The present invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment of ion imbalances. In particular, the invention provides compositions comprising potassium binding polymers and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Methods of use of the polymeric and pharmaceutical compositions for therapeutic and/or prophylactic benefits are disclosed herein. Examples of these methods include the treatment of hyperkalemia, such as hyperkalemia caused by renal failure and/or the use of hyperkalemia causing drugs.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

The present invention is concerned with a reactive surfactant composition for emulsion polymerization, which is able to micronize the particle diameter of a polymer emulsion and to reduce the addition amount of the reactive surfactant composition to be used.

The reactive surfactant composition for emulsion polymerization of the present invention contains a reactive anionic surfactant (component A) represented by the following formula (I), the component A being satisfied with the following requirement R:

##STR00001## wherein AO represents an alkyleneoxy group having a carbon number of 3 or more and 18 or less; EO represents an ethyleneoxy group; p represents an integer of 1 or more and 15 or less; m represents an integer of 0 or more; n represents an integer of 0 or more; W represents a hydrogen ion or a cation; and plural kinds of AOs may coexist.

Requirement R: An average addition molar number m of AO is a number of 1 or more and 50 or less; an average addition molar number n of EO is a number of 0 or more and 200 or less; and when in the component A, a component having an addition molar number of AO of (m3) or less is defined as (component A-1), and a component having an addition molar number of AO of (m+2) or more is defined as (component A-2), X in the following formula (I) is less than 30, provided that when m is less than 3, (m=0) is defined as (component A-1):

X={(molar number of component A-1)+(molar number of component A-2)}(molar number of component A)100(I).

The present invention is concerned with a reactive surfactant composition for emulsion polymerization, which is able to micronize the particle diameter of a polymer emulsion and to reduce the addition amount of the reactive surfactant composition to be used.

The reactive surfactant composition for emulsion polymerization of the present invention contains a reactive anionic surfactant (component A) represented by the following formula (I), the component A being satisfied with the following requirement R:

##STR00001## wherein AO represents an alkyleneoxy group having a carbon number of 3 or more and 18 or less; EO represents an ethyleneoxy group; p represents an integer of 1 or more and 15 or less; m represents an integer of 0 or more; n represents an integer of 0 or more; W represents a hydrogen ion or a cation; and plural kinds of AOs may coexist.

Requirement R: An average addition molar number m of AO is a number of 1 or more and 50 or less; an average addition molar number n of EO is a number of 0 or more and 200 or less; and when in the component A, a component having an addition molar number of AO of (m3) or less is defined as (component A-1), and a component having an addition molar number of AO of (m+2) or more is defined as (component A-2), X in the following formula (I) is less than 30, provided that when m is less than 3, (m=0) is defined as (component A-1):

X={(molar number of component A-1)+(molar number of component A-2)}(molar number of component A)100(I).

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

The present invention provides a polymer compound for a conductive polymer comprising one or more repeating units a shown by the formula (1), and having a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 500,000. There can be provided a polymer compound for a conductive polymer having a specific superacidic sulfo group which is soluble in an organic solvent, and suitably used for a fuel cell or a dopant for a conductive material. ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 represents any of a single bond, an ester group, and a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbon group optionally containing an ether group, an ester group, or both; Z represents any of a single bond, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, an ether group, and an ester group; and a is a number satisfying 0<a1.0.

The present invention provides a polymer compound for a conductive polymer comprising one or more repeating units a shown by the formula (1), and having a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 500,000. There can be provided a polymer compound for a conductive polymer having a specific superacidic sulfo group which is soluble in an organic solvent, and suitably used for a fuel cell or a dopant for a conductive material. ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 represents any of a single bond, an ester group, and a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbon group optionally containing an ether group, an ester group, or both; Z represents any of a single bond, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, an ether group, and an ester group; and a is a number satisfying 0<a1.0.

The invention relates to a thickened preparation comprising a polymer which can be obtained by radical emulsion polymerization of at least one acidic vinyl monomer or salt thereof, at least one non-ionic vinyl monomer, in particular preferably a hydrophobic non-ionic vinyl monomer, at least one monomer containing an unsaturated terminal group and a polyoxyalkyene portion, at least one crosslinking monomer, optionally a protective colloid, and is characterized in that the polymerization is controlled such that the gelling effect occurs at least at times, which is achieved by the monomer addition (dosing time) taking place for 40 minutes, particularly preferably for 30 minutes.