1993-05-24 Assigned to THORETEC LABORATORIES CORPORATION reassignment THORETEC LABORATORIES CORPORATION RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENTS FOR DETAILS) RECORDED ON REEL 5360 FRAME 535 Assignors: INTERMEDICS, INC.
Novel linear polysiloxane-polyacetone block copolymers are useful as surface modifying additives due in part to their miscibility with a wide variety of base polymers. A particularly preferred polysiloxane-polycaprolactone linear blocked copolymer is miscible with nylon and is useful for forming surface modified nylon products.
This is a division of Ser. No. 290,822, filed Dec. 22, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,595 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 011,542, filed Feb. 6, 1987, now abandoned, which in turn is a division of Ser. No. 688,788, filed Jan. 4, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,413.
The present invention relates to linear polysiloxane-polylactone block copolymers. A lactone is reacted with a linear, hydroxy or amino-terminated polysiloxane oligomer in the presence of a catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,458 discloses lactone-silicone block copolymers useful as surfactants and/or as foam stabilizers in the manufacture of foamed, cellular polyurethane materials. The copolymers described therein appear to be non-linear graft structures which apparently are not readily modifiable to form thermoplastic or linear block copolymers. The purpose of the foam stabilizer as taught in that patent is to assist in the production of foam during the formulation of the foam composition and to prevent the collapse of the foam until the foam product has developed sufficient gel strength to become self-supporting.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,356 discloses organosiloxane polyamide block copolymers alleged to be useful as additives to nylon products to impart a lower coefficient of friction to the nylon and to impart improved bonding characteristics of the nylon to glass.
French Pat. No. 2,168,221 apparently discloses the production of polycaprolactone-polysiloxane blocks by reacting an isocyanate-terminated polycaprolactone with a siloxane. However, the chemistry as described in the French patent would not appear to result in the described products.
None of the additives disclosed in the above-discussed patents are disclosed as being useful for modifying the surface properties of a variety of other polymers (base polymers) when used in blends. Furthermore, none of the additives disclosed in these patents may be permanently incorporated into a linear polymer system useful for modifying surface properties of that system. Therefore, there is a need to discover additives which can be used to blend with base polymers, which base polymers have known and desirable physical and bulk characteristics for specific purposes, but which have surface properties, which for one or more reasons, render them impractical or useless for other applications. For example, there are many polymers which have physical and bulk properties which would render them useful for prosthetic devices, catheters, or other items which could be implanted in the human body. However, the surface characteristics of most polymers are not compatible over a long term in a biological environment, such as when in constant contact with blood. Another example of this problem is in the field of water repellent synthetic textiles for recreation or industrial clothing. While most synthetic polymers are hydrophobic and therefore the coatings would repel water, it would also be desirable for the textile to have sufficient anti-blocking characteristics to provide facile slippage of one piece of fabric over another. There are many other examples where the bulk and physical characteristics of a particular polymer might make it desirable for certain uses, particularly in view of the fact that most polymers are relatively inexpensive to make compared to other construction materials, but where the polymers are rendered inapplicable due to their surface properties.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel class of linear polysiloxane-polylactone block copolymers which may be used as additives to modify other polymers (base polymers) rendering a blend thereof useful for various applications.
It is another object to provide novel linear polysiloxanepolylactone block copolymers which are useful as prepolymers for chemical incorporation in situ into base polymers during polymerization to form such base polymers.
The present invention describes linear polysiloxane-polylactone block copolymers which are useful as surface modifying additives when blended with polyurethanes, polyureas, polyvinylchloride, polyamides, epoxy or phenoxy resins, polyesters, polyester-polyether copolymer acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins, polycarbonates, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, polymethyl methacrylates, polyolefins, and many other polymeric materials. The linear polysiloxane-polylactone block copolymers of the present invention may also, for example, be further reacted with diisocyanates and other commonly employed polyether or polyester soft segments, and with low molecular weight diols or diamines to produce segmented, thermoplastic polyurethanes (ureas).
Also, the block copolymers according to the present invention can be reacted into epoxy resins cured with anhydrides through pre-reacting the linear block copolymers with the anhydride. These are useful as surface-modifying additives and to decrease water uptake in the epoxy resins. Furthermore, the copolymers according to the present invention can be reacted into polyamides derived from ε-caprolactam through pre-reacting the linear block copolymers with a diisocyanate to provide useful surface-modifying additives. Additionally, the copolymers according to the present invention are useful as additives to polyethylene terephthalate to increase the crystalization rate.
The present invention provides a novel class of polysiloxane-polyacetone copolymers useful in producing miscible blends with a large variety of polymers. This class of copolymers is also useful as precursors for further reaction to form preform oligomers into thermoplastic or thermoset block copolymers. Other uses include that of nucleating agents, mold releasing agents for releasing molded products from the molds, and as epoxy network modifiers to modify the surfaces of epoxy resins to alter their coefficients of friction, to decrease water sorption, and/or to improve toughness.
R8 and R10 are independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
It has been found that linear block copolymers having the above-described formula I are unexpectedly miscible with a wide variety of polymers, and in particular, with a side variety of commercially and industrially important polymers. The linear block copolymers according to the present invention, when blended with a base polymer, will not significantly alter the bulk and physical properties of the base polymer but will impart desirable and controllable surface properties to the base polymer.
The linear copolymers according to the present invention are characterized as block copolymers. By the term block is meant that there is at least one repeating monomeric unit in the copolymer which repeats on the order of about 10 to 200 times. In particular, this means that in the formula given above, either n, m, or v must be of magnitude sufficient to define a block.
Referring to the formula above, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, haloalkyl or haloalkenyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aryl of 5 to 7 carbon atoms or aralkyl of 6 to 8 carbon atoms. Exemplary alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, and the like. Exemplary alkenyl groups are ethenyl, 1-prop-2-enyl, and the like. For the haloalkyl and haloalkenyl groups, the halo group is preferably fluoro. Illustrative haloalkyl groups are trifluoromethyl 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl, and the like. Representative haloalkenyl groups are 1,2-difluoroprop-1-enyl, and the like. Illustrative aryl groups are phenyl and substituted-phenyl. Representative aralkyl groups are benzyl, 2-phenylethyl, and the like. Preferably R1, R2, R3 and R4 are alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Most preferably, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are methyl.
The moieties A and A' are derived from a lactone which is used as a starting materials for forming the copolymers of the present invention. Thus, if an ε-caprolactone is used as a starting material, then p is the formulas A and A' will be 4 and R6 will be hydrogen. This is the preferred moiety for A and A'. The group R6 may, however, be other linear or branched alkyl groups of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, propyl and the like. The integer m may be of a magnitude which describes a block as described above, however, if there is at least one other block in the copolymer, then m may be as low as 1.
A preferred class of compounds are those in which R5 and R5 ' are the groups --R7 --O--. The group R7 may be a linear alkylene group --(CH2)--g, where q is an integer from 1 to 20; or R7 may be cycloalkylen-1,4-yl, or a linear polyalkylene ether of the formula --CH2 --t --O--CH2 --r --v O--CH2 --w where r, t and w are independently integers from 1 to 6 and v is an integer from 1 to about 100. Preferably, R7 is a linear alkylene group wherein q is an integer from 1 to 20. A second class of preferred R5 and R5 ' groups are --R7 --NR8 --. The group R7 will be as defined above. The compounds where R7 is a linear alkylene group wherein q is an integer from 1 to 20 is preferred. The substituent R8 may be hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, n-propyl, butyl, t-butyl and the like. Preferably, R8 is hydrogen.
The groups R5 and R5 ' may also be ##STR6## wherein R9 and R11 are defined as the same group of substituents for R7 above. The group R10 may be hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, n-propyl, t-butyl and the like. Preferably R10 is hydrogen and R9 and R11 are independently linear alkylene groups wherein q is an integer from 1 to 20.
