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The blends of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT), poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), chain extender (ADR) and layered double hydroxides (LDH) are prepared by different extrusion methods. Effects of LDH and its distribution on rheology, phase morphology, mechanical properties, water vapor barrier properties and food preservation properties are investigated. Results show that when PBAT, PPC, and LDH are mixed directly, LDH is preferentially distributed in the PBAT phase. When LDH are mixed with PPC firstly and then further with PBAT, LDH mostly migrates to the interface of PBAT and PPC. The epoxy groups of ADR react with the terminal groups of the polymers to improve the interfacial compatibility. Adding LDH, the mechanical properties and barrier properties of the materials are improved and by premixing of PPC and LDH, properties of composites are further improved. Compared with PBAT/PPC blends, the tensile strength and elongation at break of PBAT/PPC(LDH‐0.5)/ADR increased by 25.2% and 15.3%, respectively. The banana packaged in PBAT/PPC/LDH films maintains good freshness. It illustrates that PBAT/PPC(LDH)/ADR composites have a good application prospect in the field of barrier and food packaging based on their excellent mechanical, barrier, and preservation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution structure of dielectric fillers is attracting more attention in designing composites with excellent dielectric properties and energy storage performances. Barium titanate (BT) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) were introduced to low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) to build the dielectric structure by modulating the phase structure of PVDF/LDPE and the distribution behavior of BT. The results showed that BT particles can be selectively distributed in the phase structure of PVDF/LDPE by controlling the surface modification of BT, which contributed much to the enhancement of dielectric properties and energy storage performances. The dielectric constant and discharge energy density of the composites with the selective distribution of core‐shell structured BT@PE in the LDPE phase of PVDF/LDPE blend were increased by 51% and 95% in comparison with PVDF/LDPE blend, respectively. By simulating with finite element analysis (FEA), the increased internal polarization and the decreased electric field distortion of PVDF/LDPE/BT@PE due to BT@PE distributed in the LDPE phase and the small dielectric constant difference between the LDPE/BT@PE phase and PVDF phase were the factors to enhance the dielectric constant and breakdown strength, which consequently enhance the energy storage performances of the composites. Highlights: Phase structure constructed with BT and BT@PE selectively distributed in PVDF/LDPE.Co‐enhanced dielectric constant and breakdown strength of PVDF/LDPE/BT@PE.Modulated polarization and electric field due to BT@PE in the LDPE phase of composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The selective distribution of filler within polymer blends presents a compelling advantage, notably manifesting as a reduced percolation threshold when compared to an individual polymer matrix with a random filler dispersion. In this context, a thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) blend comprising ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), denoted as EL, has been meticulously formulated. The incorporation of varying amounts of conductive carbon black (Vulcan XC 72; VCB) into this TPE matrix has been achieved through conventional melt blending, yielding a composite material with exceptional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of -27.80 dB at 50 phr (parts per hundred rubber). This success is credited to the creation of a linked structure resulting from a dual-step percolation process. The selective distribution of carbon black (CB) throughout the TPE mixture results in a decreased critical concentration for connectivity and enhanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance. This advancement underscores the potential of EPDM-LLDPE-VCB (ELV) composites to safeguard against electromagnetic radiation. It paves the way for their utilization in various techno-commercial applications, where a balance of mechanical strength, thermal stability, and flexibility is crucial. Graphical Abstract

The selective distribution of filler within polymer blends presents a compelling advantage, notably manifesting as a reduced percolation threshold when compared to an individual polymer matrix with a random filler dispersion. In this context, a thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) blend comprising ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), denoted as EL, has been meticulously formulated. The incorporation of varying amounts of conductive carbon black (Vulcan XC 72; VCB) into this TPE matrix has been achieved through conventional melt blending, yielding a composite material with exceptional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of -27.80 dB at 50 phr (parts per hundred rubber). This success is credited to the creation of a linked structure resulting from a dual-step percolation process. The selective distribution of carbon black (CB) throughout the TPE mixture results in a decreased critical concentration for connectivity and enhanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance. This advancement underscores the potential of EPDM-LLDPE-VCB (ELV) composites to safeguard