Abstract: The invention provides fabricated tough hydrogels, hydrogel-containing compositions, and methods of making the same. The invention also provides methods of implanting or administering the tough hydrogels, or the hydrogel-containing compositions to treat a subject in need. Methods of cross-linking pre-solidified or pre-gelled hydrogel particles and making crosslinked tough hydrogels, and crosslinked tough hydrogel-containing compositions also are disclosed herein.

Abstract: Improvements to absorbent sheet manufacture include spraying a softener onto the web and providing a creping adhesive to a surface of a heated drying cylinder of a Yankee dryer such that a creping adhesive coating is formed, the creping adhesive comprising a poly(aminoamide)epihalohydrin (PAE) resin and a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, wherein the polyvinyl alcohol copolymer includes functional repeat units selected from carboxylate repeat units, sulfonate repeat units as well as combinations of the comonomers. A preferred PAE resin is fully crosslinked PAE resin.

Abstract: This invention relates to the development of Crumb Rubber augmented masonry blocks. Crumb rubber is extracted from scrape tires after being processed and then mixed in specified percentages with concrete, cement and water. In the present disclosure sand, which is used in the formation of conventional blocks, is replaced with crumb rubber to produce a sand-free masonry block containing crumb rubber. The developed crumb rubber masonry blocks satisfied the ASTM non-load bearing requirements in addition to satisfying the water absorption test.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing aerogels of individualized carbon nanotubes and to the applications thereof, in particular in the production of composite aerogels and electrochemical compounds. The method of the invention is characterized in that it comprises the following steps carried out in an inert atmosphere: (a) reducing the carbon nanotubes using an alkaline metal in order to obtain a polyelectrolyte salt of carbon nanotubes; (b) exposing said polyelectrolyte salt of carbon nanotubes to an aprotic polar solvent in order to obtain a solution of individualized, reduced carbon nanotubes; (c) freezing said solution of individualized nanotubes; and (d) sublimating the solvent. The invention particularly relates to aerogels of individualized carbon nanotubes obtained by said method, and to the uses of said aerogels.

Abstract: A slurry composition including a polyvinyl acetal resin and an organic solvent. The polyvinyl acetal resin has a degree of polymerization of 500 or more and 6000 or less, has a vinyl ester unit content of 0.01 to 30 mol %, has a degree of acetalization of 50 to 83 mol %, includes the structural unit represented by chemical formula (1): in an amount of no less than 30 mol % relative to the total molar amount of all acetalized structural units in a molecule, and includes 10 to 1000 ppm of 2-methyl propanoic acid relative to the polyvinyl acetal resin.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a gel polymer electrolyte composition which exhibits excellent electrolyte retaining ability, excellent ion conductivity, higher mechanical strength and excellent shape preservation, which does not require an extra step for crosslinking, and which can provide a secondary battery with excellent cycle properties and a vinyl acetal polymer used for a gel polymer electrolyte composition. There are provided a vinyl acetal polymer for a gel polymer electrolyte composition, wherein the vinyl acetal polymer has a cationic functional group, as well as a gel polymer electrolyte composition comprising the vinyl acetal polymer and an electrolyte solution, wherein a weight ratio of the vinyl acetal polymer to the electrolyte solution is 0.5:99.5 to 9:91.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a resin composition having an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) component and a multi-layered structure containing the resin composition.

Abstract: Toughened polyhydroxyalkanoate resin compositions are disclosed, comprising thermoplastic polyhydroxyalkanoate compositions and a toughener comprising a vinyl acetate homopolymer or copolymer and optionally polyvinyl alcohol.

Abstract: A poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) resin formulation, a method of extruding PVB resins, and related materials and products that provide for PVB sheets with a selectable flow (or melt viscosity) by melt blending hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into a PVB resin composition is described herein.

Abstract: A polyester/glyoxalated polyvinyl alcohol semi-interpenetrating polymer network hot-melt adhesive and preparation method therefore, mainly includes the steps of: 1) transesterification of certain amounts of dimethyl terephthalate and another dibasic ester with 1,4-butanediol and other diols in the presence of an organotin catalyst under a nitrogen atmosphere in a reactor, completed upon the amount of distillation of a monohydric alcohol byproduct reaching greater than 95% of the theoretical amount; 2) after the temperature is maintained for a period of time, adding in a stabilizer and a polycondensation catalyst and incrementally increasing the temperature to trigger a polycondensation reaction under a reduced pressure to produce particles of a copolymer, and freezing and pulverizing the copolymer particles to produce a powder of a copolyester; 3) uniformly blending a polyvinyl alcohol/glyoxal mixture with the powder produced in step 2) at ambient temperature to produce the target product.

Abstract: To provide (i) a water-absorbing agent, having a water-absorbent resin as a main component, whose absorbency is high and liquid permeability is enhanced and (ii) a production method thereof. The water-absorbing agent of the present invention includes a water-absorbent resin obtained by polymerizing an unsaturated monomer having a carboxyl group and included in an aqueous monomer solution in the presence of at least a non high molecular compound having four or more functional groups each capable of forming a covalent bond with a carboxyl group.

