The present invention provides a sustained release composition having hyperbranched polymers that are polyesters that are biobased and biodegradable, and that have at least one active ingredient, which composition delivers the active ingredient over time. These active ingredients can be a wide variety of compounds so long as they can covalently bind to the polymer or be encapsulated in the polymer in a manner that is released at the point of delivery, usually by acid hydrolysis or enzymatic bond scission.

A process for regulating the water retention of soil materials used in agriculture involving providing a composition comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of a urethane, a urethaneurea, a thiocarbamate and mixtures thereof, said polymer comprising hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments; and applying the composition onto soil materials used in agriculture to form a polymer film thereon, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments together provide reversible hydrophobic-hydrophilic switching in response to water, such that the film surface switches from a relatively hydrophobic state in dry conditions to a relatively hydrophilic state in response to the presence of water in contact with the film surface.

There is provided an oligomeric polyol composition having (a) an oligomeric network containing residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound and residues of at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups having one or more pendant hydroxyl groups bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units. The residues of the polyol may optionally contain one or more oxygen ether groups, one or more amino ether groups, or both of one or more oxygen ether groups and one or more amino ether groups. Reaction of the oligomeric polyols with isocyanate monomers affords a new class of polyurethanes having superior heat and water resistance. The new polyurethanes exhibit lower peak exotherms, typically less than 250 F. during in-mold polymerization. Articles prepared from polyurethanes incorporating such oligomeric polyol compositions exhibit flexural strengths and moduli in excess of 10,000 psi and 400,000 psi respectively, and outstanding green strength.

There is provided an oligomeric polyol composition having (a) an oligomeric network containing residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound and residues of at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups having one or more pendant hydroxyl groups bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units. The residues of the polyol may optionally contain one or more oxygen ether groups, one or more amino ether groups, or both of one or more oxygen ether groups and one or more amino ether groups. Reaction of the oligomeric polyols with isocyanate monomers affords a new class of polyurethanes having superior heat and water resistance. The new polyurethanes exhibit lower peak exotherms, typically less than 250 F. during in-mold polymerization. Articles prepared from polyurethanes incorporating such oligomeric polyol compositions exhibit flexural strengths and moduli in excess of 10,000 psi and 400,000 psi respectively, and outstanding green strength.

There is provided an oligomeric polyol composition having (a) an oligomeric network containing residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound and residues of at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups having one or more pendant hydroxyl groups bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units. The residues of the polyol may optionally contain one or more oxygen ether groups, one or more amino ether groups, or both of one or more oxygen ether groups and one or more amino ether groups. Reaction of the oligomeric polyols with isocyanate monomers affords a new class of polyurethanes having superior heat and water resistance. The new polyurethanes exhibit lower peak exotherms, typically less than 250 F. during in-mold polymerization. Articles prepared from polyurethanes incorporating such oligomeric polyol compositions exhibit flexural strengths and moduli in excess of 10,000 psi and 400,000 psi respectively, and outstanding green strength.

A process for preparing a polymeric membrane for materials used in crop production comprising: a) providing an aqueous dispersion of a polyurethane or polyurethane-urea elastomer comprising segments formed from the copolymer segment of Formula I

A.sup.1-[Y.sup.1].sub.n-L-[Y.sup.2].sub.q-A.sup.2 Formula I

wherein A.sup.1 is an end capping group; A.sup.2 is hydrogen or an end capping group; each [Y.sup.1].sub.n and [Y.sup.2].sub.q is independently selected from a polyether macrodiol, polycarbonate macrodiol, polyester macrodiol, and wherein at least one of [Y.sup.1].sub.n and [Y.sup.2].sub.q is a polyester macrodiol; L is a divalent linking compound independently selected from urethane, urea, carbonate, ester, and phosphonate; n is an integer of 2 to 50; q is an integer of 2 to 50; and b) spraying the aqueous dispersion onto materials to be used in crop production to form a polymeric membrane on the materials.

Provided is a coated granular fertilizer, which includes a granular fertilizer and a resin coat that coats the granular fertilizer, in which the resin coat contains a urethane resin that is a polyaddition product between a polyisocyanate component and a polyol component, the polyisocyanate component includes an aromatic polyisocyanate, and the polyol component includes a castor oil-modified diol, an alkylene diol having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, and a compound having three or more hydroxyl groups.

Disclosed are polyol compositions with a low viscosity that exhibit superior heat resistance, enhanced stability in the presence of water, improved strength, hardness, and molding characteristics relative to known polyurethane materials. Disclosed is a polyol composition comprising: (a) at least one monomeric polyol comprising three or more hydroxyl groups; (b) at least one higher polyol comprising three or more hydroxyl groups; and (c) at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound; wherein the at least one higher polyol comprises residues of either or both of the at least one monomeric polyol and the polyhydroxylated aromatic compound linked by one or more carbonate groups, oxygen ether groups, or a combination thereof. Disclosed are methods of preparing the disclosed compositions. Disclosed are articles prepared from the disclosed compositions that exhibit flexural strengths in excess of 10,000 psi and flexural moduli in excess of 400,000 psi, and exhibit outstanding green strength.

The present invention relates to a polycarbonate resin containing, in the molecule, a structure represented by the following formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein X has a structure represented by any one of the following formula (2) to (4): ##STR00002##
wherein each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an organic group having a carbon number of 1 to 30; the organic group may have an arbitrary substituent, and any two or more members of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 may combine with each other to form a ring, which is excellent in heat resistance, transparency, light resistance, weather resistance and mechanical strength.

There is provided an oligomeric polyol composition having (a) an oligomeric network containing residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound and residues of at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups having one or more pendant hydroxyl groups bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units. The residues of the polyol may optionally contain one or more oxygen ether groups, one or more amino ether groups, or both of one or more oxygen ether groups and one or more amino ether groups. Reaction of the oligomeric polyols with isocyanate monomers affords a new class of polyurethanes having superior heat and water resistance. The new polyurethanes exhibit lower peak exotherms, typically less than 250? F. during in-mold polymerization. Articles prepared from polyurethanes incorporating such oligomeric polyol compositions exhibit flexural strengths and moduli in excess of 10,000 psi and 400,000 psi respectively, and outstanding green strength.