The present disclosure relates generally to polymer structures, for example, suitable for construction products. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a thermoplastic construction product including a coextruded layer structure having a base layer including a first thermoplastic material, an outer layer including a second thermoplastic material, and an infrared-reflective intermediate layer that is coextruded with the base layer and the outer layer and is disposed between the base layer and the outer layer. In some embodiments the intermediate layer has a thickness of at least 30 micrometers. In some embodiments the infrared-reflective intermediate layer includes a reflective pigment dispersed in a matrix of one of the first thermoplastic material or the second thermoplastic material.

The invention provides a method for producing a 3D item (1) by means of fused deposition modelling, the method comprising a 3D printing stage comprising: layer-wise depositing an extrudate (321) comprising 3D printable material (201), to provide the 3D item (1) comprising 3D printed material (202), wherein the 3D item (1) comprises a plurality of layers (322) of 3D printed material (202), wherein the 3D printable material (201) comprises core-shell 3D printable material (201) comprising (i) a core (221) comprising core material (240) and (ii) a shell (222) comprising shell material (250), wherein the core material (240) comprises a core thermoplastic material (241) and core additive material (242), wherein the shell material (250) comprises a shell thermoplastic material (251) and shell particles (252), wherein the shell material (250) is light transmissive for one or more wavelengths in the visible wavelength range, wherein the shell particles (252) comprise specularly reflective particles, wherein the core additive material (242) comprises one or more of diffuse reflective particles, white particles, black particles, colored particles, and dye molecules, and wherein the core material (240) and shell material (250) differ in one or more optical properties selected from the group of color, reflectivity, type of reflectivity, and absorption of light.

According to an example, a three-dimensional (3D) printer may include a delivery device to deposit a light absorbing agent onto selected areas of a layer of build material particles, in which the light absorbing agent absorbs light having wavelengths that are around the ultraviolet wavelength range. The 3D printer may also include a light source to apply light onto the selectively deposited light absorbing agent and the layer of the build material particles, in which the light absorbing agent absorbs light around the ultraviolet wavelength range from the applied light and becomes heated to a temperature that causes the build material particles upon which the light absorbing agent has been deposited to melt and to fuse together following cessation of the application of the light.

According to an example, a three-dimensional (3D) printer may include a delivery device to deposit a light absorbing agent onto selected areas of a layer of build material particles, in which the light absorbing agent absorbs light having wavelengths that are around the ultraviolet wavelength range. The 3D printer may also include a light source to apply light onto the selectively deposited light absorbing agent and the layer of the build material particles, in which the light absorbing agent absorbs light around the ultraviolet wavelength range from the applied light and becomes heated to a temperature that causes the build material particles upon which the light absorbing agent has been deposited to melt and to fuse together following cessation of the application of the light.

Optically active formulations useful as inks in extrusion-based deposition techniques and solids formed of the formulations are described. Formulations include a cellulose derivative in a chiral nematic phase and a polyethylene glycol interspersed with the cellulose derivative as stabilization to the cholesteric pitch of the chiral nematic phase. The inks can be utilized in direct ink writing processes to produce printed films or three-dimensional structures with long-lasting colors that stem from the nanostructure of the chiral nematic phase. The ink can include reactive monomers which can be polymerized to create optically active solid elastomers.

The present invention relates to equipment covers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of making an equipment cover, the method comprising: moulding a cover from a substantially transparent or translucent polymer, optionally a thermoplastic polymer, to form a cover having a textured outer surface and a generally smoother inner surface; and applying a coating having reflective components to the inner surface.

A resin product including an antireflection surface includes a plurality of first concave portions, a plurality of second concave portions, and a component surface. The first concave portions have opening widths equal to or larger than 1 μm and equal to or smaller than 300 μm. The second concave portions are formed on each of the plurality of first concave portions and have opening widths equal to or larger than 10 nm and equal to or smaller than 1 μm. The component surface is configured to surround each of the plurality of first concave portions.

A manufacturing method for a shaped object for manufacturing the shaped object used as a parts when creating a three-dimensional object assembled by combining multiple parts, where the shaped object including a surface region, an end region, and an inner region is shaped. A surface colored portion, which is a portion to be colored in the surface region, is formed, so that a light entering from a side opposite to the inner region is reflected by the inner region to an outside of the shaped object. And, an end colored portion, which is a portion to be colored in the end region, is formed to have a light reflectivity higher than that of the surface colored portion using a coloring material and a light reflective material.

This invention provides resin formulations which may be used for 3D printing and pyrolyzing to produce a ceramic matrix composite. The resin formulations contain a solid-phase filler, to provide high thermal stability and mechanical strength (e.g., fracture toughness) in the final ceramic material. The invention provides direct, free-form 3D printing of a preceramic polymer loaded with a solid-phase filler, followed by converting the preceramic polymer to a 3D-printed ceramic matrix composite with potentially complex 3D shapes or in the form of large parts. Other variations provide active solid-phase functional additives as solid-phase fillers, to perform or enhance at least one chemical, physical, mechanical, or electrical function within the ceramic structure as it is being formed as well as in the final structure. Solid-phase functional additives actively improve the final ceramic structure through one or more changes actively induced by the additives during pyrolysis or other thermal treatment.

A biaxially oriented polyester reflection film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a core layer having a plurality of voids, and containing homo-polyester, copolymer polyester, a resin incompatible with polyester, and inorganic particles; and a skin layer formed at least one surface of the core layer, and containing homo-polyester, copolymer polyester, and inorganic particles, wherein the biaxially oriented polyester reflection film is formed to have a plurality of light focusing structures, each of which has a concave center portion, and which are arranged in a grid pattern.