A method of forming a polymer device including the steps (i) of depositing on a substrate a solution containing a polymer or oligomer and a crosslinking moiety, to form a layer, and, (ii) curing the layer formed in step (i) under conditions to form an insoluble crosslinked polymer, wherein the crosslinking moiety is present in step (i) in an amount in the range of from 0.05 mol % to 5 mol % based on the total number of moles or repeat units of the polymer or oligomer and the crosslinking moiety in the solution.

The present invention includes a co-polymer film which can be applied over a surface of an article to form a continuous surface that is more biocompatible and has a smoother surface morphology than an untreated article. In general the co-polymer film of the invention can be formed by providing a hydrophobic polymer block, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with functional -OH end groups and reacting the -OH ends with a conventional monomer or prepolymer of a film-forming polymer capable of reacting with -OH groups. Such reactions are exemplified, using as reactive PDMS a triblock copolymer of the polylactone-polysiloxane-polylactone (PL-PDMS-PL) type, or silicone polyesters. The -OH groups of the polylactone blocks can react with any of a variety of isocyanates in a suitable solvent to form a polymer having PDMS incorporated with its structure. The film can be applied to the surface of an article by any convenient means of coating the article with the reaction mixture in solvent, and allowing the solvent to evaporate.

The invention relates to a polymerisable liquid crystal (LC) material, to optically biaxial films prepared thereof, to novel polymerisable compounds used therein and to the use of the material and films in optical devices like compensators and LC displays (LCDs).

Polymeric articles, including membranes, with surfaces having a desired chemical functionality are created by surface segregation of a branched component blended with a compatible, matrix base component, the branched component having the desired chemical functionality. In particular, hydrophilic surfaces are created via surface segregation of a branched hydrophilic copolymer blended into a polymer matrix. The use of branched molecular architecture provides a thermodynamic mechanism for the segregation of the hydrophilic species to the surface and a means for achieving a high surface coverage of the hydrophilic moiety. The branched hydrophilic copolymer can be defined by a random copolymer including two or more methacrylate or acrylate monomers, at least one of which features a short hydrophilic side chain, such as a polyethylene glycol side chain. The branched hydrophilic copolymer is compatible, and well-entangled, with the acrylate polymer matrix.

Polyphthalate polyesters or polyester/polycarbonates are prepared from phthalates and 4,4'-[1-methyl-4-(1-methyl-ethyl)-1,3-cyclohexandlyl]-bisphenol.

Amide-functional polymers, and compositions including such polymers, are disclosed. The compositions, which optionally may be hardenable, are useful for treating a surface.

A process for preparing a molded nylon block copolymer, which comprises (A) bringing into reactive admixture a lactam monomer, a basic lactam polymerization catalyst and a composition containing a lactam functional material selected from those of the formulae: wherein; Q is -N@C=O, with Y equal to C3-C11 alkylene; b is an integer equal to 2 or more; R is an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkyloxy, aryloxy, aralkyloxy or Q group; Z is a segment of: (1) a polyether, provided said polyether is not solely polyarylene polyether; (2) a polyester containing polyether or polymeric hydrocarbon segments; (3) a hydrocarbon; (4) a polysiloxane; or (5) mixtures thereof, and (B) allowing the admixture to polymerize in a mold.

A process for producing propylene oxide, which comprises steps described below, wherein isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide supplied to an epoxidation step has not undergone a heat history including heating at a temperature not lower than the temperature (t DEG C) represented by the following equation(1), t ( DEG C) = 150 -0.8 x W W: content (% by weight) of isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide in a solution containing isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide: oxidation step; a step in which isopropylbenzene is oxidized to obtain isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide, epoxidation step; a step in which isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide obtained in the oxidation step is reacted with propylene to obtain propylene oxide and cumyl alcohol, and hydrogenolysis step; a step in which cumyl alcohol obtained in the epoxidation step is subjected to hydrogenolysis to obtain isopropylbenzene, and said isopropylbenzene is recycled to the oxidation step as a raw material for the oxidation step.

A method for making a plate-like fiber-reinforced product to be used as building or packing material, the method comprising: placing fibers on a lower laminate; applying a binding agent on the fibers so that the fibers are surrounded by the binding agent; transferring the fibers with binding agent between the lower laminate and an upper laminate between lower and upper rotating pressing plates; allowing the binding agent to foam up, expand and harden between the upper and lower pressing plates. A manufacturing apparatus and a plate-like product are also indicated.

Chemical patent from PubChem database. Patent Number: AT-E400432-T1. Title: Crystalline Forms of Chemical Compounds. Filing Date: 1993-04-19. Inventors: Martinez, Carlos, Thompson, Emily. Abstract: The invention provides novel crystalline forms of chemical compounds, characterized by specific X-ray powder diffraction patterns and thermal properti... IPC Classifications: C07D, A61K, A61P. This patent covers 41 claims related to 3 chemical compounds. Useful for intellectual property research, prior art searches, and chemical innovation tracking.