Acid-functionalized copolymers of methyl methacrylate having relatively high glass transition temperatures and molecular weights may be employed to manufacture articles having high light transmission values, low haze, high heat resistance, and high environmental stability, which are useful as optical protection films, zero-zero optical retardation films, and compensation films as well as lighting pipes and optical imaging lenses.

An anti-forgery color conversion film includes a photonic crystal structure whose color is converted by an external stimulus such as a breath. The photonic crystal structure includes a first refractive index layer including a first polymer exhibiting a first refractive index; and a second refractive index layer which is alternately laminated with the first refractive index layer and includes a second polymer exhibiting a second refractive index. A consumer who purchases an article including the color conversion film may easily distinguish the authenticity of the article.

An anti-forgery color conversion film includes a photonic crystal structure whose color is converted by an external stimulus such as a breath. The photonic crystal structure includes a first refractive index layer including a first polymer exhibiting a first refractive index; and a second refractive index layer which is alternately laminated with the first refractive index layer and includes a second polymer exhibiting a second refractive index. A consumer who purchases an article including the color conversion film may easily distinguish the authenticity of the article.

A binder solution for manufacturing silicon-based anodes useful for lithium-ion electrochemical cells is described herein. The binder solution comprises a poly(carboxylic acid) binder dissolved in a mixed solvent system comprising an amide solvent of Formula I, as described herein, and a second solvent which can be water and/or an organic solvent. The binder preferably comprises poly(acrylic acid). The mixed solvent system comprises about 10 to about 99 vol % of the amide solvent of Formula I. The binder solution is utilized as a solvent for a slurry of silicon-containing particles for preparing a silicon-containing electrode. The slurries made with the mixed solvent systems have higher viscosity and are more stable than slurries containing the same concentrations of silicon particle, carbon particles, and binder in water as the sole solvent.

Poly(acrylic acid)-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) in a feed stream is converted into poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in an extensional flow device. The total energy used to degrade the SAP into PAA is less than about 50 MJ/kg SAP.

Poly(acrylic acid)-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) in a feed stream is converted into poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in an extensional flow device. The total energy used to degrade the SAP into PAA is less than about 50 MJ/kg SAP.

[Problem] In an embodiment involving addition of a chelating agent in an upstream process of the process for production, such as the polymerization step, the residual ratio of the chelating agent in the final product, a particulate water-absorbing agent, is improved.

[Solution] A particulate water-absorbing agent having a poly(meth)acrylic acid (salt)-based water-absorbing resin as a main component, containing a chelating agent having a nitrogen atom and an inorganic reducing agent having a sulfur atom, wherein the particulate water-absorbing agent has a chelating agent ratio of 0.8 to 1.8, as calculated by the following procedures (a) to (c): (a) subjecting the particulate water-absorbing agent to a predetermined impact test; (b) sieving the particulate water-absorbing agent subjected to the impact test into a particle group 1 with a particle size of less than 300 μm and a particle group 2 with a particle size of 300 μm or more and less than 850 μm using a JIS standard sieve; and (c) quantifying a content C1 of the chelating agent present in the particle group 1 and a content C2 of the chelating agent present in the particle group 2, and then dividing the C1 by the C2.

[Problem] In an embodiment involving addition of a chelating agent in an upstream process of the process for production, such as the polymerization step, the residual ratio of the chelating agent in the final product, a particulate water-absorbing agent, is improved.

[Solution] A particulate water-absorbing agent having a poly(meth)acrylic acid (salt)-based water-absorbing resin as a main component, containing a chelating agent having a nitrogen atom and an inorganic reducing agent having a sulfur atom, wherein the particulate water-absorbing agent has a chelating agent ratio of 0.8 to 1.8, as calculated by the following procedures (a) to (c): (a) subjecting the particulate water-absorbing agent to a predetermined impact test; (b) sieving the particulate water-absorbing agent subjected to the impact test into a particle group 1 with a particle size of less than 300 μm and a particle group 2 with a particle size of 300 μm or more and less than 850 μm using a JIS standard sieve; and (c) quantifying a content C1 of the chelating agent present in the particle group 1 and a content C2 of the chelating agent present in the particle group 2, and then dividing the C1 by the C2.

Liquid resin compositions that can be used in the manufacture of composite materials are described. A method of making a fiber-reinforced polymeric composite material comprises wetting a fibrous material with a liquid prepolymer composition comprising at least one (meth)acrylic monomer, at least one base, and at least one peroxy ester; and polymerizing the liquid prepolymer composition to form a fiber-reinforced polymeric composite material.

Liquid resin compositions that can be used in the manufacture of composite materials are described. A method of making a fiber-reinforced polymeric composite material comprises wetting a fibrous material with a liquid prepolymer composition comprising at least one (meth)acrylic monomer, at least one base, and at least one peroxy ester; and polymerizing the liquid prepolymer composition to form a fiber-reinforced polymeric composite material.