A lignocellulose solution is produced by a production method including: coarsely pulverizing a biomass containing lignocellulose to obtain a coarse powder; mixing the coarse powder with an organic acid; and dissolving the coarse powder in the organic acid. A molded article containing lignocellulose as a main component is formed from this solution. The molded article has a density of less than 1.20 g/cm.sup.3. In one embodiment, the molded article is substantially free of an adhesive component. In another aspect, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin constituting the lignocellulose form an ester bond with an organic acid. A molded article according to still another embodiment has a density of less than 1.60 g/cm.sup.3 and an amount of functional groups bound to cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin of 0.35 or more and 0.60 or less.

An aqueous dispersion of a capsule composed of a polymeric shell surrounding a core, the shell comprising a silanol containing compound or condensation product thereof covalently bonded to the polymer of the shell. The aqueous dispersion can be used in an aqueous inkjet ink composition.

A wet coating composition useful for coating a cellulosic fiber-based substrate is provided. The composition includes two aqueous emulsions. The first emulsion includes an oxidized paraffin/polyethylene wax and the second emulsion includes an ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer wax, ethylene/acrylic amide copolymer wax, ethylene/acrylic acid/acrylic amide copolymer wax or a mixture thereof. The oxidized paraffin/polyethylene wax has a surface energy less than or equal to 2 m N/m being substantially dispersive energy. The wet coating composition when dried forms a coating having a surface energy ranging from 20 to 60 m N/m being the sum of dispersive and polar energies. A process for treating a cellulosic fiber-based substrate with the wet coating composition, a substrate coated and articles including the coated substrate are also described. The process involves a heating step to allow migration of the coating towards a core of the cellulosic fiber-based substrate.

Blended fluoropolymer compositions are provided. In one embodiment, a liquid dispersion of a first fluoropolymer is blended with a liquid dispersion of a second fluoropolymer. The first fluoropolymer may be polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), such as a low molecular weight PTFE (LPTFE) that has been polymerized via a dispersion or emulsion polymerization process, and which has not been agglomerated, irradiated, or thermally degraded. The LPTFE may be in the form of an aqueous dispersion, having a mean particle size of less than 1.0 microns (m), with the LPTFE having a first melt temperature (T.sub.m) of 332 C. or less. The second fluoropolymer may be a melt processable fluoropolymer (MPF), such as fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), in the form of an aqueous dispersion, and having a mean particle size of less than 1.0 microns (m). Blending of the dispersions facilitates interaction of the LPTFE and MPF on a submicron level to facilitate intimate blending such that, when the blended fluoropolymer composition is dried, a crystal structure representing a true alloy of the fluoropolymers is formed, having melt characteristics that differ from those of the individual fluoropolymers. The blended fluoropolymer composition may be used to provide a coating having improved impermeability, stain resistance, abrasion resistance, smoothness, and higher contact angles.

Ophthalmic lens molds made from at least one vinyl alcohol copolymers with high amorphous content, ophthalmic lenses including silicone hydrogel contact lenses formed using these molds, packaged ophthalmic lenses present in a solution comprising the at least one vinyl alcohol copolymer with high amorphous content, and related methods are described. The methods of manufacturing ophthalmic lenses can use wet demolding, delensing or demolding and delensing processes involving dissolving the molds in water or an aqueous solution.

The present invention relates to tackifier compounds and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a tackifier compound including independently substituted or unsubstituted fused rings A and B each independently chosen from (C.sub.5-C.sub.10)cycloalkyl and (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)heterocyclyl. Fused ring A is substituted with (R.sup.1).sub.1-8 and fused ring B is substituted with (OC(O)RC(O)R.sup.2).sub.1-8. At each occurrence R is independently chosen from (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkanylene, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkenylene, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkynylene, (C.sub.5-C.sub.20(arylene), and (C.sub.1-C.sub.20)heteroarylene, wherein R is unsubstituted or substituted. At each occurrence R is independently selected from OH, OR.sup.3, and OC(O)RC(O)R.sup.2. At each occurrence R.sup.2 is independently chosen from OH, OR.sup.3, NH.sub.2, NHR.sup.3, and NR.sup.3.sub.2. At each occurrence R.sup.3 is independently chosen from (C.sub.1-C.sub.10)alkanyl, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkenyl, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkynyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.20(aryl), and (C.sub.1-C.sub.20)heteroaryl, wherein R.sup.3 is unsubstituted or substituted.

The present invention relates to tackifier compounds and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a tackifier compound including independently substituted or unsubstituted fused rings A and B each independently chosen from (C.sub.5-C.sub.10)cycloalkyl and (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)heterocyclyl. Fused ring A is substituted with (R.sup.1).sub.1-8 and fused ring B is substituted with (OC(O)RC(O)R.sup.2).sub.1-8. At each occurrence R is independently chosen from (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkanylene, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkenylene, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkynylene, C.sub.5-C.sub.20(arylene), and (C.sub.1-C.sub.20)heteroarylene, wherein R is unsubstituted or substituted. At each occurrence R.sup.1 is independently selected from OH, OR.sup.3, and OC(O)RC(O)R.sup.2. At each occurrence R.sup.2 is independently chosen from OH, OR.sup.3, NH.sub.2, NHR.sup.3, and NR.sup.3.sub.2. At each occurrence R.sup.3 is independently chosen from (C.sub.1-C.sub.10)alkanyl, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkenyl, (C.sub.2-C.sub.10)alkynyl, C.sub.5-C.sub.20(aryl), and (C.sub.1-C.sub.20)heteroaryl, wherein R.sup.3 is unsubstituted or substituted.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one aqueous dispersion of a copolymer of the styrene-(meth)acrylic/(meth)acrylate type, at least one filler, and a particular thickening system, as well as the use of such a composition as a fixing glue.

The invention relates to a polyester resin which is based on at least one fatty acid, with zero oil length (0%) or an oil length of between 0 and 35%, with a weight ratio of oxidizable fatty acids (monoacids), relative to the overall fatty acids, of 0 or greater than 0 and ranging up to 1, and which is based on an acid component comprising, in addition to the fatty acid, from 30% to 85% by weight, relative to the total weight of said resin, of rosin and/or of derivatives thereof bearing at least one carboxylic acid function.

Disclosed are electrically conducting shaped articles and also a process for producing same from granular and/or fibrous substrates.