According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a plastic optical fiber having a small transmission loss. The method includes subjecting the plastic optical fiber to heat treatment. The plastic optical fiber includes a core portion and a cladding portion, the core portion is formed of a perfluorinated resin and having a refractive index gradient in a radial direction thereof.

A method of infusing, infiltrating or impregnating a three dimensional printed, free-form fabricated or additive manufactured object having pores or voids in or between particles or sheets of material from which the object is manufactured may include infusing the object with a thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material may be a linear or branched semi-crystalline aliphatic polyester with a melting point of between 40° C. and 65° C. which may have a solidification/crystalisation point between 20° C. and 40° C., and which may be introduced under controlled conditions of temperature and pressure. The thermoplastic material may be caused to penetrate the object by immersing the object in the thermoplastic material and controlling the frequency and amplitude of pressure oscillation to ensure sufficient infusion into the object to penetrate the pores or voids by at least 10% and bond particles or sheets of material from which the object is manufactured.

The present invention relates to monolithic bodies, uses thereof and processes for the preparation thereof. Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to the use of a monolithic body in the preparation of a radioactive substance, for example a radiopharmaceutical, as part of a microfluidic flow system and a process for the preparation of such a monolithic body.

An annealing method according to the present invention is an annealing method of annealing a molded body (1) which is molded from a molding material in a molding step, and the method includes the steps of: (I) releasing stress from the molded body (1) by heating the molded body (1); and (II) correcting a warp of the molded body (1), by simultaneously heating the molded body (1) and applying a load to the molded body (1). This achieves an annealing method which makes it possible to obtain a molded body that is free from residual stress and distortion.

Provided is a molded body with a hollow portion comprising tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer, which is obtained by heat treating a molded body with a hollow portion obtained by melt molding tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer having a melt flow rate of 0.1 to 100 g/10 min when measured with a load of 5 kg and a measurement temperature of 372±0.1° C. in accordance with ASTM D1238. The heat treatment is carried out at a temperature from 130° C. below the melting point of the copolymer to the melting point of the copolymer. The molded body exhibits excellent blister resistance when utilized in contact with harsh chemicals and under harsh operating conditions.

A process for surface treatment of an object, including the following steps: dipping the object in a solution comprising a concentrated acid or a mixture of concentrated acids, and having a pH of between 0 and 2, in order to impregnate the surface of the object, removing the object from the acid solution, heating the object at a temperature of between 140° C. and 180° C., until melting of the surface is obtained, and cooling the object. The process according to the presently disclosed embodiment applies in particular, but not exclusively, to objects resulting from additive manufacture techniques.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a three-layer-co-extruded diaphragm of a lithium-ion battery, falling into lithium-ion battery diaphragm technical field. The annealing box used comprises: box body, motor and sealing over, with uniformly-arranged heating plates fixedly connected to inner surface of the box body, a driving shaft arranged horizontally within the box body in front-back direction, a first and second driven shafts arranged on the left and right sides of the driving shaft correspondingly within the box body, an interlayer film coiling connected between the driving shaft and the first driven shaft within the box body horizontally; a diaphragm coiling connected between the driving shaft and the second driven shaft within the box body slantwise. Controllable annealing temperature and insulation from external environment avoid influence of external environment on diaphragm and ensure uniform heating of diaphragm. It produces a diaphragm of stable quality and is convenient to be mass-produced.

Methods are disclosed including thermally processing a scaffold to increase the radial strength of the scaffold when the scaffold is deployed from a crimped state to a deployed state such as a nominal deployment diameter. The thermal processing may further maintain or increase the expansion capability of the scaffold when expanded beyond the nominal diameter.

In some embodiments, systems for creating and heat-treating 3D-printed objects may include a 3D printer configured to create the object. A heat-treatment apparatus may be operatively connected to the 3D printer. The heat-treatment apparatus may be configured to expose the object to an elevated temperature to heat-treat the object. A pressure-transmission medium of the heat-treatment apparatus may be configured to apply pressure to the object during heat treatment. The 3D printer and heat-treatment apparatus may be incorporated into a unified process flow volume. Methods of creating and heat-treating 3D-printed objects may involve creating an object utilizing a 3D printer. The object may be moved from the 3D printer to a heat-treatment apparatus. The object may be exposed to an elevated temperature and pressure may be applied to the object utilizing a pressure-transmission medium of the heat-treatment apparatus. The 3D printer and heat-treatment apparatus may in a unified process flow volume.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a tissue integration device. The tissue integration device can be produced by forming a polymer mixture into a shape. The polymer mixture can include a polymer resin and a growth-promoting medium. Next, at least one polymer forming the polymer resin can be oriented in at least one direction. The shaped polymeric material can then be formed into the tissue integration device.