against electromagnetic radiation. It paves the way for their utilization in various techno-commercial applications, where a balance of mechanical strength, thermal stability, and flexibility is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural rubber/styrene-butadiene rubber (NR/SBR) blends are widely used as tyre sidewall compounds; however, discrepancies in vulcanization rates and the selective distribution of vulcanization additives in SBR and NR contribute to suboptimal dynamic properties. In this study, we propose a straightforward strategy to modulate the multi-scale structure in NR/SBR blends by incorporating an ionic liquid-like deep eutectic solvent (DES) as a novel reactive vulcanization agent. The addition of DES substantially enhances the dispersion of ZnO within NR/SBR blends, accelerates the vulcanization process of SBR and the NR/SBR blend and increases their crosslinking densities. Furthermore, DES interacts with the non-rubber components of NR, facilitating the vulcanization of NR. The impact of DES on the linear and non-linear rheological behavior of NR, SBR and NR/SBR vulcanizates is minimal, except for an enhancement in weak strain overshooting. The distribution of DES within NR/SBR blends can be manipulated by varying the mixing sequence of DES with NR and SBR, while selectively positioning DES within the SBR phase may synchronise the vulcanization rates of the NR/SBR blend, thereby improving tensile strength and reducing mechanical hysteresis. This approach may provide a viable method for producing NR/SBR blend products characterised by high strength and low hysteresis energy. [Display omitted] • A deep eutectic solvent (DES) is prepared as a new reaction vulcanization agent. • DES improves the dispersion of ZnO in NR/SBR blends and accelerates their vulcanization. • DES can react with the non-rubber components of NR to promote the NR vulcanization. • The distribution of DES in SBR phase can match the vulcanization rate of NR/SBR blends. • Selective location of DES in SBR improves tensile strength and reduce mechanical hysteresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, CuO nanoparticles are pre-modified with styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers (SMAs) of different molecular weights and MAH contents. Then the pre-modified CuO nanoparticles (CuO-SMAs) are added to the PA6/SEBS (Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene copolymer) (40/60 ​wt/wt) polymer blends with a co-continuous morphology. When SMA3 (MAH ​= ​8 ​wt%, Mn ​= ​250000 ​g/mol) is used to modify CuO nanoparticles, and the grafting degree of SMA3 on the surface of CuO reaches 2.74 ​wt%, 90.71% of the added mCuO-SMA3 nanoparticles can be located at the interface of PA6 and SEBS. A porous PA6 membrane with CuO nanoparticles located at the pore walls can be obtained after the SEBS phase is etched with xylene. The catalytic reaction velocity constant (k) for the reduction of p-nitrophenol in NaBH4 solutions with the PA6/mCuO-SMA3 porous membrane can reach 1.0040 min-1. This work provides a feasible and straightforward method for the preparation of porous polymer membranes with functional nanoparticles located at the wall of the pores.

The paper analyses the legality of online sales bans in selective distribution agreements in the EU, focusing on the "luxury brand image" justification as per the CJEU judgements and the decisions of the EC and national competition authorities. The paper questions the criteria for determining what constitutes a luxury trademark, and whether it is fair to distinguish (or even discriminate) between luxury and non-luxury trademarks, considering that both should have effective control and choice of the distribution of their goods. The paper concludes that the success of the selective distribution system depends on the effective control the trademark owner exercises over it, irrespective of whether or not it is covered by the aura of luxury. The non-luxury brands currently may justify their restrictions on sales on third party platforms under the unfair competition grounds. The selective distribution system should aim at protecting trademark image, which may not necessarily be luxury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a new magnetic super-tough polypropylene (PP) composite was developed via one-step melt blending with maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene copolymer (POE-g-MAH) and reactive nano-Fe3O4. The reactive nano-Fe3O4 with polyamide (PA) tails (PA-Fe3O4) was prepared by in situ ring-opening polymerization PA with amino-modified Fe3O4. By regulating the ratio of POE-g-MAH to PA-Fe3O4, PA-Fe3O4 nanoparticles can selectively and uniformly distribute in the POE-g-MAH phase, reinforcing the POE-g-MAH phase and reducing its processing viscosity synchronously as a new plasticizer and compatibilizer. Meanwhile, a cocontinuous morphology was formed in the PP/POE-g-MAH/PA-Fe3O4 composite at a low elastomer content, contributing to the dramatically enhanced toughness of the PP matrix without deteriorating the processing flowability. In particular, adding 4 wt% PA-Fe3O4 into PP/POE-g-MAH (weight ratio: 80/20), the notched Izod impact strength of the composite reached 74.2 kJ/m2, which was enhanced by approximately 247%. In addition, these super-tough PP composites have excellent flexibility and room temperature soft magnetic performance. This study provides a novel and feasible strategy to fabricate magnetic polymer composites with excellent mechanical properties via manipulating the morphology of the composites.

