Abstract: Keratin hydratable absorbents and films are fabricated with simple, repeatable processes. Freeze drying produces a material with instantaneous water absorption to over 20 times its weight in water. Films produced are flexible and uniform with water absorption 7-8 times the original weight.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making a cyclic amide. The methods include the step of heating a fermentation broth in a manner effective to produce a cyclic amide, wherein the fermentation broth includes an amino acid or salt thereof. The cyclic amide monomers can be polymerized in a manner effective to form a polyamide. One advantage of the present invention is that lysine and/or salt thereof can be heated to form ?-amino-?-caprolactam while the lysine is still in the fermentation broth. The lysine and/or salt thereof do not need to be purified from the fermentation broth prior to being heated to form ?-amino-?-caprolactam. For example, the fermentation broth does not need to be subjected to an ion exchange process prior to being heated to form ?-amino-?-caprolactam. Avoiding such an ion exchange process can substantially reduce manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A functional aspartate prepared by A) reacting an aziridine with a Michael-acceptor molecule to form an aziridinyl aspartate, and B) reacting the aziridinyl aspartate with an active hydrogen containing compound to form the functional aspartate. The functional aspartate can be used in adhesive, sealant or coating compositions that also include an isocyanate functional material. The composition can be used in a method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate that includes applying a coating of the above-identified adhesive composition to at least one surface of the first substrate or the second substrate, and contacting a surface of the first substrate with a surface of the second substrate, where at least on of the contacting surfaces has the coating applied thereto. The composition can also be used to coat substrates.

Abstract: A functional aspartate prepared by A) reacting an aziridine with a Michael-acceptor molecule to form an aziridinyl aspartate, and B) reacting the aziridinyl aspartate with an active hydrogen containing compound to form the functional aspartate. The functional aspartate can be used in adhesive, sealant or coating compositions that also include an isocyanate functional material. The composition can be used in a method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate that includes applying a coating of the above-identified adhesive composition to at least one surface of the first substrate or the second substrate, and contacting a surface of the first substrate with a surface of the second substrate, where at least on of the contacting surfaces has the coating applied thereto. The composition can also be used to coat substrates.

Abstract: A method of irreversibly immobilizing an enzyme in a polyurethane and an enzyme-containing polyurethane having a degree of immobilization of the enzyme of approximately 100%. The synthesis of waterborne polyurethanes in the presence of enzyme has enabled the irreversible attachment of the enzyme to the polymeric matrix. The distribution of immobilized enzyme as well as activity retention are homogeneous within the polyurethane. Decreasing ECC hydrophobicity, via the use of a less hydrophobic polyisocyanate prepolymer during polymerization, significantly enhanced the intrinsic activity of the ECC.

Abstract: A process for forming a polyurethane dispersion containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles, comprising reacting a POSS with a diisocyanate in the presence of acetone, reacting the resulting compound with a polyol and an ionic compound selected from the group consisting of an acidic diol or sodium sulfonate to form an isocyanate prepolymer chain, extending the isocyanate prepolymer chain by adding a diol, and forming an aqueous dispersion. Also, a polyurethane dispersion or film comprising a homogeneously distributed polyurethane bound POSS prepolymer.

Abstract: A method of irreversibly immobilizing an enzyme in a polyurethane and an enzyme-containing polyurethane having a degree of immobilization of the enzyme of approximately 100%. The synthesis of waterborne polyurethanes in the presence of enzyme has enabled the irreversible attachment of the enzyme to the polymeric matrix. The distribution of immobilized enzyme as well as activity retention are homogeneous within the polyurethane. Decreasing ECC hydrophobicity, via the use of a less hydrophobic polyisocyanate prepolymer during polymerization, significantly enhanced the intrinsic activity of the ECC.

Abstract: A method of irreversibly immobilizing an enzyme in a polyurethane and an enzyme-containing polyurethane having a degree of immobilization of the enzyme of approximately 100%. The synthesis of waterborne polyurethanes in the presence of enzyme has enabled the irreversible attachment of the enzyme to the polymeric matrix. The distribution of immobilized enzyme as well as activity retention are homogeneous within the polyurethane. Decreasing ECC hydrophobicity, via the use of a less hydrophobic polyisocyanate prepolymer during polymerization, significantly enhanced the intrinsic activity of the ECC.

