Methods include dissolving a polyoxymethylene (POM) homopolymer or copolymer in one or more solvents at an elevated temperature (e.g., up to a boiling point+10° C. (T.sub.BP+10C) of the one or more solvents) to form a polymer mixture, wherein a difference in total Hansen solubility parameters (Δδ.sub.t) for the POM homopolymer or copolymer and the one or more solvents is 6 or less; cooling the polymer mixture to form a POM particle composition; and isolating the POM particle composition. Said method may be performed at ambient pressures.

The invention concerns a process and a device for producing a particle foam part. The method comprises the steps of feeding foam particles into a mould space of a mould, welding the foam particles in the mould space under application of a predetermined pressure, wherein the foam particles comprise a proportion of at least 10% by weight of recycled, shredded foam particles and the welding of the foam particles takes place by means of electromagnetic waves.

The invention provides methods for the formation of thermo-reversible hydrogels from triblock copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(α-benzyl carboxylate-ε-caprolactone) (PBCL-PEG-PBCL) prepared by bulk and solution polymerization. PBCL-PEG-PBCLs prepared at fixed PBCL to PEG ratios but different polymerization times were characterized for their average molecular weights, molar-mass disparity and intrinsic viscosity using .sup.1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results indicated a copolymer of high molecular weight population with elevated intrinsic viscosity. The size and proportion of this population grew as a function of polymerization time. The formation of this high molecular weight PBCL-PEG-PBCL population can be attributed to non-linear architecture caused by partial cross-linking of the PBCL segment during the polymerization reaction. At least about 40% mole concentration of the high molecular weight PBCL-PEG-PBCL was required for thermo-reversible micellar aggregation in aqueous media and hydrogel formation.

Disclosed are methods, compositions, reagents, systems, and kits to prepare materials with viscoelastic properties that respond to irradiation with light. Various embodiments show that bio-inspired histidine:transition metal ion complexes allow precise and tunable control over the viscoelastic properties of polymer networks containing these types of crosslinks pre and post-irradiation. These materials have the potential to aid biomedical materials scientists in the development of materials with specific stress-relaxing or energy-dissipating properties.

A mixture contains at least one polyether block amide (PEBA) and at least one poly(meth)acrylate, selected from poly(meth)acrylimides, poly-alkyl(meth)acrylates, and mixtures thereof. The mass ratio of PEBA to poly(meth)acrylate is 95:5 to 60:40. The polyalkyl(meth)acrylate contains 80% by weight to 99% by weight of methyl methacrylate (MMA) units and 1% by weight to 20% by weight of C1-C10-alkyl acrylate units, based on the total weight of polyalkyl(meth)acrylate. The mixture can be processed to give foamed mouldings. The mouldings can he used in footwear soles, stud material, insulation or insulating material, damping components, lightweight components, or in a sandwich structure.

Disclosed are films and materials comprising poly(alkylene glycol)-chitosan and/or chitin-poly(glucuronic acid) and chitosan and/or chitin-poly(glucuronic acid). Methods of making such films, particularly involving thermally crosslinking poly(glucuronic acid) with chitosan, are disclosed.

A non-woven carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite object is formed by the variable frequency microwave (VFM) irradiation of a mixed fiber sheet of thermoplastic fibers, carbon fibers and wavy carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The mixed fiber sheets are prepared from a slurry of the thermoplastic fibers, carbon fibers, and wavy CNTs such that the wavy CNTs contact the carbon fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Upon irradiation with VFM radiation, the wavy CNTs generate heat and transfer the heat to the thermoplastic fibers, causing melting of the thermoplastic to form the matrix of the CFRTP composite object. The mixed fiber sheets can be combined alone or with other sheets to form laminar composites that are molded into objects and heated by VFM irradiation.

Provided herein are polymers of Formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, co-crystals, tautomers, stereoisomers, and isotopically labeled derivatives thereof, compositions, and formulations thereof. The polymers described herein are biocompatible, non-toxic, water compatible, and operationally simple to formulate. Also provided are methods and kits involving the polymers described herein (e.g., methods of using polymers described herein for delivering agents (e.g., for therapeutic, diagnostic, prophylactic, imaging, ophthalmic, intraoperative, or cosmetic use) to a subject, cell, tissue, or biological sample, as part of materials (e.g., biodegradable materials, biocompatible materials, wound dressing (e.g., bandages), drug depots, coatings), or as scaffolds for tissue engineering. Provided are methods for synthesizing the polymers described herein, and polymers described herein synthesized by the synthetic methods described herein. ##STR00001##

A contact lens and a manufacturing method thereof are proposed. The contact lens may include a resin composition containing an acrylic-based monomer and a Boswellia extract. By containing a Boswellia extract, the contact lens can prevent adherence of bacteria when worn on the user's eye and serve as an antibacterial agent to prevent bacterial infection, so it can secure a good contact fit and high antibacterial performance.

A curable composition including a first compound having a group represented by general formula (x) and an epoxy group and having a molecular weight of 1000 or less. In the general formula (x), Rf.sub.1 and Rf.sub.2 each independently represent a fluorine-containing alkyl group.

—C(Rf.sub.1)(Rf.sub.2)—OH  (x)