Adding fumed silica (SiO2) has been considered as an effective method for tailoring the phase morphology and performance of elastomer-toughened plastic binary blends. It has been demonstrated that the selective distribution of SiO2 plays a decisive role in the mechanical properties of plastic/elastomer/SiO2 nanocomposites, especially for the impact toughness. In this work, we aim to illuminate the role of specific surface area in controlling their selective distribution of fumed SiO2 and consequent mechanical properties of plastic/elastomer binary blends. Three types of SiO2 with different specific surface areas were incorporated into polylactide/ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate (PLA/EVA) model blends by melt blending directly. It was found that the selective distribution of SiO2 is largely determined by their specific surface areas, i.e. SiO2 nanoparticles with low specific surface area has a stronger tendency to be located at the interface between PLA matrix and EVA dispersed phase as compared to those with high specific surface area. The specific surface area-dependent interfacial selective distribution of SiO2 is mainly attributed to the extent of increased viscosity of EVA dispersed phase in which SiO2 nanoparticles are initially dispersed and resultant migration rate of SiO2 nanoparticles. The interfacial localized SiO2 nanoparticles induce an obvious enhancement in the impact toughness with strength and modulus well maintained. More importantly, in the case of the same interfacial distribution, toughening efficiency is increased with the specific surface area of SiO2. Therefore, this is an optimum specific surface area of SiO2 for the toughening. This work not only provides a novel way to manipulate the selective distribution of SiO2 in elastomer-toughened plastic blends toward high-performance, but also gives a deep insight into the role of interfacial localized nanoparticles in the toughening mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastomer‐toughened PLA has incubated plenty outstanding achievements. Principally, increasing elastomer content will immolate vast rigidity in exchange for toughness. In this work, silane coupler KH550‐treated SiO2 and ENR were used to synergistically enhance and toughen PLA via dynamic vulcanization. It is found that the PLA/ENR/SiO2 TPV with balanced stiffness and toughness exhibited a bi‐continuous phase structure. Thereinto, the hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles were regulated to uniformly disperse in the ENR phase, which played an essential role in reinforcing the rubber and bracing the symmetrical rubber network, so as to toughen the PLA with retaining high stiffness at an acceptable plastic‐to‐rubber ratio. By incorporating nano‐SiO2 modified with 10 phr KH550, the TPV could obtain an impact strength of 23.7 kJ/m2 at 0°C while maintain a tensile strength of 42.1 MPa, which were 1.62‐fold and 1.03‐fold of those before modification, respectively. The synergistic enhancing and toughening mechanism of nano‐SiO2 and ENR was revealed through a series of test and analysis, which furnished a succinct and effective proposition of fabricating high‐performance PLA materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the framework of selective distribution agreements within EU competition law following the Coty Germany case and the EU Commission’s 2017 E-commerce report. It argues that the judgment removed, in essence, the limitation of sales via online platforms from the ‘by object box’. In respect of luxury goods, the ban is considered not to infringe competition law at all. In this context, the article addresses one of the judgment’s key points: what constitutes a ‘luxury good’ and evaluates to what an extent this definition can be practically applied. The authors also embark on the conditions under which the restriction is considered proportionate (when applied to non-luxury goods) and point to the risk of divergent interpretations of platform bans across member states. To illustrate the latter, several examples are given from national case-law. The considerations are completed with a brief look at problematic restrictions on the use of price comparison tools.

