Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a copolymer having the following formula (II): wherein: A1 is a linker, preferably an enzyme cleavable peptide sequence, and y is 0 or 1; AA is a residue of a hydrophobic amino acid; x is an integer comprised between 17 and 270; n is an integer comprised between 5 and 170; and m is an integer comprised between 0 and 80; optionally in the presence of a co-surfactant, as surfactant for the stabilization of an emulsion at a pH between 4 and 6.5.

Abstract: The invention provides a partially or totally coated substrate, the coating comprising a water-absorbing hydrophilic random polymeric network comprising hydrophilic cross- linked polymeric chains which are directly bound to the surface of the substrate, said polymeric chains comprising one or more hydrophilic monomer(s). The invention also provides a process for obtaining the coated substrate of the invention. The coated substrate of the invention shows a long-lasting wear and abrasion protective effect.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process for preparing water-dispersible single-chain polymeric nanoparticles, which comprises cross-linking a polymer having a solubility equal to or higher than 100 mg per litre of water, and an amount of complementary reactive groups comprised from 5 to 60 molar % of the total amount of monomer units present in the polymer chain; with a crosslinking agent having crosslinkable groups; at a temperature comprised from 20 to 25° C. in the absence of a catalyst; to obtain water-dispersible conjugates and compositions containing the nanoparticle; and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Molybdenum or Tungsten chalcogenide nanoobject having: (a) an object size comprised from 0.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process for preparing water-dispersible single-chain polymeric nanoparticles, which comprises cross-linking a polymer having a solubility equal to or higher than 100 mg per litre of water, and an amount of complementary reactive groups comprised from 5 to 60 molar % of the total amount of monomer units present in the polymer chain; with a crosslinking agent having crosslinkable groups; at a temperature comprised from 20 to 25° C. in the absence of a catalyst; to obtain water-dispersible conjugates and compositions containing the nanoparticle; and the use thereof.

Abstract: The polymer comprises units of formula (I) and of formula (Ibis), being comprised the molar ratio between units (I) and (Ibis) comprised from 1.0:0.2 to 1.0:0.8, and wherein R4 are independently selected from radicals of formula (II), (III), and (IV), R1 and R1? are independently selected from: —H, (C1-C20)alkyl, (C5-C14)aryl, —OR5, —(CO)R6, —O(CO)R7, —(SO)R8, —NH—CO—R9, —COOR10, —NR11R12, —NO2, and halogen; R2, R2?, R3, and R3? are —H; P is a polymeric chain, R5 to R12 are independently selected: —H, (C1-C20)alkyl, and (C5-C14)aryl;R13 and R14 are independently selected from (C1-C5)alkyl, and (C5-C14)aryl;, m is from 3 to 4; n is from 1 to 2; and p is from 1 to 2 provided that n+m+p sums 6; the polymer comprising from 5 to 25 weight % of urea moieties, and having H-bonding and pi-pi staking interactions between the urea groups, and a tensile strength comprised from 3 to 15 MPa.

Abstract: The composite comprises (i) a reinforcement phase comprising fibres, this phase being in a volume percentage comprised from 25 to 70% with respect to the total volume of the composite, and (ii) a matrix phase which is in a volume percentage comprised from 30 to 75% with respect to the total volume of the composite, being the sum of volumes of both phases forming the composite 100%, and wherein the matrix phase comprises a cured epoxy resin in a percentage comprised from 50-100% by weight with respect to the total weight of the matrix phase, and the cured epoxy resin being obtainable by: (a) mixing an epoxide-functionalised resin with a functionality equal to or higher than 2 with a cross-linking agent of formula (I), and (b) curing the reaction mixture at a temperature comprised from 10 to 200° C., this step being performed in the absence of a catalyst. The composite is reprocessable, reparable and recyclable and shows mechanochromic behaviour, being useful in the manufacture of an article.

Abstract: The self-healing cross-linked polymer comprises units of formula (I), wherein: P is a polymeric chain, R1 and R1? are independently selected from the group consisting of: —H, (C1-C20)alkyl, (C5-C14)aryl, —OR4, —(CO)R5, —O(CO)R6, —(SO)R7, —NH—CO—R8, —COOR9, —NR10R11, —NO2, and halogen; R2, R2?, R3 and R3? are independently selected from the group consisting of: —H, (C1-C20)alkyl and (C5-C14)aryl; R4 to R11 are the same or different, and are selected from the group consisting of: —H, (C1-C20)alkyl, and (C5-C14)aryl; m is from 3 to 4; n is from 1 to 2; provided that n+m is 5; the polymer having H-bonding interactions and being able to undergo catalyst free aromatic disulfide metathesis at room-temperature, and having a tensile strength value from 0.5 to 1.5 MPa and an elongation at break value higher than 200% at room-temperature.

Abstract: It is provided a self-healing polymer network comprising transition metal thiolates, particularly thiolates of a transition metal that is able to self-assemble by metallophilic attractions, and more particularly Au(I), Ag(I), Cu(I) thiolates, or a mixture thereof, and, optionally, disulfide bonds, thiol and other thiolate groups. It is also provided several processes for the preparation of the self-healing polymer networks of the invention, as well as uses thereof.

