Abstract: A non-therapeutic method for reducing or eliminating the allergic effect of an allergen. Also relates to a cucurbituril, a derivative thereof, a variant thereof or a mixture thereof for use in treating and/or preventing the allergic effect of an allergen.

Abstract: Stable suspension compositions including cucurbiturils. More particularly, the stable suspension compositions including cucurbituril particles suspended in a medium. Also, the preparation of the suspension composition and a method of counteracting malodour including application of the suspension composition to a source of malodour.

Abstract: Stable suspension compositions including cucurbiturils. More particularly, the stable suspension compositions including cucurbituril particles suspended in a medium. Also, the preparation of the suspension composition and a method of counteracting malodour including application of the suspension composition to a source of malodour.

Abstract: A stimulus-responsive formulation of stimulus-responsive polymer particles in aqueous composition has a rheology-stimulus profile (e.g. rheology-temperature) whereby it exhibits certain rheological behaviours over a range of temperatures, which is controllable by copolymerising a stimulus-responsive polymer-forming monomer, such as N-isopropylacrylamide, with a certain proportion of second monomer having weak acid functionality (such as acrylic acid) to form the stimulus-responsive microgel particles of the formulation and by addition of a base to the formulation to neutralise a portion but not all of the weak acid functionality. Thus a stimulus-responsive formulation may be controlled to exhibit gel-to-liquid-to-gel like behaviour with increasing temperature.

Abstract: A composition comprising a plurality of discrete carrier-swellable polymer particles (preferably polyNIPAM particles) and a corresponding carrier (e.g. water), which particles have a low polydispersity index and are present in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight of the composition may be used to impart structural-image properties (such as structural colour) to a substrate by coating or printing methods. Additional benefits of adherence to low-energy surface substrates and enhanced rheological properties for printing compositions may also be provided. The compositions and methods used in the invention allow visual effects or security applications to be incorporated into substrates in a low-cost and convenient manner.

Abstract: A method of making a polymeric compound, comprising discrete particles responsive to an external stimulus, that is resistant to aggregation in high-shear fields, which includes the addition of a polymerization initiator to a reaction mixture comprising a monomer corresponding to the polymeric compound, wherein the method comprises the portion-wise addition of aliquots of a cross-linking agent to the reaction mixture, wherein an aliquot of the cross-linking agent is added to the reaction mixture both before the addition of the polymerization initiator and after the polymerization has progressed substantially to completion. The polymer particles are largely immune to the effects of transient shear rates at least as high as 106 s?1, whilst maintaining their thermal responsiveness and being present at moderate concentration. The structural and chemical modifications brought by the delayed portion-wise addition of the cross-linking agent allow an improvement in stability in a high-shear field.

Abstract: A stimulus-responsive polymer particulate composition, comprising a first monomer, such as an aqueous microgel derived, for example, from N-isopropylacrylamide, may be rendered less susceptible to aggregation at high shear (e.g. at least as high as 106 s?1) by incorporating into the structure of the particle (e.g. by copolymerisation) of a further monomer, which is not a stimulus-responsive polymer-forming monomer. The further monomer may be incorporated in an amount of up to 25 mol % based on the amount of the first monomer. Such modified polymer particles are suitable for inkjet printing applications (e.g. for printing of aqueous microgels onto low-energy surface substrates).