Abstract: A coating for a substrate is formed by milling cationic pigment particles in the presence of a water-soluble polymer, where the water-soluble polymer acts as a binder and a dispersant for the cationic pigment particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a polymer particle dispersion in an aqueous medium and a method of making the same, which comprises an emulsion polymerized polymer and a macroinitiator covalently bonded to the emulsion polymerized polymer. The living macroinitiator comprises a hydrophilic, pH-insensitive monomer in reacted form. The polymer particle dispersion may be obtained by reacting at least one monomer with the living macroinitiator and without a surfactant to effect polymerization of the monomer(s). The emulsion polymerized polymer may be comprised of at least one additional ethylenically unsaturated monomer in polymerized form.

Abstract: The invention relates to polyvinyl acetals obtainable by reacting polyvinyl alcohol with at least one aldehyde with a degree of acetalization of at least 75 mol %, characterized by an OH blockiness of the polyvinyl acetal, defined as a quotient from the number of methylene groups of two adjacent alcohol sequences (VV) and the sum of the number of methylene groups of adjacent alcohol/acetal sequences and acetal/acetal sequences (VB+BB), of more than 0.151, as well as a process for the preparation thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a base film of modified polyvinyl alcohol as well as a method for preparing the base film of modified polyvinyl alcohol and a polarizer made from the base film. The method includes steps of: (1) executing surface graft modification of nano-silicon dioxide particles with fluorinated silane to obtain a modified nano-silicon dioxide powder; (2) adding the modified nano-silicon dioxide powder obtained from the step (1) to an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol polymer, in order to prepare a composite solution of polyvinyl alcohol polymer; and (3) pouring the composite solution of polyvinyl alcohol polymer prepared from the step (2) onto a surface of a casting substrate to obtain a base film of modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The present invention enhances the heat and humidity resistances and the stability of the PVA base film, and improves its mechanical performance and sticking-resistance.

Abstract: To provide a process for producing a fluoroolefin/vinyl alcohol copolymer with sufficiently high productivity and excellent heat resistance, whereby a quality loss by coloration is prevented, and a fluoroolefin/vinyl alcohol copolymer obtainable by such a process. A process for producing a fluoroolefin/vinyl alcohol copolymer, which comprises a polymerization step of copolymerizing a specific fluoroolefin and a vinyl ether having a hydrogen atom of a hydroxy group of a vinyl alcohol substituted with a protective group which can be deprotected, and a deprotection step of substituting the protective group in polymerized units based on the vinyl ether in the copolymer obtained in the polymerization step, with a hydrogen atom to form a hydroxyl group, and the fluoroolefin/vinyl alcohol copolymer obtainable by such a process.

Abstract: An aqueous resin composition that can provide excellent properties using a high molecular weight resin and less amount of surfactant, and also that does not require a complicated production procedure, is provided. The aqueous resin composition is obtained by heating and dissolving 100 parts by mass of acid-modified chlorinated polyolefin with an average molecular weight of 37,000 to 150,000 in the presence of 2 to 30 parts by weight of a surfactant, 10 to 50 parts by mass of a glycol ether-based compound that satisfies general formula (1) shown below, and 150 to 425 parts by mass of water, and then dispersing this with a basic compound that has been added at a ratio of 1 to 4 chemical equivalents per carboxyl group of the acid-modified chlorinated polyolefin. General Formula (1) C4H9—(OCH2CH2)n—OH n: an integer from 1 to 4.

Abstract: A curable aqueous composition, a method for forming a treated substrate with the curable aqueous composition, and the substrate so treated are provided. The composition, the method and the treated substrate may be free from formaldehyde. The composition comprises a (co)polymer and a crosslinker, said (co)polymer comprising, as (co)polymerized units, from 0.05 to 10 wt %, based on the dry weight of the composition, ethylenically unsaturated monomer having at least two carboxylic acid groups, wherein the crosslinker having at least two hydrazino groups having a molar ratio of at least 0.05 of the carboxylic acid group, and wherein the aqueous composition is curable at a temperature of from 100° C. to 250° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to aqueous polymer dispersions having a polymer content of at least 55% by weight that are suitable for pressure sensitive adhesives. The invention also relates to a process for preparing these aqueous polymer dispersions and the use of the aqueous polymer dispersions in pressure sensitive adhesives and, respectively, pressure sensitive adhesive compositions, especially in pressure sensitive adhesives for transparent substrates, such as plastics labels. The aqueous polymer dispersions have a polymer content of at least 55% by weight, based on the total weight of the dispersion. The polymer is composed of ethylenically unsaturated monomers and has a glass transition temperature below ?10° C., in which the dispersed polymer particles have a polymodal particle size distribution, in which at least 70% by weight of the polymer particles have a particle diameter of below 350 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to branched polymers which contain hydroxyl groups and acrylate groups, to processes for preparing them, and to their use.