Polylactic acid (PLA)/thermoplastic urethane (TPU)/boron nitride (BN) composites were successfully prepared, the effect of microstructure evolution along with the compositional change and annealing treatment on the thermal conductivity of composite was investigated. Owing to the selective distribution of BN in low-viscosity TPU phase, the compactness of thermally conductive networks in PLA/TPU/BN composites was reinforced. Thereby, the thermal conductivity of PLA/TPU/BN composites was obviously improved by 21.6% at 25 wt-% BN than that of PLA/BN composites. Moreover, research on the effect of annealing treatment on the thermal conductivity of composites found that the crystallinity of PLA had been improved by the recrystallisation and the thermal conductivities of composites were enhanced. Finally, due to the possible hydrogen bonding between PLA and TPU, PLA/TPU/BN composites showed no serious deterioration in mechanical properties. This work endows new enlightenment to fabricate composites with great thermal conductivity without causing serious damage to mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive composites based on polymers and conductive nanofillers are widely studied as a promising material. The rational design of 3D conductive networks in composites is crucial to improve their electrical conductivity and reduce the dosage of nanofillers. Herein, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and polystyrene (PS) bi‐continuous structures with modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) tailored to anchor at the interface are designed to achieve an ultralow electrical percolation threshold because of the formation of a thin interfacial conductive layer. In this work, the modification of CNTs with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), which contributes to the improvement of the compatibility between PVDF and CNTs, is effective to control the distribution of CNTs in composites. It promotes the migration of CNTs from the PS phase to the interface of PVDF and PS. Consequently, the interfacial conductive layer is formed at a low CNT content, and the electrical percolation threshold of PVDF/PS/CNTs‐PMMA nanocomposites is only 0.07 vol%, having a great decrease of about 50% compared with that of PVDF/PS/CNTs nanocomposites. Thus, it is demonstrated that the distribution of CNTs can be tailored to anchor at the interface by proper chemical modification to form an interfacial conductive layer and a decrease of percolation threshold can also be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and barium titanate (BaTiO3) (BT) were simultaneously introduced into the immiscible blend poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate)/thermoplastic urethane (EVA/TPU), and the EVA/TPU/CNT/BT quaternary polymer composite blends with core–shell structured island TPU domain were successfully prepared, in which CNTs in the TPU domain act as the core and the BT spheres at the interface of the TPU and EVA act as the shell. A core–shell structured island can lead to the formation of micro‐capacitors and further accumulate electron storage owing to the incorporation of CNTs and BT; on the other hand, a BT shell can be assembled along the TPU spheres, reducing the possibility of formation of a conductive CNT network, resulting in suppressed dielectric loss. Therefore, CNTs and BT were tailor‐made into blend composites with a core–shell structured domain, which can achieve an increased dielectric constant by 176% and decreased low dielectric loss by 80% compared with the blend composites with only CNTs in the TPU domain. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is set against the Court of Justice of the European Union's (CJEU) decisions in Pierre Fabre and Coty Germany GmbH , observing that in the digital economy, price is no longer the sole important parameter of competition and that competition law therefore has to reconstruct the theoretical background required to explain the tensions contained in the design of concentrated marketplaces. As the CJEU's approach taken in Pierre Fabre and Coty shows, competition authorities and courts also need to consider the market's distinct psychological properties when they contemplate the legal framework that governs it. The article thus explains the CJEU's decisions not against the well-known debate about inter- and intrabrand competition but with reference to the notion of creating distinct types of 'variety' in the marketplace so as to enable consumers to choose not just between the alternative options that they face but also to enable them to make decisions that will shape the manner in which they think about whether they should consider alternative options at all. The article's findings aim to advance debates about the overarching policy goals of the way in which digital markets ought to be regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses recent decisions delivered by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) addressing the contemporary challenges facing selective distribution systems. It addresses the legality of restrictions of online sales imposed on distributors. In Coty, a case concerning the selective distribution of luxury products, the CJEU ruled that the restriction of using third-party platforms was compatible with competition law. In order to reach that conclusion, it relied on its trademark jurisprudence. In this regard, several issues emerge: the link between trademark and competition law and the applicability of the ruling on non-luxury products. Coty presents a departure from the CJEU's earlier judgement delivered in Pierre Fabre and different national authorities interpreted it differently. It seems that the debate over these issues is far from over. