A polymer composition is disclosed that comprises a polymer matrix containing at least one thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and at least one hollow inorganic filler having a dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less at a frequency of 100 MHz wherein the weight ratio of the at least one thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer to the at least one hollow inorganic filler is from about 0.1 to about 10 and wherein the polymer composition exhibits a dielectric constant of about 4 or less and a dissipation factor of about 0.02 or less, as determined at a frequency of 10 GHz.

Novel chemical sensors that improve detection and quantification of CO.sub.2 are critical to ensuring safe and cost-effective monitoring of carbon storage sites. Fiber optic (FO) based chemical sensor systems are promising field-deployable systems for real-time monitoring of CO.sub.2 in geological formations for long-range distributed sensing. In this work, a mixed-matrix composite integrated FO sensor system was developed that reliably operates as a detector for gas-phase and dissolved CO.sub.2. A mixed-matrix composite sensor coating on the FO sensor comprising plasmonic nanocrystals and zeolite embedded in a polymer matrix. The mixed-matrix composite FO sensor showed excellent reversibility/stability in a high humidity environment and sensitivity to gas-phase CO.sub.2 over a large concentration range. The sensor exhibited the ability to sense CO.sub.2 in the presence of other geologically relevant gases, which is of importance for applications in geological formations. A prototype FO sensor configuration which possesses a robust sensing capability for monitoring dissolved CO.sub.2 in natural water was demonstrated. Reproducibility was confirmed over many cycles, both in a laboratory setting and in the field.

Disclosed is a composition that can impart a drip preventing effect together with an excellent heat release suppressing effect to a resin, and that enables the resin to exhibit an excellent color tone, by being mixed with the resin. The composition includes a component (A) and/or a component (B), and a component (C). It is preferable that the composition contains the component (C) in an amount of 0.1 to 50 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of a total of the components (A) and (B). The component (A) is a (poly)phosphate compound represented by General Formula (1). ##STR00001## The component (B) is a (poly)phosphate compound represented by General Formula (3). ##STR00002## The component (C) is a hydrous magnesium silicate.

The present invention relates to a foamed sheet consisting of a polypropylene composition comprising at least 85 wt. %, e.g. from 85 to 99.5 wt.-%, of a high melt strength polypropylene (HMS-PP) and 0.5 to 15 wt. % of a nucleating agent (NA), wherein the foamed sheet has a thickness of below 0.5 mm or a thickness of 2.0 mm or more. The present invention further relates to a foamed material consisting of a polypropylene composition as well as the use of a polypropylene composition comprising at least 85 wt. %, e.g. from 85 to 99.5 wt.-%, of a high melt strength polypropylene (HMS-PP) and 0.5 to 15 wt. % of a nucleating agent (NA) for producing foamed material.

A medical device capable of transmitting a radiofrequency signal to and/or receiving a radiofrequency signal from an external device is provided. The medical device comprises at least one component that contains a polymer composition that exhibits a dielectric constant of greater than about 6 at a frequency of 2 GHz, wherein the polymer composition includes a liquid crystalline polymer.

A liquid crystal polymer composite film is formed from a resin composite including one or more liquid crystal polymers and one or more fillers. The liquid crystal polymer composite film has a thickness in the range of 10 μm-200 μm and a ratio of the in-plane dielectric permittivity in the machine direction to the transverse direction in the range of 1.0-1.4 over a frequency range of 1 Ghz to 10 Ghz. A metal-clad laminate includes the liquid crystal polymer composite film and a metal clad layer laminated to a major surface of the liquid crystal polymer composite film. The metal-clad laminate may be included as part of an antenna.

A method of manufacturing sheeting is provided, the method including the steps of forming multiple recesses in a symmetrical repeat pattern on a sheet of material, extruding a molten material to form an upper outside wall and a lower outside wall, interposing the formed sheet between the upper outside wall and the lower outside wall, and fixing the interposed sheet to the upper outside wall and the lower outside wall. Also provided is sheeting having an upper outside wall and a lower outside wall and an interposed sheet fixed between the outside walls. The interposed sheet includes multiple recesses in a symmetrical repeat pattern, where the upper and lower outside walls are, or the interposed sheet is, manufactured from a material which includes a polymeric material.

Provided are a resin additive composition which is excellent in fluidity and can impart excellent physical properties to a thermoplastic resin, a thermoplastic resin composition, and a molded article thereof. A resin additive composition is composed of a phosphoric acid ester compound (A) represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001##
(in the formula (1), R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, and R.sup.5 represents an alkylidene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms) and a fatty acid sodium salt (B) represented by the following general formula (2): ##STR00002##
(in the formula (2), R.sup.6 represents a group introduced From an aliphatic organic acid having 7 to 30 carbon atoms), and the mass ratio of (B)/(A) is 0.55 to 2.0.

The invention relates to a spider-silk-like polymer fiber in the technical field of chemical bionics, a preparation method therefor and the use thereof. The spider-silk-like polymer fiber comprises a matrix polymer and a particle additive dispersed therein, wherein the particles have an average particle size of 0.1-1000 microns, and the polymer fiber has a spider-silk-like microstructure comprising a fiber body and spaced spindle knot structural units on the fiber body, wherein the spindle knot structural units comprise the particles, and the radial height of the spindle knot structural units is greater than the diameter of the fiber body. The preparation method of the polymer fiber of the invention does not require greatly modifying the existing spinning processes, and the equipment does not need to be changed, the process is simple, and the cost is low. The obtained spider-silk-like polymer fiber can realize the directional movement of water droplets on the surface of the fiber, thereby having a water gathering function and can be used for preparing water gathering materials.

A filler for resinous composition is contained and used in resinous composition, and includes: a crystalline siliceous particulate material with a crystal structure made of at least one member selected from the group consisting of type FAU, type FER, type LTA and type MFI, and/or type MWW; and a surface treatment agent including an organic silica compound reacted with or adhered to a surface of the crystalline siliceous particulate material; the filler including the surface treatment agent in an amount falling in a range allowing the filler to exhibit a negative thermal expansion coefficient.