A method for producing a polymer film is disclosed herein. The method is capable of effectively forming a polymer film on a substrate, where the polymer film comprises highly aligned block copolymers without orientation defects, coordination number defects, distance defects, and the like. The method can be applied to production of various patterned substrates.

An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a bilayer scaffold through single process comprising: preparing a first polymer aqueous solution; adding a second polymer into the first polymer aqueous solution and stirring a reactant; adding a surfactant into the stirred reactant and stirring the reactant at high temperature and high speed; freeze-drying the stirred reactant thereby obtaining a sponge; dipping the sponge in a cross-linking agent thereby rendering be cross-linked; and freeze-drying the cross-linked reactant.

A method of making a fiber preform for ceramic matrix composite (CMC) fabrication comprises laminating an arrangement of fibers between polymer sheets comprising an organic polymer, which may function as a fugitive binder during fabrication, to form a flexible prepreg sheet. A plurality of the flexible prepreg sheets are laid up in a predetermined geometry to form a stack, and the stack is heated to soften the organic polymer and bond together the flexible prepreg sheets into a bonded prepreg structure. Upon cooling of the bonded prepreg structure, a rigid preform is formed. The rigid preform is heated at a sufficient temperature to pyrolyze the organic polymer. Thus, a porous preform that may undergo further processing into a CMC is formed.

A resin composition containing heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and at least one base resin selected from rubbers, olefin resins and thermoplastic elastomers. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing N-substituted maleimide and a nitrile monomer containing methacrylonitrile. Also disclosed are molded articles manufactured by molding the resin composition.

The present disclosure relates to hydrogels and their use for repairing or supplementing body tissue. The hydrogels are capable of safe injection into patients through fine gauge needles and are suitable for repairing, supplementing, or replacing the nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc. Methods of manufacturing and methods of using the hydrogels of the present disclosure to repair or replace tissues are also disclosed.

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 foamed, opacifying element useful as a light-blocking article is prepared with a dry opacifying layer on a substrate. The dry opacifying layer is densified, followed by application of a functional composition formulation to form a functional composition upon drying and curing at a coverage of 0.5-15 g/m.sup.2. The functional composition comprises at least: (i) glass particles such as hollow glass particles at a coverage of 0.1-2.2 g/cm.sup.2, and can also include any or combination of a (iv) water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymeric binder that may be crosslinked, thickeners, coating aids having an HLB of at least 5, (ii) lubricants, (iii) tinting materials, and (v) crosslinking agents. Among other properties, the presence of the glass particles provides additional heat absorption for the foamed, opacifying elements that can be formed into light-blocking materials.

Foamed, opacifying elements are prepared using a foamable aqueous composition containing porous particles and an opacifying colorant. This composition is aerated, disposed onto a substrate, and dried. The dry foamed composition is densified, and cured in either order. At some point after the drying feature, a functional composition is disposed onto either the dry foamed composition or the opacifying layer, and dried. This functional composition has either or both of: (i) inorganic or organic spacer particles having a mode particle size of 1 to 100 m, and which inorganic or organic spacer particles resist melt flow at a pressure of up to and including 100 psi (689.5 kPa) and a temperature of up to and including 220 C.; and (iii) a tinting material comprising a pigment, dye, or a combination thereof. The (i) inorganic or organic spacer particles and the (iii) tinting material are different materials.

Methods of increasing thermal conductivity of a bulk polymer are provided. The methods include contacting a bulk polyelectrolyte polymer comprising an ionizable repeating pendant group with an aqueous liquid having a pH that ionizes the pendant group and isotropically extend the polyelectrolyte polymer to an extended non-globular chain conformation. The polyelectrolyte polymer so treated thus exhibits a thermal conductivity of greater than or equal to about 0.6 W/m.Math.K and optionally greater than or equal to about 1 W/m.Math.K. In other aspects, the present disclosure provides a high thermal conductivity material comprising a bulk polyelectrolyte polymer bearing a repeating charged group and having an extended non-globular chain conformation and that exhibits a thermal conductivity of greater than or equal to about 0.6 W/m.Math.K and optionally greater than or equal to about 1 W/m.Math.K. The high thermal conductivity material may be used in electronic devices, including as housings/encapsulation and thermal interfaces.