Abstract: Disclosed herein are a high-molecular weight aliphatic polyester, whose molecular weight has been highly increased by a chain-lengthening reaction of a ring-opening (co)polymer of at least one cyclic ester selected from the group consisting of glycolide and lactide with an oxazoline compound, and a production process thereof. The molecular weight of the high-molecular weight aliphatic polyester is highly increased to the extent that a rate of increase in molecular weight represented by a ratio (Mw2/Mw1) of a weight average molecular weight (Mw2) of a ring-opening (co)polymer after the chain lengthening to a weight average molecular weight (Mw1) of the ring-opening (co)polymer before the chain lengthening amounts to at least 1.10.

Abstract: A shaped container of biodegradable, heat-resistant and rigid resin having a laminate structure including a glycolic acid polymer layer and another biodegradable resin layer, is formed by shaping under heating so that another biodegradable resin forms an outer and/or inner layer. The container is excellent in biodegradability, stiffness and heat resistance as well as excellent see-through of contents, and is suitable as a temporary preservation container for food, etc.

Abstract: Crystalline polyglycolic acid wherein a difference between the melting point Tm and the crystallization temperature Tc2 is not lower than 35° C., and a difference between the crystallization temperature Tc1 and the glass transition temperature Tg is not lower than 40° C. A production process of polyglycolic acid modified in crystallinity, comprising applying heat history to crystalline polyglycolic acid at a temperature of not lower than (the melting point Tm of the crystalline polyglycolic acid+38° C.). A polyglycolic acid composition comprising crystalline polyglycolic acid and a heat stabilizer, wherein a difference (T2?T1) between the temperature T2 at 3%-weight loss on heating of the polyglycolic acid composition and the temperature T1 at 3%-weight loss on heating of the crystalline polyglycolic acid is not lower than 5° C.

Abstract: There are provided a bottle which has a laminate structure including a glycolic acid polymer layer showing good gas-barrier property in addition to a principal resin layer and is yet provided with excellent recyclability, and also an efficient method of recycling the bottle. More specifically, a bottle having a laminate structure including at least one layer of glycolic acid polymer in addition to a principal resin layer, is obtained. After breaking the bottle, the broken pieces are washed with alkaline water, water or acidic water to remove the glycolic acid polymer layer, thereby recovering the principal resin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for production of a cyclic ester by depolymerization of an aliphatic polyester. In the process, a mixture containing the aliphatic polyester and a specific polyalkylene glycol ether, which has a boiling point of 230-450° C. and a molecular weight of 150-450, is heated under normal or reduced pressure to a temperature at which depolymerization of the aliphatic polyester takes place. Then, a substantially homogeneous solution phase, consisting of the melt phase of the aliphatic polyester and the liquid phase of the polyalkylene glycol ether, is formed. Heating of the solution phase is continued to form the cyclic ester by depolymerization and distil out the cyclic ester together with the polyalkylene glycol ether, and then the cyclic ester is recovered from the distillate. The present invention also provides a process for purification of a crude cyclic ester by use of the specific polyalkylene glycol ether described above.

Abstract: A packaged product formed by enclosing a content material, such as food or beverage, sanitary products or medical products, within a packaging material including at least a layer of hydrophilic resin, is heat-treated with hot water for, e.g., boil sterilization or retort sterilization. The hot water is caused to contain a water-soluble compound in an amount substantially exceeding a level contained in tap water, whereby it becomes possible to suppress the opalescence of the packaging material causing inferior appearance or transparency and leading to a lowering in gas-barrier property, which has been problematic in the conventional boil or retort hot water treatment.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing glycolide by depolymerization by heating of a glycolic acid oligomer in the presence or absence of a solvent, which process ensures stable depolymerization. The depolymerization reaction is carried out while the content of alkaline metal ions in a glycolic acid oligomer-containing depolymerization reaction system is controlled to 0.001% by mass or lower; a sulfate or an organic acid salt, each in the form of di- or poly-valent cations, or a mixture thereof is allowed to be present as a stabilizer in the depolymerization reaction system; or the content of alkaline metal ions in the depolymerization reaction system is controlled to 0.001% by mass or lower, and a sulfate or an organic acid salt, each in the form of di- or poly-valent cations, or a mixture thereof is allowed to be present as a stabilizer in the depolymerization reaction system.

Abstract: The invention provides a polyester production process by bulk polymerization in a reactor, wherein the volume of the resulting polyester is shrunk for a release from the inner surface of the reactor, so that the polyester can be recovered in the form of a bulky mass. The invention also provides a reactor for bulk polymerization for polyester, which comprises an inner surface that enabling the resulting polyester to be released therefrom upon its volume shrinkage.

Abstract: The invention provides a polyester production process by bulk polymerization in a reactor, wherein the volume of the resulting polyester is shrunk for a release from the inner surface of the reactor, so that the polyester can be recovered in the form of a bulky mass. The invention also provides a reactor for bulk polymerization for polyester, which comprises an inner surface that enabling the resulting polyester to be released therefrom upon its volume shrinkage.