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the discussion trying to reconcile diverging decisions. It is principally based on a case-law analysis, providing critical assessment of the decisions under scrutiny (i.e. CJEU's case law and the divergent decisions delivered by different national authorities). The study is supported by an analysis of scientific legal and economic papers concerning selective distribution and e-commerce. The research shows that the outcome of the cases depends largely on the concrete factual circumstances. However, certain points appear to be relevant for all the analysed cases, i.e. the applicability of Coty to non-luxury products and the extent of restrictions that triggers the breach of competition law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Collected Papers of the Law Faculty of the University of Rijeka / Zbornik Pravnog Fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci is the property of Pravni fakultet Sveucilista u Rijeci and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There has been an on-going debate about restrictions of internet sales and vertical agreements during the last years. Producers started to impose restrictive rules for the distribution of their products via the internet, arguably due to the increase of "free-riders" negatively affecting fair price competition (as the so-called free-riders benefit from, for example, "no cost" expert advice given in brick and mortar shops). In this respect, it has been subject to controversy, whether online restrictions imposed by producers operating a selective distribution network on their retailers qualify as restrictions by object or restrictions by effect. In this respect, the European Court of Justice's judgement in Pierre Fabre as well as the German decisions in Adidas and Asics fuelled controversial debates. However, the ECJ's ruling in Coty might have shed light on restrictions of online sales in selective distribution agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the impressive growth of Internet shopping, one may wonder how the antitrust rules on selective distribution systems might fit in the context of online sales. Indeed, the online sales phenomenon has attracted significant attention in recent years in several Member States, mainly by the question on the extent to which restrictions limiting the ability of retailers to sell via online marketplaces are compatible with competition rules. No wonder the Coty Prestige judgment is so much-awaited. The ruling is expected to shape the future of EU e-commerce affecting online markets, the luxury industry and Internet platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF)/polystyrene (PS)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) ternary blends displayed a core-shell structure where HDPE was the core, PS was the shell, and this core-shell system dispersed in PVDF matrix. Here, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and ferroferric oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) was incorporated. F-F composites with MWCNTs was in PS shell and Fe 3 O 4 was in PVDF matrix and E-F composites with MWCNTs was in PS shell and Fe 3 O 4 was in HDPE core were fabricated by melt blending. It was indicated that the core-shell morphology between PS and HDPE was well retained with the incorporation of Fe 3 O 4 and MWCNTs. Both the electrical conductivity of F-F and E-F composites were similar without no obvious change with the incorporation of Fe 3 O 4 . Composites with greater than 20 dB shielding effectiveness were easy to obtain. The highest SE we observed was for the F-F composite with 1 vol% Fe 3 O 4 and 1 vol% MWCNTs was 25 dB at 9.5 GHz, and the SE was over 20 dB in the whole measured frequency(X-band). The E-F composites with SE greater than 20 dB in X-band was at 2 vol% Fe 3 O 4 and 1 vol% MWNCTs. Such effective and lightweight nanocomposites were obtained, resulting from the synergetic effect of MWCNTs and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to show what the practical implications are regarding the Commission inquiry into e-commerce sector launched on 6 May 2015. Because of their specific and dynamic nature, the application of competition law to online markets may prove challenging. Therefore, the focus will be also directed to challenges that could be faced when anti-competitive practices in e-commerce sector are strictly enforced. The question is whether traditional competition analysis may be sufficiently able to reflect the way in which competition takes place on digital markets.

