A method for fusing aramid fibers, wherein a) at least one area of an aramid fiber is treated with an ionic liquid so that the aramid is partially dissolved, b) the aramid fiber is contacted via the dissolved area with another aramid fiber area with pressure being applied to the contact area, and subsequently c) the partially dissolved area of the aramid is re-coagulated.

A solvent blend useable for tackifying a surface of a plastic film includes a terpene based solvent and one or more of a solvent from the group consisting of a straight chain alkane, a branched chain alkane, a cyclic alkane, a substituted cyclic alkane, a straight chain ether, a branched chain ether, a cyclic ether, a substituted cyclic ether, a cyclic diether, a substituted cyclic diether, a straight chain ketone, a branched chain ketone, a cyclic ketone, a substituted cyclic ketone, a straight chain ester, and a branched chain ester.

A molded member containing a thermoplastic material and a substrate, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is coupled to the thermoplastic material via a silicon-containing linker, and a respiratory apparatus containing the molded member are disclosed. A respiratory apparatus containing a molded member, wherein the molded member contains a thermosetting material and a substrate, and wherein at least a portion of the substrate is coupled to the thermosetting material via a silicon-containing linker is also disclosed.

A surgical simulator for electrosurgical training and simulation is provided. The surgical simulator includes one or more simulated tissue structures made substantially of a hydrogel comprising a dual interpenetrating network of ionically cross-linked alginate and covalently cross-linked acrylamide. Combinations of different simulated tissue structures define procedural-based models for the practice of various electrosurgical procedures including laparoscopic total mesorectal excision, transanal total mesorectal excision, cholecystectomy and transanal minimally invasive surgery. Methods of making the simulated tissue structures are also provided.

There is provided a method of forming a seam between a first region of polymer film and a second region of polymer film. The method comprises pretreating a first region of a polymer film by applying a pretreatment composition comprising solid lubricant particles onto the first region of polymer film; priming the pretreated polymer film with a primer; electrophotographically printing an electrophotographic ink composition onto the primed polymer film to form a printed image; and solvent-bonding the pretreated first region of polymer film to the second region of polymer film to form a seam.

A coated, highly transparent film based on cellulose triacetate, is proposed that includes a) a support film acting as support layer and a cellulose triacetate or a mixture of cellulose esters and cellulose triacetate as main component, the cellulose triacetate or mixture being defined by a haze value of <0.5%, measured on the cellulose triacetate or mixture drawn out to a film after having been dissolved in dichloromethane or acetone, and b) a multi-functional coating applied in a coating solution to one or both sides of the support film. A dissolver medium can also be used as an enclosure medium. The highly transparent films of the invention can be used as window film, sunglasses film, laminating film, furniture foil, enclosing film, slide film for microscopy, cover slip replacement film and/or protective film, adhesive to glass, wood, metal, ceramic, cellulose derivative films or plastics following incipient dissolution or heat treatment.

Methods for making metal particle-chitin composite materials are described. The methods can comprise contacting an ionic liquid with chitin, thereby forming a mixture; contacting the mixture with a non-solvent, thereby forming a chitin substrate in the non-solvent; collecting the chitin substrate from the non-solvent; deacetylating the collected chitin substrate, thereby forming a deacetylated chitin substrate; contacting the deacetylated chitin substrate with a metal salt, thereby forming an impregnated precursor composite material; and contacting the impregnated precursor composite material with a reducing agent, thereby reducing the metal salt to form a plurality of metal particles dispersed on the chitin substrate and forming the metal particle-chitin composite material.

A method for manufacturing anisotropic polymer particles includes the steps of: (a) preparing on a substrate a polymeric composite which includes a film of a first polymer and a plurality of microspheres of a second polymer, (b) subjecting the polymeric composite on the substrate to a first solvent vapor annealing treatment in a vapor atmosphere of a first solvent, and (c) after step b), subjecting the polymeric composite on the substrate to a second solvent vapor annealing treatment in a vapor atmosphere of a second solvent so as to transform the microspheres of the second polymer into the anisotropic polymer particles.

The invention relates to a method for welding a polyamide plastic and a poly(meth)acrylateparticularly a polymethyl methacrylateplastic using a primer, said primer containing at least one copolymer synthesised from at least one styrene or styrene derivative and at least one maleic anhydride or maleic anhydride derivative. The invention also relates to correspondingly welded products.

A coated rubber composition includes a rubber composition coated with a liquid refresh agent selected from the group consisting of one or more liquid terpenes, limonene, carvone, pinene, pine needle oil, citral, orange oil, C.sub.9-C.sub.15 aliphatics, C.sub.9-C.sub.15 cycloaliphatics, ethyl lactate, dipentene, 1,8-cineole, eucalyptol, citronellol, geraniol, citronellene, terpinen-4-ol, and combinations thereof. A method of application and a coated rubber composition are also disclosed.