The invention generally relates to compositions comprising degradable polymers and methods of making degradable polymers. Specifically, the disclosed degradable polymers comprise a biodegradable polymer backbone, a nitric oxide linker moiety, and a nitric oxide molecule. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Hydrocarbyl terminated polyester compounds comprising sulfur-containing repeat units that are useful as plastic modifiers, polymer blend compositions comprising the hydrocarbyl terminated polyester compounds, methods for modifying the performance properties of polymers, and methods for preparing the hydrocarbyl terminated polyester compounds.

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.

Hydrocarbyl terminated polyester compounds comprising sulfur-containing repeat units that are useful as plastic modifiers, polymer blend compositions comprising the hydrocarbyl terminated polyester compounds, methods for modifying the performance properties of polymers, and methods for preparing the hydrocarbyl terminated polyester compounds.

Provided herein are methods and systems for producing biodegradable beta-propiolactone-based polyester polymers from renewable EO and CO on an industrial scale.

A method to prepare functional polyester polyols by using micro-reaction device, wherein mixing -caprolactone/-valerolactone monomer with mercapto alcohol evenly with appropriate organic solution under moistureless conditions, and continuously transferring the prepared mixing solution into a micro-reaction device supported with an immobilized enzyme for polymerization to synthetize a poly (-caprolactone/-valerolactone). Compared with the prior art, the present invention achieves a continuous production by using immobilized lipase Novozyme435 as a catalyst.

Provided herein are methods and systems for producing biodegradable beta-propoiolacone-based polyester polymers from renewable EO and CO on an industrial scale.

Structures and methods of making biodegradable trehalose co-polymers are disclosed. Specifically, biodegradable trehalose co-polymers consist of the general structure R.sub.5[R.sub.1R.sub.2CCR.sub.3R.sub.4]n-[DG].sub.m-R.sub.6, wherein R.sub.1-R.sub.4 are independently selected from hydrogen or a side chain comprising at least one carbon atom, and wherein at least one of R.sub.1-R.sub.4 is a side chain comprising -L-trehalose, wherein L is a linker molecule that links trehalose to the monomer through at least one of the trehalose hydroxyl groups (OH), wherein DG is a biodegradable group, and wherein R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are end groups.

The present invention relates to a novel ester monomer susceptible to ring opening polymerization where the monomer comprise a functional group that may be transformed into thiols or SS groups which allows further functionalization. The present invention also relates to polymers and co-polymers derived from said monomer.

Monomer as a cross-linker for polymers The present invention provides a use of a monomer as a cross-linker in ring-opening polymerisation, a cross-linked polymer which comprises the monomer and a method of preparing a cross-linked polymer.