The invention provides polymers and polymeric nanogels in which nucleic acid molecules can be stably entrapped or encapsulated and are controllably delivered and released upon degradation of the nano-structures in response to specific microenvironment triggers, and compositions and methods of preparation and use thereof.

Ion exchange membranes obtainable by curing a composition comprising: (a) a curable monomer comprising at least one anionic or cationic group; (b) a photoinitiator which has an absorption maximum at a wavelength longer than 380 nm when measured in one or more of the following solvents at a temperature of 23° C.: water, ethanol and toluene; (c) at least one co-initiator; and optionally (d) optionally a curable monomer which is free from anionic and cationic groups; wherein at least one of the curable monomers present in the composition comprises an aromatic group.

Ion exchange membranes obtainable by curing a composition comprising: (a) a curable monomer comprising at least one anionic or cationic group; (b) a photoinitiator which has an absorption maximum at a wavelength longer than 380 nm when measured in one or more of the following solvents at a temperature of 23° C.: water, ethanol and toluene; (c) at least one co-initiator; and optionally (d) optionally a curable monomer which is free from anionic and cationic groups; wherein at least one of the curable monomers present in the composition comprises an aromatic group.

Monomers, polymers formed from such monomers, and articles for biomaterial capture including such polymers, wherein the monomer is represented by the following general Formula (I): CH.sub.2═CR.sup.1—C(═O)—X—R.sup.2—Z—X.sup.3—NR.sup.3—C(═X2)-X.sup.1—R.sup.4, wherein: R.sup.1 is H or —CH.sub.3; R.sup.2 is a (hetero)hydrocarbylene; X is —O— or —NH—; X.sup.1 is —O—, —S—, —NH—, or a single bond; X.sup.2 is —O— or —S—; X.sup.3 is —O— or —NR.sup.5—; R.sup.4 is hydrogen, (hetero)hydrocarbyl, or —N(R.sup.3).sub.2; each R.sup.3 and R.sup.5 is independently hydrogen or a (hetero)hydrocarbyl; and Z is —C(═O)— or —NH—C(═O)—.

A resist composition containing a resin component having a structural unit represented by general formula (a0-1), and a compound represented by general formula (b1). In general formula (a0-1), R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogenated alkyl group, Va.sup.1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group, n.sub.a1 represents an integer of 0 to 2, Ya.sup.0 is a carbon atom, Xa.sup.0 is a group forming a monocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group together with Ya.sup.0, and Ra.sup.00 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a specific unsaturated hydrocarbon group. In general formula (b1), R.sup.b1 represents a cyclic hydrocarbon group, Y.sup.b1 represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond, V.sup.b1 represents an alkylene group, a fluorinated alkylene group, or a single bond, and M.sup.m+ is an m-valent organic cation.

##STR00001##

A resist composition comprising a base polymer and a sulfonium or iodonium salt of iodized benzoyloxy-containing fluorinated sulfonic acid offers a high sensitivity and minimal LWR or improved CDU independent of whether it is of positive or negative tone.

The invention provides UV-sensitive monomers, comprising a cyclopropenone-containing group, which acts as a masked dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO)/dibenzoazocyclooctyne (DIBAC) group. The monomers of the invention can be polymerized for example via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization techniques to yield a polymer comprising the masked DBCO/DIBAC group. In certain embodiments, the DBCO/DIBAC group can be unmasked under controlled conditions, allowing conjugation of small molecules and/or macromolecules to the polymer through highly selective and efficient strain-promoted azide alkyne click chemistry (SPAAC).

Antistatic polymers include divalent segments having the formulas (I) and (II) and wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represent alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.4 represents an alkylene group having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, and R.sup.5 independently represents H or methyl. Methods of making antistatic polymers are also disclosed.

##STR00001##

Zwitterionic polymers or biocompatible polymers with improved properties for cell encapsulation, coating of devices, or a combination thereof are described. The biocompatible polymer contains a zwitterionic monomer, a monomer with a reactive side chain, and optionally another hydrophobic monomer or a neutral hydrophilic monomer. The zwitterionic polymers are cross-linked with a cross-linker via covalent bond to form a zwitterionic hydrogel in the presence of cells. Also provided, are methods of making and using the zwitterionic polymers.

A method for making reduction sensitive nano micelles comprising: 1) dissolving taurine in distilled water, and adding sodium hydroxide solution; 2) dissolving acryloyl chloride in dichloromethane, reacting at 25° C.; dissolving lipoic acid in toluene and adding hydroxyethyl methacrylate, reacting at 85° C.; 3) dissolving N-acryloyltaurine and lipoic acid methacryloyloxyethyl ester and reacting at 60˜65° C., dropping the polymer solution into deionized water, adding dithiothreitol and reacting at 25˜30° C. to obtain reduction sensitive nano micelles after freeze-drying. The nano micelles have regular morphology and uniform distribution, and can be used as drug carriers for controlled release.