The preformed oligomer (II) will be terminated with either hydroxyl or amine end groups. The degree of polymerization to form the block copolymers according to the present invention may be controlled by the ratio of the number of moles of the lactone monomer (III) to the functional end groups on the prepolymer (II). The weight percent composition of the block copolymers according to the present invention will be determined by the weight percent of lactone monomer (III) used relative to the weight percent of preformed oligomer (II).
The block copolymers according to the present invention may be formed by the reaction of the lactone (III) with a polysiloxane oligomer (II) in the presence of a catalyst. An anhydrous lactone (III) and the oligomer (II) will be treated in a reaction vessel in the absence of a solvent, in most cases, and in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature usually in the range of about 50° to 200° C., preferably in the range of about 70° to 180° C., and most preferably in the range of about 70° to 140° C., for a period of time sufficient to effect the polymerization. Optionally, a solvent for the monomer (III) and/or oligomer (II) may be employed to control viscosity and/or reaction rate.
Method for forming the oligomers (II) are well known and may be readily prepared by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, see McGrath et al., Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. (1984), 50, 518-22; Sormani et al., Polym. Prep. (1984), 25 (1), 227-9; McGrath, J. E., Riffler, J. S., Banthia, A. K., Yilgor, I. and Wilkes, G. L., ACS Symposium Series No. 212, Initiation of Polymerization (1983), 145-72; and Yilgor et al., Polym. Bull. (1982), 8 (11-12), 535-42.
The linear block copolymers according to the present invention may be used as surface modifying additives when blended with various types of base polymers, such as polyurethanes, polyureas, polyvinylchloride, polyamides, epoxy or phenoxy resins, polyesters, polyester-polyether copolymers acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), styreneacrylonitrile (SAN) resins, polycarbonates, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, polymethyl methacrylates, polyolefins, polylactones, and the like. Also the linear block copolymers according to the present invention may be reacted with diisocyanates and other commonly employed polyether and polyester soft segments together with low molecular weight diols or diamines to produce segmented, thermoplastic polyurethanes. Such segmented, thermoplastic polyurethanes may be used as additives for modifying surface properties of base polymers, or may be used alone to form products having desirable surface properties. Also, the block copolymers according to the present invention can be reacted into epoxy resins cured with anhydrides through pre-reacting the linear block copolymers with the anhydride. These are useful as surface-modifying additives and to decrease water uptake in the epoxy resins. Furthermore, the copolymers according to the present invention can be reacted into polyamides derived from ε-caprolactam through pre-reacting the linear block copolymers with a diisocyanate to provide useful surface-modifying additives. Additionally, the copolymers according to the present invention are useful as additives to polyethylene terephthalate to increase the crystalization rate.
For example, the polymers according to the present invention may be used as nucleating agents, or as mold releasing interfaces according to the present invention may also be used to modify epoxy networks in order to modify their surface coefficients of friction, to decrease their water uptake, or to rubber-toughen these networks. The polymers according to the present invention are also useful as modifiers for polyvinylchloride and nylon to impart desirable surface characteristics to those polymers.
The results above demonstrate that linear block copolymers having polysiloxane and polylactone segments can be prepared. The resulting materials are demonstrated to be useful in blends with a variety of commercially available homopolymers, including nylon, for the surface modification thereof. Additionally, the block copolymers described herein can be chemically incorporated into thermoplastic systems such as, but not limited to, segmented polyurethanes, polyureas, and nylon, and into thermoset systems such as anhydride cured epoxy resins.
To prepare polymers having modified surface properties, various methods may be utilized. For example, a base polymer may be melt blended using as an additive a copolymer according to the present invention.
Alternatively, the copolymer according to the present invention may be added to the monomeric materials from which the base polymer will be formed. Then, by polymerizing the monomeric materials of the base polymer in the presence of the additive according to the present invention, a physical mixture of a base copolymer and an additive will be formed. This latter method may be used for forming a surface modified nylon wherein the monomer materials for forming nylon are polymerized in the presence of a linear block copolymer according to the present invention. This method is also the preferred method for forming surface modified amine cured epoxy resins. For nylon, a preferred class of additives comprise those of formula (I) wherein R5 ' is --R7 O--, R5 is --OR7 --, and R7 is --CH2 --q.
By a third method, a polysiloxane/polylactone block copolymer may be used as a prepolymer so that, when mixed with monomeric materials of the base polymer during polymerization of the base polymer, the block copolymer is chemically incorporated into the base polymer. Thus, by mixing block copolymers of formula (I) with monomer starting materials for the base polymer which also react with the ends of the block copolymers, such as, diisocyanates and low molecular weight diols and/or diamines or anhydrides, the block copolymers may be chemically bonded to the base polymer. This is a preferred method for forming modified polyurethanes or polyurea/urethanes where the block copolymer is chemically linked to the base polymer by urethane or urea groups. It is also a preferred method for preparing anhydride cured epoxy resins and for modification of cast nylon. Particularly preferred prepolymers are those of formula (I) where R5 ' is --R7 O--, R5 is --OR7 -- and R7 is --CH2 --q.
The advantages of the polymers according to the present invention may be more readily appreciated by reference to the following examples.
20.4 of distilled ε-caprolactone and 4.0 of a hydroxybutyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane of an Mn of 2300 g/mole by titration were charged to a reaction vessel under dry nitrogen and heated to 150° C. 0.03 g stannous octanoate was added and the 150° C. temperature was maintained for two hours with mechanical agitation. It was observed that the reaction mixture was opaque at the beginning of the reaction and that after 40 minutes, the solution cleared. Within the two hour reaction time, the polymer became very viscous and the monomer had disappeared as evidenced by GPC. The reaction mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature where it was transformed to a hard, crystalline, opaque solid very light in color. GPC showed the number average molecular weight of the block copolymer to be 16700 g/mole. Differential scanning calorimetry showed a Tm of 59° C. corresponding to the polycaprolactone blocks. The material was analyzed for composition by NMR and was found to be 16 weight percent polysiloxane and 84 weight percent polycaprolactone.
18 g of distilled ε-caprolactone and 18 g of a hydroxybutyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane of an Mn of 2300 g/mole by titration were charged to a reaction vessel under dry nitrogen and heated to 75° C. 0.045 g stannous octanoate was added at the 75° C. temperature was maintained for three hours. Subsequently the temperature was held at 140° C. for three hours. It was observed that the reaction mixture was an opaque, immiscible blend at the start of the reaction which progressively became clearer during the high temperature step. The resulting product was a clear, viscous, melt which cooled to a hard, opaque, solid. GPC showed a Gaussian shaped unimodal curve corresponding to a low molecular weight polymer. Differential scanning calorimetry showed a Tg at -119° C. corresponding to the polydimethylsiloxane segment and a Tm at 60° C. corresponding to the polycaprolactone blocks. The material was analyzed for composition using proton NMR and was found to be 50 weight percent polysiloxane and 50 weight percent polycaprolactone.
20 g of distilled ε-caprolactone and 4 g of an aminopropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane of an Mn of 2300 g/mole by titration were charged to a reaction vessel under dry nitrogen and heated to 75° C. 0.03 g stannous octanoate was added and the 75° C. temperature was maintained for two hours. Subsequently, the temperature was increased to 140° C. and held at that temperature for an additional two hours. It was observed that the reaction mixture was a colorless, opaque, immiscible mixture at the start of the reaction. During the low temperature step, the material began to clear and turned a light yellow color. During the high temperature step, the mixture continued to become clear. The final product was a clear, viscous, light yellow melt which cooled to a hard, opaque solid. GPC showed the number average molecular weight of the product to be 19000 g/mole. Differential scanning calorimetry showed a Tm of 60° C. corresponding to the polycaprolactone segments. The product was analyzed for composition by proton NMR and was found to be 18 weight percent polydimethyl-siloxane and 85 weight percent polycaprolactone.
To a nitrogen purged reaction vessel equipped with a condenser and a magnetic stirring bar and heated with a silicone oil bath, charge 50 g (0.049 moles) of an aminopropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane and 22.24 g (0.195 moles) ε-caprolactone and heat to 140° C. Maintain the temperature for 2 hours. Strip the excess ε-caprolactone monomer from the reaction mixture at 110° C. and approximately 1 torr. This yields a yellow oil (65.7 g) essentially free from amine groups by titration. The IR spectrum prominently shows the appearance of amide I and II bands at 1650 cm-1 and 1545 cm-1, respectively.
