm to about 0.5 mm. A method of making the carrier, and culturing stromal cells using the same carrier are also provided.

The invention relates to a method for forming a body comprising a particle structure fixated in a matrix material, comprising: Providing an amount of particles, Providing a viscous matrix material to include said particles, Forming a particle structure of at least a portion of said amount of particles, Fixating said viscous matrix so as to fixate said particle structure in the matrix material; characterized by at least a portion of said amount of particles being paramagnetic or ferromagnetic and the formation of the particle structure includes the steps of: First, the particles are provided in a mixture with the viscous matrix material, Second, the viscous mixture is subject to the magnetic field created by a Halbach array so as to form the particle assemblies, Third, the viscous mixture with the particle assemblies is subject to electric field so as to move and/or rotate the particle assemblies in the viscous matrix material. The invention also relates to a body obtained by said method, and to the use of said method in various applications.

A mechanically and piezoelectrically anisotropic polymer thin film may be formed by gel casting a solution that includes a crystallizable polymer and a liquid solvent. The solvent may be configured to interact with the polymer to facilitate chain alignment and, in some examples, create a higher crystalline content within the cast thin film. The thin film may also include up to approximately 90 wt. % of an additive and may be characterized by a bimodal molecular weight distribution of a crystallizable polymer where the molecular weight of the additive may be less than the molecular weight of the crystallizable polymer. In some examples, the polymer(s) and the additive(s) may be independently selected from vinylidene fluoride, trifluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, hexafluoropropene, vinyl fluoride, etc. The anisotropic polymer thin film may be characterized by an electromechanical coupling factor (k.sub.31) of at least 0.1.

A toothbrush filament preparation method, a prepared toothbrush filament, and a toothbrush. The toothbrush filament preparation method comprises: melting and extruding a piezoelectric polymer, and executing a corona polarization step and an annealing step, such that the piezoelectric constant of a toothbrush filament in a standing state is greater than or equal to 0.4 pC/N, and some polarization charges stably exist on the surface of the toothbrush filament. The problem of bacteria breeding on a toothbrush filament in a standing state can be effectively relieved by utilizing the action principle of physical electrical stimulation for an antibacterial purpose, thereby improving the antibacterial properties of the toothbrush filament.

The invention describes a stretching device for stretching a plastic film in its the transport direction, comprising a first roller (SD) over which the plastic film can be guided and which can be driven with a first drive and which can be rotated at a first circumferential speed, and comprising a second roller (FD) over which the plastic film can be guided and which can be driven with a second drive and which can be rotated at the second circumferential speed, wherein the second circumferential speed is greater than the first circumferential speed, wherein the second roller is arranged downstream of the first roller in the transport path of the plastic film, so that the plastic film can be stretched in the free region between the first and the second roller.

At least one first electrode, to which a first electrical potential can be applied and which is arranged in the angular region of the first roller, on which the plastic film rests, and/or upstream of said angular region, and that a second electrical potential can be applied to the first roller, should be emphasized.