The invention is generally related to soft contact lenses which comprise a non-silicone hydrogel lens body and a hydrogel coating thereon. The non-silicone hydrogel lens body is composed of a hydrogel material which is free of silicone and comprises at least 50% by mole of repeating units of at least one hydroxyl-containing vinylic monomer. The hydrogel coating comprises a first polymeric material having first reactive functional groups and a hydrogel layer derived from a second polymeric material having second reactive functional groups, and the hydrogel layer is covalently attached onto the anchor layer through linkages each formed between one first reactive functional group and one second reactive functional group. The soft contact lens has a surface lubricity better than the lubricity of the non-silicone hydrogel lens body and has a friction rating of about 2 or lower after 7 cycles of manual rubbing, a water content of from about 10% to about 85% by weight and an elastic modulus of from about 0.2 MPa to about 1.5 MPa when being fully hydrated at room temperature.

The present invention relates to a method for producing polymers that are suitable for absorbing and storing aqueous liquids, and to polymers that can be obtained by this method. This invention further related to the use of such polymers. The method comprises the following steps: i. crosslinking free-radical polymerization of a monomer composition M comprising a) at least one monomer A having an ethylenic double bond and at least one neutralizable acid group or a group hydrolyzable to a neutralizable acid group, b) optionally one or more comonomers B which are different than the monomers A and have one ethylenic double bond, and c) 0.05 to 10% by weight, based on the total amount of monomers A and B, of at least one crosslinker C, in the presence of at least one polysaccharide-comprising substance S, in an aqueous liquid, where the weight ratio of the monomer composition M to the substance S is in the range from 9:1 to 1:9; and ii. at least partial neutralization of the acid groups and/or hydrolysis of the groups hydrolyzable to neutralizable acid groups in the polymer obtained in step i.;
wherein the polymerization and/or the neutralization is performed in the presence of urea.

The present invention relates to a method for producing polymers that are suitable for absorbing and storing aqueous liquids, and to polymers that can be obtained by this method. This invention further related to the use of such polymers. The method comprises the following steps: i. crosslinking free-radical polymerization of a monomer composition M comprising a) at least one monomer A having an ethylenic double bond and at least one neutralizable acid group or a group hydrolyzable to a neutralizable acid group, b) optionally one or more comonomers B which are different than the monomers A and have one ethylenic double bond, and c) 0.05 to 10% by weight, based on the total amount of monomers A and B, of at least one crosslinker C, in the presence of at least one polysaccharide-comprising substance S, in an aqueous liquid, where the weight ratio of the monomer composition M to the substance S is in the range from 9:1 to 1:9; and ii. at least partial neutralization of the acid groups and/or hydrolysis of the groups hydrolyzable to neutralizable acid groups in the polymer obtained in step i.;
wherein the polymerization and/or the neutralization is performed in the presence of urea.

The present invention relates to monomers and polymers of Formula (I): ##STR00001##
where R.sup.3 is selected from H or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl group; Y is selected from O or a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group; A is a linear or branched C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 alkylene group; w is 0 or 1; v is 0 or 1; y is 0 or 1; X is the residue of a cyclic or acyclic sugar alcohol which is substituted with at least one R.sup.1; C(O)R.sup.1; (CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.n(CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2O).sub.mR.sup.2; (CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.n(CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2O).sub.mC(O)R.sup.1; each n is independently 0 to 20; each m is independently 0 to 20; each R.sup.1 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having 9 to 29 carbons optionally comprising at least 1 unsaturated bond; and each R.sup.2 is independently H, a linear or branched alkyl group having 6 to 30 carbons optionally comprising at least 1 unsaturated bond, or mixtures thereof.

Provided are a polymerizable composition in which precipitation or the like of crystals does not occur and which has high storage stability; and a polymerizable composition in which unevenness is unlikely to occur when a film-like polymerized material obtained by polymerizing the composition is prepared. Further, provided are an optically anisotropic body, a retardation film, an optical compensation film, an anti-reflective film, a lens, and a lens sheet which are formed of the polymerizable composition, a liquid crystal display element, an organic light-emitting display element, a lighting element, an optical component, a colorant, a security marking, a member for emitting a laser, a polarizing film, a coloring material, and a printed matter for which the polymerizable composition is used.

In a water-absorbent resin production apparatus for producing a water-absorbent resin by polymerizing a water-soluble ethlenically unsaturated monomer, a water-absorbent resin powder obtained by drying a water-absorbent resin composition with a dryer passes through a first powder flow path pipe, is discharged therefrom toward a classifier while a flow rate is regulated so as to a predetermined value by a powder flow rate regulating discharge member composed of a hopper and a rotary valve, and is classified by the classifier. In the water-absorbent resin production apparatus, a collector for collecting a powder aggregate composed of aggregated particles of the water-absorbent resin powder is disposed in the first powder flow path pipe. Accordingly, a water-absorbent resin in the form of a particulate powder from which the powder aggregate is removed can be produced at a high production efficiency.

The present invention provides a polymerizable composition containing: a) a polymerizable compound having one or two or more polymerizable groups and satisfying formula (I)

Re(450 nm)/Re(550 nm)<1.0; and(I)

b) an organic solvent having a solubility parameter (SP value) of 8.50 to 11.00 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.0.5, a boiling point of 75 to 180 C., and an evaporation rate index of 20 to 700. The present invention also provides an optically anisotropic body, a retardation film, an antireflective film, and a liquid crystal display device that are produced using the polymerizable composition of the present invention. The polymerizable composition of the present invention is useful because it is excellent in solubility and has high storage stability that prevents the occurrence of precipitation of crystals. When the composition is polymerized to produce a film-shaped polymer, uneven application is less likely to occur while the liquid crystal alignment is maintained.

A dispersion which contains particles of a carboxylic acid polymer dispersed in an organic medium containing an emollient ester and/or a non-ionic surfactant. The dispersion can be used to form a gel composition by mixing with a water miscible emollient ester and optionally water. The dispersion and gel can be used to form an emulsification system. The dispersion, gel and emulsification system are suitable for use in forming end-use emulsions, preferably at low temperature and low shear, and in particular, emulsions having a high oil phase concentration. The emulsions can be used in a wide range of applications, including personal care, household and industrial.

A dispersion which contains particles of a carboxylic acid polymer dispersed in an organic medium containing an emollient ester and/or a non-ionic surfactant. The dispersion can be used to form a gel composition by mixing with a water miscible emollient ester and optionally water. The dispersion and gel can be used to form an emulsification system. The dispersion, gel and emulsification system are suitable for use in forming end-use emulsions, preferably at low temperature and low shear, and in particular, emulsions having a high oil phase concentration. The emulsions can be used in a wide range of applications, including personal care, household and industrial.

The present invention describes the preparation of highly-performing Acrylamide Free polyelectrolytic polymers by using not toxic monomers and the way such new monomers can be advantageously used in the field of several civil and/or industrial applications. The new polyelectrolytic polymers developed herein can be then used both as replacement of the common acrylamide-based polymers and in the applications wherein the absence of residual toxic polymerization monomers is requested.