19.4 g (0.17 moles) dry caprolactam and 0.1430 g (3.5×10-3 moles NaH) of a 55-60% dispersion of NaH in mineral oil were charged to a reaction vessel under dry nitrogen at 112° C. 19.8 g (0.175 moles) dry caprolactam, 0.50 ml (3.5 ×10-3 moles) toluene diisocyanate and 0.8 g (approximately 1.7×10-4 moles) of a difunctional, linear, hydroxyl terminated polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer (A-B-A architecture, 50% polysiloxane/50% polycaprolactone) were charged to a second reaction vessel under dry nitrogen at 77° C. Each mixture was allowed to react at the respective temperatures for 1/2 hour. Each mixture remained transparent throughout the 1/2 hour period. After the 1/2 hour of reaction, the two mixtures were mixed and charged to a third reaction vessel at 160° C. The 160° C. temperature was maintained for one hour. The final reaction mixture was initially transparent and became opaque as polymerization proceeded.
16.8 g (0.15 moles) dry caprolactam and 0.1463 g (3.5×10-3 moles NaH) of a 55-60% dispersion of NaH in mineral oil were charged to a reaction vessel under dry nitrogen at 112° C. 18.0 g (0.16 moles) dry caprolactam, 0.50 ml (3.5×10-3 moles) toluene diisocyanate and 1.45 g (approximately 3.15×10-4 moles) of a difunctional, linear, hydroxyl terminated polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer (A-B-A architecture, 50% polysiloxane/50% polycaprolactone) were charged to a second reaction vessel under dry nitrogen at 77° C. Each mixture was allowed to react at the respective temperatures for 1/2 hour. Each mixture remained transparent throughout the 1/2 hour period. After the 1/2 hour of reaction, the two mixtures were mixed and charged to a third reaction, the two mixtures were mixed and charged to a third reaction vessel at 160° C. The 160° C. temperature was maintained for 1/2 hour. The final reaction mixture was initially transparent and became opaque as polymerization proceeded.
18.3 g (0.16 moles) dry caprolactam and 0.1710 g (4.1×10-3 moles NaH) of a 55-60% dispersion of NaH in mineral oil were charged to a reaction vessel under dry nitrogen at 112° C. 19.3 g (0.17 moles) dry caprolactam, 0.50 ml (3.5×10-3 moles) toluene diisocyanate and 4.50 g (approximately 9.8×10-4 moles) of a difunctional, linear, hydroxyl terminated polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer (A-B-A architecture, 50% polysiloxane/50% polycaprolactone) were charged to a second reaction vessel under dry nitrogen at 77° C. Each mixture was allowed to react at the respective temperature for 1/2 hour. Each mixture remained transparent throughout the 1/2 hour period. After the 1/2 hour of reaction, the two mixtures were mixed and charged to a third reaction vessel at 160° C. The 160° C. temperature was maintained for one hour. The final reaction mixture was initially transparent and became opaque as polymerization proceeded.
A round-bottomed flask equipped with a nitrogen inlet and drying tube is charged with 3 g (4.24×10-4 moles) of a polydimethylsiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer (36% polysiloxane) and 1.50 ml (1.05×10-2 moles) toluene diisocyanate. This mixture is reacted at 85°-95° C. with agitation for 1/2hour. Then 26.3 g (0.233 moles) dried caprolactam is added and the same temperature is maintained for 1/2 hour more. The reaction mixture should remain clear and homogeneous throughout the time period. Meanwhile, a second round-bottomed flask equipped with a nitrogen inlet and drying tube is charged with 24.76 g (0.219 moles) dried caprolactam and 0.52 g (approx. 0.012 moles sodium hydride) of a 55-60% sodium hydride dispersion in mineral oil. This mixture is reacted at 85°-95° C. for 1/2 hour. Subsequently, the two reaction mixtures are combined and reacted in a preheated mold for 1 hour at 165° C. A clear, homogeneous solution is obtained upon combination of the two reaction mixtures which solidifies to a crystalline solid upon reaction of the ε-caprolactam.
A flask equipped with nitrogen flow and a drying tube is charged with 1 g (4.38×10-4 moles) of a linear, hydroxybutyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane oligomer and 1.5 ml (1.05×10-2 moles) toluene diisocyanate. This mixture is reacted for 11/2 hours at 90°-95° C., to produce a clear, homogeneous reaction mixture. Then 29.75 g (0.263 moles) dried ε-caprolactam monomer is added. This mixture remained nonhomogeneous up to 130° C. for 6 hours. This example shows that polysiloxane oligomers capped with toluene diisocyanate are immiscible with ε-caprolactam monomer and, hence, cannot be used to modify poly(ε-caprolactam) via this procedure.
17.60 g (70.3 mmoles) 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 99.67 g (48.7 moles) polytetra-methylene oxide, 2.43 g (1.5 mmoles) of the caprolactone capped polydimethylsiloxane of EXAMPLE 4 and 250 ml dimethylformamide were charged to a resin kettle equipped with a mechanical agitator, nitrogen inlet, dropping funnel, and condenser with a drying tube. The reaction mixture was heated to 45° C. and the temperature was maintained for 11/2 hours. The clear, colorless solution became viscous over the 11/2 hour period.
The heat was subsequently removed and the mixture was diluted with 450 ml additional dimethylformamide. 1.21 g (20.2 mmoles) ethylene diamine was weighed into 28 ml dimethylformamide in the addition funnel and this solution was added slowly to the prepolymer mixture over approximately 1/2 hour. The reaction was agitated for 1 hour following the final ethylene diamine addition. A clear, colorless, viscous solution resulted.
A transparent film cast from this solution showed an initial modulus of 722±23 psi, a tensile strength of 5577±140 psi, and an elongation at break of 941±17%.
To a nitrogen purged flask is added 50 g (0.025 moles) polytetramethylene oxide. 30 g (0.004 moles) of a polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer (35% polysiloxane by weight), 10.21 g p,p'-diisocyanatodiphenylmethane (0.041 moles), and 100 ml dry dimethylformamide. The mixture of heated to 85°-100° C. and maintained at that temperature with agitation over a 1-hour period. Subsequently, the reaction mixture is allowed to cool to 30°-40° C., then 300 ml additional DMF is added. Immediately following the DMF charge, 0.53 ml (0.008 moles) ethylene diamine is added. The remaining 0.25 ml (0.0037 moles) ethylene diamine is then added incrementally over a 40-minute period. This yielded a transparent elastomeric polyurethane(urea) with an initial modulus of 313±20 psi, a tensile strength of 1816 ±95 psi and an ultimate elongation of 1480±49%.
Two other polysiloxane/polyurethane(urea) block copolymers were synthesized under similar conditions except the mole ratios shown in Table 1 were used. Corresponding mechanical properties of the resulting polymers are also given in Table 1.
A round-bottomed flask equipped with a nitrogen purge and drying tube is charged with 7.5 g (1.06×10-3 moles) of a polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer, 7.5 g (0.051 moles) phthalic anhydride, and 10 ul N,N-dimethylbenzylamine. The mixture is reacted at 120° C. for 4 hours. Meanwhile, 25 g (approx. 0.055 moles) Shell Epon resin 828 and 12.25 g (0.083 moles) phthalic anhydride is heated to 130° C. in a separate container and agitate this mixture until it forms a homogenous melt. The two reaction mixtures are combined with 40 ul N,N-dimethylbenzylamine catalyst and immediately transferred to a mold. The composition is cured for 2 hours at 120° C., then for 4 hours at at 143° C. The thermoset product was yellow in color and clear. It released from an aluminum mold easily without the use of an external mold release.
A round-bottomed flask is charged with 3 g (1.31×10-3 moles) of a linear, hydroxybutyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, 7.5 g (0.051 moles) phthalic anhydride, and 10 ul N,N-dimethylbenzylamine catalyst. The reaction mixture was immiscible. This example shows that this reaction does not work if a polydimethylsiloxane oligomer is used as the oligomeric modifier.
Isothermal differential scanning calorimetry scans were run on both unmodified polyethylene terephthalate and on polyethylene terephthalate modified with 67.7% of a polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer of a weight composition of 16% polysiloxane/85% polyester. Each sample was heated at 20K/minute to 550K and held isothermally at 550K for 10 minutes in order to remove any effects due to previous thermal history. Each was then cooled at 160K/minute to 471K where isothermal crystalization rates were measured. Both samples reached the same maximum crystalization levels but the rates were differed. The unmodified sample underwent two crystalization stages. The primary step occurred over a 45-second period and accounted for approximately 44% of the maximum level of crystallinity. The secondary stage was much slower. The time to 85% of maximum crystallinity was 203 seconds, full crystallinity was developed in 308 seconds. By contrast, the polysiloxane/polycaprolactone modified material only showed one crystalization stage reaching 85% of its maximum value in 83 seconds and maximum crystallinity in 262 seconds.
This example shows that the addition of a polysiloxane/polycaprolactone block copolymer modifier to polyethylene terephthalate increases the crystalization rate of polyethylene terephthalate.
R8, and R10 are independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said monomer starting materials comprise monomer starting materials for nylon.
4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said monomer starting materials comprise monomer starting materials for an amine curable epoxy resin.
5. A method according to claim 2 wherein said monomer starting materials comprise monomer starting materials for an anhydride curable epoxy resin.
6. A polymer blend produced according to the method of claim 2.
7. A polymer blend produced according to the method of claim 3.
8. A polymer blend produced according to the method of claim 4.
9. A polymer blend produced according to the method of claim 5.
whereby said polysiloxane-polyactone second polymer is chemically linked to said first polymer by urethane, urea linking groups or by ester linking groups.
11. A modified polymer produced according to the method of claim 10.
12. The method according to claim 10 wherein said monomer starting materials comprise diisocyanates and low molecular weight difunctional components selected from the group consisting of diols and diamines.
14. A modified polyurethane or polyurea/urethane produced according to the method of claim 12 or 13.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said starting materials comprise epoxy resins and anhydrides.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein said starting materials comprise cyclic amides and diisocyanates.


