The invention provides a method of preparing an electrically conductive polymeric material. The method comprises providing a polymeric network having a short chain conductive polymer dispersed in the polymeric network and electropolymerising a conductive polymer within the polymeric network. Also described is a free standing flexible electrically conductive polymeric material comprising a conductive polymer within a polymeric network.

The invention provides a method of preparing an electrically conductive polymeric material. The method comprises providing a polymeric network having a short chain conductive polymer dispersed in the polymeric network and electropolymerising a conductive polymer within the polymeric network. Also described is a free standing flexible electrically conductive polymeric material comprising a conductive polymer within a polymeric network.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous dispersion of a vinyl acetate polymer comprising the step of polymerizing vinyl acetate under emulsion polymerization conditions in the presence of a chain transfer agent which is a hypophosphite salt or X—R.sup.1—SH, where R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl group and X is sulfonate, hydroxyl, sulfate, phosphate, phosphonate, carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, or C.sub.1-C.sub.3-alkyl carboxylate. The process provides a way of lowering the viscosity of the vinyl acetate polymer at a given solids content.

Provided is a touch panel. The touch panel includes a base and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer attached to the base and having a peel strength with respect to a polycarbonate sheet of 1,900 g/25 mm or more. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes an acryl polymer compound containing an acryl polymer and a thiol polymer derived by binding a thiol compound into a chain, or a side chain or terminal end of a chain of the acryl polymer. Accordingly, penetration of oxygen, moisture or other impurities at an interface between the base film and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, or at an interface between a conductor thin film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may be effectively inhibited, and degradation in optical properties such as visibility due to bubbles generated at a pressure-sensitive adhesive interface may be prevented. In addition, when the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is directly attached to the conductor thin film and even exposed to severe conditions such as high temperature or high temperature and high humidity, the change in the resistance of the conductor thin film may be effectively inhibited, and thus the touch panel may be stably driven for a long time.

Provided is a touch panel. The touch panel includes a base and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer attached to the base and having a peel strength with respect to a polycarbonate sheet of 1,900 g/25 mm or more. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes an acryl polymer compound containing an acryl polymer and a thiol polymer derived by binding a thiol compound into a chain, or a side chain or terminal end of a chain of the acryl polymer. Accordingly, penetration of oxygen, moisture or other impurities at an interface between the base film and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, or at an interface between a conductor thin film and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may be effectively inhibited, and degradation in optical properties such as visibility due to bubbles generated at a pressure-sensitive adhesive interface may be prevented. In addition, when the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is directly attached to the conductor thin film and even exposed to severe conditions such as high temperature or high temperature and high humidity, the change in the resistance of the conductor thin film may be effectively inhibited, and thus the touch panel may be stably driven for a long time.

A polymer comprising recurring units derived from a sulfonium salt of specific structure having a polymerizable group is coated to form a resist film which is amenable to precise micropatterning because of improved LWR, CDU and resolution.

A polymer comprising recurring units derived from a sulfonium salt of specific structure having a polymerizable group is coated to form a resist film which is amenable to precise micropatterning because of improved LWR, CDU and resolution.

Skin-contact products with a transpiration function such as medical devices or medicinal products, of which face masks, aspirators, ventilators, breast pumps or wound dressings are examples are described especially a skin-contact product with a transpiration function with an improved microclimate at a patient interface material-skin contact area. In an embodiment a material system is described that comprises a hydrophobic silicone base material and a hydrophilic silicone material that is combined with the hydrophobic base material.

A compound represented by formula: is disclosed. R is hydrogen or alkyl; X is alkylene; Y is a bond, ether, thioether, amine, amide, ester, thioester, carbonate, thiocarbonate, carbamate, thiocarbamate, urea, thiourea, alkylene, arylalkylene, alkylarylene, or arylene, wherein alkylene, arylalkylene, alkylarylene, and arylene are optionally at least one of interrupted or terminated by at least one of an ether, thioether, amine, amide, ester, thioester, carbonate, thiocarbonate, carbamate, thiocarbamate, urea, or thiourea; and Z is an acrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylamide, a methacrylamide, a styrenyl, or a terminal alkenylene having at least three carbon atoms. A composition including the compound, and a method of determining the degree of cure of a curable polymeric resin are also disclosed. ##STR00001##

A compound represented by formula: is disclosed. R is hydrogen or alkyl; X is alkylene; Y is a bond, ether, thioether, amine, amide, ester, thioester, carbonate, thiocarbonate, carbamate, thiocarbamate, urea, thiourea, alkylene, arylalkylene, alkylarylene, or arylene, wherein alkylene, arylalkylene, alkylarylene, and arylene are optionally at least one of interrupted or terminated by at least one of an ether, thioether, amine, amide, ester, thioester, carbonate, thiocarbonate, carbamate, thiocarbamate, urea, or thiourea; and Z is an acrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylamide, a methacrylamide, a styrenyl, or a terminal alkenylene having at least three carbon atoms. A composition including the compound, and a method of determining the degree of cure of a curable polymeric resin are also disclosed. ##STR00001##