The invention provides a class of photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers. Each of the photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers of the invention comprise (1) a polydiorganosiloxane polymer chain comprising dimethylsiloxane units and photochromic siloxane unit having one methyl substituent and one organic substituent having a photochromic moiety that capable of undergoing a reversible color change upon exposure to UV-irradiation or high-energy-violet light; (2) two terminal ethylenically-unsaturated groups. The invention also provides a soft photochromic contact lens, especially a photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lens, which comprises a crosslinked polymeric material comprising repeating units of at least one of such a class of photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers. The invention further provides a method of producing a photochromic contact lens from a polymerizable composition comprising at least one of such a class of photochromic polydiorganosiloxane vinylic crosslinkers.

Provided are methods for linking polypeptides (including peptides and proteins) to other moieties using radical imitated thiol-ene chemistries, for example, modifying a polypeptide by introducing reactive thiol groups and reacting the thiol groups with olefin-containing reagents or alkyne-containing reagents under conditions that support radical thiol-ene or thiol-yne reactions. The reactive thiol groups have greater activity for radical thiol-ene reactions that a cysteine thiol group, including thiol groups that are separated from the peptide backbone by at least two carbon atoms, for example, the thiol group of a homocysteine residue. Also provided are compositions and biomaterials containing the linked polypeptides, for example, peptide and protein conjugates, and thiol-ene based biocompatible hydrogel polymers, and their uses in the medical field.

Provided herein are polymers having a polymer backbone including a zwitterionic precursor monomeric unit having a secondary or tertiary amine in the polymer backbone, as well as methods of making and using the same.

The present invention relates to a thermosensitive hydrogel composition, which while comprising an amino acid ester, polyethylene glycol, and a functional group for the introduction of a functional moiety at an end thereof at a predetermined ratio, comprises a polyphosphazene-based polymer having a controlled length and a content of polyethylene glycol contained therein, in which a reversible sol-gel transition character is altered; a medical polymer hydrogel comprising the polyphosphazene-based polymer; or an ink composition for 3D printing.

The invention provides a metallopolymer coordination network comprising one or more coinage or similar metals and in some embodiments, a glyme or glyme-equivalent. The composition has an amorphous polymer network that is significantly stronger than previously reported supramolecular hydrogels synthesized without glyme. Glyme chain length and water content strongly influence the mechanical, electronic, and optical behavior of the network.

[Object] To provide a method for producing a water-absorbent resin in powder form or particle form, which has excellent physical properties such as water absorption performance and the like, at high productivity. [Solution] A method for producing a water-absorbent resin includes: a polymerization step of polymerizing a monomer, which is a raw material of the water-absorbent resin, to obtain a hydrous gel crosslinked polymer dispersed in an organic solvent; and a separation step of separating the organic solvent and the hydrous gel crosslinked polymer. The separation step includes transfer, compression, and discharge of the hydrous gel crosslinked polymer.

Electro-responsive hydrogel particles are flowed into a first wellbore formed in a subterranean formation. An electric circuit is established between the first wellbore and a second wellbore formed in the subterranean formation. An electric current is applied through the electric circuit, thereby exposing the electro-responsive hydrogel particles to an electric field and causing at least one of swelling or aggregation of the electro-responsive hydrogel particles to form a flow-diverting plug within the subterranean formation. Water is flowed into the first wellbore to increase hydrocarbon production from the second wellbore.

Covalently cross-linked copolymers are described herein. More specifically, polysaccharide-polyamine copolymeric matrices or structures and cationic copolymeric matrices are described herein. The polysaccharide-polyamine copolymers, when protonated, can form cationic copolymeric matrices having exceptionally high densities of cationic sites. In one form, the covalently cross-linked copolymers provide a three-dimensional structure, especially when hydrated.

Provided are methods for linking polypeptides (including peptides and proteins) to other moieties using radical imitated thiol-ene chemistries, for example, modifying a polypeptide by introducing reactive thiol groups and reacting the thiol groups with olefin-containing reagents or alkyne-containing reagents under conditions that support radical thiol-ene or thiol-yne reactions. The reactive thiol groups have greater activity for radical thiol-ene reactions that a cysteine thiol group, including thiol groups that are separated from the peptide backbone by at least two carbon atoms, for example, the thiol group of a homocysteine residue. Also provided are compositions and biomaterials containing the linked polypeptides, for example, peptide and protein conjugates, and thiol-ene based biocompatible hydrogel polymers, and their uses in the medical field.

A biocompatible nerve conduit for nerve re-generation, wherein a porous fiber tube is coated with a bioresorbable hydrogel, with the fibers being formed from a polymer that supports nerve regeneration by preferential adsorption of endogenous proteins and braided with pores in the range from 5 to 200 micrometers using a kink-resistant braiding pattern and the hydro gel coating material and thickness being selected to control the overall porosity, so that nutrients and oxygen can diffuse through said hydrogel coating but the infiltration of fibrous tissue through the coating is prevented.