We investigate the best signalling strategy for a monopoly introducing a new product with unobservable quality when second-period sales are linked to first-period ones and the firm may tailor its distribution network to exclude some consumers. When producing a high quality product rather than a low quality one is relatively costly with respect to the increase in quality, optimal signalling is by price alone. But when the cost differential is lower, it will be optimal to set a low first-period price, not to serve all would-be consumers at this price (selective distribution) and raise the price afterwards. Paradoxically, this strategy allows a larger customer base to be reached than in the case of pure price signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution considers whether a manufacturer of luxury goods, who operates a selective distribution system, may lawfully ban its appointed dealers from selling the contract goods via third-part online platforms under the EU competition rules. On the basis of an analysis of the relevant legal provisions and the existing case law, it is suggested that, while the aim of protecting a luxury image should in principle be considered a legitimate objective under Article 101 TFEU, a blanket ban that does not take into account the characteristics of the third-party platform should be deemed disproportionate. However, a ban on the use of third-party platforms should not be seen as a hardcore restriction within the meaning of Article 4 of Regulation (EU) no 330/2010, as long as the distributor has other viable options of selling the goods via the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eu 3+ /Ni 2+ co-doped transparent glass ceramic containing both hexagonal GdF 3 and spinel-like Ga 2 O 3 nano-crystals has been successfully fabricated by melt quenching and subsequent heating. The orderly precipitation of GdF 3 and Ga 2 O 3 nano-crystals was discriminated by the X-ray diffraction data and transmission electron microscopy. The incorporation of Eu 3+ ions into GdF 3 and the selective partitioning of Ni 2+ dopants in Ga 2 O 3 were evidenced by the absorption and emission spectra, luminescence decay curves, crystal field calculation, and Judd–Ofelt analysis. Benefitting from the spatial separation, the energy transfer between Eu 3+ and Ni 2+ was suppressed completely. The distribution related optical properties of Eu 3+ and Ni 2+ in glass ceramic were investigated in detailed. This work exemplifies a rational design strategy to construct novel multifunctional materials for optical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines to what extent the discriminatory application of criteria in selective distribution systems is block exempted under Regulation 330/2010. First, the author argues that discrimination is unlikely to occur within the market share thresholds of Regulation 330/2010. In addition, the point is made that Article 101 TFEU can only be used to deal with the discriminatory application of criteria in very limited scenarios. Also, arguments are presented that show there is little doubt that the Commission considers the discriminatory application of criteria as block exempted even if Regulation 330/2010 and the accompanying guidelines are not particularly clear. Finally, the author argues that the recent CJEU Auto 24 judgment allows for the discriminatory application of criteria and is equally applicable to Regulation 330/2010. The author concludes that in the context of the block exemption provided by Regulation 330/2010, a supplier is free to discriminate in the application of its selective distribution criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a model describing consumer demand for a luxury good, in which the perceived quality of the good is related to its scarcity. We use this model to analyze the optimal production and price setting decisions of a luxury good manufacturer and contrast them with the decisions that would be made by a social planner. We show that irrespective of the way social welfare is defined, a monopoly producer of the luxury good may select socially optimal prices and quantity. Thus the incentives of the monopolist and the social planner may to some extent be aligned. We also analyze whether the producer and social planner would be willing to sell the luxury good over the internet if this allowed to increase the number of potential customers for the product. We show that under reasonable assumptions the monopoly producer would not oppose the introduction of internet sales, whilst the social planner may do so, depending on the specification of the model's parameters. This result is important in the light of the recent revision by the European Commission of its Guidelines on Vertical Restrains (). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective distribution of carbon nanotubes and morphology of conductive polymer composites were very important factors to their electrical conductivity and electromagnetic waves (EMW) shielding performance. Herein, the migration behavior of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in co-continuous poly(lactic acid)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PLA/PCL) blend was investigated via pre-compounding CNTs in one phase and controlling the mixing time. Because of the higher interaction between CNTs and PCL phase, the migration of CNTs happened from PLA phase to PCL phase when CNTs were pre-mixed with PLA. Due to the viscosity enhancement of pre-compounding PCL/CNT and PLA/CNT, the matching viscosity-dependent morphology was obvious in the composites with different mixing sequences. The better viscosity matching of two polymer phases resulted in the smaller size of two phases, which had more interfaces to enhance microwave attenuation. The effect of CNTs migration and mixing rates on morphological size and EMW shielding performance of the composites were also evaluated. Specifically, the composites with pre-mixing PCL/CNT and then PLA at low shear stress exhibited the smaller size of phases and higher EMW shielding effectiveness (SE) values because of higher interfacial polarization and higher multiple reflection/scattering. [Display omitted] • Carbon nanotubes prefer to disperse in PCL phase in all the composites. • Migration of CNTs is the thermodynamic and kinetic behavior. • Interfacial driving-separating-dividing-coalescing is repeated to migrate CNTs. • Matching viscosity-dependent morphology is found in the composites. • Smaller size of phases lead to more interfaces and enhance EMW shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of retail free riding as of March 2013, focusing on an analysis of the wallpaper industry and the potential impacts of free riding on industry output in the wake of changes in the preferences of consumers. A 1990 litigation matter involving 10 wallpaper dealers and manufacturer F. Schumacher & Co. is addressed, along with Section 1 of the U.S. Sherman Antitrust Act, an alleged conspiracy, and the National Decorating Products Association Inc. group.