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Yuk Foo
by Wolf Alice
Album: Visions of a Life (2017)
Songfacts®:
A raging Ellie Roswell barely pauses for breath on this sweary grunge tune as she shouts:
You bore me, you bore me to death, you deplore me, and I don't give a s--t
Roswell described the song to NME as, "like a vomit of emotion. I was angry about a lot of things when I wrote that song, and it was meant as a 'f--k you' to the expectations people place on you, whether that's as a friend, a lover or an artist."
The song was released as the lead single from Visions of a Life. "We weren't out to shock people by going, 'Look how heavy we sound now!' It wasn't anything like that," Roswell said. "It was actually one of the funnest songs on the album to record. It's not meant to be taken completely seriously."
Some fans took the song's lyrics literally, but Ellie Rowsell isn't saying that she wants to sleep with all her friends, it's just her expressing her anger.
"The song is about being full of rage, and you exaggerate things massively when you're in that kind of state," she explained to The Independent, adding, "there aren't enough songs about how you feel about your friends. Friendship's far more complicated than a romantic relationship, isn't it?"
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Ozzy Osbourne's "Shot In The Dark" is titled after a Pink Panther movie.
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If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Il doppio del torneo di tennis Brest Challenger 2002, facente parte dell'ATP Challenger Series, ha avuto come vincitori Ben Ellwood e Stephen Huss che hanno battuto in finale Jonathan Erlich e Andy Ram 6-1, 6-4.

