The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, a protective film, an optical element, and a display device. A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet formed using the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to the present invention can have proper high-speed and low-speed peel strengths and simultaneously can exhibit an excellent balance between the high-speed and low-speed peel strengths. The pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet formed using the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention exhibits a proper level of surface resistance and excellent electrostatic discharge characteristics, and has no contaminants with respect to an adherend even when the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is peeled from the adherend after the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is attached to the adherend for a long period of time. Such a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet formed using the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various fields of applications. For example, the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet can be used as a protective film for optical members such as polarizing plates.

Provided are imidazolium zwitterion polymerizable compounds and their applications in ophthalmic devices and packaging solutions. The zwitterionic polymerizable compounds are of formula I:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, and R.sub.g are as described herein.

Provided are imidazolium zwitterion polymerizable compounds and their applications in ophthalmic devices and packaging solutions. The zwitterionic polymerizable compounds are of formula I:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, and R.sub.g are as described herein.

This invention also relates to monodisperse coated hydrogel polymer particles comprising a polymer formed from (a) a hydrophilic vinylic monomer having a log P.sub.oct/wat (log P) of less than about 0.6; and (b) a crosslinker comprising at least two vinyl groups; and a coating. Also provided are methods of forming the monodisperse coated hydrogel polymer particles.

A method for preparing comb structure temperature/pH-responsive polycarboxylic acid by end-group functionalization adopts temperature/pH-responsive monomer, unsaturated halogenated hydrocarbon, small monomer of carboxylic acid and other raw materials to prepare polycarboxylic acid material via self-polymerization, substitution and copolymerization. Temperature/pH-responsive monomers are first self-polymerized to obtain temperature/pH-responsive polymer chain with end-group functionalization, and then substitution with unsaturated halogenated hydrocarbons is conducted to obtain temperature/pH-responsive macromonomers with end-group functionalization, finally the obtained product is copolymerized with small carboxylic acid monomers to prepare comb structure polymer with polycarboxylic acid main chain and temperature/pH-responsive side chain.

A method for preparing comb structure temperature/pH-responsive polycarboxylic acid by end-group functionalization adopts temperature/pH-responsive monomer, unsaturated halogenated hydrocarbon, small monomer of carboxylic acid and other raw materials to prepare polycarboxylic acid material via self-polymerization, substitution and copolymerization. Temperature/pH-responsive monomers are first self-polymerized to obtain temperature/pH-responsive polymer chain with end-group functionalization, and then substitution with unsaturated halogenated hydrocarbons is conducted to obtain temperature/pH-responsive macromonomers with end-group functionalization, finally the obtained product is copolymerized with small carboxylic acid monomers to prepare comb structure polymer with polycarboxylic acid main chain and temperature/pH-responsive side chain.

An example of a functionalized plasmonic nanostructure includes a plasmonic nanostructure core; a polymeric hydrogel attached to the plasmonic nanostructure core, the polymeric hydrogel having a thickness ranging from about 10 nm to about 200 nm; and a plurality of primers attached to side chains or arms of the polymeric hydrogel, wherein at least some of the plurality of primers are attached to the polymeric hydrogel at different distances from the plasmonic nanostructure core.

An example of a functionalized plasmonic nanostructure includes a plasmonic nanostructure core; a polymeric hydrogel attached to the plasmonic nanostructure core, the polymeric hydrogel having a thickness ranging from about 10 nm to about 200 nm; and a plurality of primers attached to side chains or arms of the polymeric hydrogel, wherein at least some of the plurality of primers are attached to the polymeric hydrogel at different distances from the plasmonic nanostructure core.

The invention concerns a method for preparing a dispersion of a hydrophilic phase in a lipophilic phase, comprising:—a hydrophilic phase comprising at least one water-soluble (co)polymer, —a lipophilic phase, —at least one interface polymer consisting of at least one monomer of formula (I): Formula (I) in which, —R1, R2, R3 are separately a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a carboxylate group and Z—X, —Z is chosen from the group comprising C(═O)—O; C(═O)—NH; O—C(═O); NH—C(═O)—NH; NH—C(═O)—O; and a saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted carbon chain comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms capable of comprising one or more heteroatoms chosen from nitrogen and oxygen, —X is a group chosen from the alkanolamides, sorbitan esters, ethoxylated sorbitan esters, glyceryl esters, and polyglycosides; and comprising a saturated or unsaturated, linear, branched or cyclic, optionally aromatic, hydrocarbon chain.

The invention concerns a method for preparing a dispersion of a hydrophilic phase in a lipophilic phase, comprising:—a hydrophilic phase comprising at least one water-soluble (co)polymer, —a lipophilic phase, —at least one interface polymer consisting of at least one monomer of formula (I): Formula (I) in which, —R1, R2, R3 are separately a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a carboxylate group and Z—X, —Z is chosen from the group comprising C(═O)—O; C(═O)—NH; O—C(═O); NH—C(═O)—NH; NH—C(═O)—O; and a saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted carbon chain comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms capable of comprising one or more heteroatoms chosen from nitrogen and oxygen, —X is a group chosen from the alkanolamides, sorbitan esters, ethoxylated sorbitan esters, glyceryl esters, and polyglycosides; and comprising a saturated or unsaturated, linear, branched or cyclic, optionally aromatic, hydrocarbon chain.