Photoswitchable photoinitiators comprising a naphthopyran molecule including one or more substituents wherein at least one substituent comprises a substituted or unsubstituted diaryl ketone moiety are disclosed. Photohardenable compositions and methods for forming an object in a volume and products thereof, which photohardenable compositions and methods include such photoswitchable photoinitiator, are also disclosed.

A three-dimensional shaped article manufacturing apparatus is an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped article by laminating layers formed by discharging and curing inks including a curable resin. The apparatus comprises: a first discharge unit configured to discharge a substantive section-forming ink to a region that forms the three-dimensional shaped article; a second discharge unit configured to discharge a sacrificial layer-forming ink for forming a sacrificial layer to a region that is adjacent to a region that forms an outermost layer of the three-dimensional shaped article and on a surface side of the outermost layer; and a curing unit configured to cure the substantive section-forming ink and the sacrificial layer-forming ink. A viscoelasticity of the sacrificial layer-forming ink during curing of the substantive section-forming ink being not less than a viscoelasticity of the substantive section-forming ink during curing of the substantive section-forming ink.

A disclosed process includes steps of heating a foamed material by irradiation with near infrared radiation having a wavelength between 0.78 and 1.40 m to form a heated material, forming the heated material with a forming tool to obtain a formed material, and cooling the formed material and demolding to obtain a final workpiece. The foamed material may be constructed as a composite ply construction including an outer material and a foamed core between the outer material. The foamed material may contain a poly(meth)acrylimde, a polypropylene or a highly-crosslinked polyurethane.

A molded contact lens comprising a stiffer optic zone relative to the peripheral zone of the contact lens provides an optical element for correcting astigmatism without the need for or substantially minimizing the need for the correction of rotational misalignment. The higher elastic modulus optic zone vaults over the cornea thereby allowing a tear lens to form. The tear lens follows or assumes the shape of the back surface of the contact lens. The combination of the tear lens and the optical zone provide an optical element for correction of refractive error.

A surgical simulator for electrosurgical training and simulation is provided. The surgical simulator includes one or more simulated tissue structures made substantially of a hydrogel comprising a dual interpenetrating network of ionically cross-linked alginate and covalently cross-linked acrylamide. Combinations of different simulated tissue structures define procedural-based models for the practice of various electrosurgical procedures including laparoscopic total mesorectal excision, transanal total mesorectal excision, cholecystectomy and transanal minimally invasive surgery. Methods of making the simulated tissue structures are also provided.

A laminate including a base member, and a hydrogel layer whose forming material is a hydrogel, the hydrogel layer being provided on a surface of the base member. An adhesive region and a non-adhesive region are formed at an interface between the base member and the hydrogel layer, the adhesive region being a region where the base member and the hydrogel layer adhere to each other, the non-adhesive region being a region where the base member and the hydrogel layer do not adhere to each other.

Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.

A molded contact lens comprising a stiffer optic zone relative to the peripheral zone of the contact lens provides an optical element for correcting astigmatism without the need for or substantially minimizing the need for the correction of rotational misalignment. The higher elastic modulus optic zone vaults over the cornea thereby allowing a tear lens to form. The tear lens follows or assumes the shape of the back surface of the contact lens. The combination of the tear lens and the optical zone provide an optical element for correction of refractive error.

The invention relates to a process for the production of mold-foamed poly(meth)acrylimide (P(M)I) cores, in particular of polymethacrylimide (PMI) cores, which can be used by way of example in automobile construction or aircraft construction. A feature of this process is that polymer granules or polymer powder preheated under pressure are moreover charged under pressure to a compression mold where they are foamed with depressurization. In particular, a feature of the process is that it optionally uses a preferably two-shell compression mold for the heating and also for the cooling of the granules and, respectively, the rigid foam core formed therefrom.

Disclosed here is a method of making an article, the method including melt extruding a plurality of layers comprising one or more polymers in a preset pattern, wherein the extruded layers comprise one or more first layers comprising a first polymer composition A, and one or more second layers comprising a second polymer composition B different from polymer composition A, and fusing the plurality of layers to provide the article. Further disclosed is an article made by the above process.