A material is provided having a lamellar, non-centrosymmetric macroscopic structure, essentially consisting of a mixture of at least two populations of objects that are heterogeneous in blocks along an axis, each object consisting of at least two blocks, characterized in that each of the objects is connected to adjacent objects via interactions that involve at least two mutually incompatible blocks of the object and two blocks that are compatible one-to-one with the first of the blocks, and mutually incompatible along the chain of each one of said adjacent objects. The objects can be, in particular, block co-oligomers or copolymers.

Graft copolymer polyelectrolyte complexes are disclosed for the efficient delivery of anionic, cationic or polyelectrolyte therapeutic agents into biological cells, and for maintaining the biological activity of these molecules while in serum and other aqueous environments are provided. Such complexes comprise (1) an anionic graft copolymer containing an anionic polymer backbone, with pendent carboxylic acid groups and pendant chains containing amphipathic or hydrophilic polymers covalently bonded to a portion of the pendant carboxylic acid groups, (2) one or more anionic, cationic or polyelectrolyte therapeutic agents, and (3) optionally a liposome optionally containing an additional therapeutic agent. Also disclosed are functional nanoparticles containing the complexes.

Methods for recovering monomers from polymers, such as polyurethanes (including thermoset polyurethanes) include heating the polymer to depolymerize the polymer and release the monomer. The monomer may be directly recovered. The polymer may include a poly(β-methyl-δ-valerolactone) (PMVL) block and the monomer recovered may be β-methyl-δ-valerolactone (MVL).

In one aspect, the present invention pertains to novel block materials comprising an aliphatic polycarbonate (APC) chain bound to a hydrocarbon. The invention also provides methods of making the block materials and using them as compatibilizers for polymer blends. In another aspect, the present invention encompasses methods of making blends of APCs with polyolefins. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise the step of blending one or more APCs with one or more polyolefins in the presence of a compatibilizer as described herein. In another aspect, the present invention encompasses novel blends of APCs with polyolefins. In certain embodiments, the blends comprise one or more APCs; at least one polyolefin and a compatibilizer as described herein.

A polymer and a pharmaceutical composition employing the same are disclosed. The polymer includes a first repeating unit, a second repeating unit, and a third repeating unit. In particular, the first repeating unit is ##STR00001##
the second repeating unit is ##STR00002##
wherein R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; and the third repeating unit is ##STR00003##
wherein X is ##STR00004##
and Y is a hydrophilic polymeric moiety.

A process for making a starch-based resin from a starch-based plant feed stock generally comprising the steps of extracting starch content from prepared feed stock, preparing a dried starch from the extracted starch content that may be polymerized in a reactor with a catalytic material, a petroleum-based plastic resin, a quantity of glycerol, and an oil which is high in free hydrogen, and partially cross-linking the polymerized starch with a petroleum-based plastic resin to form a starch-based resin that may be used to produce starch-based film and bag products and other articles of manufacture that have unique degradation properties is disclosed herein.

A process for making a starch-based resin from a starch-based plant feed stock generally comprising the steps of extracting starch content from prepared feed stock, preparing a dried starch from the extracted starch content that may be polymerized in a reactor with a catalytic material, a petroleum-based plastic resin, a quantity of glycerol, and an oil which is high in free hydrogen, and partially cross-linking the polymerized starch with a petroleum-based plastic resin to form a starch-based resin that may be used to produce starch-based film and bag products and other articles of manufacture that have unique degradation properties is disclosed herein.

A polysulfone membrane is modified so that monomers are wafted onto the surface of the membrane. The polysulfone membranes can be grafted by contacting the membrane with a grafting solution and exposing the membrane to electromagnetic radiation, typically within the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. The monomers that are grafted are typically anionic or cationic. The grafted membranes can be used for filtering impurities, such as positively and negatively charged particles, from a liquid. Anionic membranes provide improved filtration of negatively charged impurities, while cationic membranes provide improved filtration of positively charged impurities.

Compositions may include those of the formula: (I) wherein R1 is an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of greater than 40 to 200, R2 is a multiester, R3 is hydrogen, an ion, or an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of 1 to 200, m is an integer selected from 0 to 4, and n is an integer selected from the range of 0 to 4, wherein the sum of m and n is 1 or greater. Compositions may include a reaction product of a polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride and a hydroxy-functional dendrimer, wherein the molar ratio of polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride to hydroxy-functional dendrimer is within the range of 10:1 to 30:1.

##STR00001##

The present disclosure provides a multilayer film. The multilayer film includes at least two layers including a sealant layer and a second layer in contact with the sealant layer. The sealant layer contains (A) a first ethylene-based polymer having a density from 0.900 g/cc to 0.925 g/cc and a melt index from 0.5 g/10 min to 30 g/10 min; and (B) a polyethylene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymer having a weight average molecular weight from 1,000 g/mol to 10,000 g/mol. The second layer contains a second ethylene-based polymer.