A polymer of intrinsic microporosity having a repeating subunit including both a spirobisindane imide moiety and an amido (lactam) moiety.

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Copolymer C comprising polyarylene ether blocks A and polyalkylene oxide blocks PAO, wherein said polyarylene ether blocks A are blocks of at least one partially sulfonated polyarylene ether.

[Problem] To provide a membrane for the forward osmosis method, which keeps a high porosity, reduces concentration polarization by appropriately controlling the pore distribution, achieves both high water permeability and a self-supporting property, and has high chemical durability such that the membrane is applicable to various draw solutions. [Solution] A separation membrane having a structure inclined from an outer surface side to an inner surface side, a ratio between a thickness of a dense layer having a dense polymer density and a thickness of a coarse layer having a coarse polymer density being in a range of 0.25≦(the thickness of the coarse layer)/[(the thickness of the dense layer)+(the thickness of the coarse layer)]≦0.6, when measuring polymer density distribution in a thickness direction of the separation membrane by Raman spectroscopy.

Process for making a membrane M comprising the following steps: a) preparing a copolymer C, wherein said copolymer C comprises blocks of at least one polyarylene ether A and blocks of polyalkylene oxide PAO, wherein the content of polyethyleneoxide in copolymer C is 30 to 90% by weight and wherein copolymer C is prepared in a solvent L to yield solution S; b) providing a dope solution D comprising at least one polymer P; c) mixing solution S and dope solution D; d) preparing a membrane by bringing the mixture of solution S and dope solution D into contact with at least one coagulating agent.

Disclosed are polyurethane encapsulating compounds for embedding hollow fibers of filter elements, obtainable by mixing a polyol component (A) and an isocyanate component (B), including at least one aromatic isocyanate, to give a reaction mixture and reacting the mixture to completion to give the polyurethane encapsulating compound. The polyol component (A) includes at least one fatty-acid-based polyol (a1) having a hydroxyl number of greater than 50 to less than 500 mg KOH/g and a functionality of from 2-6, and at least one bismuth catalyst (a2), obtainable by mixing a bismuth carboxylate (a2-1) with an amine compound (a2-11) having at least one tertiary nitrogen atom and at least one isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atom. The molar ratio of bismuth to amine compound (a2-11) is 1:0.5-1:50. Also disclosed are methods for producing filter elements using the polyurethane encapsulating compounds and to uses of the polyurethane encapsulating compounds for the embedding of hollow fibers.

A process for producing thermoplastic polyoxazolidinone, comprising the following steps: (i) Reaction of a diisocyanate compound (A) with a bisepoxide compound (B) in the presence of a catalyst (C) and a compound (D) in a solvent (E) forming an intermediate compound (F) and (ii) Reaction of a compound (G) with the intermediate (F) formed in step (i), wherein the bisepoxide compound (B) comprises isosorbide diglycidylether, wherein compound (D) is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monofunctional isocyanate and monofunctional epoxide, and wherein compound (G) is an alkylene oxide. The invention is also related to the resulting thermoplastic polyoxazolidinone.

The present invention relates to a gas separation membrane for separating a target gas species from a mixture of gas species, the membrane comprising: (i) a porous substrate having a first and second surface region between which the mixture of gas species will flow; (ii) a sealing polymer layer of different composition to the porous substrate that (a) forms a continuous coating across the second surface region of the substrate, and (b) is permeable to the mixture of gas species; and (iii) a selective polymer layer in the form of a cross linked macromolecular film that (a) is located on and covalently coupled to the sealing polymer layer, and (b) has a higher permeability to the target gas species relative to other gas species present in the mixture of gas species that is to be subjected to separation.

A process for producing thermoplastic polyoxazolidinone, comprising the following steps: (i) Reaction of a diisocyanate compound (A) with a bisepoxide compound (B) in the presence of a catalyst (C) and a compound (D) in a solvent (E) forming an intermediate compound (F) and (ii) Reaction of a compound (G) with the intermediate (F) formed in step (i), wherein the bisepoxide compound (B) comprises isosorbide diglycidylether, wherein compound (D) is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monofunctional isocyanate and monofunctional epoxide, and wherein compound (G) is an alkylene oxide. The invention is also related to the resulting thermoplastic polyoxazolidinone.

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) compositions, methods for producing TPU compositions, methods of using TPU compositions, and apparatuses produced therefrom are disclosed. Disclosed TPU compositions include a thermoplastic polyurethane polymer, a heat stabilizer, a flow agent, and a filler material. The filler may be a glass fiber. Disclosed TPU compositions have improved thermal stability and improved flow properties suitable for injection molding of articles of manufacture having a large plurality of fine openings or pores. Articles produced from the composition have superior thermal stability, abrasion resistance, and chemical resistance. Example articles include screening members for vibratory screening machines.

Novel compositions and systems for closure of wounds with antimicrobial effectiveness are disclosed. The compositions provide devices of improved flexibility and elasticity and are readily applied to wound sites or over wound closure devices. The present invention is also directed to a novel platinum catalyst for use in such compositions. The catalyst provides for rapid curing on topical surfaces such as skin and bonds to such surfaces in about 2-5 minutes.