Poly(methyl methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), also known as acrylic or acrylic glass as well as by the trade names Plexiglas, Acrylite, Lucite, and Perspex among several others (see below), is a transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. The same material can be utilised as a casting resin, in inks and coatings, and has many other uses.

Although not a type of familiar silica-based glass, the substance, like many thermoplastics, is often technically classified as a type of glass (in that it is a non-crystalline vitreous substance) hence its occasional historic designation as acrylic "glass". Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate. The material was developed in 1928 in several different laboratories by many chemists such as William Chalmers, Otto Röhm and Walter Bauer and was first brought to market in 1933 by the Rohm and Haas Company under the trademark Plexiglas.

PMMA is an economical alternative to polycarbonate (PC) when extreme strength is not necessary. Additionally, PMMA does not contain the potentially harmful bisphenol-A subunits found in polycarbonate. It is often preferred because of its moderate properties, easy handling and processing, and low cost. Non-modified PMMA behaves in a brittle manner when under load, especially under an impact force, and is more prone to scratching than conventional inorganic glass, but modified PMMA is sometimes able to achieve high scratch and impact resistance.

Poly(hydridocarbyne)

Poly(hydridocarbyne) (PHC) is one of a class of carbon-based random network polymers primarily composed of tetrahedrally hybridized carbon atoms, each having one hydride substituent, exhibiting the generic formula [HC]n. PHC is made from bromoform, a liquid halocarbon that is commercially manufactured from methane. At room temperature, poly(hydridocarbyne) is a dark brown powder. It can be easily dissolved in a number of solvents (tetrahydrofuran, ether, toluene etc.), forming a colloidal suspension that is clear and non-viscous, which may then be deposited as a film or coating on various substrates. Upon thermolysis in argon at atmospheric pressure and temperatures of 110 °C to 1000 °C, decomposition of poly(hydridocarbyne) results in hexagonal diamond (Lonsdaleite).

More recently poly(hydridocarbyne) has been synthesized by a much simpler method using electrolysis of chloroform (May 2008) and hexachloroethane (June 2009).

The novelty of PHC (and its related polymer poly(methylsilyne)) is that the polymer may be readily fabricated into various forms (e.g. films, fibers, plates) and then thermolized into a final hexagonal diamond ceramic.

Polymorphic Systems (computers)

PolyMorphic Systems was a manufacturer of microcomputer boards and systems based on the S-100 bus. Their products included the Poly-88 and the System 8813. The company was incorporated in California in 1976 as Interactive Products Corporation d/b/a PolyMorphic Systems. It was initially based in Goleta, then Santa Barbara, California.

S-100 boards

PolyMorphic Systems' first products were several interface boards based on the then-popular S-100 bus. These were compatible with other microcomputers such as the Altair 8800 and IMSAI 8080. The first was an A/D and D/A converter board. This was followed by a video terminal interface (VTI) card which became the primary display device for their systems. Later board-level products included CPU, RAM, and disk controller cards.

Poly-88

With the release of their CPU card, PolyMorphic began selling complete systems. Their first was the Poly-88, housed in a 5-slot S100 chassis, with additional side-mounted S-100 connectors for the purpose of joining chassis together. This unit earned the nickname "orange toaster" due to its orange metal cover, and the fact that the S-100 cards generated noticeable heat. The Poly-88 was available in kit form, or assembled. It was originally called the Micro-Altair, but after objections from MITS, manufacturers of the Altair, the name was changed.

CAF

CAF or caf may refer to:

Armed forces

Computing and networking

Federations and organisations

Governmental organisations and projects

Cafú (footballer, born 1977)

Arlindo Gomes Semedo (born 17 November 1977), known as Cafú, is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays for S.C. Freamunde as a forward.

After playing in his country of birth for Belenenses and Boavista, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 153 games and 17 goals over the course of seven seasons, he went on to have a brief spell in Germany with Freiburg.

Already in his 30's Cafú moved to Cyprus, where he remained for five years in representation of several teams. Internationally, he played for Cape Verde.

Football career

Cafú was born in Lisbon, Portugal. During his early career he played for Almada AC, Amora FC, C.F. Os Belenenses – with which he made his Primeira Liga debuts in the 1999–2000 season – and Boavista FC, appearing in six games in the Porto team's quarterfinal run in the UEFA Cup in 2002–03 but starting rarely during his three-and-a-half-year spell with the club.

In January 2006, Cafú moved to Sportfreunde Siegen in Germany's second division, his five league goals not being enough to avoid relegation (as last). He subsequently stayed in the category and joined SC Freiburg, where he would appear sparingly in one-and-a-half-years.

Cafú (footballer, born 1993)

Carlos Miguel Ribeiro Dias (born 26 February 1993), known as Cafú, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Vitória Guimarães as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Guimarães, Cafú had his first contact with football, in the youth ranks of his hometown club, Vitória Guimarães, which he would represent for two seasons. In 2008, he moved to Benfica, playing his first seasons as a defensive midfielder, then shifting to a striker role.

On 19 September 2012, Cafú made his debut with Benfica B in a 2012–13 Segunda Liga match against CD Tondela where he replaced Cláudio Correa at half-time, scoring the equalizer at 83rd minute.

On 26 July 2013, Cafú signed a four-year contract with Vitória Guimarães, returning to his hometown club after a five-year link to Benfica. At Guimarães he was immediately repositioned as defensive midfielder, being a usual starter in the miidfield of the reserve team, which earned promotion back to the Segunda Liga.

He made his debut in Primeira Liga on 17 August 2014, in a 3-1 win against Gil Vicente, partnering with André André and Bernard Mensah in the midfield, adding 29 appearances throughout the season in the first tier.