The formation of microporous surfaces through polymer induced phase separation in a photopolymer solvent mixture using photopolymerization via light self-focusing and self-trapping. The self-trapping of light sets fixed regions of brightness and darkness, sustained by the polymerization of light, and then wave guiding within the substrate. Phase separation occurs with the solvent phase separating in the regions of darkness and crosslinking in the regions of brightness. Upon removal of the solvent, precise and uniformly dispersed pores are created in the surface. The pore size and spacing may be tuned by adjusting the weight fraction of the photopolymer solvent mixture as well as through changes in the mask pattern.

In a method for producing a cyclic ester according to an embodiment of the present invention, a mixture (I) containing an aliphatic polyester, a specific polyalkylene glycol diether, and a sulfonic acid compound as a thermal stabilizer is prepared and heated in predetermined conditions to obtain a mixture (II) in a state of solution. Furthermore, heating of the mixture (II) is continued to distill, together with the polyalkylene glycol diether, a cyclic ester formed by the depolymerization reaction, and thus a distillate (III) is obtained. The cyclic ester is recovered from the distillate (III). At this time, a specific solubilizing agent is added to at least one of the mixture (I) or (II). In this production method, the sulfonic acid compound as the thermal stabilizer is contained in the mixtures (I) and (II) and the distillate (III).

A water emulsion and film are provided comprising a polyacrylate random copolymer synthesized from acrylic acid (AA), butyl acrylate (BA), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA). The emulsion may be applied to a surface in liquid form, quickly drying to yield a peelable protective barrier film.

A composite material comprises a reinforcing material carried in a polymer matrix material which is the polymerization product of a polymerizable composition comprising a di-activated vinyl compound, with the proviso that the di-activated vinyl compound is not a cyanoacrylate. The reinforcing materials may be a wide variety of substrates including thermally sensitive materials. Exemplary composites can be molded and cured at ambient temperatures. Also disclosed are laminate materials having layered materials adhered by curing a di-activated vinyl polymerizable composition.

Provided are a decorative film for molding including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer on a base material, in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is a layer formed by curing a liquid crystal composition which includes, with respect to a total solid content of the liquid crystal composition, 25% by mass or more of a cholesteric liquid crystal compound having one ethylenic unsaturated group or one cyclic ether group; a molded product using the decorative film for molding; and a molding method.

Reaction mixtures, gel compositions that are a polymerized product of the reaction mixtures, shaped gel articles that are formed within a mold cavity and that retain the size and shape of the mold cavity upon removal from the mold cavity, and sintered articles prepared from the shaped gel articles are provided. The sintered article has a shape identical to the mold cavity (except in regions where the mold cavity was overfilled) and to the shaped articles but reduced in size proportional to the amount of isotropic shrinkage. Methods of forming the sintered articles also are provided.

The formation of microporous surfaces through polymer induced phase separation in a photopolymer solvent mixture using photopolymerization via light self-focusing and self-trapping. The self-trapping of light sets fixed regions of brightness and darkness, sustained by the polymerization of light, and then wave guiding within the substrate. Phase separation occurs with the solvent phase separating in the regions of darkness and crosslinking in the regions of brightness. Upon removal of the solvent, precise and uniformly dispersed pores are created in the surface. The pore size and spacing may be tuned by adjusting the weight fraction of the photopolymer solvent mixture as well as through changes in the mask pattern.

The present invention generally relates to various polymer solid electrolyte materials suitable for various electrochemical devices and methods for making or using the same. Certain embodiments of the invention are generally directed to solid electrolytes having relatively high ionic conductivity and/or other mechanical or electrical properties, e.g., tensile strength or decomposition potential. Certain aspects include a polymer, a plasticizer, and an electrolyte salt. In some cases, the polymer may exhibit certain structures such as:

##STR00001##

where R.sub.1 can be one of the following groups:

##STR00002##

where n is an integer between 1 and 10000, m is a integer between 1 and 5000, and R.sub.2 to R.sub.6 can each independently be one of the following structures:

##STR00003##

Described herein are methods and compositions relating to tunable nanoporous coatings. In certain aspects, described herein are methods and compositions wherein a tunable nanoporous coating comprises a tunable nanoporous membrane which transitions from opaque to transparent upon the application of force, and from transparent to opaque after washing with a solvent.

A composite core material and methods for making same are disclosed herein. The composite core material comprises mineral filler discontinuous portions disposed in a continuous encapsulating resin. Further, the method for forming a composite core material comprises the steps of forming a mixture comprising mineral filler, an encapsulating prepolymer, and a polymerization catalyst; disposing the mixture onto a moving belt; and polymerizing said encapsulating prepolymer to form a composite core material comprising mineral filler discontinuous portions disposed in a continuous encapsulating resin.