Devices and methods for actively controlling the production of multistage and multimodal polymers. The device may include a reaction vessel configured to contain a polymer solution and generate polymer reactions in at least two stages as well as one or more detectors configured to monitor at least one reaction characteristic of the polymer solution contained in the reaction vessel. The device may further include a controller coupled with the reaction vessel and the one or more detectors, the controller configured to actively control the development of a predetermined reaction characteristic by modifying at least one process control variable based on the at least one reaction characteristic monitored by the detector.

Devices and methods for actively controlling the production of multistage and multimodal polymers. The device may include a reaction vessel configured to contain a polymer solution and generate polymer reactions in at least two stages as well as one or more detectors configured to monitor at least one reaction characteristic of the polymer solution contained in the reaction vessel. The device may further include a controller coupled with the reaction vessel and the one or more detectors, the controller configured to actively control the development of a predetermined reaction characteristic by modifying at least one process control variable based on the at least one reaction characteristic monitored by the detector.

Devices and methods for actively controlling the production of multistage and multimodal polymers. The device may include a reaction vessel configured to contain a polymer solution and generate polymer reactions in at least two stages as well as one or more detectors configured to monitor at least one reaction characteristic of the polymer solution contained in the reaction vessel. The device may further include a controller coupled with the reaction vessel and the one or more detectors, the controller configured to actively control the development of a predetermined reaction characteristic by modifying at least one process control variable based on the at least one reaction characteristic monitored by the detector.

Devices and methods for actively controlling the production of multistage and multimodal polymers. The device may include a reaction vessel configured to contain a polymer solution and generate polymer reactions in at least two stages as well as one or more detectors configured to monitor at least one reaction characteristic of the polymer solution contained in the reaction vessel. The device may further include a controller coupled with the reaction vessel and the one or more detectors, the controller configured to actively control the development of a predetermined reaction characteristic by modifying at least one process control variable based on the at least one reaction characteristic monitored by the detector.

A method of producing powder-form polymer by using 1-(p-tolylsulfonyl)pyrrole monomer. The method includes preparing a solvent and filling it into a reaction vessel, adding polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix, surfactant and 1-(p-tolylsulfonyl)pyrrole monomer (M-1pTSP) into the solvent and stirring, adding an initiator onto the resulting mixture so as to initiate the reaction, conducting the chemical polymerization reaction, filtering the product obtained as a result of the reaction, washing and drying the filtrate, and obtaining the polymer mixture containing polyacrylonitrile and poly 1-(p-tolylsulfonyl)pyrrole as the final product.

The invention provides a polymer comprising two or more residues of formula III or IV or salts thereof: wherein dash line, X, Y, Q, L, M, n, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.a, R.sup.b, R.sup.c and R.sup.d have any of the values defined in the specification, as well as synthetic intermediates and synthetic methods useful for preparing the compounds. The polymer is useful to treat contaminated water by chelating metal.

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A method for producing a liquid crystal panel of the present invention is a method for producing a liquid crystal panel including paired substrates, a liquid crystal layer between the substrates, and a horizontal photo-alignment film between at least one of the substrates and the liquid crystal layer, the method including the steps of: forming a film containing a polymer having a specific structure on a surface of at least one of the substrates; and irradiating the film with S-polarized light from a direction oblique to the normal to the substrate surface to perform an alignment treatment on the film and thereby form a horizontal photo-alignment film, wherein the horizontal photo-alignment, film aligns liquid crystal molecules perpendicularly to the polarization direction of light applied from the substrate normal.

An ink composition and an adhesion promoter are provided. The adhesion promoter is suitable for production while remaining the stronger adhesion. The adhesion promoter is formed by the reaction of at least one alpha hydroxy acid and at least one alpha hydroxy acid ester with the metal alkoxide. More specifically, by combining the renewable and green alpha hydroxy acid and safer plasticizing alpha hydroxy acid ester as reagent to react with the metal alkoxide, the eco-friendly and non-toxic adhesion promoter with superior adhesion for use in ink composition can be obtained. The ink composition includes the adhesion promoter, a pigment, a polymeric binder, and a solvent for the polymeric binder. The ink composition is odorless and colorless, and shows good wet crinkle resistance. Especially, the ink composition is suitable for printing on the food package.

An ink composition and an adhesion promoter are provided. The adhesion promoter is suitable for production while remaining the stronger adhesion. The adhesion promoter is formed by the reaction of at least one alpha hydroxy acid, at least one alpha hydroxy acid ester, and a polymer having hydroxyl group, amino group, carboxyl group, or a combination thereof with a metal alkoxide. By combining the renewable and green alpha hydroxy acid and safer plasticizing alpha hydroxy acid ester, and the polymer as reagents to react with the metal alkoxide, the eco-friendly and non-toxic adhesion promoter with superior adhesion for use in ink composition can be obtained. The ink composition includes the adhesion promoter, a pigment, a polymeric binder, and a solvent for the polymeric binder. The ink composition is odorless and colorless, and shows good wet crinkle resistance. Especially, the ink composition is suitable for printing on the food package.

A flame retardant levulinic acid-based compound, a process for forming a levulinic acid-based flame retardant polymer, and an article of manufacture comprising a material that contains a flame retardant levulinic acid-based polymer are disclosed. The flame retardant levulinic acid-based compound has variable moieties, which include phenyl-substituted and/or R functionalized flame retardant groups. The process for forming the flame retardant polymer includes forming a phosphorus-based flame retardant molecule, forming a levulinic acid derivative, chemically reacting the phosphorus-based flame retardant molecule and the levulinic acid derivative to form a flame retardant levulinic acid-based compound, and incorporating the levulinic acid-based flame retardant compound into a polymer to form the flame retardant polymer.