Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing polyolefins containing vinylidine end groups from quasiliving carbocationically terminated polyolefin polymers by contacting the quasiliving carbocationically terminated polymer with a suitable nonaromatic heterocyclic ring quenching agent and substituted derivatives thereof.

Abstract: A flame retardant thermoplastic polymer composition, having a major amount of a thermoplastic polymer and a flame retardant additive comprising a phosphinic acid salt, a zinc salt and a melamine salt, in an amount effective to provide flame retardance to said polymer, and a low Tg glass containing phosphorous, tin and fluorine, in an amount sufficient to reduce the shear viscosity of the composition to less than about 10 Pa·s at a shear rate of about 10,000/sec and a temperature of 280° C., as measured by ASTM D-3835 is provided. Also provided is a flame retardant composition comprising phosphinic acid salt, a zinc salt, a melamine salt and the low Tg glass and a process for forming the flame retardant thermoplastic polymer composition by incorporating the flame retardant composition into the molten polymer.

Abstract: Polymers are disclosed that are chemically modified to retard bacterial growth. Such modified polymers (e.g. ePTFE and polypropylene) are produced by first creating acid groups on the polymer surface through reactions with an anhydride. The acid groups are then linked to polyethylene glycol (PEG) through esterification or other reactions such as amidation. Preferably, at least two different molecular weight PEG species are employed. The antimicrobial surface is completed by linking antibiotics (e.g. ?-lactam antibiotics) to the PEG extensions. One preferred embodiment of such a modified polymer is produced using ePTFE, maleic anhydride (MA), and penicillin (PEN) to yield PEN-PEG-MA-ePTFE, which inhibits gram-positive bacteria. The PEG spacer is critical for PEN function in this context, since PEN-ePTFE is ineffective against bacterial growth. Another preferred embodiment incorporates ampicillin (AMP) and a heterobifunctional PEG, HOOC—(CH2—CH2—O)n—NH2, to yield AMP-PEG-MA-ePTFE.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer apparatus and process for determining the optimal transducer position for flow measurement along a conduit outer surface. The apparatus includes a transmitting transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic signal, said transducer affixed to a conduit outer surface; a guide rail attached to a receiving transducer for guiding movement of a receiving transducer along the conduit outer surface, wherein the receiving transducer receives an ultrasonic signal from the transmitting transducer and sends a signal to a data acquisition system; and a motor for moving the receiving transducer along the guide rail, wherein the motor is controlled by a controller.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel non-immunogenic, hydrophilic/cationic block copolymers comprising a neutral-hydrophilic polymer and a cationic polymer, wherein both polymers have well-defined chain-end functionality. A representative example of such a block copolymer comprises poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide) (PHPMA) and poly(N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide) (PDMAPMA). Also provided is a synthesis method thereof in aqueous media via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Further provided are uses of these block copolymers as drug delivery vehicles and protection agents.

Abstract: Benzophenone/thioxanthone derivatives useful as photoinitiators are provided as well as photopolymerizable compositions comprising the benzophenone/thioxanthone derivatives.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for preparing polyolefins containing a high percentage of exo-olefin chain ends. The method involves ionizing a polyolefin containing tert-chloride chain ends and reacting the ionized polyolefin with one or more nitrogen-containing five-membered aromatic ring or one or more hindered secondary or tertiary amines, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Methods to form an active agent modified monomer comprising a ring opening cyclic monomer linked to an active agent via a degradable covalent linkage. Methods to form a polymer or copolymer comprising an active agent modified monomer. Methods to form an active agent modified monomer comprising combining a ring opening cyclic monomer with a first functional group (X) and an active agent with a second functional group (Y) to form an active agent modified monomer, wherein the first (X) and second (Y) functional groups are complementary functional groups that form a degradable linkage. The active agent modified monomer can also comprise a non-degradable linkage. The method can form a ring opening cyclic monomer that includes a cyclic carbonate, cyclic epoxide, lactam, lactone, lactide anhydride, cyclic carbamate, cyclic phosphoester, or siloxane. Apparatus that includes a medical device that comprises a polymer or copolymer that comprises an active agent modified monomer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing terminally functionalized telechelic polymers using a cationic living polymer product or a terminal tert-chloride chain end of a carbocationic quasiliving polymer product, which comprises quenching the polymer product with an N-substituted pyrrole to thereby functionalize the N-substituted pyrrole at the terminal reactive polymer chain end(s). Also disclosed are the terminal functionalized polyisobuyl N-substituted pyrrole compounds where the polyisobutyl group is substituted at the 2 and 3 position of the N-substituted pyrrole.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing polyolefins containing vinylidine end groups from quasiliving carbocationically terminated polyolefin polymers by contacting the quasiliving carbocationically terminated polymer with a suitable azole quenching agent and substituted derivatives thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and methods for performing image restoration. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and methods which are capable of quickly restoring various sizes of selected areas of an image. In one embodiment, a user may select or mark a target region in an image which is to be restored. A source window may then be generated and a pixel from within the target region may be selected for restoration. The intensity distribution of pixels surrounding the selected pixel may be compared with other pixels in the image and a pixel to be used for restoration of the selected pixel may be chosen based on the comparison of the intensity distributions. Once a pixel is chosen for restoration, the selected pixel and its surrounding pixels may be restored using the intensity distribution of the chosen pixel and its surrounding pixels. The method may continue in this manner until all pixels within the target region have been restored.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for preparation of polyolefins containing exo-olefin chain ends. The method involves quenching a cationic quasi-living polyolefin polymer system with one or more hindered secondary or tertiary amines.

