Additive manufacturing processes, such as powder bed fusion of thermoplastic particulates, may be employed to form printed objects in a range of shapes. It is sometimes desirable to form conductive traces upon the surface of printed objects. Conductive traces and similar features may be introduced during additive manufacturing processes by incorporating a metal precursor in a thermoplastic printing composition, converting a portion of the metal precursor to discontinuous metal islands using laser irradiation, and performing electroless plating. Suitable printing compositions may comprise a plurality of thermoplastic particulates comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a metal precursor admixed with the thermoplastic polymer, and optionally a plurality of nanoparticles disposed upon an outer surface of each of the thermoplastic particulates, wherein the metal precursor is activatable to form metal islands upon exposure to laser irradiation. Melt emulsification may be used to form the thermoplastic particulates.

The invention concerns a pigmentary preparation having universality of use in tinting plastics.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carbon fiber which exhibits excellent strength development rate when used in a composite material. The present invention that solves the problems is a carbon fiber which simultaneously satisfies the following formulae (1) and (2):

Lc/d≤3  (1)

TS×d×Lc>6.0×10.sup.5  (2) wherein: Lc is an X-ray crystallite size (Å), d is a filament diameter (μm), and TS is a strand tensile strength (MPa).

The invention is targeted mainly at a process for the preparation of a semifinished product comprising a PAEK-based resin and reinforcing fibers, comprising the stages of: a. preparation of a dispersion comprising a PAEK-based resin in the pulverulent form dispersed in an aqueous phase comprising a surfactant; b. bringing the reinforcing fibers into contact with said aqueous dispersion; c. drying the fibers impregnated with dispersion; and d. heating the impregnated fibers to a temperature sufficient for the melting of the resin, so as to form a semifinished product,
characterized in that the surfactant is a thermally stable surfactant. It is furthermore targeted at the dispersion of use in said process. Finally, it is targeted at the semifinished products capable of being obtained and also at their use in the manufacture of composite materials.

The present invention aims to provide a resin foam, a resin foam sheet, an adhesive tape, a member for a vehicle, and a member for a building that are capable of exhibiting very high sound insulation properties. Provided is a resin foam having a multitude of cells, the resin foam containing: a thermoplastic resin; and a plasticizer, the resin foam having a minimum loss factor of a primary anti-resonance frequency in the range of 20° C. to 60° C. of 0.05 or higher and a secondary anti-resonance frequency in the range of 20° C. to 60° C. of 300 to 800 Hz as measured by mechanical impedance measurement (MIM) in conformity with JIS G0602.

A method of immobilization of an insoluble dopant. In some embodiments, the insoluble dopant comprises a coordination polymer. In some embodiments, the insoluble dopant comprises a vapochromic coordination polymer. The method may comprise dissolving a polymer carrier in a solvent. The polymer carrier may comprise a thermoplastic such as, but not limited to, polylactic acid, polyethylene glycol or polycarbonate. The insoluble dopant (e.g. a coordination polymer such as a vapochromic coordination polymer) may then be mixed into the dissolved polymer. Phase separation of the mixture of the dopant and dissolved polymer may be induced to form a hydrogel. The hydrogel may be employed as is (e.g. as a raw material for hydrogel 3D printing, as a sensing material, etc.) or may undergo further processing (e.g. solidification, grinding, extrusion, etc.) before being employed, for example, as a raw material for 3D printing, as a sensing material, etc.

The present invention provides a hard-coat-layer-forming composition whereby a hard coat layer having excellent scratch resistance and cracking resistance can be formed, and an optical member. The hard-coat-layer-forming composition is a composition used to form a hard coat layer on a plastic substrate, and includes: metal oxide particles; at least one type of component X selected from the group consisting of an organic silicon compound represented by a predetermined formula, a hydrolysate thereof, and a hydrolytic condensate thereof; and at least one type of component Y selected from the group consisting of an organic silicon compound represented by a predetermined formula, a hydrolysate thereof, and a hydrolytic condensate thereof, and a glycoluril crosslinking agent, a hydrolysate thereof, and a hydrolytic condensate thereof.

Glass fibers formed from the inventive composition may be used in applications that require high stiffness and have a specific modulus between 34 and 40 MJ/kg. Such applications include woven fabrics for use in forming wind turbine blades and aerospace structures.

Molded articles contain a foam composed of a thermoplastic elastotner (TPE-1). The foam has a storage modulus (G modulus) at 25° C. and 1 Hz within the range from 0.01 to 0.5 MPa, a molding density within the range from 20 to 400 kg/m.sup.3, and a comfort factor of greater than 4. A process produces molded articles of this kind, and the molded article can be used for producing floors, mattresses, seating furniture, bicycle saddles, car seats, motorcycle seats, components of a shoe, shoe inserts, packaging, shock absorbers, protectors, fall protection mats, elastic insulating material, or sealing material.

A sizing agent for matrix-resin-reinforcement fibers that simultaneously attains excellent cohesion and abrasion resistance of sized fibers, uniform size application on fiber surface and good bonding between sized fiber and a matrix resin; a synthetic fiber strand sized therewith; and a fiber-reinforced composite material reinforced by the sized fiber strand. The sizing agent contains a polyamide (A), a carbodiimide group-containing compound (B) and water (C), wherein the polyamide (A) has a melt viscosity ranging from 100 to 15,000 mPa.Math.s at 150° C. and the compound (B) has at least two carbodiimide groups per molecule. The polyamide (A) is preferably a water-soluble polyamide.