Teste di serie

 Julian Knowle /  Michael Kohlmann (primo turno)
 František Čermák /  Ota Fukárek (semifinali)

 Jonathan Erlich /  Andy Ram (finale)
 Jordan Kerr /  Grant Silcock (primo turno)

Tabellone

Collegamenti esterni

Brest Challenger 2002

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Q: Receive SMS messages by web application We are building a web app that should be able to receive SMS messages and store the information contained in it in database.
Which methods have you used? Which service providers are out there that can assist?

A: http://www.clickatell.com/ are massive and it works exactly like it says on the tin.  You pay for a phone number and sms messages sent to that end up hitting a URL on your site to deliver them just like someone posting a form.

A: I'd recommend using a service such as TextMarks. TextMarks is free, and lets you pick a keyword for your service that allows users to route messages to you through TextMarks' shared short code, 41411. The only catch here is that they reserve 20 characters in each message for short advertisements to pay for their services.
If you ever outgrow their ad-sponsored services, you can upgrade to a premium version that doesn't include ads.

A: Another (cheaper) alternative is to have your users send text messages to an email address like sms@yourapp.com.  Then you can have a background thread that's looking at the email account and puts the messages into the database.
I've implemented and tested this approach with major US carriers with everything from smart phones to pay-as-you-go "crappy" phones without a hitch.
When the user sends the SMS to your email address you get the SMS email gateway address (e.g. 8055551234@vtext.net) so you can send response messages.
The only downside is that it's a bit more difficult to find the "send to email address" options on most phones, but it is (basically) free for you.  This is especially helpful for reducing costs while testing out workflows.  Those ~3 cents for each SMS add up pretty quickly, especially during automated testing.
When you want to support SMS numbers you can configure most SMS gateways to send an email to an address, so you won't have to change your infrastructure to support a "real" SMS messages.

A: I haven't done it yet, but I guess you could also setup an Asterisk system on your server, then get a regular VOIP acccount (which Asterisk hooks into) and configure the Asterisk server to forward all SMS to your application. This article might help setting up the Asterisk server.

A: I've had experience using MX Telecom as an SMS Gateway. Essentially they posted data to our web service every time we received an incoming SMS. The application in question was also sending SMS messages as well and we just did an http GET to a web page of theirs.
I can't speak to the business end (i.e. cost), as I was just in charge of implementing the features - but working with an SMS gateway is really very simple from a development perspective.

A: +1 on sebastian i was jsut writting pretty much the same
if you are working with ruby you might want to have a look at adhearsion

A: You can use SMS gateway software which will receive SMS messages through a GSM modem or 3G dongle connected to a PC and POST them to your website via HTTP. Eg: this software

