A method for forming a preform for a thermoplastic retention device is provided. The method includes providing a thermoplastic base material and blending the base material with one or more chemical agents to form a polymer blend. The chemical agents are configured to modify a polymer chain of the base material when the polymer blend is exposed to radiation. The method further includes forming the polymer blend into a filament sized for a three-dimensional printing platform and printing a preform shape from the filament using the three-dimensional printing platform. After the printed preform is hardened, the method includes exposing the printed preform shape to radiation sufficient to cause a reaction between the one or more chemical agents and the base material.

A method of manufacturing a polyolefin foam sheet composition includes extruding a polyolefin sheet, irradiating the extruded sheet to obtain a physically crosslinked sheet, foaming the physically crosslinked sheet with heat to obtain a foamed layer, and skiving the foamed layer to obtain a foam sheet with at least one skived surface. The surface roughness of the skived surface of the foam sheet is different from the surface roughness of an unskived surface.

Bellows, for example, a roll bellows and a folding bellows, can be produced that can be used at higher temperatures such as those prevailing in modern articulated constructions, using a mixture comprising at least one thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group of copolysters with a hard segment and a soft segment, wherein in a first step the at least one thermoplastic elastomer is mixed with approximately 0.8 wt. % to approximately 5 wt. % triallyl isocyanurate, based on the total amount of the mixture; in a second step the bellows is produced; and in a third step, the bellows is exposed to an ionizing irradiation in a range from approximately 140 kGy to approximately 350 kGy.

An assembly comprises an exposure chamber configured to receive a structure and identify at least one portion of the structure for further processing. The exposure chamber is further configured to expose the at least one portion of the structure to radiation such that a high cure state and a low residual stress are achieved for the structure. A dosage level of the radiation is determined based, at least in part, on the composition of the structure.

An assembly comprises an exposure chamber configured to receive a structure and identify at least one portion of the structure for further processing. The exposure chamber is further configured to expose the at least one portion of the structure to radiation such that a high cure state and a low residual stress are achieved for the structure. A dosage level of the radiation is determined based, at least in part, on the composition of the structure.

A method for forming a preform for a thermoplastic retention device is provided. The method includes providing a thermoplastic base material and blending the base material with one or more chemical agents to form a polymer blend. The chemical agents are configured to modify a polymer chain of the base material when the polymer blend is exposed to radiation. The method further includes forming the polymer blend into a filament sized for a three-dimensional printing platform and printing a preform shape from the filament using the three-dimensional printing platform. After the printed preform is hardened, the method includes exposing the printed preform shape to radiation sufficient to cause a reaction between the one or more chemical agents and the base material.

The present application relates generally to tubes, such as thin walled catheter liners with small wall thicknesses (e.g., less than 1 mm), including crosslinked fluoropolymers, e.g., crosslinked poly(tetrafluoroethylene). The disclosure further provides methods of manufacturing such tubes and systems for manufacturing such tubes.

Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.

An article includes a layer including a melt proces sable fluoropolymer, wherein the fluoropolymer includes a copolymer of a tetrafluoroethylene and a perfluoroether, wherein the article has an ultraviolet transmittance of at least about 50% at a thickness of about 0.040 inches to about 0.062 inches when exposed to ultraviolet radiation of about 200 nm to about 280 nm. Further provided is a method of making the article and an apparatus for purifying water including an article, such as a flexible tube.

The present invention relates to a method of shaping a cured thermosetting resin substrate, and more particularly to a method of shaping a cured thermosetting resin using electromagnetic radiation, said method comprises providing a cured thermosetting resin substrate; providing a confined temperature controlling environment; placing the cured thermosetting resin substrate in the confined temperature controlling environment; providing a source of electromagnetic radiation; irradiating the cured thermosetting resin substrate in the confined temperature controlling environment; and shaping the irradiated thermosetting resin substrate.