The invention provides shape-stable products for storing and releasing thermal energy, based on thermoplastic polymer compositions containing organic phase change materials (PCM) incorporated into a polymer matrix, the products withstanding multiple melting-crystallization cycles of the PCM while maintaining their shape, dimensions, and the thermal energy storage capacity.

This invention relates to a method for manufacturing an individualized immobilization element for the non-invasive immobilization and/or mobilization of at least a segment of a body part of a patient in a predetermined position relative to a reference and/or in a pre-certain configuration. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a data set that comprises a three-dimensional image of an outer contour of at least a part of the segment of the body part to be immobilized and/or mobilized and (ii) the manufacture of at least a part of the immobilization element by rapid manufacturing of a shape on the basis of said data set using a polymeric material containing a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point less than or equal to 100° C., wherein the polymer material contains a nucleating agent for enhancing the of the crystallization of the thermoplastic polymer.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a composition that can be used to make liquid crystalline networks using thiol-ene-based polymerization. In particular embodiments, the liquid crystalline networks can be formed by using the composition embodiments in additive manufacturing methods. The composition comprises a monomer, chain extender compound, and a crosslinker compound and each of these components can be selected so as to influence the thermomechanical and shape memory properties of the liquid crystalline networks and/or objects formed therewith.

A polyester film and a method for producing the same are provided. The polyester film includes a heat resistant layer. The heat resistant layer includes a high temperature resistant resin material and a polyester resin material. The high temperature resistant resin material and the polyester resin material are melted and kneaded with each other via a twin screw granulator. The twin-screw granulator has a twin-screw temperature between 250° C. and 320° C., and the twin-screw granulator has a twin-screw rotation speed between 300 rpm and 800 rpm, so that the high temperature resistant resin material is dispersed in the polyester resin material with a particle size of between 50 nm and 200 nm.

A prepreg includes composition elements [A], [B], and [C] described below,

[A] a reinforcing fiber,

[B] a thermosetting resin, and

[C] a thermoplastic resin.

[B] contains a thermoplastic resin having an aromatic ring with an amount of 10% or more by mass, a resin region containing [B] is present on one surface of the prepreg, a resin region containing [C] is present on another surface of the prepreg, and [A] that crosses over a boundary surface between the resin region containing [B] and the resin region containing [C] and that is in contact with both resin regions is present.

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 method for preparing a liquid crystal polymer film, comprising: (1) spinning a liquid crystal polymer into fibers, and maintaining the fibers for 0.1 hour to 36 hours at a temperature of 200° C. to 400° C. under a vacuum degree less than 500 Pa for later use; (2) weaving the fibers prepared in step (1) into cloth for later use; and (3) pressing the cloth prepared in step (2) into a film at a temperature of 200° C. to 400° C., and then stretching the film to obtain the liquid crystal polymer film. The liquid crystal polymer film prepared by the preparation method is good in mechanical property, and has a tensile strength that can exceed 170 MPa. The prepared liquid crystal polymer film is applied to a FPC, which makes the FPC have a dielectric constant less than 3, and a small dielectric loss tangent angle.

A hollow molded article having a joining site where two or more split objects are welded by plastic welding and comes into contact with pressurized hydrogen, wherein an average spherulite size in a portion which is 500 μm deep inside from a surface of the hollow molded article is 20 μm or less, and a tensile strength of a test piece containing the joining site of the hollow molded article is 80% or more based on a tensile strength of a test piece not containing the joining site of the hollow molded article.

A method of manufacturing an optical component having micro-structures is described. The method detects a crystallization temperature within a crystallization temperature interval for fully filling the molding material into a mold cavity to rapidly produce the optical element having a micro-structure with a large area.

A method includes manufacturing a kernel that comprises a quantity of a phase-change material and heating the thermoplastic past a softening temperature thereof. This softening temperature is greater than the phase-change material's melting temperature. The method continues with pressing this heated thermoplastic onto a contact surface of the kernel and the thermoplastic to cool to below its softening temperature. As a result, the thermoplastic assumes a profile that depends, at least in part, on the contact surface's profile. The method continues with separating the kernel from the thermoplastic.