Disclosed is a cover for a utility vault and a method for making such covers. The cover is formed from fiberglass reinforcement layers and a polymer mix matrix. The reinforcement layers include a bottom reinforcement layer, one or more edge reinforcement layers, and a top reinforcement layer. A first portion of the edge reinforcement layer overlaps a portion of the bottom reinforcement layer and a second portion of the edge reinforcement layer overlaps a portion of the top reinforcement layer. The reinforcement layers are formed from fiberglass fabric and may include fiberglass layers whose fibers are oriented quadraxially. The polymer mix impregnates the fabric layers and forms the bulk of the cover. The polymer matrix bonds the reinforcement layers so that forces applied across the top and bottom layers are communicated to the edge reinforcement layer. The polymer matrix includes a thermoset polymer resin and an expanded glass bead filler.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recycling polymers, in particular to a method for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to produce bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET). The BHET produced using the method and apparatus of the present invention may be of a quality which allows plastic preparation methods in which the BHET is used to be simplified.

A liquid crystal polymer, composition, liquid crystal polymer film, laminated material and method of forming liquid crystal polymer film are provided. The liquid crystal polymer includes a first repeating unit, a second repeating unit, a third repeating unit, a fourth repeating unit, and a fifth repeating unit. The first repeating unit has a structure of Formula (I), the second repeating unit has a structure of Formula (II), the third repeating unit has a structure of Formula (III), the fourth repeating unit has a structure of Formula (IV), and the fifth repeating unit has a structure of Formula (V), a structure of Formula (VI), or a structure of Formula (VII)

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wherein A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3, A.sup.4, X.sup.1, Z.sup.1, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and Q are as defined in the specification.

Disclosed is a sealant film including at least a layer formed of a polyester as a superficial layer, in which the polyester contains 20 to 50 mol % of a 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid unit, 18 to 49.5 mol % of at least one diol unit selected from the group consisting of an ethylene glycol unit, a 1,3-propanediol unit, and a 1,4-butanediol unit, and 0.5 to 2.5 mol % of a diethylene glycol unit, the sealant film has a crystallinity of less than 14%, and the sealant film is a stretched film that exhibits a shrinkage ratio of 6% or more in a maximum shrinkage direction upon being allowed to stand at 125 C. for 20 seconds. This provides a sealant film superior in mechanical properties, especially tensile elongation, and also superior in heat sealability, non-adsorptivity, and gas barrier properties.

A fiber reinforced polymer material lid or cover for a utility vault made from an unsaturated polyester thermosetting resin matrix, glass fiber reinforcement, an inorganic filler and an ultraviolet inhibitor. The lid or cover has a flat textured upper surface having a plurality of bosses having different heights extending above the upper surface and a bottom surface having an outer perimeter rim with a recessed interior cavity having a number of continuous support ribs extending through the recessed interior cavity from opposite sides of the outer perimeter of the rim to transfer load placed on the lid or cover and minimize deflection under the load to the outer perimeter rim.

The present invention relates to a molding material, having: (A): a fiber substrate made of carbon fibers 5 mm or longer; (B): at least either an epoxy (meth)acrylate resin or an unsaturated polyester resin; (C): (C-1) inorganic fibrous filler with a cross-sectional area of at least 0.8 m.sup.2, or (C-2) inorganic flaky filler with a cross-sectional area of at least 0.05 m.sup.2, both of which have an aspect ratio of 2.0 or higher and a length of less than 3 mm; and (D): a polyisocyanate compound.

An apparatus for impregnating fiber structures with a matrix material includes a lower part having a bath for receiving the matrix material and a draining unit. The draining unit includes a wiper having a wiping edge, over which the impregnated fiber structure is guided during operation, and a surface inclined in the direction of the bath, by which matrix material draining from the fiber structure can return into the bath. The draining unit includes a cover on which a deflection unit, by which the fiber structure is pressed into the bath when the cover is mounted, is mounted. When the cover is mounted, a gap is formed between the cover and the lower part on the sides by which the fiber structure is guided into the apparatus and emerges from the apparatus. A method for impregnating fiber structures with a matrix material is also disclosed.

The invention relates to a pyrolysis process carried out in the presence of a controlled carbon dioxide environment that allows recovering both the organic portion and the inorganic portion (glass fibers) of a fiberglass-reinforced plastic waste, at an organic yield recovered even higher than 95% by weight and with a suitable for manufacturing new articles, in particular fiberglass-reinforced plastic articles, which provides a profitable to the disposal in dump areas. In particular, the recovered organic products can be mixed as such, at a percentage as high as 20% and more, with a fresh unsaturated polyester resins that is normally used to manufacture common fiberglass-reinforced plastic articles, without worsening its features with respect to articles made starting from fresh resin alone. The glass fibers, which are fully recovered in a combustion treatment after the pyrolysis, are reused fully replacing the corresponding virgin glass fibers, since they are unbroken and perfectly clean in a final step of the process.

A heat-shrinkable polyester film is made from a polyester resin composition which includes an amorphous polyalkylene benzenedicarboxylate resin and a polyester elastomer resin. The polyester elastomer resin includes hard segments and soft segments, and is prepared by copolycondensation of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid and a diol component. The diol component includes a C2-C4 alkylene glycol for the hard segments and a polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight not greater than 400 for the soft segments. The soft segments of the polyester elastomer resin are in an amount ranging from 1 part by weight to 2 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the polyester resin composition.

The present disclosure relates to a method for stably dispersing nanoparticles of a material in a curable polymer, the method comprising: a) providing a curable pre-polymer; b) providing particles of the material; and c) compounding the curable pre-polymer and the particles at a compounding temperature sufficiently high to obtain a curable melt mixture and sufficiently low for the curable melt mixture to develop a pre-determined viscosity upon compounding. The compounding is performed by applying a shear force to the heated curable melt mixture, whereby nanoparticles are formed from the particles, the viscosity of the melt being such that the nanoparticles remain dispersed in the mixture.