A one-pack polymer modifier containing a) at least one process aid functionalized with a reactive epoxy, hydroxyl, β-keto ester, β-keto amide or carboxylic acid functional group, b) at least one impact modifier, c) optionally, at least one mineral filler and d) optionally, at least one further additive is useful for modifying the properties of thermoplastic polymers such as PVC, including reducing the surface gloss of an article prepared from the thermoplastic polymer and improving the impact strength of such an article.

A one-pack polymer modifier containing a) at least one process aid functionalized with a reactive epoxy, hydroxyl, β-keto ester, β-keto amide or carboxylic acid functional group, b) at least one impact modifier, c) optionally, at least one mineral filler and d) optionally, at least one further additive is useful for modifying the properties of thermoplastic polymers such as PVC, including reducing the surface gloss of an article prepared from the thermoplastic polymer and improving the impact strength of such an article.

Disclosed are: a polymer for treating the surface of a medical device such as a contact lens to suppress the reduction in lubricity of the device even when the device is scrubbed; a medical device having the polymer on the surface so that the reduction in lubricity over time is suppressed; and a wetting agent containing the polymer. The polymer for treating the surface is a copolymer which is water-soluble and includes as constitutional units the following monomers A and B: monomer A: a monomer containing a (meth)acryloyl group and an ester or amide structure in a molecule, in which the ester or amide structure is not constituted by including a part of the (meth)acryloyl group; monomer B: a monomer containing a (meth)acrylamide group in a molecule and having a structure different from that of the monomer A.

Disclosed are: a polymer for treating the surface of a medical device such as a contact lens to suppress the reduction in lubricity of the device even when the device is scrubbed; a medical device having the polymer on the surface so that the reduction in lubricity over time is suppressed; and a wetting agent containing the polymer. The polymer for treating the surface is a copolymer which is water-soluble and includes as constitutional units the following monomers A and B: monomer A: a monomer containing a (meth)acryloyl group and an ester or amide structure in a molecule, in which the ester or amide structure is not constituted by including a part of the (meth)acryloyl group; monomer B: a monomer containing a (meth)acrylamide group in a molecule and having a structure different from that of the monomer A.

Disclosed is a self-invertible inverse latex including, as an inverting agent, surfactant species of the polyglycerol ester family; the use thereof as a thickening and/or emulsifying and/or stabilising agent for a cosmetic, dermopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical topical composition, and cosmetic, dermopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical topical compositions containing same. Also disclosed is a new surfactant composition containing polyglycerol esters.

A method of forming a particle includes, in a disperse phase within an aqueous suspension, polymerizing a plurality of mer units of a hydrophilic monomer having a hydrophobic protection group, thereby forming a polymeric particle including a plurality of the hydrophobic protection groups. The method further includes converting the polymeric particle to a hydrophilic particle.

Disclosed is a self-invertible inverse latex including, as an inverting agent, surfactant species of the polyglycerol ester family; the use thereof as a thickening and/or emulsifying and/or stabilising agent for a cosmetic, dermopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical topical composition, and cosmetic, dermopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical topical compositions containing same. Also disclosed is a new surfactant composition containing polyglycerol esters.

An active energy ray-curable resin composition containing: a reaction product (X) of a component (A) and a component (B) below: (A) at least one selected from the group consisting of meta-xylylenediamine and para-xylylenediamine; (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of unsaturated carboxylic acids represented by the following general formula (1) and derivatives of the unsaturated carboxylic acids: ##STR00001## wherein, in the formula (1), R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, or an aralkyl group having from 7 to 13 carbon atoms; (C) a compound having at least one group selected from the group consisting of a glycidyl group and an isocyanate group, and an ethylenically unsaturated bond-containing group; and (D) a phosphoric acid derivative having an ethylenically unsaturated bond-containing group.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition capable of forming an optically anisotropic layer with suppressed cissing during formation of an optically anisotropic layer and an excellent alignment degree, a fluorine-containing polymer, an optically anisotropic layer, a laminate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention is a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound and an interface improver, in which the interface improver is a fluorine-containing polymer having a repeating unit B1 represented by Formula (B-1) and a repeating unit B2 having a fluorine atom.

##STR00001##

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition capable of forming an optically anisotropic layer with suppressed cissing during formation of an optically anisotropic layer and an excellent alignment degree, a fluorine-containing polymer, an optically anisotropic layer, a laminate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention is a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound and an interface improver, in which the interface improver is a fluorine-containing polymer having a repeating unit B1 represented by Formula (B-1) and a repeating unit B2 having a fluorine atom.

##STR00001##