[Object] To provide a technology capable of further improvement of the performance of a PEEK molded body.

[Solving Means] A PEEK molded body includes: a body portion having a first exothermic peak, and a second exothermic peak positioned at a higher temperature than the first exothermic peak, as two exothermic peaks indicating crystallization of PEEK in a DSC curve. The surface layer portion covers the body portion, and has a third exothermic peak, positioned at a higher temperature than the first exothermic peak, as an only exothermic peak indicating crystallization of PEEK in a DSC curve.

[Selected Drawing] None

A method of additive manufacturing (AM) includes dispensing a first building material formulation to form an outer region, and dispensing a second building material formulation to form an inner region, the outer region surrounding the inner region, the inner and outer regions being shaped to form a layer of the object; exposing the layer to a first curing condition, repeating the dispensing and the exposing to sequentially form a plurality of layers of the object and collectively exposing the plurality of layers to a second curing condition. The selections are such that the first building material formulation is hardened to a higher degree than the second building formulation. The outer regions form a hardened coating that at least partially encapsulates the inner regions. The second curing condition is other than the first curing condition and is selected to increase the degree that the inner region is hardened.

A method for producing a heat-shrinkable product is provided. First, a polymer composition containing a polymer, a crosslinking agent and a micro-encapsulated foaming agent uniformly dispensed therein is melt mixed. The foaming agent has a peak activation temperature which is higher than a temperature of the melt mixing. Next, the polymer composition is injection molded into a molded product. This carried out at the peak activation temperature to activate the foaming agent. Then, the molded product is crosslinked within the mold.

A method of continuously manufacturing a cured membrane includes continuously compounding and mixing a vulcanizable rubber composition in a mixing extruder while continuously removing gasses from the vulcanizable rubber composition during mixing with a vacuum. The vulcanizable rubber composition may be continuously extruded to form an extrudate, which may be continuously calendered to form a green membrane. The green membrane may be continuously cured, such as by a hot air conveyor curing system, to form a cured membrane.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope.

The invention provides a molded article containing a specific fluororesin and having excellent hydrophilicity. The molded article containing the fluororesin has a melt flow rate of 1.00 g/10 min or lower and a water contact angle of 90° or smaller. The fluororesin contains at least one copolymer selected from the group consisting of a copolymer containing a tetrafluoroethylene unit and a perfluoro(alkylvinylether) unit and a copolymer containing a tetrafluoroethylene unit and a hexafluoropropylene unit.

A method of additive manufacturing (AM) includes dispensing a first building material formulation to form an outer region, and dispensing a second building material formulation to form an inner region, the outer region surrounding the inner region, the inner and outer regions being shaped to form a layer of the object; exposing the layer to a first curing condition, repeating the dispensing and the exposing to sequentially form a plurality of layers of the object and collectively exposing the plurality of layers to a second curing condition. The selections are such that the first building material formulation is hardened to a higher degree than the second building formulation. The outer regions form a hardened coating that at least partially encapsulates the inner regions. The second curing condition is other than the first curing condition and is selected to increase the degree that the inner region is hardened.

The present application relates generally to tubes, such as thin walled catheter liners with small wall thicknesses (e.g., less than 1 mm), including crosslinked fluoropolymers, e.g., crosslinked poly(tetrafluoroethylene). The disclosure further provides methods of manufacturing such tubes and systems for manufacturing such tubes.

The present disclosure is directed to a film formulation that resulted in a substantially non-migratory cold seal release film with improved blocking resistance. Specifically, the multilayered biaxially oriented polypropylene film can include a core layer of polypropylene homopolymer; a first outer layer on one side of the core layer that can be suitable for sealing, printing, or coating; and a second outer layer on the opposite side of the core layer that is a blocking resistant layer comprising thermoplastic polymers which reduce blocking tendency.

A method of additive manufacturing (AM) includes dispensing a first building material formulation to form an outer region, and dispensing a second building material formulation to form an inner region, the outer region surrounding the inner region, the inner and outer regions being shaped to form a layer of the object; exposing the layer to a first curing condition, repeating the dispensing and the exposing to sequentially form a plurality of layers of the object and collectively exposing the plurality of layers to a second curing condition. The selections are such that the first building material formulation is hardened to a higher degree than the second building formulation. The outer regions form a hardened coating that at least partially encapsulates the inner regions. The second curing condition is other than the first curing condition and is selected to increase the degree that the inner region is hardened.