Cross-linked polymer nanoparticles were designed and synthesized with cyclodextrins as the starting monomer. These nanoparticles display exemplary adsorption properties in terms of capacity and selectivity, which comes from the synthetic design. The nanoparticles are also highly robust for various practical adsorption applications. The new synthetic method of these nanoparticle materials involves the reaction of cyclodextrin monomers through an emulsion polymerization approach. The size of the nanoparticles can be tuned easily.

Cross-linked polymer nanoparticles were designed and synthesized with cyclodextrins as the starting monomer. These nanoparticles display exemplary adsorption properties in terms of capacity and selectivity, which comes from the synthetic design. The nanoparticles are also highly robust for various practical adsorption applications. The new synthetic method of these nanoparticle materials involves the reaction of cyclodextrin monomers through an emulsion polymerization approach. The size of the nanoparticles can be tuned easily.

A first alternative to a composition for preventing or retarding degradation of a functional coating on a medical device comprising an antioxidant selected from gallic acid or a derivative thereof. A second alternative to a composition for preventing or retarding degradation of a functional coating on a medical device includes carboxymethyl cellulose or a derivative or salt thereof. The use of the compositions for preventing or retarding degradation of a functional coating on a medical device from reactive species generated during exposure of radiation, and a wetting agent comprising the compositions, are also provided. The wetting agent prevents or retards the hydrolytic degradation of the coating during the intended shelf-life of the wetted coated product.

A method for producing superabsorbent polymers from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) virgin or recycled from acrylic fibre manufacturing waste and discarded fabrics subjecting the PAN to alkaline hydrolysis with pressurized water vapour of up to 5 kgf/cm.sup.2 and a PAN:OH.sup.− molar ratio of 1:0.5 to 0.95, to obtain a cross-linked poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) salt without using mechanical agitation, graphitizing agents with starch or cross-linking agents, and without precipitating the superabsorbent polymer obtained from the reaction medium with solvents or through pH adjustment with acids, the polymer obtained with recycled PAN leaves the autoclave already having a moisture content of 20% to 35% and a swelling capacity of >150 g H.sub.2O/g.

An aqueous formulation that reduces the damage caused by spring frosts in plants having: (a) 0.001-2% by weight PVA micro/nanoparticles having a molecular weight of 10,000-100,000 g/mol and 1-20% acetate groups; (b) 0.0001-0.4% by weight stabilising agents; (c) 0.0005-0.05% by weight category IV adjuvants; (d) 0.00025-4% by weight emulsifier; (e) 0.003-6% by weight sodium hydroxide; and (f) 0.0065-13% by weight hydrochloric acid at 37% weight/weight and 1.18 g/mL density; a process for producing the aqueous formulation, and to uses.

A method for preparing a curable silicone pressure sensitive adhesive emulsion includes preparing a dispersion of benzoyl peroxide and a phenoxy-functional alcohol and thereafter combining the dispersion with the other starting materials of the emulsion.

The present invention relates to an aqueous dispersion of polyurethane and a method for preparing the same, use thereof in a coating composition, and a coated product. The aqueous dispersion of polyurethane comprises a polyurethane polymer which is obtained by a reaction of a reaction mixture comprising a polyurethane prepolymer A) and an isocyanate-reactive component B), said polyurethane prepolymer A) being obtained by a reaction comprising the following components: A1) a polyisocyanate which has a functionality of not less than 2; and A2) a multifunctional polyether polyol which has a functionality of not less than 3 in an amount of 1% to 30% by weight, based on the amount of said reaction mixture as 100% by weight. The aqueous dispersion of polyurethane according to the present invention is well dispersed, and is capable of forming a coat with good waterproof, moisture permeability and washing resistance.

The present invention relates to an aqueous coating composition comprising dispersed polymer particles, wherein (i) the dispersed polymer particles are polyurethane-vinyl polymer hybrid particles obtained by free-radical polymerization of at least one vinyl monomer in the presence of a polyurethane, (ii) the polyurethane and the vinyl polymer in the hybrid particles are present in a weight ratio of polyurethane to vinyl polymer ranging from 1:1 to 20:1, (iii) the polyurethane is the reaction product of at least the following components: (a) from 5 to 40 wt. % of at least one organic difunctional isocyanate, (b) from 0.5 to 4 wt. % of an isocyanate-reactive compound containing ionic or potentially ionic water-dispersing groups having a molecular weight of from 100 to 500 g/mol, (c) from 40 to 80 wt. % of at least one diol having a molecular weight from 500 to 5000, (d) from 0 to 10 wt. % of at least one active-hydrogen chain extending compound with a functionality of at least 2 (other than water), (e) from 0 to 10 wt. % of at least one diol having a molecular weight below 500 g/mol, where the amounts of (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are given relative to the total amount of components used to prepare the polyurethane from which the building blocks of the polyurethane are emanated, and where the isocyanate and hydroxy groups on the components used to prepare the polyurethane are present in a respective mole ratio (NCO to OH) in the range of from 0.8:1 to 5:1, preferably from 1.05:1 to 5:1 and even more preferably from 1.1:1 to 3.5:1.

The present invention relates to an aqueous coating composition comprising dispersed polymer particles, wherein (i) the dispersed polymer particles are polyurethane-vinyl polymer hybrid particles obtained by free-radical polymerization of at least one vinyl monomer in the presence of a polyurethane, (ii) the polyurethane and the vinyl polymer in the hybrid particles are present in a weight ratio of polyurethane to vinyl polymer ranging from 1:1 to 20:1, (iii) the polyurethane is the reaction product of at least the following components: (a) from 5 to 40 wt. % of at least one organic difunctional isocyanate, (b) from 0.5 to 4 wt. % of an isocyanate-reactive compound containing ionic or potentially ionic water-dispersing groups having a molecular weight of from 100 to 500 g/mol, (c) from 40 to 80 wt. % of at least one diol having a molecular weight from 500 to 5000, (d) from 0 to 10 wt. % of at least one active-hydrogen chain extending compound with a functionality of at least 2 (other than water), (e) from 0 to 10 wt. % of at least one diol having a molecular weight below 500 g/mol, where the amounts of (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) are given relative to the total amount of components used to prepare the polyurethane from which the building blocks of the polyurethane are emanated, and where the isocyanate and hydroxy groups on the components used to prepare the polyurethane are present in a respective mole ratio (NCO to OH) in the range of from 0.8:1 to 5:1, preferably from 1.05:1 to 5:1 and even more preferably from 1.1:1 to 3.5:1.

The present invention provides a method for producing an aqueous dispersion of pseudopolyrotaxane that enables the production, by an industrially advantageous method for an aqueous dispersion of pseudopolyrotaxane in which the inclusion amount of a cyclodextrin does not increase with time and which can provide a crosslinked polyrotaxane having sufficient stretchability and breaking strength. The present invention relates to a method for producing an aqueous dispersion of pseudopolyrotaxane containing pseudopolyrotaxane particles in which a polyethylene glycol is included in a cavity of a cyclodextrin molecule in a skewered manner, the method including: an inclusion step of mixing a polyethylene glycol and a cyclodextrin in an aqueous medium to include the polyethylene glycol in a cavity of a cyclodextrin molecule, wherein in the inclusion step, a basic compound is added.