The invention generally relates to the fields of drug delivery and cell capture. In particular, the invention relates to amphiphilic dendron-coils, micelles thereof and their use for drug delivery vehicles and/or cell capture.

The invention generally relates to the fields of drug delivery and cell capture. In particular, the invention relates to amphiphilic dendron-coils, micelles thereof and their use for drug delivery vehicles and/or cell capture.

The invention concerns methods and compositions for modifying a surface of a material by anchoring a surface modifying additive to a polymer matrix using an anchor molecule, wherein the surface modifying additive and the anchor molecule are both added to a melt phase of the polymer matrix.

The invention concerns methods and compositions for modifying a surface of a material by anchoring a surface modifying additive to a polymer matrix using an anchor molecule, wherein the surface modifying additive and the anchor molecule are both added to a melt phase of the polymer matrix.

This invention provides durable, low-ice-adhesion coatings with excellent performance in terms of ice-adhesion reduction. Some variations provide a low-ice-adhesion coating comprising a microstructure with a first-material phase and a second-material phase that are microphase-separated on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from 1 micron to 100 microns. Some variations provide a low-ice-adhesion material comprising a continuous matrix containing a first component; and a plurality of discrete inclusions containing a second component, wherein the inclusions are dispersed within the matrix to form a phase-separated microstructure that is inhomogeneous on an average length scale from 1 micron to 100 microns, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other is a hygroscopic material. The coatings are characterized by an AMIL Centrifuge Ice Adhesion Reduction Factor up to 100 or more. These coatings are useful for aerospace surfaces and other applications.

Some variations provide a method of forming a transparent icephobic coating, comprising: obtaining a hardenable precursor comprising a first component and a plurality of inclusions containing a second component, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other is a hygroscopic material; applying mechanical shear and/or sonication to the hardenable precursor; disposing the hardenable precursor onto a substrate; and curing the hardenable precursor to form a transparent icephobic coating. The coating contains a hardened continuous matrix containing regions of the first component separated from regions of the second component on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from 10 nanometers to 10 microns, such as less than 1 micron, or less than 100 nanometers. The transparent icephobic coating may be characterized by a light transmittance of at least 50% at wavelengths from 400 nm to 800 nm, through a 100-micron coating.

Some variations provide a method of forming a transparent icephobic coating, comprising: obtaining a hardenable precursor comprising a first component and a plurality of inclusions containing a second component, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other is a hygroscopic material; applying mechanical shear and/or sonication to the hardenable precursor; disposing the hardenable precursor onto a substrate; and curing the hardenable precursor to form a transparent icephobic coating. The coating contains a hardened continuous matrix containing regions of the first component separated from regions of the second component on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from 10 nanometers to 10 microns, such as less than 1 micron, or less than 100 nanometers. The transparent icephobic coating may be characterized by a light transmittance of at least 50% at wavelengths from 400 nm to 800 nm, through a 100-micron coating.

The invention relates to a copolymer comprising at least two distinct polyamide blocks and at least one polyether block, and a method for preparation of said copolymer comprising the following steps: —in a first step, the polyamide block PA1 is prepared by polycondensation of chosen monomers: amino acids, lactames or diamines and dicarboxylic acids, in the presence of an appropriate chain limiter; —then, in a second optional step, the polyamide PA1 block obtained is reacted with all or part of the polyether PE blocks, in the presence or absence of a catalyst; —in a third step, the polyamide PA2 block is prepared by polycondensation of the chosen isomers: amino acids, lactams or diamines and dicarboxylic acids, in the presence of an appropriate chain limiter; —in a fourth optional step, the polyamide PA2 block obtained is reacted with all or part of the polyether PE blocks, in the presence or absence of a catalyst; —in a fifth step, PA1 or the reaction medium from step 2 is reacted with PA2 or the reaction medium from step 4 and with PE or the remainder of PE not added in step 2 or 4.

The invention relates to a copolymer comprising at least two distinct polyamide blocks and at least one polyether block, and a method for preparation of said copolymer comprising the following steps: —in a first step, the polyamide block PA1 is prepared by polycondensation of chosen monomers: amino acids, lactames or diamines and dicarboxylic acids, in the presence of an appropriate chain limiter; —then, in a second optional step, the polyamide PA1 block obtained is reacted with all or part of the polyether PE blocks, in the presence or absence of a catalyst; —in a third step, the polyamide PA2 block is prepared by polycondensation of the chosen isomers: amino acids, lactams or diamines and dicarboxylic acids, in the presence of an appropriate chain limiter; —in a fourth optional step, the polyamide PA2 block obtained is reacted with all or part of the polyether PE blocks, in the presence or absence of a catalyst; —in a fifth step, PA1 or the reaction medium from step 2 is reacted with PA2 or the reaction medium from step 4 and with PE or the remainder of PE not added in step 2 or 4.

There is described inter alia a device having a surface comprising a layered coating wherein the outer coating layer comprises a plurality of cationic hyperbranched polymer molecules characterized by having (i) a core moiety of molecular weight 14-1,000 Da (ii) a total molecular weight of 1,500 to 1,000,000 Da (iii) a ratio of total molecular weight to core moiety molecular weight of at least 80:1 and (iv) functional end groups, whereby one or more of said functional end groups have an anti-coagulant entity covalently attached thereto.