An emulsifier-free process for the preparation of water expandable polymer beads, including: a) providing an emulsifier-free starting composition comprising styrene, b) prepolymerizing the starting composition to obtain a prepolymer composition, c) mixing an aqueous blowing agent with the prepolymer composition at an elevated temperature to obtain an inverse emulsion of water droplets in the prepolymer composition, wherein the aqueous blowing agent comprises water and a water soluble initiator dissolved in the water and the water droplets comprise spheres of a styrene polymer, wherein the water soluble initiator partly decomposes due to the elevated temperature leading to the formation of the inverse emulsion of water droplets in the prepolymer composition, d) suspending the inverse emulsion in an aqueous medium to yield an aqueous suspension of suspended droplets and e) polymerizing monomers in the droplets of the suspension obtained by step d) to obtain the water expandable polymer beads.

An emulsifier-free process for the preparation of water expandable polymer beads, including: a) providing an emulsifier-free starting composition comprising styrene, b) prepolymerizing the starting composition to obtain a prepolymer composition, c) mixing an aqueous blowing agent with the prepolymer composition at an elevated temperature to obtain an inverse emulsion of water droplets in the prepolymer composition, wherein the aqueous blowing agent comprises water and a water soluble initiator dissolved in the water and the water droplets comprise spheres of a styrene polymer, wherein the water soluble initiator partly decomposes due to the elevated temperature leading to the formation of the inverse emulsion of water droplets in the prepolymer composition, d) suspending the inverse emulsion in an aqueous medium to yield an aqueous suspension of suspended droplets and e) polymerizing monomers in the droplets of the suspension obtained by step d) to obtain the water expandable polymer beads.

Disclosed are ion-sensitive polymers and methods for their use for monitoring biological phenomena associated with ion fluxes, as well as organic electrochemical transistors including such polymers.

A method is used to provide an electrically-conductive polyaniline pattern by providing a uniform layer of a photocurable composition on a substrate. The photocurable composition comprises a water-soluble reactive polymer comprising (a) greater than 40 mol % of recurring units comprising sulfonic acid or sulfonate groups, and (b) at least 5 mol % of recurring units comprising a pendant group capable of crosslinking via [2+2] photocycloaddition. The photocurable composition is exposed to cause crosslinking via [2+2] photocycloaddition of the (b) recurring units, thereby forming a crosslinked polymer. Any remaining water-soluble reactive polymer is removed. The crosslinked polymer is contacted with an aniline reactive composition having aniline monomer and up to 0.5 molar of an aniline oxidizing agent, thereby forming an electrically-conductive polyaniline disposed either within, on top of, or both within and on top of, the crosslinked polymer.

Provided are a curable composition including a compound expressed by General Formula (1) below; a polymerization initiator; and a chain transfer agent, and a cured polymer product. ##STR00001##
In General Formula (1), m represents an integer of 1 to 4, and n represents an integer of 1 to 4. Here, a sum of m and n is not greater than 5. M.sup.A represents a hydrogen ion, an inorganic ion, or an organic ion. Here, an inorganic ion and an organic ion may be bivalent or higher ions. Each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.

Provided are a curable composition including a compound expressed by General Formula (1) below; a polymerization initiator; and a chain transfer agent, and a cured polymer product. ##STR00001##
In General Formula (1), m represents an integer of 1 to 4, and n represents an integer of 1 to 4. Here, a sum of m and n is not greater than 5. M.sup.A represents a hydrogen ion, an inorganic ion, or an organic ion. Here, an inorganic ion and an organic ion may be bivalent or higher ions. Each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.

An actinic ray sensitive or radiation sensitive resin composition contains a polymer compound (A) having a phenolic hydroxyl group and satisfying the following (a) and (b), a compound (B) capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, and a crosslinking agent (C) for crosslinking the polymer compound (A) by the action of an acid and having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 200° C. or higher: (a) the weight-average molecular weight is 3,000 or more and 6,500 or less, and (b) the glass transition temperature (Tg) is 140° C. or higher.

An actinic ray sensitive or radiation sensitive resin composition contains a polymer compound (A) having a phenolic hydroxyl group and satisfying the following (a) and (b), a compound (B) capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, and a crosslinking agent (C) for crosslinking the polymer compound (A) by the action of an acid and having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 200° C. or higher: (a) the weight-average molecular weight is 3,000 or more and 6,500 or less, and (b) the glass transition temperature (Tg) is 140° C. or higher.

Amphiphilic macromolecules having repeating structural units: structural units to adjust molecular weight and molecular weight distribution and charging property effects, high stereo-hindrance structural units, and amphiphilic structural units, which are suitable for fields such as oil field well drilling, well cementation, fracturing, oil gathering and transfer, sewage treatment, sludge treatment and papermaking, etc., and can be used as an oil-displacing agent for enhanced oil production, a heavy oil viscosity reducer, a fracturing fluid, a clay stabilizing agent, a sewage treatment agent, a papermaking retention and drainage aid or a reinforcing agent, etc.

Amphiphilic macromolecules having repeating structural units: structural units to adjust molecular weight and molecular weight distribution and charging property effects, high stereo-hindrance structural units, and amphiphilic structural units, which are suitable for fields such as oil field well drilling, well cementation, fracturing, oil gathering and transfer, sewage treatment, sludge treatment and papermaking, etc., and can be used as an oil-displacing agent for enhanced oil production, a heavy oil viscosity reducer, a fracturing fluid, a clay stabilizing agent, a sewage treatment agent, a papermaking retention and drainage aid or a reinforcing agent, etc.