Disclosed herein are improved thermoplastic polyurethane compositions, articles, and related methods. These compositions include aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes having a hard segment content ranging from 57 percent to 80 percent by weight. The hard coat compositions have a Shore D hardness of at least 70 and can display an Elongation at Break test result at 25 degrees Celsius of at least 150 percent. These materials, when hardened, can serve decorative and/or protective functions while displaying both a high degree of elongation at moderate temperatures and high hardness.

A hot-molding method using a plastic elastomer to fabricate a vamp comprises steps: fabricating a hot-molding mold according to a pattern design of a vamp; fabricating blanks of different thicknesses, shapes, sizes, colors and materials; placing the blanks in the hot-molding mold; placing the hot-molding mold in a hot-molding machine to undertake a hot-molding process; and taking the hot-molding mold out of the hot-molding machine and then taking out the vamp from the mold after cooling. The method enables a single vamp to simultaneously use blanks of different thicknesses, shapes, colors and materials and diversifies vamp designs. The method fixes blanks securely in the mold and joins blanks of different colors to an identical vamp in a single process. The blanks are hard to peel off the vamp after molding. The method features a short fabrication cycle, high efficiency and high yield.

A blemish free surface is formed on the cavity side of a set of mold or die blocks, said set consisting of a core side and a cavity side, by use of a softer alloy on the core side as contrasted to the cavity side so that, during plastic injection molding, the core side will wear at the parting line in preference to the cavity side whereby erosion of the set occurs on the core side in preference to the cavity side leaving the cavity side erosion free.

An automobile component including a molded article containing a copolymerized polyester resin synthesized from a hydroxycarboxylic acid monomer, a diol monomer, and a dicarboxylic acid/ester monomer and having a unit (A) of formula (1), a diol unit (B), and a unit (C) derived from a dicarboxylic acid or an ester-forming derivative of the dicarboxylic acid. A content of the unit (A) in the total units of the copolymerized polyester resin is 60 to 90 mol %, The formula (1) is ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, CH.sub.3, or C.sub.2H.sub.5, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently a hydrogen atom or CH.sub.3, and n is 0 or 1.

To provide a polycarbonate resin composition excellent in the surface hardness, the heat resistance, the moldability and the flame retardancy. A polycarbonate resin composition comprising at least a polycarbonate resin (a) and a polycarbonate resin (b) having structural units different from the polycarbonate resin (a), which satisfies the following requirements: (i) the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin (a) as specified by ISO 15184 is higher than the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin (b) as specified by ISO 15184; (ii) the glass transition point Tg(a) of the polycarbonate resin (a) and the glass transition point Tg(b) of the polycarbonate resin (b) satisfy the relation of the following (Formula 1):
Tg(b)−45° C. <Tg(a)<Tg(b)−10° C.  (Formula 1):
and (iii) the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin composition as specified by ISO 15184 is higher by at least two ranks than the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin (b) as specified by ISO 15184.

A method of applying a material comprising a fusible polymer comprises the step of: applying a filament of the at least partly molten material comprising a fusible polymer from a discharge opening of a discharge element to a first substrate. The fusible polymer has the following properties: a melting point (DSC, differential scanning calorimetry; 2nd heating at heating rate 5° C./min) within a range from ≥35° C. to ≤150° C.; a glass transition temperature (DMA, dynamic-mechanical analysis to DIN EN ISO 6721-1:2011) within a range from ≥−70° C. to ≤110° C.; wherein the filament, during the application process, has an application temperature of ≥100° C. above the melting point of the fusible polymer for ≤20 minutes. There are still free NCO groups in the material including the fusible polymer.

Compositions including a combination of (meth)acryloyl-terminated monomers and oligomers prepared by co-reacting reactants having active hydrogen groups with an acrylating agent are disclosed. Polymerizates formed using the combinations of (meth)acryloyl-terminated monomers and oligomers exhibit a high hardness, excellent thermomechanical properties, and a high refractive index. The compositions can be used to fabricate optical components.

The invention relates to a method for producing a surface-structured layered material which has a backing layer (I) and a polyurethane layer (2) connected thereto, the backing layer (I) used, in particular in pieces, being a leather, preferably a smoothed full-grain leather or a split cowskin, a textile material, preferably a woven fabric or a knitted fabric, a cellulose fibre material, a split foam, a leather fibre material or a microfibre fleece and being connected to the layer (2), and the layer (2) applied to the backing layer (I) being at least one, preferably a single layer formed of a PU foam, in particular containing gas pockets, preferably a whipped PU foam optionally containing hollow microspheres and/or a PU foam containing hollow microspheres. According to the invention: —the PU foam, in particular containing gas pockets, is created with a PU dispersion mixture, wherein the individual PU dispersions used to create the PU dispersion mixture exhibit different softening points in the dry state; —to create the PU dispersion mixture, one or more PU dispersions having heat—preferably melting and contact adhesive properties and a softening point in the dry state greater than 40° C., preferably greater than 45° C., in an amount of 18 to 52 wt ¾ of the finished PU dispersion mixture is/are mixed with one or more PU dispersions without melting and contact adhesive properties and with a softening point greater than 95° C., preferably greater than 125° C., in an amount of 39 to 73 wt ¾ of the finished PU dispersion mixture; —the PU dispersion mixture for the layer (2) is applied to the backing layer (I) with a thickness such that the layer has a thickness in the dried state of 0.075 to 0.450 mm, preferably 0.150 to 0.280 mm; —before or during structuring of the PU foam, a further layer (3) of a non-foamed PU dispersion which is a mixture of multiple PU dispersions is applied to the layer (2); —the backing layer (I) is optionally cut or punched into banks or pattern parts before or after the application of the PU foam, in particular after the drying thereof, and the coated blanks or pattern parts are subjected to stamping or structuring under pressure and temperature; and —the backing layer (1), the further layer (3) and the layer (2) are compressed and joined to one another and structured with a die (4) under application of a contact pressure of 4 to 48 kg/cm2, preferably 4 to 48 kg/cm2, in particular 18 to 25 kg/cm2.

A roller for a vacuum cleaner comprises: an interior roller body which comprises a resiliently deformable region; and an exterior abrasion-resistant skin which surrounds the interior roller body.

A method of over-molding a thermoplastic material over fabric includes: precision forming a mold cavity to match the final dimensions of a finished product; cutting a piece of fabric to a correct size; fixedly securing the fabric piece in the mold cavity; and injecting a thermoplastic material into the mold cavity at an appropriate temperature and pressure, on top of the fabric piece. The method may further include heating the thermoplastic material to a temperature for melting a surface layer of the fabric when injected thereon, and cooling of the thermoplastic material and fabric for bonding of the thermoplastic material to the surface of the fabric. The method may further include adding one or more additives from the group of additives consisting of: a UV stabilizer, an anti-blocking agent, a slip agents, a plasticizer, and a flame retardant; and securing a cord member onto an exposed portion of the fabric.