The present invention relates to a process for continuous production of partly crystalline polycondensate pellet material, comprising the steps of forming a polycondensate melt into pellet material; separating the liquid cooling medium from the pellet material in a first treatment space, wherein the pellets after exit from the first treatment space exhibit a temperature T.sub.GR, and crystallizing the pellet material in a second treatment space, wherein in the second treatment space fluidized bed conditions exist, and in the second treatment space the pellets are heated by supply of energy from the exterior by means of a process gas.

A semi-crystalline blended polymer useful for additive manufacturing is comprised of an amorphous thermoplastic polymer and a thermoplastic semi-crystalline polymer, each of the polymers being essentially miscible in the other and being blended at a weight ratio of amorphous polymer/semi-crystalline polymer of greater that 1 to about 20. The semi-crystalline blended polymer displays a DSC melt peak enthalpy of at least about 3 joules/g. The semi-crystalline polymer may be made by blending the aforementioned polymers at the weight ratio and subject to heating between the melt temperature of the semi-crystalline polymer and the glass transition temperature of the amorphous polymer. The semi-crystalline blended polymer may revert to essentially an amorphous polymer when additive manufactured by fusing layers of said polymer powders together.

It is provided that a method for producing a biaxially oriented polyester film that can be used for industrial and packaging applications. A method for producing a biaxially oriented polyester film, comprising: a step of feeding a polyester resin into an extruder, a step of extruding the molten polyester resin from an extruder to obtain a molten resin sheet at 250 to 310° C., a step of attaching the molten resin sheet closely to a cooling roll by an electrostatic application method to obtain an unstretched sheet, and a step of biaxially stretching the unstretched sheet, wherein the polyester resin fulfills the following (A) to (C): (A) the polyester resin comprises a polyethylene furandicarboxylate resin composed of a furandicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol; (B) an intrinsic viscosity of the polyester resin is 0.50 dL/g or more; (C) a melt specific resistance value at 250° C. of the polyester resin is 3.0×10.sup.7 Ω.Math.cm or less.

The invention provides a method for manufacturing a 3D item (10) with a fused deposition modeling 3D printer, the method comprising (a) providing a thermoplastic material (20), wherein the thermoplastic material (20) comprises a first polymer (21) of the semi-crystalline type, wherein the first polymer (21) has a glass temperature (T.sub.g) and wherein the thermoplastic material (20) has a melting temperature (T.sub.m); generating in a generation stage an intermediate 3D printed item (110) by printing the thermoplastic material (20), wherein the thermoplastic material (20) is heated to a temperature equal to or above the melting temperature (T.sub.m), while maintaining during printing an ambient temperature (T.sub.a) to the intermediate 3D printed item under construction below the glass temperature (T.sub.g); and generating in an annealing stage said 3D item (10) by heating the intermediate 3D printed item (110) equal to or above the glass temperature (T.sub.g).

Container assembly comprising a container and a closure, wherein the container is made of a crystallisable polymer material and comprises a neck portion with an outer cap surface and defines an outlet opening, the neck portion being configured for receiving the closure, wherein the closure includes a closure cap made of a crystallisable polymer material and has an inner cap surface, the closure cap being matched to the neck portion of the container to cover the outlet opening in a closed state, wherein the inner cap surface of the closure cap contacts the outer cap surface of the neck portion when the container assembly is closed, and wherein the material of the inner cap surface of the closure cap and/or of the outer cap surface of the neck portion is crystallised, to allow the container assembly to be opened after being closed for an elongated period of time.

Hinged container cap, comprising a base portion, a hinge member and a lid, wherein the base portion is made of a crystallisable polymer and includes a base circumferential wall and a base containment wall having an base outlet aperture and has an external base surfaceexternal base surface 44, wherein the hinge member connects the base portion to the lid and allows a movement of the lid between an opened position, in which the base outlet aperture is open, and a closed position, in which the base outlet aperture is closed, wherein in the closed position, at least part of the external base surfaceexternal base surface 44 of the base portion forms an interface with the lid contact surfacelid contact surface 42 of the lid, wherein the base portion and/or of the lid wall is crystallized at at least the interface of the base portion and the lid in the closed position, to allow the lid to be opened after being closed for an elongated period.

A method for manufacturing a tableware article having a thermal-transfer printed pattern includes the following steps. Firstly, a PET resin composition including 3 to 15% by weight of an inorganic filler is provided. Next, the PET resin composition is granulated to obtain plastic granules. Then, the plastic granules are molded into the tableware article and the tableware article is post-crystallized. Finally, a thermal transfer printed pattern is printed on a surface of the post-crystallized tableware article.

A method for the production and filling of containers designed to contain food, includes the steps of shaping a sheet made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) in order to provide accommodation receptacles provided with at least one access inlet; filling, through the access inlet, the accommodation receptacles with at least one food; sealing the access inlet using a closure film; and providing a weakened portion at a connecting edge between at least two adjacent accommodation receptacles.

The final degree of crystallinity at the weakened portion is lower than, equal to, or greater than, at most by a percentage equal to 3%, the degree of crystallinity of portions of the connecting edge not affected by modifications occurring as a consequence of the step of emission of laser radiation and of the sealing step.

A crystallized bioabsorbable polymer scaffold comprises a polymer composition of poly (L-lactide-co-tri-methylene-carbonate) or poly (D-lactide-co-tri-methylene-carbonate) or poly (L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) or poly (D-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) in the form of block copolymers of blocky copolymers, wherein the scaffold is cold-bendable.

An annealing method according to the present invention is an annealing method of annealing a molded body (1) which is molded from a molding material in a molding step, and the method includes the steps of: (I) releasing stress from the molded body (1) by heating the molded body (1); and (II) correcting a warp of the molded body (1), by simultaneously heating the molded body (1) and applying a load to the molded body (1). This achieves an annealing method which makes it possible to obtain a molded body that is free from residual stress and distortion.