The invention relates to a method for preparing a polymer conjugate, in which a water-soluble polymer employed, the polymer having a linear or branched water-soluble polymer backbone and, at one end of the backbone, a branched moiety linked with two free reactive groups capable of covalent bonding to another molecule. Most specificly, it relates to an activated, substantially water soluble poly(ethylene glycol) having a linear or branched poly(ethylene glycol) backbone and at least one terminus linked to the backbone through a hydrolytically stable linkage, wherein the terminus is branched and has proximal reactive groups is reacted with active moieties in a biologically active agent such as a protein or peptide thus forming conjugates between the activated poly(ethylene glycol) and the biologically active agent.

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 present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a composition comprising unsaturated compounds, in particular polyunsaturated compounds, which comprises concentrating and purifying the compounds by contact with silicon and/or aluminum derivatives. The process of the invention represents an advantageous substitute of the usual distillation processes, coupled or not to chromatographic processes, and allows to isolate and remove polar byproducts.

The present invention relates to a composition for producing naturally-degradable substitutes of plastics and to a method for producing a granular combination of naturally-degradable polymers suitably usable in the plastic transformation industry.

Method for polymerization or copolymerisation of monomers in aqueous suspension or micro suspension with the help of polymerization initiators, comprises directly preparing an initiator as aqueous solution of finely granulated initiators prior to polymerization in a potting procedure (where the initiator emulsion is a highly boiling emulsion for the inert polymerization) and adding a polymer compatible with organic compound (a carrier). An independent claim is also included for a composition comprising an initiator for homo- or co-polymerization of monomers.

The invention relates to an adhesive composition which is suitable for use on a shaped part of polyester, in particular a polyester film, and comprises a copolyester, optionally in combination with light-sensitive substances, fillers and pigments, whereby the copolyester additionally contains at least one copolymer of vinylidene chloride, preferably in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to 1:1. The adhesive composition can furthermore contain cellulose acyl esters, such as low molecular-weight cellulose acetobutyrate or cellulose propionate. Polybasic oxycarboxylic acids and levelling agents can also be present. The adhesive composition can be employed in mixtures with, for example, light-sensitive lacquer systems.

The invention relates to an adhesive composition which is suitable for use on a shaped part of polyester, in particular a polyester film, and comprises a copolyester, optionally in combination with light-sensitive substances, fillers and pigments, whereby the copolyester additionally contains at least one copolymer of vinylidene chloride, preferably in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to 1:1. The adhesive composition can furthermore contain cellulose acyl esters, such as low molecular-weight cellulose acetobutyrate or cellulose propionate. Polybasic oxycarboxylic acids and levelling agents can also be present. The adhesive composition can be employed in mixtures with, for example, light-sensitive lacquer systems.

This invention relates to a process to polymerize olefins comprising: contacting: (i) propylene and (ii) a mixture comprising, optionally ethylene, and three or more different alpha olefins having 4 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein at least one alpha olefin is present at Z percent or more, based upon the weight of the mixture, where Z=Y+X, where X=(100 divided by the number of alpha olefins present in the mixture) and Y equals 1 to 75, where Z is not more than 95%, with (iii) a metallocene catalyst system.

The present invention provides a polymer synthesis apparatus for building a polymer chain by sequentially adding polymer units in a reagent solution, said apparatus comprising: a head assembly having a plurality of nozzles mounted thereto in generally spaced-apart relation, each nozzle being coupled to a reservoir of liquid reagent for controlled delivery therethrough; a base assembly having at least one reaction well; a transport mechanism coupled to at least one of said head assembly and said base assembly to produce relative movement therebetween to position said reaction well and a selected one nozzle in alignment for deposition of a liquid reagent into said reaction well for synthesis of a polymer chain; and a sliding seal positioned between said head assembly and said base assembly forms a common chamber enclosing both said reaction well and said nozzles therein.