Abstract: A functional aspartate prepared by A) reacting an aziridine with a Michael-acceptor molecule to form an aziridinyl aspartate, and B) reacting the aziridinyl aspartate with an active hydrogen containing compound to form the functional aspartate. The functional aspartate can be used in adhesive, sealant or coating compositions that also include an isocyanate functional material. The composition can be used in a method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate that includes applying a coating of the above-identified adhesive composition to at least one surface of the first substrate or the second substrate, and contacting a surface of the first substrate with a surface of the second substrate, where at least on of the contacting surfaces has the coating applied thereto. The composition can also be used to coat substrates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel aspartates, their method of production and the use of these mono and polyaspartates as reactive components for polyisocyanates in two-component polyurethane coating compositions and for preparing polyurethane prepolymers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the monomeric aziridine content in a polyaziridine forming reaction mixture by adding to the polyaziridine forming reaction mixture an excess of an organic carbonate scavenger wherein the excess is based on the equivalent ratio of scavenger to monomeric aziridine, and to a product obtained by this process and to a coating composition containing the product obtained by the process.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of irreversibly immobilizing an enzyme into polyurethane coatings. This invention also provides for an enzyme-containing coating having a degree of immobilization of the enzyme of approximately 100%. The synthesis of waterborne polyurethane coatings in the presence of enzyme has enabled the irreversible attachment of the enzyme to the polymeric matrix. The distribution of immobilized enzyme as well as activity retention are homogeneous within the coating. Decreasing ECC hydrophobicity, via the use of a less hydrophobic polyisocyanate prepolymer during polymerization, significantly enhanced the intrinsic activity of the ECC.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel aspartates, their method of produciotn and the use of these mono and polyaspartates as reactive components for polyisocyanates in two-component polyurethane coating compositions and for preparing polyurethane prepolymers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of preparing polyaspartates, polyaspartates so-produced and the use thereof in a coating composition.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of preparing polyaspartates, polyaspartates so-produced and the use thereof in a coating composition.

Abstract: A method of irreversibly immobilizing an enzyme in a polyurethane and an enzyme-containing polyurethane having a degree of immobilization of the enzyme of approximately 100%. The synthesis of waterborne polyurethanes in the presence of enzyme has enabled the irreversible attachment of the enzyme to the polymeric matrix. The distribution of immobilized enzyme as well as activity retention are homogeneous within the polyurethane. Decreasing ECC hydrophobicity, via the use of a less hydrophobic polyisocyanate prepolymer during polymerization, significantly enhanced the intrinsic activity of the ECC.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the monomeric aziridine content in a polyaziridine forming reaction mixture by adding to the polyaziridine forming reaction mixture an excess of an organic carbonate scavenger wherein the excess is based on the equivalent ratio of scavenger to monomeric aziridine, and to a product obtained by this process and to a coating composition containing the product obtained by the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the monomeric aziridine content in a polyaziridine forming reaction mixture by adding to the polyaziridine forming reaction mixture an excess of an isocyanate scavenger wherein the excess is based on the equivalent ratio of scavenger to monomeric aziridine, an to a product obtained by this process and to a coating composition containing the product obtained by the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for reducing the monomeric aziridine content in a polyaziridine forming reaction mixture by adding to the polyaziridine forming reaction mixture an excess of an isocyanate scavenger wherein the excess is based on the equivalent ratio of scavenger to monomeric aziridine, an to a product obtained by this process and to a coating composition containing the product obtained by the process.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of irreversibly immobilizing an enzyme into polyurethane coatings. This invention also provides for an enzyme-containing coating having a degree of immobilization of the enzyme of approximately 100%. The synthesis of waterborne polyurethane coatings in the presence of enzyme has enabled the irreversible attachment of the enzyme to the polymeric matrix. The distribution of immobilized enzyme as well as activity retention are homogeneous within the coating. Decreasing ECC hydrophobicity, via the use of a less hydrophobic polyisocyanate prepolymer during polymerization, significantly enhanced the intrinsic activity of the ECC.