In this work, gradient materials with low electrical resistivity were prepared by compounding isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) blends with carbon black (CB) through extruding and injection molding. Contact angle measurements and morphology measurements showed that the CB particles were selectively located in HDPE phase and the final composites had a gradient structure that the HDPE/CB phase exhibited different morphologies in the skin layer and core layer of the composites under different processing procedures. The main factors influencing the formation of the functional gradient materials (FGM), including screw speed during extruding, iPP types and CB contents were discussed. They affect the phase morphology by shear stress, the restoration of HDPE phase, and the viscosity ratio of polymer blends, respectively. In conclusion, iPP/HDPE/CB FGM could be formed easily in the composites blending with the iPP type with narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) and higher CB content extruded at higher screw speed. The electrical properties of iPP/HDPE/CB composites were studied and the results showed that screw speed in extrusion significantly influenced the percolation curve and electrical property of the final composites. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The selective distribution of aluminum borate whisker in isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) blends was studied. For iPP/sPP/whisker composites, whiskers are distributed in iPP phase, which follow the theory of interfacial tension. When Irganox 1010 is introduced into the composites, the distribution of whiskers is changed from iPP phase to sPP phase. The results of contact angle tests indicate that the characteristics of the whisker surface are modified by Irganox 1010 and the interactions between the whisker and the matrix are dominated by van der Waals type power law. An entropy-penalty process dominates the change of distribution of whiskers in the composites. The DMA tests show that the loss modulus of composites is improved when whiskers distribute in sPP phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Morphological transformation only occurs in polymer blends via changing their components, which can be utilized to form double percolation structures. However, the weight percentage of either polymer in the blend generally ranges from 40 wt% to 60 wt%, which does not favor the construction of a densely conductive path. Herein, a double percolation structure had been successfully constructed in a polylactide-polycaprolactone (PLA/PCL) blend with only 30 wt% PCL by adding silicon dioxide (SiO 2) to the PLA phase. The added SiO 2 effectively strengthens the viscosity and elasticity of the PLA phase, which results in the morphological transformation of the PCL phase from segregated to continuous. In the blend, multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were selectively distributed in the PCL phase to construct a more efficient conductive network, which brings about an enormous increase in conductivity for the nanocomposites. The electrical conductivity of PLA/PCL nanocomposite increases from 1.19 × 10−14 S/m to 4.57 × 10−4 S/m with the addition of 1.0 wt% MWCNTs and 6.0 wt% SiO 2. The percolation threshold of the MWCNTs in the nanocomposite (0.11 wt%, i.e. 0.06 vol%) is 125% lower than that without SiO 2 (0.28 wt%, i.e. 0.14 vol%). Furthermore, the nanocomposites with SiO 2 were found to exhibit an electromagnetic interference (EMI) of approximately 26 dB with only 3.0 wt% MWCNTs, which means it can block 99.997% of microwaves. This study would provide a critical method to design eco-friendly nanocomposites with ultralow percolate threshold and excellent EMI shielding. The addition of SiO2 can change the viscosity ratio of PLA:PCL, then the morphology inversion occurs. The PCL (30 wt%) phase change from segregated to continue, and the MWCNTs was selectively dispersed in the PCL phase so that the conductive polymer nanocomposites with low percolation threshold and excellent EMI was achieved. [Display omitted] • A low percolation threshold of CPCs with excellent EMI was achieved. • It is first time to use the SiO 2 to alter the morphology and form the conductive network. • The MWCNTS was selectively dispersed in the PCL phase (30 wt%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reinforced polymer blend is a well-practiced area of interest adopted by materials scientist throughout the world due to its tunable end properties. The present study has been fueled by developing an immiscible thermoplastic elastomeric blend (polystyrene/ethylene-co- methyl acrylate copolymer) with loading of conducting carbon black (Vulcan XC 72); an overworked conductive clustered carbon filler. The work emphasized selective dispersion of carbon particulates in one phase (ethylene-co-methyl acrylate copolymer) resulting lowering of electrical percolation and excellent EMI shielding effectiveness in low loading. The conductive blend was also cross-checked to establish their superiority in physico-mechanical, rheological behaviors and thermal stability. The microscopic analysis has implied dispersed islands of clustered carbon particles inside blend ensuing path for electronic hopping. The segregated microstructure also has been correlated to their frequency dependent conductivity, skin depth analysis and EMI shielding measurement. