Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of branched addition copolymers in systems which can be cured post synthesis to form for example polymer coatings, sealants, inks, adhesives or composites and also relates to methods of preparing the cured systems, compositions comprising such copolymers and the use of the compositions in for example but not limited to coatings, inks, sealants, adhesives or composites.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing an improved composition comprising at least one active agent and at least one solid carrier material, wherein the active agent is dispersed through the carrier material in nano-disperse form, which method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a liquid mixture comprising the active agent, the carrier material, a stabilizing agent, a first solvent for the active agent and the stabilizing agent and, a second solvent for the carrier material, and (b) drying the liquid mixture to remove the first and second solvents to obtain a substantially solvent-free nano-dispersion of the active agent with the stabilising agent in the carrier material, wherein the stabilizing agent is capable of stabilizing the active agent in the liquid mixture during drying and in a resultant liquid nano-dispersion of the improved composition.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing water dispersible or water soluble porous bodies and the bodies themselves The bodies have an intrusion volume as measured by mercury porosimetry of at least about 3 ml/g and comprise a three dimensional open-cell lattice containing less than 10% by weight of a water soluble polymeric material and 5 to 90% by weight of a surfactant, with the proviso that said porous bodies are not spherical beads having an average bead diameter of 0.2 to 5 mm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to branched addition copolymers which can be cured post synthesis to form films or membranes, methods for their preparation, compositions comprising such copolymers and their use in film or membrane preparation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a branched addition copolymer in combination with a polymer in a solution or melt formulation to reduce the viscosity of the solution formulation and/or melt formulation compared to the viscosity of a solution and/or melt comprising the polymer alone wherein the branched addition copolymer is obtainable by an addition polymerisation process, methods for the preparation of the formulations, and novel branched addition copolymers for use as same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of branched addition copolymers possessing melt or solution viscosities lower than the linear polymer analogues of equivalent or greater weight average molecular weight, compositions comprising said copolymers, methods for their preparation, and he use of novel polymers per se in for example but not limited to solution formulations or melt formulations.

Abstract: The invention provides process for making contra-soluble nano-dispersions of at most sparingly-soluble materials in a soluble carrier material comprising the steps of: (i) providing a single phase mixture of: (a) a solvent or a mixture of miscible solvents wherein at least one of the solvents is an aqueous solvent and at least another solvent is a non-aqueous solvent, (b) at least one carrier material soluble in solvent (a), said carrier material being also contra-soluble to payload material (c) and solid at ambient temperature, (c) at least one a payload material which is soluble in solvent (a), and, (ii) freeze-drying the mixture to remove solvent (a) and thereby obtain the carrier material (b) in solid form with payload (c) dispersed therein as nanoparticles.

Abstract: The invention provides process for making water-soluble nano-dispersions of water-insoluble materials in a water-soluble carrier material comprising the steps of: (i) providing a single phase mixture of: (a) a non-aqueous solvent or a mixture of miscible non-aqueous solvents, (b) at least one carrier material soluble in non-aqueous solvent (a), said carrier material being also soluble in water and solid at ambient temperature, (c) at least one water-insoluble payload material which is soluble in non-solvent (a), and, (ii) drying the mixture to remove solvent (a) and thereby obtain the carrier material (b) in solid form with payload (c) dispersed therein as nanoparticles, wherein the product of the drying step is water dispersible to give an aqueous solution of (b) and an aqueous nano-dispersion of (c).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a branched copolymer obtainable by an addition polymerisation process and uses and compositions thereof comprising: i) a residue of at least one monofunctional monomer comprising one polymerisable double bond per molecule and a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons; ii) a residue of at least one multifunctional monomer comprising at least two polymerisable double bonds per molecule and a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons; and wherein the end termini of the copolymer chains comprise one or more of a residue of a chain transfer agent; an initiator or a terminal group derived from a termination reaction; wherein; the molar ratio of the monofunctional monomer to multifunctional monomer is between 50:1 to 2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a branched copolymer comprising a hydrophilic component obtainable by an addition polymerisation process and compositions and uses thereof said copolymer comprising: i) a residue of at least one monofunctional monomer comprising one polymerisable double bond per molecule and a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons; ii) a residue of at least one multifunctional monomer comprising at least two polymerisable double bonds per molecule and a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons; and wherein the end termini of the copolymer chains comprise one or more of a residue of a chain transfer agent; an initiator or a terminal group derived from a termination reaction; wherein; the molar ratio of the monofunctional monomer to multifunctional monomer is between 50:1 to 2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a branched addition copolymer as a dispersant in a gaseous, liquid or solid formulation in a range of applications and to the copolymers per se wherein the copolymer is obtainable by an addition polymerisation process, wherein said copolymer comprises: at least two chains which are covalently linked by a bridge other than at their ends; and wherein the at least two chains comprise at least one ethylenically monounsaturated monomer, and wherein the bridge comprises at least one ethylenically polyunsaturated monomer; and wherein the polymer comprises a residue of a chain transfer agent and wherein the mole ratio of polyunsaturated monomer(s) to monounsaturated monomer(s) is in a range of from 1:100 to 1:4; and wherein the branched copolymer dispersant contains anchoring, solubilising or stabilising moieties and wherein the resulting copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of less than 100,000 Da.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a branched addition copolymer as a dispersant in a gaseous, liquid or solid formulation in a range of applications and branched addition copolymers suitable for same wherein the copolymer is obtainable by an addition polymerisation process, wherein said copolymer comprises: at least two chains which are covalently linked by a bridge other than at their ends; and wherein the at least two chains comprise at least one ethyleneically monounsaturated monomer, and wherein the bridge comprises at least one ethyleneically polyunsaturated monomer; and wherein the polymer comprises a residue of a chain transfer agent and wherein the mole ratio of polyunsaturated monomer(s) to monounsaturated monomer(s) is in a range of from 1:100 to 1:4; and wherein the branched copolymer dispersant contains anchoring, solubilising or stabilising moieties and wherein the resulting copolymer comprises at least 10% styrenic monomer, brancher or chain transfer agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a branched addition copolymer as a dispersant in a gaseous, liquid or solid formulation in a range of applications and to the copolymers per se wherein the copolymer is obtainable by an addition polymerisation process, wherein said copolymer comprises: at least two chains which are covalently linked by a bridge other than at their ends; and wherein the at least two chains comprise at least one ethyleneically monounsaturated monomer, and wherein the bridge comprises at least one ethyleneically polyunsaturated monomer; and wherein the polymer comprises a residue of a chain transfer agent and wherein the mole ratio of polyunsaturated monomer(s) to monounsaturated monomer(s) is in a range of from 1:100 to 1:4; and wherein the branched copolymer dispersant contains anchoring, solubilising or stabilising moieties and wherein the resulting copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of greater than 100,000 Da.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an amphiphilic branched copolymer obtainable by an addition polymerisation process, the method of production of same and uses thereof as emulsions wherein said polymer comprises: at least two chains which are covalently linked by a bridge other than at their ends; and wherein the at least two chains comprise at least one ethylenically monounsaturated monomer, and wherein the bridge comprises at least one ethylenically polyunsaturated monomer; and wherein the polymer comprises a residue of a chain transfer agent and optionally a residue of an initiator, and wherein at least one of the monounsaturated monomer(s) and polyunsaturated monomer(s) and chain transfer agent(s) is a hydrophilic residue; and at least one of one of the monounsaturated monomer(s) and polyunsaturated monomer(s) and chain transfer agent(s) is a hydrophobic residue, and wherein the mole ratio of polyunsaturated monomer(s) to monounsaturated monomer(s) is in a range of from 1:100 to 1:4, and wherein at leas

