Novel surgical sutures and novel medical devices made from novel semi-crystalline, glycolide-rich A-B-A triblock copolymers of glycolide and lactide, wherein said B-segment is a fully amorphous random copolymer of glycolide and lactide, for long term medical applications are disclosed. The novel polymer compositions are useful for long term absorbable surgical sutures, meshes and other medical devices, especially for patients with compromised healing. The novel sutures have improved properties and improved breaking strength retention, while still substantially absorbing within about a 120-day period post-implantation.

The present invention provides new classes of phenol compounds, including those derived from tyrosol and analogues, useful as monomers for preparation of biocompatible polymers, and biocompatible polymers prepared from these monomeric phenol compounds, including novel biodegradable and/or bioresorbable polymers. These biocompatible polymers or polymer compositions with enhanced bioresorbabilty and processibility are useful in a variety of medical applications, such as in medical devices and controlled-release therapeutic formulations. The invention also provides methods for preparing these monomeric phenol compounds and biocompatible polymers.

The present invention provides new classes of phenol compounds, including those derived from tyrosol and analogues, useful as monomers for preparation of biocompatible polymers, and biocompatible polymers prepared from these monomeric phenol compounds, including novel biodegradable and/or bioresorbable polymers. These biocompatible polymers or polymer compositions with enhanced bioresorbabilty and processibility are useful in a variety of medical applications, such as in medical devices and controlled-release therapeutic formulations. The invention also provides methods for preparing these monomeric phenol compounds and biocompatible polymers.

A process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer containing hard segments (a) of a polyester and soft segments (b) containing repeating units derived from an aliphatic carbonate, in which process a precursor thermoplastic elastomer is subjected to solid state post condensation at a temperature between 140 and 170° C. Also claimed is the thermoplastic elastomer.

A process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer containing hard segments (a) of a polyester and soft segments (b) containing repeating units derived from an aliphatic carbonate, in which process a precursor thermoplastic elastomer is subjected to solid state post condensation at a temperature between 140 and 170° C. Also claimed is the thermoplastic elastomer.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a cycloaliphatic diester, to a method for producing a polyestercarbonate using the one cycloaliphatic diester, to the use of a cycloaliphatic diester for producing polyestercarbonates and also to a polyestercarbonate. The method according to the invention is here in particular characterized in that the cycloaliphatic diester is separated by means of distillation from the reaction mixture.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a cycloaliphatic diester, to a method for producing a polyestercarbonate using the one cycloaliphatic diester, to the use of a cycloaliphatic diester for producing polyestercarbonates and also to a polyestercarbonate. The method according to the invention is here in particular characterized in that the cycloaliphatic diester is separated by means of distillation from the reaction mixture.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyester carbonate on the basis of cycloaliphatic diacids and at least one 1,4:3,6-dianhydrohexitol and at least one further aliphatic dihydroxy compound, to a polyester carbonate and to a molding compound and a molded product containing the polyester carbonate. The polyester carbonates according to the invention are characterized by good mechanical properties and molecular weights.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a polyester carbonate on the basis of cycloaliphatic diacids and at least one 1,4:3,6-dianhydrohexitol and at least one further aliphatic dihydroxy compound, to a polyester carbonate and to a molding compound and a molded product containing the polyester carbonate. The polyester carbonates according to the invention are characterized by good mechanical properties and molecular weights.

The present invention is a polyester elastomer resin composition that has excellent extrusion moldability and surface smoothness even in a thin shape, while maintaining mechanical characteristics, and that is halogen-free and has excellent flame retardancy as well as heat aging resistance and hydrolysis resistance. The polyester elastomer resin composition comprises a polyester elastomer (A) and a phosphorus flame retardant (B); the polyester elastomer (A) comprises a hard segment composed of a polyester and at least one soft segment selected from aliphatic polyethers, aliphatic polyesters, and aliphatic polycarbonates, and has a Shore D surface hardness of 55 or less; the phosphorus flame retardant (B) has an average particle size D50 of 20 μm or less and a phosphorus concentration of 15 mass % or more; and the polyester elastomer resin composition comprises 5 to 50 parts by mass of the phosphorus flame retardant (B) and optionally a predetermined amount of an acid end capping agent (C) based on 100 parts by mass of the polyester elastomer (A), and has an acid value of 10 eq/ton or less.