Microorganisms can contaminate a number of surfaces, such as those of consumer products. The present disclosure describes compositions and methods of manufacturing and using the same for providing biocidal activity on such surfaces. The compounds of the present invention can comprise a sample of a polymer. The polymer can comprise a repeating unit having a side chain that comprises a nitrogen-containing heterocycle. The nitrogen-containing heterocycle can form an N-halamine and exhibit the biocidal activity.

Microorganisms can contaminate a number of surfaces, such as those of consumer products. The present disclosure describes compositions and methods of manufacturing and using the same for providing biocidal activity on such surfaces. The compounds of the present invention can comprise a sample of a polymer. The polymer can comprise a repeating unit having a side chain that comprises a nitrogen-containing heterocycle. The nitrogen-containing heterocycle can form an N-halamine and exhibit the biocidal activity.

A thiosulfate polymer composition includes an electron-accepting photosensitizer component, either as a separate compound or as an attachment to the thiosulfate polymer. The thiosulfate polymer composition can be applied to various articles, or used to form a predetermined polymeric pattern after photothermal reaction to form crosslinked disulfide bonds, removing non-crosslinked polymer, and reaction with a disulfide-reactive material. Such thiosulfate polymer compositions can also be used to sequester metals in nanoparticulate form, and as a way for shaping human hair in hairdressing operations.

Provided is a polymer having antimicrobial and disinfecting properties against a wide range of kinds of germs. A polymer, including: a polymer chain having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1); and a partial structure (excluding the polymer chain) derived from a compound containing a group represented by —NH—. [In formula (1), R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, Z represents a group forming an organic ammonium salt, —NR.sup.5R.sup.6 (where R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group), or a substituted or unsubstituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, and X represents a single bond, or a divalent linking group.] ##STR00001##

Provided is a polymer having antimicrobial and disinfecting properties against a wide range of kinds of germs. A polymer, including: a polymer chain having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1); and a partial structure (excluding the polymer chain) derived from a compound containing a group represented by —NH—. [In formula (1), R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, Z represents a group forming an organic ammonium salt, —NR.sup.5R.sup.6 (where R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group), or a substituted or unsubstituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, and X represents a single bond, or a divalent linking group.] ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of multistage polymer particles comprising contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions and in a staged fashion an aqueous dispersion of carboxylic acid functionalized core polymer particles with first monomers and second monomers. The core comprises structural units of a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer and/or the first monomers comprise a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer, and the second monomers comprise at least 80 percent styrene. The high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer is cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, 4-t-butyl methacrylate, t-butylstyrene, or n-butyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof. The multistage polymer particles are useful as opaque polymers, which are used in pigmented coating formulations to reduce the load of TiO.sub.2. The particles exhibit excellent collapse resistance and unusually low dry bulk density, and do not require acrylonitrile to achieve this desired combination of properties.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of multistage polymer particles comprising contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions and in a staged fashion an aqueous dispersion of carboxylic acid functionalized core polymer particles with first monomers and second monomers. The core comprises structural units of a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer and/or the first monomers comprise a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer, and the second monomers comprise at least 80 percent styrene. The high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer is cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, 4-t-butyl methacrylate, t-butylstyrene, or n-butyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof. The multistage polymer particles are useful as opaque polymers, which are used in pigmented coating formulations to reduce the load of TiO.sub.2. The particles exhibit excellent collapse resistance and unusually low dry bulk density, and do not require acrylonitrile to achieve this desired combination of properties.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of multistage polymer particles comprising contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions and in a staged fashion an aqueous dispersion of carboxylic acid functionalized core polymer particles with first monomers and second monomers. The core comprises structural units of a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer and/or the first monomers comprise a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer, and the second monomers comprise at least 80 percent styrene. The high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer is cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, 4-t-butyl methacrylate, t-butylstyrene, or n-butyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof. The multistage polymer particles are useful as opaque polymers, which are used in pigmented coating formulations to reduce the load of TiO.sub.2. The particles exhibit excellent collapse resistance and unusually low dry bulk density, and do not require acrylonitrile to achieve this desired combination of properties.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of multistage polymer particles comprising contacting under emulsion polymerization conditions and in a staged fashion an aqueous dispersion of carboxylic acid functionalized core polymer particles with first monomers and second monomers. The core comprises structural units of a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer and/or the first monomers comprise a high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer, and the second monomers comprise at least 80 percent styrene. The high T.sub.g hydrophobic monomer is cyclohexyl methacrylate, isobornyl methacrylate, 4-t-butyl methacrylate, t-butylstyrene, or n-butyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof. The multistage polymer particles are useful as opaque polymers, which are used in pigmented coating formulations to reduce the load of TiO.sub.2. The particles exhibit excellent collapse resistance and unusually low dry bulk density, and do not require acrylonitrile to achieve this desired combination of properties.

Provided are an aqueous ink composition, an ink set, an image forming method, and resin microparticles for an ink, in which the aqueous ink composition contains an aqueous medium and the resin microparticles, a polymer constituting the resin has [a] to [c], a content ratio of [a] to [c] in the polymer is in the specific range, and the weight-average molecular weight of the polymer is 80,000 or more. [a] is a constitutional component represented by General Formula (1) or (2).

##STR00001## R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. A.sup.1 represents O or NR.sup.3 and R.sup.3 represents a particular group. A.sup.2 represents a single bond, COO, or CONH. L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 represent a divalent linking group having a specific chain length. M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 represent a hydrogen atom or a particular ion. [b] is a particular constitutional component having an aromatic ring or an aliphatic ring. [c] is an alkyl (meth)acrylate ester component having a specific chain length.