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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The One Potentially Fatal Flaw with Basic Economy Airfares — Exacerbated
United Airlines released details of its new Basic Economy airfares which it intends on offering to its customers as its business model continues to emulate that of Delta Air Lines, whose basic economy airfares have been around for a few years — but the restrictions of this new airfare exacerbates the one potentially fatal flaw with Basic Economy airfares, as explained later in this article.
The Marketing Spiel
"Customers have told us that they want more choice and Basic Economy delivers just that," Julia Haywood — who is the executive vice president and chief commercial officer at United Airlines — was quoted in this press release. "By offering low fares while also offering the experience of traveling on our outstanding network, with a variety of onboard amenities and great customer service, we are giving our customers an additional travel option from what United offers today."
There must be some rather clean swine running around because I call that hogwash. Why not also offer lavatory suite class airfares? The customer gets the experience of traveling while seated on a toilet and can lock the door of the lavatory for complete privacy. "Imagine answering the call of nature without ever having to get up." How about seats bolted to the wings, where customers can experience the only "natural air conditioning" on — yes, George Carlin, on in this case — the airplane while enjoying 360 degree views of the outside?
Just because "offering low fares while also offering the experience of traveling on our outstanding network, with a variety of onboard amenities and great customer service" does not mean that that is an "additional travel option" — unless you are willing to put up with the restrictions which erase the euphemisms from what is little more than marketing gobbledygook.
The Reality: Restrictions
The restrictions of the basic economy airfare are listed below — along with my comments.
Automated seat assignments will be given at check-in, and passengers acknowledge at the point of a multi-seat purchase that seating together is not guaranteed. No guarantees are available even with seat assignments. From the point of view of the airline, this allows those customers who pay more to have first dibs on the selection of seats — although this policy is potentially unfair to customers with elite level status who purchase Basic Economy airfares. However — as much as I would not want a middle seat behind an engine in the back of the aircraft — I cannot argue with this policy.
Carry-on bags are limited to one personal item, unless the customer is a MileagePlus® Premier® member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star AllianceTM Gold member. This is potentially harsh to those customers not included in the exceptions, as it goes against the "variety of onboard amenities" included in the United Airlines "experience" and is the key restriction which exacerbates the one potentially fatal flaw with Basic Economy airfares — which is explained later in this article.
There will be no voluntary ticket changes except as stated in the United 24-hour flexible booking policy. Initially, I could not argue with this policy, as I believe that this is fair if the changes are for similar tickets — but if a customer wants to pay for a more expensive ticket, that customer should be allowed to do so. Why not add a little extra to the cost of changing a ticket so that United Airlines can profit from it? For example, if upgrading to a premium economy seat typically costs $75.00 for other passengers, why not charge $100.00 0r $125.00 for a passenger with a Basic Economy ticket to do the same? This way, the passenger still has choices; while United Airlines potentially increases its revenue.
MileagePlus program members will earn redeemable award miles; however they will not earn Premier qualifying credit (miles, segments, or dollars), no lifetime miles, and no contribution to four segment minimum. Does management at United Airlines really believe that many customers will take advantage of restrictive Basic Economy airfares to earn elite level status? This policy discourages loyalty. At the very least, offer partial credit towards such perks as elite level status and lifetime miles to customers who purchase Basic Economy airfares — this way, "gaming" the system is more difficult but still has the potential to foster loyalty to the airline.
Customers will not be eligible for Economy Plus or premium cabin upgrades. This is understandable from the point of view of the airline, as offering a cheaper way to get a seat in the premium class cabin is not in the best interest of the airline — but it still potentially frustrates the customer who has earned elite level status, as with the MileagePlus program now based on revenue instead of distance flown, upgrades would be far more difficult to experience with Basic Economy airfares anyway.
Customers will board in the last boarding group (currently Group 5) unless a MileagePlus Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star Alliance Gold member. I cannot argue with this policy, as I believe that this is fair.
No combinability with regular economy fares or partner carriers. Interline travel is not permitted. Is this because keeping track would be too difficult? As long as the passenger pays the appropriate prices for the different airfares, what purpose does this restriction serve? If anything, it could dissuade a customer from patronizing United Airlines and travel on another airline.
The One Potentially Fatal Flaw with Basic Economy Airfares
Although I could not argue with some of the aforementioned restrictions, we still do not know at this time what will be the cost of flying as a passenger with a Basic Economy ticket. Like the lemming that is United Airlines, it will probably follow similar pricing to what Delta Air Lines charges for its Basic Economy airfares: significantly more than what ultra-low-cost carriers charge for their base fares; but insignificantly less expensive than its regular economy airfare…
…and if that is the case, this article which I wrote and posted on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 gives specific examples of why that pricing structure is not ideal.
Although that time has arguably not yet arrived, the one potentially fatal flaw with basic economy airfares is that the strong loyalty component with legacy airlines has either significantly eroded or disappeared altogether with many passengers; and combined with the loss of amenities and benefits in product and service amongst the legacy carriers, eschewing ultra-low-cost carriers is not such a clear decision anymore for passengers seeking to save money.
In the past, loyalty would have easily trumped low cost if the passenger had a choice of airlines. More comfortable seats, elite level status benefits, selection of seats, luggage allowances and free snacks and beverages are some of the products and services which at one point would have had many passengers not even think twice pertaining to choosing a legacy carrier over an ultra-low-cost carrier…
…but ever since amenities and benefits have significantly eroded, the choice is not so clear cut anymore. For the first time recently, I actually considered purchasing airfares on both Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, thinking to myself that if I am going to be on a domestic flight for two hours or less, why would I pay more to be on a legacy airline?
The airlines may still have international routes and more frequent schedules to allow for more flexibility on their side — but if you have not earned elite level status on an airline, you will not enjoy such benefits as changing to an earlier flight or accessing a lounge at an airport anyway.
In other words: the legacy carriers seem to be making the choice between them and flying as a passenger aboard an airplane operated by an ultra-low-cost carrier that much easier. Why else would such ultra-low-cost airlines as Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines not only be significantly growing; but also be profitable?
Frontier Airlines was the fifth-most profitable airline in the United States as of September of 2015, according to this article written by Laura Keeney for The Denver Post; and despite its problems and issues, Spirit Airlines has been one of the most profitable airlines in the United States in recent years.
Do the names Ted, song and CalLite mean anything to you? Those were the names of the low-cost carrier subsidiaries of United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines respectively. They all ultimately failed.
If a customer is truly price sensitive, he or she is not going to pay more for the United Airlines "experience" in basic economy that he or she would pay to be a passenger on airplanes operated by Spirit Airlines or Frontier Airlines — even after paying extra in ancillary fees for a couple of extra amenities…
…but if he or she actually wants to experience what United Airlines has to offer, he or she will pay the extra few dollars over the Basic Economy airfare to do so.
The commercial aviation landscape has changed considerably since the introduction of those brands; but for the aforementioned reasons listed in this article, I believe that the basic economy concept — in its present form, anyway — will eventually go the way of those long-defunct brands.
If you purchase a Basic Economy airfare, be prepared to use the line for Group 5 to board the aircraft. Photograph ©2016 by Brian Cohen.
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3 thoughts on "The One Potentially Fatal Flaw with Basic Economy Airfares — Exacerbated"
You speak of loyalty from your perspective. And yet American's market research has shown that 85% of its passengers only fly once a year. Airlines are not going to cater any amenities to the lowest bidder, and why should they? If having the "best" airline ensures loyalty which ensures the best profits, then Jetblue and Virgin America would be the market leaders, and they are most certainly not, while airlines like Spirit and Allegiant are making record profits.
Brian Cohen says:
You and I seem to actually agree, Tony.
Of course Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air are reporting record profits — I have reported that in multiple articles in the past — precisely for the reasons you mentioned.
Why, then, would the purely cost-conscious customer want to pay more for a Basic Economy flight on United Airlines or Delta Air Lines — unless they also have some semblance of loyalty or unless those airlines fly on routes which no ultra-low-cost carrier serves?
I think they are trying to make sure basic economy fares don't canibalize their current bread and butter business customer. They hope they can give mom and pop kettle their $79 rt to florida….then get them to pay $100+ in seat, luggage, bathroom fees.
But they do not want to give the guy who will pay $400 for an ord-lax flight the same cheap fare with no chance to upcharge him since he's elite.


