Storage stable polyhydroxylated aromatic ether adducts of polyalkylene oxide are described. Reactive compositions are formed by combining an ether adduct with an aldehyde, optionally further adding a phenolic-aldehyde prepolymer. The reactive compositions are cured by removing water, by acidification, or both. The cured compositions sorb solvated compounds from environments containing water. The cured compositions are also useful for pre-loading with compounds that are subsequently released at a controlled rate into environments containing water.

Dry gel polymer electrolytes as well as their methods of manufacture and use in electrochemical cells are disclosed. In some embodiments, a dry gel polymer electrolyte may include sulfolane, a high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, and a lithium salt. In embodiments in which the dry gel polymer electrolyte is included in the electrochemical cell, at least one layer of the dry gel polymer electrolyte may be disposed between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell.

Dry gel polymer electrolytes as well as their methods of manufacture and use in electrochemical cells are disclosed. In some embodiments, a dry gel polymer electrolyte may include sulfolane, a high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, and a lithium salt. In embodiments in which the dry gel polymer electrolyte is included in the electrochemical cell, at least one layer of the dry gel polymer electrolyte may be disposed between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell.

The synthesis of metal nanoparticles using a modified mPEG (methoxypolyethylene glycol) polymer includes the steps of: preparing a methanolic solution of a polymer; providing an aqueous solution including a metal salt; and combining the methanolic solution of the polymer with the aqueous metal salt solution to produce the metal nanoparticles, where the metal salt is AgNO.sub.3, CuCl.sub.2, NiCl.sub.2, CoCl.sub.2, Pd(Ac).sub.2, or HAuCl.sub.4 and wherein the metal nanoparticles are silver, copper, cobalt, palladium, nicker or gold nanoparticles having a size between 1 nm and 100 nm in diameter.

The synthesis of metal nanoparticles using a modified mPEG (methoxypolyethylene glycol) polymer includes the steps of: preparing a methanolic solution of a polymer; providing an aqueous solution including a metal salt; and combining the methanolic solution of the polymer with the aqueous metal salt solution to produce the metal nanoparticles, where the metal salt is AgNO.sub.3, CuCl.sub.2, NiCl.sub.2, CoCl.sub.2, Pd(Ac).sub.2, or HAuCl.sub.4 and wherein the metal nanoparticles are silver, copper, cobalt, palladium, nicker or gold nanoparticles having a size between 1 nm and 100 nm in diameter.

Storage stable polyhydroxylated aromatic ether adducts of polyalkylene oxide are described. Reactive compositions are formed by combining an ether adduct with an aldehyde, optionally further adding a phenolic-aldehyde prepolymer. The reactive compositions are cured by removing water, by acidification, or both. The cured compositions sorb solvated compounds from environments containing water. The cured compositions are also useful for pre-loading with compounds that are subsequently released at a controlled rate into environments containing water.

Storage stable polyhydroxylated aromatic ether adducts of polyalkylene oxide are described. Reactive compositions are formed by combining an ether adduct with an aldehyde, optionally further adding a phenolic-aldehyde prepolymer. The reactive compositions are cured by removing water, by acidification, or both. The cured compositions sorb solvated compounds from environments containing water. The cured compositions are also useful for pre-loading with compounds that are subsequently released at a controlled rate into environments containing water.

Storage stable polyhydroxylated aromatic ether adducts of polyalkylene oxide are described. Reactive compositions are formed by combining an ether adduct with an aldehyde, optionally further adding a phenolic-aldehyde prepolymer. The reactive compositions are cured by removing water, by acidification, or both. The cured compositions sorb solvated compounds from environments containing water. The cured compositions are also useful for pre-loading with compounds that are subsequently released at a controlled rate into environments containing water.

Storage stable polyhydroxylated aromatic ether adducts of polyalkylene oxide are described. Reactive compositions are formed by combining an ether adduct with an aldehyde, optionally further adding a phenolic-aldehyde prepolymer. The reactive compositions are cured by removing water, by acidification, or both. The cured compositions sorb solvated compounds from environments containing water. The cured compositions are also useful for pre-loading with compounds that are subsequently released at a controlled rate into environments containing water.

Biocompatible hydrogels made from cross-linked catechol-borate ester polymers are disclosed, along with methods of synthesizing and using such hydrogels. The hydrogels of the present invention are prepared by boronic acid-catechol complexation between catechol-containing macromonomers and boronic acid-containing cross-linkers. The resulting hydrogels are pH-responsive and self-healing, and can be used in a number of different biomedical applications, including in surgical implants, in surgical adhesives, and in drug delivery systems is data provides further evidence of the viability of using the disclosed hydrogels for in vivo in biomedical applications.