Certain disclosed embodiments concern a crosslinker having a Formula I

(Polymerizing Group 1).sub.s-(Amino Acid).sub.u-(Polymerizing Group 2).sub.y   Formula I,

where polymerizing group 1 and polymerizing group 2 independently are selected from an acrylate, alkyl acrylate, acrylamide, alkyl acrylamide, acrylonitrile, alkyl acrylonitrile or a (hydroxyalkyl) acrylate; s and y are from 1 to 10, with s and y each typically being 1; the amino acid is any naturally occurring amino acid, any non-naturally occurring amino acid, and any and all combinations thereof; and u is 2 to 100. Crosslinkers may include a naturally occurring amino acid or acids that are selected to provide amino-acid defining functional groups that are zwitterionic at a pH of from 2.5 to 10. Disclosed crosslinkers can also include “internal spacers”, “external spacers,” or both. Crosslinkers according to the present invention are used to make zwitterionic hydrogels that address fouling and bacteria adhesion issues associated with previously known hydrogels. Accordingly, such products are particularly suitable for biomedical applications, such as contact lenses, drug delivery vehicles, tissue engineering platforms, tissue regeneration platforms, catheters, implants and sensors.

The present invention provides radical crosslinked zwitterionic gels, methods of preparing the radical crosslinked zwitterionic gels, and methods of using the radical crosslinked zwitterionic gels for treating a wound.

A functional polymer membrane having a pore volume fraction of 0.6% or more and 3.0% or less by allowing a reaction of curing a composition containing a polymerizable compound (A) and a copolymerizable monomer (B).

The present invention relates to preparation and use of water dispersible nanogels and solvent dispersible reactive nanogels as additives to enhance polymer properties or as precursors to polymeric networks.

A method for producing an electronic component having an electromagnetic shield includes: sticking a temporary protective material to a body to be processed having irregularities on a surface thereof; curing the temporary protective material by light irradiation; singularizing the body to be processed and the temporary protective material; forming a metal film at a part of the singularized body where the temporary protective material is not stuck; and detaching the singularized body having the metal film formed thereon from the temporary protective material. The temporary protective material is formed from a resin composition having a shear viscosity at 35° C. of 5000 to 30000 Pa.Math.s before photocuring and having an elastic modulus at 25° C. of 100 MPa or less and an elongation percentage of 35% or more in a tensile test, after photocuring by light irradiation with an exposure amount of 500 mJ/cm.sup.2 or greater.

Described herein are hydrogels with improved mechanical properties. The hydrogels are composed of two polymer networks covalently crosslinked with one another. The addition of a multivalent cation and/or polycation to the hydrogels further crosslinks the polyphosphate network and can modulate the mechanical properties of the hydrogels as needed. Methods for making and using the hydrogels described herein are presented below.

Ionized radiation-absorbed, dose sensitive, highly flexible polymeric compositions are provided that exhibits multidirectional changes in refractive index. Also provided are methods of producing a precision multi-directional nanogradient of refractive index in a polymeric composition.

A polymerisable LC material comprising at least one di- or multireactive mesogenic compound selected from the group of compounds of formula I,

##STR00001##

at least one monoreactive mesogenic compound selected from the group of compounds of formula II,

##STR00002##

wherein the parameter A.sup.11 to A.sup.21, L.sup.21, p, P.sup.11 to P.sup.22, R.sup.21, Sp.sup.11 to Sp.sup.21, X.sup.11 to X.sup.21, and Z.sup.11 to Z.sup.21 have one of the meanings as given in claim 1, and at least one carbazole oxime ester photoinitiator. Furthermore, a method for preparation of the polymerisable LC material, a polymer film with improved thermal durability obtainable from the corresponding polymerisable LC material, a method of preparation of such polymer film, and the use of such polymer film and said polymerisable LC material for optical, electro-optical, decorative or security devices.

The composite anion exchange membrane includes: a surface layer on a single surface or both surfaces of an anion exchange membrane substrate, in which the above-described surface layer contains a copolymer of a monomer A which is a water-soluble polyfunctional monomer and a monomer B which is a cationic monomer, an anion exchange capacity of the above-described surface layer is 0.05 meq/cm.sup.3 to 0.50 meq/cm.sup.3, and an anion exchange capacity of the above-described anion exchange membrane substrate is 1.0 meq/cm.sup.3 to 5.0 meq/cm.sup.3.

Crosslinked polymers and their uses in electrochemical systems, for example, as electrolyte membrane, are described. More precisely, these crosslinked polymers are formed by the crosslinking of a random copolymer based on monomers of glycidyl methacrylate or acrylate and of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl acrylate or methacrylate with a volatile polyamine crosslinking agent.