Abstract: It is provided a self-healing polymer network comprising transition metal thiolates, particularly thiolates of a transition metal that is able to self-assemble by metallophilic attractions, and more particularly Au(1), Ag(1), Cu(1) thiolates, or a mixture thereof, and, optionally, disulfide bonds, thiol and other thiolate groups. It is also provided several processes for the preparation of the self-healing polymer networks of the invention, as well as uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to large surface distributed pressure sensors comprising at least two flexible substrates, at least of one of these being entirely or partially coated by a layer of polythiophene containing repetitive structural units with formula (I), wherein R1 and R2 are independently a C1-C12 alkyl group or they form a C1-C12 1,n-alkylene group, with n=1-12, optionally substituted by a C1-C12 alkyl group, C2-C12 alkene, vinylene, benzyl, phenyl group, a halogen atom, or by an ester, amine, amide or ether functional group, optionally substituted by a C1-C12 alkyl group; and one or more insulating spacers. Said sensors are flexible and easy to manufacture and they may present different symmetric, simple or multilayer configurations, as desired.

Abstract: Compositions are described, based on starch and/or on modified starch and comprising, as plasticizers, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids derived from aldoses and/or from ketoses, in particular from pentoses and hexoses, or comprising lactones of these acids. The materials can be processed thermoplastically to give shaped articles which are biodegradable and physiologically nonhazardous. They may be used as packaging or casing for food or drink or pharmaceutical products, or also for the controlled release of active substances, or else for producing temporary protective coatings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing smooth-surface spherical microparticles which are completely or partially made of at least one water-insoluble linear polysaccharide. This method involves dissolving the at least one water-insoluble linear polysaccharide in a solvent or a mixture of solvents, introducing the solution into a precipitation agent or a mixture of precipitation agents, optionally cooling the mixture thus obtained, and separating the microparticles thus formed. The precipitation agent used consists of at least one water-soluble cellulose derivative. This invention also relates to microparticles obtained according to this method.

Abstract: Microparticles with a uniform spherical shape and a very narrow size distribution are described. They consist wholly or partly of a linear water-insoluble polysaccharide, preferably of 1,4-&agr;-D-polyglucan, and may contain other, in particular biodegradable, polymers and/or active substances. They are suitable inter alia for the controlled delivery of active substances. They are prepared by dissolving 1,4-&agr;-D-polyglucan or the polysaccharide in a solvent, introducing the solution into a precipitant, cooling the mixture and removing the particles formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of small spherical particles consisting totally or partly of at least one water-insoluble linear polysaccharide by dissolving the at least one water-insoluble polysaccharide in a solvent or a solvent mixture, introducing the solution into a precipitating agent or a precipitating agent mixture, optionally cooling the mixture thus obtained and separating the formed small particles, wherein at least one poly alpha D-glucan soluble in hot water is used as auxiliary agent for precipitation. The invention also relates to the particles obtained according to said method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a controlled release tablet which in part or as a whole contains water-insoluble linear polysaccharides, preferably the polysaccharide poly(1,4-&agr;-D-glucan), in the form of microparticles, as retardation material. The tablet is also capable of controllably releasing an active agent.

Abstract: Compositions are described, based on starch and/or on modified starch and comprising, as plasticizers, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids derived from aldoses and/or from ketoses, in particular from pentoses and hexoses, or comprising lactones of these acids such as &dgr;-caprolactone. The materials can be processed thermoplastically to give shaped articles which are biodegradable and physiologically nonhazardous. They may be used as packaging or casing for food or drink or pharmaceutical products, or also for the controlled release of active substances, or else for producing temporary protective coatings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of spherical microparticles consisting totally or partly of at least one water-insoluble polysaccharide, wherein the at least one water-insoluble polysaccharide is dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture, the solution thus formed is introduced into a precipitating agent or precipitating agent mixture, the mixture obtained is optionally cooled and the formed microparticles are separated. The invention is characterized in that the water-insoluble polysaccharide is selected from a polyglucan containing branches with a degree of branching higher than zero and no higher than 8% and a mixture of a polyglucan containing branches and a linear polysaccharide, wherein the proportion of polyglucan containing branches in the mixture is at the most 30% by weight in relation to the overall weight of the polysaccharide and the polyglucan.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a topical preparation containing spherical microparticles as the essential component, wherein the microparticles comprise water-insoluble linear polyglucan.

Abstract: 1,4-&agr;-D-Polyglucan-based thermoplastic mixture, process for the preparation and use thereof The present invention relates to a thermoplastic mixture based on biopolymers obtainable by preparing and mixing (A) 100 parts by weight of a biocatalytically produced 1,4-&agr;-D-polyglucans, (B) up to 400 parts by weight of a melt-processable polymeric material different from (A), (C) water in an amount sufficient for plastification of the mixture, (D) at least one plasticizer in an amount of 10 parts by weight up to half the total of the parts by weight of (A) and (B), and (E) where appropriate up to ((A)+(B)) parts by weight of other conventional additives, where the water content of components (A) and (B) has been corrected to zero by calculation where the plastification takes place with introduction of thermal and mechanical energy, to the use of the mixture for producing essentially biodegradable moldings and sheets, and to a process for preparing the mixture.