Vintage Airplane Labels - These Address Labels are reminiscent of vintage airplanes. Each airplane is creatively and artistically framed as a postage stamp. What a great way to celebrate a bit of history with these classic airplane Labels!


Jennifer Hauder, RPh is a registered pharmacist in the state of Illinois. She has over 11 years of experience in the retail, mail order and pharmacy benefits management (PBM) settings. She is also a freelance medical writer where she shares her pharmacy and healthcare expertise with her audiences. She became a pharmacist due to her interest in healthcare and the opportunity to help others with their healthcare needs.


It is never too late in your life to take charge of your health. If you are in Prince Edward County and have any questions or would like to sign up for a class, group training session, personal training, or post-rehab, please give us a call or stop by one of our Fitness Powers locations. We have helped many men and women in and around Prince Edward County achieve their health and fitness goals, and we would love the opportunity to help you achieve yours!
If you are not in the area but are still interested in some guidance, motivation and support, be sure to check out online options. We provide the same attention and focus to each and every one of our online clients.


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Peter Wittrock was first introduced to the Linklater Voice work in 1979 when he attended the first January Acting Intensive hosted by Shakespeare & Company, the Shakespeare theater company co-founded by Kristin Linklater and Tina Packer. He became a member of the company in 1983 and immersed himself in the Company's ethos of actor training, performance, and service to the community (education program). He worked directly with Kristin Linklater for several years and trained under her to become a Designated Linklater Voice teacher in 1987. Peter taught voice and Shakespeare text for many years at Shakespeare & Company's January and July intensives as well as appearing as an actor in numerous roles including Romeo, Hamlet, Iago, Banquo, Bassanio, among others. Subsequently, he taught voice and speech at the University of Massachusetts, Bennington College in Vermont, Simon's Rock of Bard College in Great Barrington MA., DePaul University in Chicago (formerly Goodman School of Drama), and later at USC and UCLA in California. He continues to teach voice privately in the Los Angeles area for actors and non-actors alike.
Active in the small theater scene in Los Angeles, Peter was theater director at The Celtic Arts Center in North Hollywood where he produced The Lepers of Baile Baste, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Lonesome West, Celtic Tiger Me Arse and directed The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde. Recent acting credits include Orsino in Twelfth Night, Juror 10 in Twelve Angry Men, at The Mechanicals Theater Company; Falstaff in Merry Wives of Windsor, Leontes in A Winter's Tale and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, which he also directed, at the Southern California Shakespeare Festival. Other directing credits include the Laramie Project with The Mechanicals, and Romeo and Juliet at the Downtown Repertory Theater. He directed Taming of the Shrew at the Tulane Shakespeare Festival at Tulane University in New Orleans (which received a Jay Stanley Marquee nomination for best director), and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Sun Valley Repertory Theater in Ketchum, Idaho. Peter recently earned his 200 hour Yoga Alliance teaching certificate and has begun to teach a combination of yoga and voice, furthering his interest in the intersection between personal growth and participation in theater.
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I heard the other day some firefighter saying that "kipping" pull-ups don't do anything for you. It amazes me sometimes how brain-washed the public is about working out and training. If you look at the Pull-up, it is a great move. It definitely is an arm and back movement. However, if you say that kipping is cheating then you must be a body builder who is preparing to get on stage. If isolated movements is want you want, then a strict pull-up is that. But lets think about functionality. If a firefighter was to fall through a roof and be hanging from the rafters or an officer have to climb up over a wall, is he/she going to use a dead-hang strict pull-up? Not at all! They would use their entire body to get themselves up and out or up and over. These kipping movements also use the arms and back but also employ the muscles from the hips and core. So is a kipping pull-up worthless? I would disagree. Besides, isolation training trains isolated movements and public safety, military, elite athletes and alike are multi, or functional movement users. Also, when Crossfitters use the kipping or butterfly pull-ups, they are doing it to do more work or generate more power. Work is force times distance; how heavy and how far it moves. If you do more reps, then you do more work. If you can do more work in less time, then you have generated more power. You tell me if you can do more strict pull-ups or more kipping pull-ups in a shorter time. A body that looks good but isn't functional is like a race car without and engine. If you push for "power" or performance, then you get the great body plus the functional body. Besides have you ever tried to 120 pull-ups strict? As well as having other things in the workout too??? That's what I thought! There is NO other workout for public safety personnel!!
**Place bumpers right on the shoulder blades and chest must touch then have full locked arms at the end. Keep body tight and straight for whole movement.
8 rounds of Tabata (20 secs of max reps, 10 secs of rest) of Pull-ups, Push-ups, Sit-ups and Squats. Total time is 16 minutes. Each movement is 4 minutes long. Only the 10 secs of rest between movements.


