A plant for the continuous vulcanisation of mixtures of natural or synthetic latex inside a plurality of vulcanisation moulds aligned close to each other, each including: a base and a lid able to be removably coupled; an advancing mechanism for advancing the moulds along guides inside a vulcanising oven; and a sprayer for spraying the mixture inside the bases before entry into the vulcanising oven. The plant includes: an assembly set and a disassembly set of the moulds, belonging respectively to the input station and to the output station of the vulcanising oven; a first transport mechanism for transferring each base from the disassembly set to the assembly set; a second transport mechanism for transferring each lid from the disassembly set to the assembly set. The vulcanising oven includes a tunnel with a radiofrequency set for vulcanising the mixture.

Methods and systems are provided for ultra-violet curing, and in particular, for ultra-violet curing of optical fiber surface coatings. In one example, a curing device includes a first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with a second elliptic cylindrical reflector housed within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector. The first elliptic cylindrical reflector and second elliptic cylindrical reflector have a co-located focus, and a workpiece to be cured by the curing device may be arranged at the co-located focus.

Methods and systems are provided for ultra-violet curing, and in particular, for ultra-violet curing of optical fiber surface coatings. In one example, a curing device includes a first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with a second elliptic cylindrical reflector housed within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector. The first elliptic cylindrical reflector and second elliptic cylindrical reflector have a co-located focus, and a workpiece to be cured by the curing device may be arranged at the co-located focus.

A curing apparatus for curing a coating composition disposed on an optical fiber, the curing apparatus including a first light source and a second light source such that the second light source is spaced from the first light with a gap. The curing apparatus further including a first reflector and a second reflector such that the second reflector is spaced from the first reflector with the gap. Furthermore, a spacer is disposed within the gap, the spacer being formed of a material configured to reflect at least about 90% of light emitted from the first light source and from the second light source, and incident on the spacer, to an optical fiber such that the reflected light has sufficient intensity to cure a coating on the optical fiber.

A microstructured article includes a nanovoided layer having opposing first and second major surfaces, the first major surface being microstructured to form prisms, lenses, or other features. The nanovoided layer includes a polymeric binder and a plurality of interconnected voids, and optionally a plurality of nanoparticles. A second layer, which may include a viscoelastic layer or a polymeric resin layer, is disposed on the first or second major surface. A related method includes disposing a coating solution onto a substrate. The coating solution includes a polymerizable material, a solvent, and optional nanoparticles. The method includes polymerizing the polymerizable material while the coating solution is in contact with a microreplication tool to form a microstructured layer. The method also includes removing solvent from the microstructured layer to form a nanovoided microstructured article.

There is provided an embossed film in which the frequency of loss of concavities is smaller, the embossed film including: a film main body; and a plurality of concavities formed on a surface of the film main body. A diameter of an opening surface of the concavity is larger than a visible light wavelength, an arrangement pattern of the concavities has periodicity along a length direction of the film main body, and the difference between the rate of loss of concavities in one end portion of the film main body and the rate of loss of concavities in the other end portion of the film main body is 10 ppm or less.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded. through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope

A method of making a flexible magnetized sheet is provided. The method may comprise the steps of (1) using cold extrusion to produce a highly viscous fluid magnetizable sheet, (2) passing the sheet through a magnetic field to create an uncured magnetized sheet, and (3) curing the sheet with electron beam curing. The fluid mixture may comprise magnetizable particles with a random charge orientation and an acrylic resin. The components of the mixture are cool when passed through an extrusion die. The extruded fluid sheet allows for the sheet to be magnetized and then, instead of curing by cooling, cured by the bombardment of electrons via an electron beam (EB) generator. The method can eliminate the heat of extrusion and can allow for more freedom of orientation because the sheet does not cure until it reaches the electron beam curing station.

A method of making a flexible magnetized sheet is provided. The method may comprise the steps of (1) using cold extrusion to produce a highly viscous fluid magnetizable sheet, (2) passing the sheet through a magnetic field to create an uncured magnetized sheet, and (3) curing the sheet with electron beam curing. The fluid mixture may comprise magnetizable particles with a random charge orientation and an acrylic resin. The components of the mixture are cool when passed through an extrusion die. The extruded fluid sheet allows for the sheet to be magnetized and then, instead of curing by cooling, cured by the bombardment of electrons via an electron beam (EB) generator. The method can eliminate the heat of extrusion and can allow for more freedom of orientation because the sheet does not cure until it reaches the electron beam curing station.

Fingerprint-erasing cured films for rendering fingerprint depositions on various surfaces quickly less visible, or invisible; a manufacturing method therefor; a display or touch panel using the same; and electronic devices using these are provided. A liquid coating film including a solvent and a polymerizable resin composition curable by an activating energy beam is formed. In a state of the solvent being included within the film, the film is cured to form a cured film containing the solvent, preferably using a release material whose surface has undergone matte processing; and the solvent is evaporated in a subsequent drying step, whereby a cured film with a multitude of micropores on the surface is formed. Fingerprint soiling is rendered not readily visible or invisible. By using the cured film, there are obtained displays, touch panels, and electronic devices having fingerprint-erasability. To improve fingerprint-erasability, adding a water-absorbent compound to the film composition is preferable.