Provided is a method for producing a polymer, comprising: a first step for synthesizing a crude polymer by reacting a monomer containing a pyrimidinetrione structure, an imidazolidinedione structure, or a triazinetrione structure, in an organic solvent in the presence of a quaternary phosphonium salt or quaternary ammonium salt; and a second step for precipitating and separating a purified polymer by mixing a poor solvent with the crude polymer-containing solution obtained in the first step.

Provided are compositions comprising isotactic polyethers. Methods of making isotactic polyethers, and uses thereof are also disclosed. Also provided are bimetallic complexes that can be used as catalyst. Methods of making isotactic polyethers and bimetallic complexes and uses thereof are also disclosed. For example, a racemic bimetallic (salalen)CrCl polymerization catalyst was prepared and used alkyl diol, PO-oligomer triols, and aPPO and PCL diols as CSAs in order to produce α,ω-hydroxy telechelic iPPO. These telechelic polymers have controlled molecular weights and are semicrystalline. Amorphous α,ω-hydroxy telechelic PPO can also be produced by increasing the reaction temperature in conjunction with the use of CSAs.

Disclosed are ethylenically unsaturated salts of allyl (poly)ether sulfates utilized as reactive surfactants or emulsifiers during emulsion polymerization.

A protective film forming composition forms a flat film having good mask function against a wet etching liquid during a semiconductor substrate processing, high dry etching rate and good coverage of a substrate with level difference, while having small film thickness difference after embedding. A protective film is produced using this composition. A substrate has a resist pattern. A method produces a semiconductor device. A composition forms a protective film against a wet etching liquid for semiconductors, containing a solvent and a ring-opened polymer (C) obtained by reaction between a diepoxy compound (A) and a bi- or higher functional proton-generating compound (B). The ring-opened polymer (C) is preferably represented by a unit structure of formula (A-1). (In formula (A-1), Q represents a divalent organic group generated by the diepoxy compound (A) ring-opening polymerization; and T represents a divalent organic group derived from the bi- or higher functional proton-generating compound (B)).

A degradable polyethylene glycol derivative represented by formula (1). R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.4 represent each independently a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 is the hydrocarbon group; P.sup.1 is a straight-chain or branched polyethylene glycol chain having a number of ethylene glycol units of 3 or more; P.sup.2 is a straight-chain polyethylene glycol chain having a number of ethylene glycol units of 3 or more; w is an integer of 1 to 8; u is an integer of 1 to 10; X.sup.1 is a chemically reactive functional group; and Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2 and Z.sup.3 are each independently a selected divalent spacer. ##STR00001##

A device includes a contact lens, a corneal sensor that includes a circular trace of conduction paths located at or near an outer peripheral edge of the contact lens that surrounds an unobstructed area at a center region of the contact lens, and a connection wire coupled to the corneal sensor and configured to electrically couple to an external data acquisition system. Methods of fabricating the device may include providing a thin device that includes a sensor and a connection wire coupled to the sensor, transferring the sensor to a curvilinear inner surface of a contact lens, feeding the connection wire through the inner surface of the contact lens and out of an outer surface of the contact lens, and performing electrochemical polymerization of a conducting polymer material over the sensor to anchor the sensor to the inner surface of the contact lens.

Provided are a conductive composite structure for an electronic device, a method of preparing the conductive composite structure, an electrode for an electronic device including the conductive composite structure, and an electronic device including the conductive composite structure. The conductive composite structure may contain graphene and an organic composite layer including a conductive polymer having a work function of about 5.3 eV or lower, and has a sheet resistance deviation of about 10% or less.

The present disclosure relates to a microneedle array for bio-sensing or a biosensor using the microneedle array. The microneedle array for bio-sensing does not include an additional electrode or an additional conductive coating, have a solid structure, and is homogeneous throughout the solid structure. The microneedle array for bio-sensing is composed of a material including poly (3,4-ethylendeddioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS).

Polymers useful in formulating dispersing agents for pigments are disclosed. One such polymer can be made from a glycidyl intermediate. A nucleophilic initiator can be reacted with epichlorohydrin to produce a glycidyl intermediate. This intermediate is reacted with an aralkylated phenol to give a hydroxy-functional hydrophobe. Alkoxylation of the hydrophobe gives the desired polymer. In an alternative, approach, the polymer is made by reacting the nucleophilic initiator with an aralkylated phenol glycidyl ether to give the hydroxy-functional hydrophobe, which is then alkoxylated. Pigments dispersions comprising the polymers are also disclosed. The polymers meet the growing needs of the industry with their ease of manufacture, diverse structures, and desirable performance attributes for dispersing a wide range of organic and inorganic pigments. Agricultural applications for the polymers are also disclosed.

Copolymers comprising recurring units of a phenyl glycidyl ether and alkylene oxides are disclosed. Some of the copolymers comprise a di- or polyfunctional nucleophilic initiator and recurring units of the phenyl glycidyl ether and an alkylene oxide. The di- or polyfunctional nucleophilic initiator is an alcohol, phenol, amine, thiol, thiophenol, sulfinic acid, or deprotonated species thereof. Other copolymers comprise a monofunctional nucleophilic initiator selected from thiols, thiophenols, aralkylated phenols, sulfinic acids, secondary amines, C.sub.10-C.sub.20 terpene alcohols, and deprotonated species thereof. Pigments dispersions comprising the copolymers are also disclosed. The copolymers meet the growing needs of the industry with their ease of manufacture, diverse structures, and desirable performance attributes for dispersing a wide range of organic and inorganic pigments. Agricultural applications for the copolymers are also disclosed.