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Former Ghost Ship resident testifies that fire safety had been a big concern
By Rob Roth, KTVU
Posted Jun 13 2019 05:16PM PDT
Friends of Max Harris testify about his integrity
KTVU's Ghost Ship trial courtroom blog
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A former resident of the Ghost Ship Warehouse testified Thursday that fire safety was a top concern during the time he lived there.
Artist Mike Funkhouser who moved out of the warehouse months before the deadly inferno said that concern was especially heightened before parties and events.
"We were always trying to be proactive about the danger of fire. It was always on our minds," he testified.
But under cross examination, the prosecution asked whether there was or wasn't sprinklers in the building.
"I wasn't aware," Funkhouser answered.
He also testified as a character witness that harris was honest and trustworthy.
Harris and Ghost Ship master tenant Derick Almena are facing 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter.
That's the number of people who died when the warehouse burst into flames during an electronic music party in December 2016.
Harris' defense lawyer says Harris did not organize the party that night.
"It wasn't Max Harris' party. It wasn't Derick Almena'a party. It wasn't a party thrown by ghost ship," said attorney Curtis Briggs.
"What strikes me is the number of people who have confirmed and described what a fire trap this was. The amount of fuel in there. It means this was a tragedy waiting to happen," said Mary Alexander, the attorney representing the families of the fire victims in the civil lawsuit.
Relatives of the victims say coming to the trial can be frustrating and heart wrenching.
"It is 50 percent torture and 50 percent therapy. And the therapy part is just being around other families, sharing loved ones stories. It's just really inspiring," said Cyrus Hoda the brother of Sara Hoda who died inside the warehouse. She was 30 years old.
Harris is set to take the witness stand Monday.
"Max Harris certainly will get up and say he wishes he did something different. Or wishes there was something he would have set in motion to change these events. Absolutely. He feels a tremendous amount of guilt," said Briggs.
After Harris testifies, Derick Almena's attorneys will begin presenting his defense, perhaps as soon as next Tuesday.
In public records released on Thursday, following a request by media organizations including KTVU, the commission members found that officers Brandon Hraiz, William Berger and Craig Tanaka as well as Sgt. Francisco Negrete, all discharged their rifles resulting in the death of Joshua Pawlik in violation of police policy on March 11, 2018. They also found that Officer Josef Phillips discharged a bean bag at Pawlik, which they said was a violation of the department's use-of-force policy.
The commissioners, who comprise a civilian-led body to oversee the police department, wrote that termination was the recommended "appropriate discipline" for all the officers. In addition, the commission recommended a demotion for Lt. Alan Yu, who was found by Oakland police superiors as well as the department's federal monitor, to have "failed to properly perform his duties" as the incident commander that day.
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The concept of Linked Data has gained momentum over the past few years, but the understanding and the application of its principles often remain problematic. This webinar offers a short critical introduction to Linked Data by positioning this approach within the global evolution of data modeling, allowing an understanding of the advantages but also of the limits of RDF. After this conceptual introduction, the fundamental importance of data quality in the context of Linked Data is underlined by applying data profiling techniques with the help of OpenRefine. Methods and tools for metadata reconciliation and enrichment, such as Named-Entity Recognition (NER), are illustrated with the help of the same software. This webinar will refer to case-studies with real-life data which can be re-used by participants to continue to explore OpenRefine at their own pace after the webinar. The case-studies have been developed in the context of the handbook "Linked Data for Libraries, Archives and Museums", which will be published by Facet Publishing in June 2014.
Seth van Hooland is an assistant professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), where he leads the Master in Information Science. After a career in the private sector for a digitization company, he obtained his PhD in information science at ULB in 2009. He is currently teaching a special course on linked data at the Information School of the University of Washington. He is also active as a consultant for both public and private organizations.
Ruben Verborgh is a researcher in semantic hypermedia at Ghent University – iMinds, Belgium, where he obtained his PhD in computer science in 2014. He explores the connection between semantic web technologies and the web's architectural properties, with the ultimate goal of building more intelligent clients. Along the way, he has become fascinated by linked data, REST/hypermedia, web APIs and related technologies. He is the co-author of a book on OpenRefine and several publications on web-related topics in international journals.


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County set to begin mass vaccinations for people in phase 1B at Anne Arundel Community College
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Calm, cautious Sunday passes in Annapolis with no protests
Police investigation reveals details of Wallace assassination attempt
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What's going on with the coronavirus vaccine in Anne Arundel?
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Our Say: As redistricting looms, Anne Arundel can expect to get carved up again | COMMENTARY
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Jimmy DeButts: Pittman putting fingerprints on key development planning committee
By Jimmy DeButts
jdebutts@capgaznews.com |
County Executive-elect Steuart Pittman plans to add his own members to the General Development Plan Citizen Advisory Committee. The committee will provide guidance to the county's planning and zoning office as it creates the plan for development through 2040. (Jen Rynda / Baltimore Sun Media Group file)
The long-term plan for Anne Arundel County's growth will have Steuart Pittman's fingerprints all over it.
Elections have consequences.
The biggest — and most immediate for Anne Arundel — could be the direction of the General Development Plan Citizen Advisory Committee. This committee will be responsible for providing input to the county's Office of Planning and Zoning as it develops the blueprint for development over the next two decades.
Pittman, who defeated incumbent Steve Schuh in the Nov. 6 election, plans to remove some members of the committee and insert his own. In interviews in the week leading up to Monday's inauguration, he had not announced who would go or potential replacements.
He was clear about his intentions, however. The revamped committee will have fewer development interests, Pittman said. He said he wants to hear developers' perspective since they "understand issues in ways we don't."
[Most read] County set to begin mass vaccinations for people in phase 1B at Anne Arundel Community College »
"We want them involved in process but we don't want to them to drive the process," he said.
Schuh named the members of the advisory committee in August. The committee has until the end of 2019 to complete its work. Comprehensive re-zoning legislation will then be submitted to the County Council.
Jimmy DeButts: Willful ignorance won't end Anne Arundel's opioid scourge
This reality should be sobering and force us to recalibrate our perceptions and biases. For too many, the opioid epidemic is seen as someone else's problem. For some suburbanites, drugs are confined to lower-income communities.
This is a serious and important task. It should be a bipartisan effort. But separating politics from public service is always a delicate balancing act.
Schuh's chosen 17 committee members included at least seven individuals who contributed to his campaign coffers. The existing committee makeup includes six people connected to the development industry.
The committee also includes a member of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and a critic of development on the Mayo peninsula.
[Most read] What's going on with the coronavirus vaccine in Anne Arundel? »
The county accepted applications for the committee through mid-May. Pittman plans to review some of the rejected applicants before replacing some committee members.
To be sure, new members will reflect Pittman's priorities and vision for future growth of Anne Arundel County. Pittman unseated Schuh, in part, because of his campaign pledge to slow development and to preserve the quality of life that makes this county so attractive.
The past year has seen uprisings against development in Crofton and south county. Traffic congestion remains a persistent problem, and new housing is blooming in the northern end of Anne Arundel.
Pittman said he heard from residents while campaigning who were disappointed with the composition of the committee. He said it is critical to get the general development plan right since it will help shape the county's growth over the next 20 years.
"It's essential, it's our future," he said. "Once you develop land, you can't take it back. People live in this county because it's a beautiful place. There are not too many beautiful places between D.C. and Baltimore.
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"This is our last chance to make that happen."
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