Abstract: The present invention relates to a branched copolymer obtainable by an addition polymerisation process and uses and compositions thereof comprising a hydrophilic component, said polymer comprising: i) a residue of at least one monofunctional monomer comprising one polymerisable double bond per molecule and a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons; ii) a residue of at least one multifunctional monomer comprising at least two polymerisable double bonds per molecule and a molecular weight of less than 1000 Daltons; and wherein the end termini of the copolymer chains comprise one or more of a residue of a chain transfer agent; an initiator or a terminal group derived from a termination reaction; wherein; the molar ratio of the monofunctional monomer to multifunctional monomer is between 50:1 to 2.5:1 respectively; and wherein the hydrophilic component is comprised solely of at least 1 mole % of one or more monofunctional monomer which is/are comprised of hydrophilic monomer each with a solubility of 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substantially solvent-free nano-dispersion of an active in a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises an enteric carrier soluble at intestinal pH, but insoluble at stomach pH, and wherein the enteric carrier comprises at least 50% by weight of the nano-dispersion; and processes for the preparation of a substantially solvent-free nano-dispersion of an active in a carrier.

Abstract: A process for the production of a soluble composition comprising a water-insoluble active which comprises either the steps of: a) providing a liquid mixture comprising: i) a dissolved water-insoluble active, ii) a dissolved water-soluble carrier, iii) a solvent for each of the active and the carrier, and b) spray-granulating the mixture to remove the, or each, solvent and obtain a substantially solvent-free nano-dispersion of the water-insoluble active in the carrier said water-insoluble active being in nano-particles having a size range of 999-20 nm; or, the steps of: a) providing a substantially solvent-free powder comprising a water-insoluble active dispersed in a water soluble carrier, said water-insoluble active being in nano-particles having a size range of 999-20 nm, and, b) spray-granulating the powder to obtain larger and denser particles. The invention also relates to solvent-free, granular products with a particle size in the range 20 microns to 10 mm and a bulk-density of greater than 0.

Abstract: Porous bodies which are soluble or dispersible in non-aqueous media comprising a three dimensional open-cell lattice containing (a) 10 to 70% by weight of a polymeric material which is soluble in water immiscible non-aqueous media and (b) 30 to 90% by weight of a surfactant, said porous bodies having an intrusion volume as measured by mercury porosimetry of at least 3 ml/g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to amphiphilic branched copolymers, methods for their preparation, emulsions comprising such copolymers and their use as emulsifiers. The polymers are responsive by nature, by forming non-covalent bonds between monomer residues upon applying external stimuli. In a preferred embodiment of the copolymer, the copolymer can be used to stabilise emulsions and the emulsion droplets can be reversibly aggregated and de-aggregated.

Abstract: A branched, hybrid polymer obtainable by an addition polymerisation process, preferably a free-radical polymerisation process, comprising organic chains and inorganic chains wherein: (a) said polymer comprises at least two organic chains which are covalently linked by a bridge other than at their ends, (b) at least one inorganic chain is present, either as a covalently-bonded pendant group on an organic chain or within the bridge, and (c) the polymer comprises a residue of optionally but preferably a chain transfer agent and a residue of an initiator, optionally but preferably a free-radical initiator. The invention further provides a method for the synthesis of these polymers.