Processes for producing polymer microcapsules using vicinal functional oligomers are also described. The vicinal functional oligomers can be made by polymerizing an acrylate monomer, a styrene monomer, or both in the presence of a chain transfer agent. The vicinal functional oligomers can be reacted with epichlorohydrin to form vicinal epoxies. The vicinal epoxies can be reacted with polyamines to form epoxy polymer microspheres. The vicinal epoxies can be reacted with carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst to form vicinal cyclic carbonates. The vicinal cyclic carbonates can be reacted with polyamines to form isocyanate-free polymer microspheres. Polymer microspheres made by the processes are also described.

Described herein are anti-microbial and UV-protective biological devices and extracts produced therefrom. The biological devices include microbial cells transformed with a DNA construct containing genes for producing proteins such as, for example, zinc-related protein/oxidase, silicatein, silaffin, and alcohol dehydrogenase. In some instances, the biological devices also include a gene for lipase. Methods for producing and using the devices are also described herein. Finally, compositions and methods for using the devices and extracts to kill microbial species or prevent microbial growth and to reduce or prevent UV-induced damage or exposure to materials, items, plants, and human and animal subjects are described herein. Also disclosed are biological devices producing polyactive carbohydrates and carbo sugars, as well as compositions and articles incorporating both extracts from these devices and the anti-microbial and UV-protective extracts.

The purpose of the present invention is to appropriately control the rate of polymerization of a composition in which a thiol compound and an isocyanate compound are added to an episulfide compound and thereby provide an optical material which has high transparency. This composition for use as optical material comprises (a) an episulfide compound, (b) an isocyanate compound, (c) a thiol compound, and (d) a benzyl halide compound represented by formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein: X is a halogen; L is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a halogen, a mercaptomethyl group, and an isocyanate methyl group; and n is 1 or 2.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a flame-resistant polymer-modified polyol having a solids content of 1 to 65 wt. % wherein (i) at least one polyisocyanate and (ii) an olamine are reacted in (iii) a base polyol having at least two active hydrogen containing groups of which more than 50% are primary active hydrogen containing groups and wherein the olamine has at least one phosphonic ester group attached to a tertiary nitrogen atom and contains at least two hydroxyl groups. The invention further relates to a flame-resistant polymer-modified polyol obtainable with the process of the invention, to a process for preparing optionally foamed plastics using the polymer-modified polyol of the invention, and to the use of a polymer-modified polyol for the preparation of flexible polyurethane foams.

Described herein are anti-microbial and UV-protective biological devices and extracts produced therefrom. The biological devices include microbial cells transformed with a DNA construct containing genes for producing proteins such as, for example, zinc-related protein/oxidase, silicatein, silaffin, and alcohol dehydrogenase. In some instances, the biological devices also include a gene for lipase. Methods for producing and using the devices are also described herein. Finally, compositions and methods for using the devices and extracts to kill microbial species or prevent microbial growth and to reduce or prevent UV-induced damage or exposure to materials, items, plants, and human and animal subjects are described herein. Also disclosed are biological devices producing polyactive carbohydrates and carbo sugars, as well as compositions and articles incorporating both extracts from these devices and the anti-microbial and UV-protective extracts.

Processes for producing polymer microcapsules using vicinal functional oligomers are also described. The vicinal functional oligomers can be made by polymerizing an acrylate monomer, a styrene monomer, or both in the presence of a chain transfer agent. The vicinal functional oligomers can be reacted with epichlorohydrin to form vicinal epoxies. The vicinal epoxies can be reacted with polyamines to form epoxy polymer microspheres. The vicinal epoxies can be reacted with carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst to form vicinal cyclic carbonates. The vicinal cyclic carbonates can be reacted with polyamines to form isocyanate-free polymer microspheres. Polymer microspheres made by the processes are also described.

A system for forming an elastomeric composition for application to a substrate includes an isocyanate component and an isocyanate-reactive component. The isocyanate component includes a polymeric polyisocyanate and optionally an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer. The isocyanate-reactive component is reactive with the isocyanate component and includes a polyol component and a polyetheramine. The polyol component is a mixture of (a) a hydrophobic polyol; (b) a polyether polyol different than the hydrophobic polyol and having a weight average molecular weight greater than 500 g/mol; and (c) a polyaminopolyol. The elastomeric composition is formed as the reaction product of the isocyanate component and the isocyanate-reactive component and may be applied as an elastomeric coating layer on a substrate such as a steel pipe. The steel pipe having the applied elastomeric coating layer satisfies the standard for use in the water supply industry as set forth in AWWA C222.

The purpose of the present invention is to appropriately control the rate of polymerization of a composition in which a thiol compound and an isocyanate compound are added to an episulfide compound and thereby provide an optical material which has high transparency. This composition for use as optical material comprises (a) an episulfide compound, (b) an isocyanate compound, (c) a thiol compound, and (d) a benzyl halide compound represented by formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein: X is a halogen; L is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a halogen, a mercaptomethyl group, and an isocyanate methyl group; and n is 1 or 2.

A two-component polyurethane composition made of a polyol component and a polyisocyanate component, wherein the polyol component includes at least one reaction product of castor oil with ketone resins A1, at least one aliphatic triol A2, an aliphatic diol A3, and a polybutadiene polyol A4. The polyurethane composition has high strength and only a minor dependence of mechanical properties, especially of strength, on temperature, especially in the range from 60 C. to +60 C. Moreover, the composition is capable of curing without blistering under ambient conditions, even in the presence of substrates that typically promote foaming reactions owing to the presence of residual moisture, for example glass fiber weave.

A polyolefin-based laminating adhesive composition for use in producing a mechanical recyclable material, the adhesive composition including a mixture of: (a) at least one saturated polyolefin polyol; and (b) at least one aliphatic multi-functional isocyanate compound; a process for producing the above adhesive composition; a mechanically recyclable multi-layer laminate including: (A) at least one first film substrate layer; (B) at least one second film substrate layer; and (C) at least one layer of the above polyolefin-based laminating adhesive composition; wherein the at least one first film substrate layer is bonded to the at least one second film substrate layer via the adhesive composition layer; a process for producing the above mechanically recyclable multi-layer laminate; and a packaging article made from the above mechanically recyclable multi-layer laminate.