Abstract: A new, facile, general one-phase method of generating thiol-functionalized transition metal nanoparticles and surface modified by (co)polymers synthesized by the RAFT method is described. The method includes the steps of forming a (co)polymer in aqueous solution using the RAFT methodology, forming a collidal transition metal precursor solution from an appropriate transition metal; adding the metal precursor solution or surface to the (co)polymer solution, adding a reducing agent into the solution to reduce the metal colloid in situ to produce the stabilized nanoparticles or surface, and isolating the stabilized nanoparticles or surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized. The functionalized surfaces generated using these methods can further undergo planar surface modifications, such as fuctionalization with a variety of different chemical groups, expanding their utility and application.

Abstract: Polymers and copolymers synthesized by means that yield a narrow range of molecular weights can have different properties than polymers synthesized by conventional means. In order to obtain such polymers, however, polymerization must be controlled. One type of controlled polymerization is the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process, which has characteristics of a living polymerization. The present invention discloses a group of dithioesters and trithioesters suitable as chain transfer agents for RAFT polymerization. The present invention also discloses RAFT polymerizations conducted in aqueous media.

Abstract: Materials and methods for incorporating adenosine derivatives into the 5? end of transcribed RNA are disclosed. Adenosine derivatives include naturally occurring compounds such as Coenzyme A, NAD, and FAD, as well as various non-naturally occurring compounds. The derivatives can be used to impart desirable properties to the RNA such as fluorescence, the ability to bind to receptors or ligands, and improved catalytic activity. The transcribed RNAs can be used in a variety of applications including nucleic acid detection, designed or random generation of catalytic RNAs, antisense applications, and in the study of RNA structure and function.

Abstract: An integrated chemical process to form derivatives of butadiene addition products comprises forming an addition product of butadiene and a selected carboxylic acid, alcohol, or glycol, to form a reaction mixture containing at least a crotyl addition product and a sec-butenyl addition product; separating the reaction product mixture into streams comprising a crotyl product stream, a sec-butenyl product stream, and at least one stream containing other reacted and unreacted products; controlling the proportion of the product streams, preferably by recycling a portion or all of a separated crotyl product stream and/or a sec-butenyl product stream and other product streams to the addition reactor; subjecting one or more separated product streams to one or more process selected from hydrolysis, hydrogenation, and isomerization to form product derivatives in preselected proportions; and recovering one or more resulting product derivatives.

Abstract: Polymers and copolymers synthesized by means that yield a narrow range of molecular weights can have different properties than polymers synthesized by conventional means. In order to obtain such polymers, however, polymerization must be controlled. One type of controlled polymerization is the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process, which has characteristics of a living polymerization. The present invention discloses a group of dithioesters and trithioesters suitable as chain transfer agents for RAFT polymerization. The present invention also discloses RAFT polymerizations conducted in aqueous media.

Abstract: Polymers and copolymers synthesized by means that yield a narrow range of molecular weights can have different properties than polymers synthesized by conventional means. In order to obtain such polymers, however, polymerization must be controlled. One type of controlled polymerization is the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process, which has characteristics of a living polymerization. The present invention discloses a group of dithioesters and trithioesters suitable as chain transfer agents for RAFT polymerization. The present invention also discloses RAFT polymerizations conducted in aqueous media.

Abstract: Allyloxy esters, RnM(OR?)x(OR?)y, wherein M is silicon, carbon, boron or titanium, R is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group, R? are allylic unsaturated hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbyloxy hydrocarbyl groups, R? are saturated analogues of R?, and x is at least 1 and y may be zero, and n+x+y=3 if M is boron, and n+x+y=4 if M is silicon, carbon, or titanium, are used as reactive diluents in paint or coating formulations.

Abstract: A new, facile, general one-phase method of generating thio-functionalized transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized by the RAFT method is described. The method includes the stops of forming a (co)polymer in aqueous solution using the RAFT methodology, forming a colloidal transition metal precursor solution from an appropriate transition metal; adding the metal precursor solution or surface to the (co)polymer solution, adding a reducing agent into the solution to reduce the metal colloid in situ to produce the stabilized nanoparticles or surface, and isolating the stabilized nanoparticles or surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized. The functionalized surfaces generated using these methods can further undergo planar surface modifications, such as functionalization with a variety of different chemical groups, expanding their utility and application.