A process for forming a flame retardant polymer, as well as the flame retardant polymer, are disclosed. A flame retardant polymer is a polymer that can be resistant to thermal degradation and/or thermal oxidation. A flame retardant polymer can be mixed or otherwise incorporated into a standard polymer to give flame retardancy to the standard polymer. The flame retardant polymers can include polycaprolactone functionalized with flame retardant substituents. The flame retardant substituents can include halides, substituted phosphoryl, and substituted phosphonyl.

Disclosed are methods of efficiently making poly(3-hydroxypropionate) (polypropiolactones) and related copolymers from 3-hydroxypropionate (beta propiolactone) utilizing zwitterionic polymerization initiators. In another aspect, the present invention provides polymerization systems comprising combinations of initiators and monomers that together enable the efficient production of poly(3-hydroxypropionate) (polypropiolactones) and related copolymers. Disclosed are novel polymer compositions having structures and/or compositional characteristics that differentiate them from previously produced polymers and polymer compositions.

A multifunctionalized polycaprolactone polymer, a process for forming a multifunctionalized polycaprolactone polymer, and an article of manufacture comprising a material containing a multifunctionalized polycaprolactone polymer are disclosed. The multifunctionalized polycaprolactone polymer includes at least two functional groups. The process of forming the multifunctionalized polycaprolactone polymer includes forming a caprolactone monomer having at least two functional groups, and polymerizing the caprolactone monomer. Further, the article of manufacture includes a polycaprolactone polymer having at least two functional groups.

Methods of functionalizing -halogenated hydroxy acid-based polymers and coupling -halogenated hydroxy acid-based polymers are provided. Suitable -halogenated hydroxy acid-based polymers include -halogenated polyesters and -halogenated acrylate-based inimers. Methods include coupling -halogenated polyesters and functionalizing -halogenated polyesters without polymer cleavage. Certain -halogenated hydroxy acid-based polymers may be functionalized, crosslinked or, intiate polymerization by inducing the -halogenated hydroxy acid-based polymers to make a dioxolenium ion intermediate. The -halogenated hydroxy acid-based polymers may also be functionalized using a radical trap.

Disclosed herein are methods and related imaging systems to measure oxygenation levels on a surface. Methods of monitoring wound healing with dual emissive difluoroboron naphthyl-phenyl -diketonate polylactide materials are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a hyperbranched polyether ester. According to the present invention, a di-functionality haloalkane and a tri-functionality hydroxyl/carboxyl benzene are used as raw materials, and the hyperbranched polyether ester is synthetized in one pot with an A.sub.2+B.sub.3 polymerization method. The present invention is featured by easily obtained raw materials and simple steps, and the prepared hyperbranched polyether ester contains end groups with high reactive activity, so that various functional groups or polymer chains can be introduced into the hyperbranched polyether ester by a further condensation reaction, ring-opening reaction, etc., and thus a hyperbranched polymer with a diversity of properties and unique functions can be prepared.

A process for forming a flame retardant polymer, as well as the flame retardant polymer, are disclosed. A flame retardant polymer is a polymer that can be resistant to thermal degradation and/or thermal oxidation. A flame retardant polymer can be mixed or otherwise incorporated into a standard polymer to give flame retardancy to the standard polymer. The flame retardant polymers can include polycaprolactone functionalized with flame retardant substituents. The flame retardant substituents can include halides, substituted phosphoryl, and substituted phosphonyl.

A process of forming a flame retardant polylactide includes forming a flame retardant lactide monomer. The process also includes forming a lactide feedstock that includes at least the flame retardant lactide monomer. The process further includes polymerizing the lactide feedstock to form a flame retardant polylactide.

Biodegradable polyesters are made by synthesizing copolymers derived from biodegradable hydroxyacid monomers as well as from hydroxyacid monomers containing a functional group such as an azide group, a halogen group, a thioacetate group, and the like. Preferably, the functionalized biodegradable polyester copolymers are derived from a functionalized hydroxyacid such as a homolog of lactic acid and/or glycolic acid with the copolyester thus containing functional groups on the backbone thereof. These biodegradable polyesters can be utilized wherever biodegradable polyesters are currently used, and also serve as a polymer to which various medical and drug delivery systems can be attached.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a hyperbranched polyether ester. According to the present invention, a di-functionality haloalkane and a tri-functionality hydroxyl/carboxyl benzene are used as raw materials, and the hyperbranched polyether ester is synthetized in one pot with an A.sub.2+B.sub.3 polymerization method. The present invention is featured by easily obtained raw materials and simple steps, and the prepared hyperbranched polyether ester contains end groups with high reactive activity, so that various functional groups or polymer chains can be introduced into the hyperbranched polyether ester by a further condensation reaction, ring-opening reaction, etc., and thus a hyperbranched polymer with a diversity of properties and unique functions can be prepared.