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D-printer based on digital-light-processing (DLP) was used to build a 3D foam containing graphene nanopowder (GNP) as a thermally conductive filler. 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) was used as a UV-curable resin because of its low viscosity and high fidelity during printing. Foam-shaped GNP-containing HDDA was placed in a disc-shaped Teflon mold, followed by infiltration of epoxy and thermal curing. The construction of a 3D heat path was achieved by selective GNP particle distribution on the HDDA matrix. According to the GNP filler fraction of the foam-shaped composite, epoxy composite with random GNP filler distribution was also fabricated, to investigate the effect of selective to random GNP distribution and the presence of a 3D heat path on thermal conductivity enhancement. When 1.93 wt% GNP was selectively distributed, the composite exhibited about 14.6% higher thermal conductivity compared to samples with random GNP distribution. The enhanced thermal conductivity could be attributed to efficient heat transfer through the heat path constructed inside the polymer matrix. • HDDA/GNP composite with foam structure was fabricated with 3D printer. • 3D heat transfer path was achieved by selective GNP particle distribution on the HDDA matrix. • HDDA/GNP was incorporated with epoxy matrix. • Selective distributed composite shows higher thermal conductivity than random distributed composite sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of commercial thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) have been widely used in many fields. In this work, a shape memory polymer (SMP) was fabricated based on co-continuous polylactide (PLA)/natural rubber (NR)/silica (SiO 2) TPVs. Selective distribution of SiO 2 nanoparticles was achieved with the impact of thermodynamic factor and different processing methods, and the influence on shape memory behavior was investigated as well. The results demonstrated that the co-continuous structure functioned actively in both shape fixity and recovery. The PLA phase played the role of "switch" to control the shape memory behavior, while the deformation of continuous rubber network stored sufficient resilience and successfully drove the shape recovery process. Excellent shape fixing ratio (~100%) and shape recovery ratio (>90%) were obtained when SiO 2 nanoparticles were distributed in NR phase. The addition of SiO 2 nanoparticles reinforced the rubber phase and the recovery ratio was effectively improved. Image 104891 • The co-continuous structure of the TPVs was beneficial to shape memory behavior. • The influence of different distribution of SiO 2 nanoparticles on the shape memory effect was investigated. • SiO 2 nanoparticles reinforced the rubber phase by providing stronger driving force for shape recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we successfully designed remotely, locally thermal/magnetic/light triggered shape memory biobased polylactide/epoxidized natural rubber thermoplastic vulcanizates (PLA/ENR TPVs) via regulating the distribution of ferriferrous oxide (Fe 3 O 4). The TPVs exhibited novel bicontinuous structure, which played a vital role in shape memory effect (SME). The distribution of Fe 3 O 4 in the TPVs was regulated by changing the feeding sequence of Fe 3 O 4 during the dynamic vulcanization. Exhilaratingly, when Fe 3 O 4 was selectively distributed in the ENR phase, the biobased TPVs exhibited the highest R f (~99%) and R r (>90%) even after five cycles because of the impeccable structure and reinforcement of ENR. Meanwhile, the TPVs also exhibited super-toughness (88.06 kJ/m2) without sacrificing its tensile strength. Moreover, the incorporation of Fe 3 O 4 provided the TPVs with remotely/locally triggered SME, in which the TPVs could quickly recover to their initial shape in an alternating magnetic field or under near-infrared light (808 nm), which showed great potential in intelligent medical devices. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]