A retroreflective optical element is provided in which modified glass beads having a high refractive index are embedded on the surface of a thermoplastic core. The glass beads are heated to a temperature near the softening point of the thermoplastic core and the heated beads and thermoplastic cores are mixed in a fluidized bed. The beads embed into the thermoplastic core and are also chemically bonded thereto through a silane coupling agent provided on the beads.

The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a housing having a first protruding shelf along a first perimeter of the housing, a second protruding shelf along a second perimeter of the housing, where the first and second protruding shelves each include an absorptive material configured to absorb a first laser emission. The battery module also includes an electronics compartment cover configured to be coupled to the housing via a first laser weld, and a cell receptacle region cover configured to be coupled to the housing via a second laser weld. The electronics compartment cover has a first transparent material configured to transmit the first laser emission toward the first protruding shelf and the cell receptacle region cover has a second transparent material configured to transmit the first laser emission or a second laser emission toward the second protruding shelf.

A method of fabricating a vacuum insulated refrigerator structure includes positioning a first barrier film in a female mold cavity. Porous filler material is positioned on the barrier film, and a second barrier film is positioned over the porous filler material. A male mold is brought into contact with the second barrier film to deform and compress the porous filler material into a 3D shape. A vacuum is formed between the first and second barrier films, and the first and second peripheral edge portions are sealed together to form a vacuum insulated core. The vacuum insulated core may be positioned between a liner and a wrapper to form an insulated refrigerator cabinet, door, or other vacuum insulated component.

Provided is a method of suppressing burrs that occur during injection-molding of a polyarylene sulfide resin composition, including: adding at least 0.01 to 5 parts by mass of a carbon nanostructure to 100 parts by mass of a polyarylene sulfide resin and melt-kneading at least the carbon nanostructure and the polyarylene sulfide resin.

A repair compound for use in all applications and particularly well-suited for large hole repair. The repair compound includes a latex resin, a thickener, fibers, and a filler material. In some embodiments, the repair compound is configured to exhibit pseudoplastic-type behavior. In some embodiments, the repair compound has a density of not greater than 4.0 lbs/gal. In some embodiments, the repair compound includes hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers of different morphologies. In some embodiments, the repair compound includes HASE-type thickeners. In some embodiments, the repair compound includes a bimodal distribution of hollow glass microspheres from two different strength/size curves.

The invention provides a method for producing a 3D item by means of fused deposition modelling, the method comprising a 3D printing stage comprising layer-wise depositing 3D printable material, to provide the 3D item comprising 3D printed material, wherein the 3D item comprises layers of 3D printed material, wherein the 3D printable material comprises thermoplastic material, wherein during at least part of the 3D printing stage the 3D printable material further comprises porous inorganic particles embedded in the thermoplastic material, wherein the porosity of the inorganic particles is in the range 5-60 vol. %, and wherein the inorganic particles (410) have an open porosity. The invention also comprises the product resulting from above method.

Provided among other things is an polymeric protective garment comprising a layer of carboxylated polymer that incorporates an alumina-silica composition, thus forming a silica alumina polymer composite.

Apparatus and methods for mixing and dispersing a dispersed phase in a medium comprise a rotating surface for receiving the medium and an atomizing apparatus positioned at the rotating surface for depositing aerosolized constituents of the dispersed phase into the medium. The medium is made receptive and the dispersed phase is aerosolized. Constituents of the aerosolized dispersed phase are deposited into the receptive medium to form a compound or composite. The medium may be deposited onto a rotating disk, and the dispersed phase may be sprayed onto the disk. A thin film can be generated on the disk to transfer, distribute, and disperse the dispersed phase. Liquid ligaments formed at the edge of the rotating disk further transfer, distribute, and disperse the dispersed phase into the medium. Ligaments may be broken into aerosols or deformed by attenuation/drawing to further promote transfer, distribution, and dispersion. A bulk composite/compound may be collected.

In one embodiment, the component comprises a light reflective housing. The housing comprises a matrix material of a light-transmittive plastic and particles of a glass ceramic embedded therein. The particles comprise a mean diameter of at least 5 μm. The particles comprise a glass matrix and crystallites. A refractive index difference between the glass matrix and the crystallites is at least 0.5, and the crystallites exhibit a mean diameter between 20 nm and 0.5 μm, inclusive.

The invention concerns an implant material for filling bone defects, bone regeneration and bone tissue engineering, an implant comprising this material, a method for manufacturing such an implant material.

The implant material of the invention comprises a hybrid material doped with an osteoinductive nutrient N comprising: a bioactive glass M made from SiO.sub.2 and CaO, optionally containing P.sub.2O.sub.5 and/or optionally doped with strontium, and a biodegradable polymer P, this hybrid material being doped with an osteoinductive nutrient N.

The invention is applicable, in particular, in the medical field.