There is disclosed a polymer-based foam composition comprising a polymer and up to 20 M.-% particles of one or more inorganic particulate materials, based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the one or more inorganic particulate materials comprise less than 20 wt.-% Al, calculated as Al.sub.2O.sub.3-content. According to one aspect, the one or more inorganic particulate materials comprise phyllosilicates. Also part of the present invention is the use of such polymer-based foam compositions and their method of production.

The invention provides hydrogel, wherein the hydrogel has a supramolecular cross-linked network obtainable or obtained from the complexation of an aqueous composition including a host, such as cucurbituril, and one or more polymers having suitable guest functionality. One or more polymers in the aqueous composition may have a molecular weight of 50 kDa or more, such as 200 kDa or more. The hydrogel may hold a component, such as a therapeutic compound or a biological molecule. The hydrogels are suitable for use in medicine.

Provided is an elastomer which is suitable for application in actuators or sensors, and which exhibits an appropriately low initial elastic modulus in a low deformation region.

An elastomer composition containing the following components (A) to (D):

component (A): a polyrotaxane;

component (B): a crosslinking agent containing a second linear molecule having a molecular weight of 1,200 to 7,000, and a functional group disposed at both ends of the second linear molecule;

component (C): a double-reactive component having a reactive group at both ends; and

component (D): a single-reactive component having a reactive group at only one end, wherein at least a portion of the functional group in the component (B) is directly or indirectly bonded to the cyclic molecule in the component (A), and the elastomer composition exhibits an initial elastic modulus of 0.6 to 2 MPa.

The present invention relates to an electrically conductive film characterized by being able to undergo elastic deformation, having little residual strain rate and exhibiting stress relaxation properties. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrically conductive film wherein the stress relaxation rate (R) and the residual strain rate (alpha), as measured in a prescribed extension-restoration test, are as follows: 20%≦R≦95% and 0%≦α≦3%.

In one embodiment the invention relates to a method of preparing a polyrotaxane, said method comprising: performing a radical copolymerization of at least (a) a first polymerizable monomer having a stopper group, and of at least (b) a second polymerizable hydrophobic monomer, wherein said second monomer is complexed by a ring-shaped molecule, and of at least (c) a third polymerizable hydrophilic monomer; wherein during said copolymerization a copolymer threading said ring-shaped molecule is formed, wherein during said copolymerization said first monomer having a stopper group is incorporated into the chain of said copolymer at least partially between the ends thereof, and wherein said stopper groups prevent said ring-shaped molecule from disassembling from the copolymer; and wherein the amount of said first monomer having a stopper group is of from 0.1 mol % to 20 mol % based on 100 mol % of the total amount of polymerizable monomers. In another embodiment the invention relates to a method of preparing a polyrotaxane, said method comprising: performing a radical copolymerization of at least (a) a first polymerizable monomer having a stopper group, and of at least (b) a second polymerizable partially hydrophilic monomer, wherein said second monomer is complexed by a ring-shaped molecule, and wherein said second monomer has a solubility in water at 20° C. of from 5 g/L to 40 g/L; wherein during said copolymerization a copolymer threading said ring-shaped molecule is formed, wherein during said copolymerization said first monomer having a stopper group is incorporated into the chain of said copolymer at least partially between the ends thereof, and wherein said stopper groups prevent said ring-shaped molecule from disassembling from the copolymer; and wherein the amount of said first monomer having a stopper group is of from 0.1 mol % to 20 mol % based on 100 mol % of the total amount of polymerizable monomers. Furthermore, the present invention relates to methods of preparing cross-linked polyrotaxanes and cross-linked polyrotaxanes which can be prepared using such methods. Thus, the present invention also relates to polyrotaxane and crosslinked polyrotaxanes. The invention also relates to products which contain the polyrotaxanes or cross-linked polyrotaxanes or which can be prepared from the polyrotaxanes or the cross-linked polyrotaxanes. The present invention further relates to the use of polyrotaxanes or cross-linked polyrotaxanes in various applications, such as the use as a self-healing material.

Provided are supramolecular polypseudorotaxane hydrogel compositions and 3-D structures capable of reversible 3-D structural deformation which include (a) a solvent; (b) an at least partially linear polymer, where the polymer further comprises groups capable of covalent crosslinking between the polymers; (ii) at least one first macrocyclic ring which forms a pseudorotaxane with a polymer in the polymer network; and (iii) at least one second macrocyclic ring that does not form the pseudorotaxane. The hydrogel composition has a viscosity which allows for 3-D printing of the hydrogel to form a 3-D structure, and a storage (elastic) modulus after crosslinking that allows for the 3-D structure to undergo reversible 3-D structural deformation upon change of solvent conditions. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the compositions and 3-D structures.

The present invention provides a polyrotaxane for obtaining a material combining a higher degree of elongation with a higher breaking strength and/or a polyrotaxane having properties not possessed by conventional polyrotaxanes, such as compatibility with compounds to be used in a material, solubility in solvents, and functionality. The polyrotaxanes of the present invention each comprise: a pseudo-polyrotaxane comprising cyclic molecules and a linear molecule which passes through the cavities of the cyclic molecules to form a clathrate; and blocking groups disposed at both ends of the pseudo-polyrotaxane so that the cyclic molecules are not released. The cyclic molecules each include a hydroxyl-inactivation group and a hydroxyl group bonded by a spacer group. The polyrotaxanes have a hydroxyl value of 10-65 mg-KOH/g.

Provided are supramolecular polypseudorotaxane hydrogel compositions and 3-D structures capable of reversible 3-D structural deformation which include (a) a solvent; (b) an at least partially linear polymer, where the polymer further comprises groups capable of covalent crosslinking between the polymers; (ii) at least one first macrocyclic ring which forms a pseudorotaxane with a polymer in the polymer network; and (iii) at least one second macrocyclic ring that does not form the pseudorotaxane. The hydrogel composition has a viscosity which allows for 3-D printing of the hydrogel to form a 3-D structure, and a storage (elastic) modulus after crosslinking that allows for the 3-D structure to undergo reversible 3-D structural deformation upon change of solvent conditions. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the compositions and 3-D structures.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a polyrotaxane, said method comprising: performing a radical copolymerization of at least (a) a first polymerizable monomer having a stopper group, and of at least (b) a second polymerizable monomer, wherein said second monomer is complexed by a ring-shaped molecule; wherein during said copolymerization a copolymer threading said ring-shaped molecule is formed, wherein during said copolymerization said first monomer having a stopper group is incorporated into the chain of said copolymer at least partially between the ends thereof, and wherein said stopper groups prevent said ring-shaped molecule from disassembling from the copolymer; and wherein the amount of said first monomer having a stopper group is of from 0.1 mol % to 20 mol % based on 100 mol % of the total amount of polymerizable monomers. The present invention also relates to polyrotaxanes which can be prepared by using such a method. The present invention further relates to cross-linked polyrotaxanes, products which contain polyrotaxanes or cross-linked polyrotaxanes or which can be prepared from polyrotaxanes or cross-linked polyrotaxanes, and the use of polyrotaxanes or cross-linked polyrotaxanes.

Provided are supramolecular polypseudorotaxane hydrogel compositions and 3-D structures capable of reversible 3-D structural deformation which include (a) a solvent; (b) an at least partially linear polymer, where the polymer further comprises groups capable of covalent crosslinking between the polymers; (ii) at least one first macrocyclic ring which forms a pseudorotaxane with a polymer in the polymer network; and (iii) at least one second macrocyclic ring that does not form the pseudorotaxane. The hydrogel composition has a viscosity which allows for 3-D printing of the hydrogel to form a 3-D structure, and a storage (elastic) modulus after crosslinking that allows for the 3-D structure to undergo reversible 3-D structural deformation upon change of solvent conditions. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the compositions and 3-D structures.