Abstract: Polyhydroxycarhoxylic acids are provided, which are controlled in terms of the rate of biodegradability, and give molded or otherwise formed articles that are of uniform quality with neither premature strength drop nor premature deterioration of retention of outside shape, and their production process is provided as well. The poly-hydroxycarboxylic acids are obtained by ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters. The polyhydroxy-carboxylic acids have a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 10,000 to 1.000,000, a molecular weight distribution in the range of 1.0 to 2.5 as represented by the weight-average molecular weight-to-number-average molecular weight ratio (Mw/Mn) and a yellowness index (YI) of 4O or less, and have a precisely controlled rate of biodegradability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a glycolide production process wherein a depolymerization reaction system comprising a glycolic acid oligomer or a glycolic acid oligomer and a polar organic solvent is heated to depolymerize the glycolic acid oligomer into glycolide, the resulting glycolide or the glycolide and polar organic solvent are distilled out of the depolymerization reaction system, and the glycolide is recovered from distillates obtained by distillation. The glycolic acid oligomer or the glycolic acid oligomer and polar organic solvent are continuously or intermittently charged into the depolymerization reaction system, thereby carrying out depolymerization reactions continuously or repeatedly. During the depolymerization reactions, a compound having an alcoholic hydroxyl group is permitted to exist at a specific quantitative ratio in the depolymerization reaction system.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing glycolide by depolymerization by heating of a glycolic acid oligomer in the presence or absence of a solvent, which process ensures stable depolymerization. The depolymerization reaction is carried out while the content of alkaline metal ions in a glycolic acid oligomer-containing depolymerization reaction system is controlled to 0.001% by mass or lower; a sulfate or an organic acid salt, each in the form of di- or poly-valent cations, or a mixture thereof is allowed to be present as a stabilizer in the depolymerization reaction system; or the content of alkaline metal ions in the depolymerization reaction system is controlled to 0.001% by mass or lower, and a sulfate or an organic acid salt, each in the form of di- or poly-valent cations, or a mixture thereof is allowed to be present as a stabilizer in the depolymerization reaction system.

Abstract: A method of refining a crystal of a crude cyclic ester comprises the steps of supplying the crude cyclic ester to a vertically extending cylindrical refiner (1) from an inlet (3) provided at a lower part of the refiner (1), agitating the crude cyclic ester by an agitator provided in the refiner (1) to make the crude cyclic ester flow upwardly, refining the crystals of the crude cyclic ester by counterflow-contact between the upflowing crude cyclic ester and a downflowing melted liquid containing a refined crystal component, and taking out refined crystals of the crude cyclic ester from an outlet (4) provided at an upper part of the refiner (1).

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for production of a cyclic ester by depolymerization of an aliphatic polyester. In the process, a mixture containing the aliphatic polyester and a specific polyalkylene glycol ether, which has a boiling point of 230-450° C. and a molecular weight of 150-450, is heated under normal or reduced pressure to a temperature at which depolymerization of the aliphatic polyester takes place. Then, a substantially homogeneous solution phase, consisting of the melt phase of the aliphatic polyester and the liquid phase of the polyalkylene glycol ether, is formed. Heating of the solution phase is continued to form the cyclic ester by depolymerization and distil out the cyclic ester together with the polyalkylene glycol ether, and then the cyclic ester is recovered from the distillate. The present invention also provides a process for purification of a crude cyclic ester by use of the specific polyalkylene glycol ether described above.

Abstract: Crystalline polyglycolic acid wherein a difference between the melting point Tm and the crystallization temperature Tc2 is not lower than 35° C., and a difference between the crystallization temperature Tc1 and the glass transition temperature Tg is not lower than 40° C. A production process of polyglycolic acid modified in crystallinity, comprising applying heat history to crystalline polyglycolic acid at a temperature of not lower than (the melting point Tm of the crystalline polyglycolic acid+38° C.). A polyglycolic acid composition comprising crystalline polyglycolic acid and a heat stabilizer, wherein a difference (T2−T1) between the temperature T2 at 3%-weight loss on heating of the polyglycolic acid composition and the temperature T1 at 3%-weight loss on heating of the crystalline polyglycolic acid is not lower than 5° C.

Abstract: Crystalline polyglycolic acid wherein a difference between the melting point Tm and the crystallization temperature Tc2 is not lower than 35° C., and a difference between the crystallization temperature Tc1 and the glass transition temperature Tg is not lower than 40° C. A production process of polyglycolic acid modified in crystallinity, comprising applying heat history to crystalline polyglycolic acid at a temperature of not lower than (the melting point Tm of the crystalline polyglycolic acid+38° C.). A polyglycolic acid composition comprising crystalline polyglycolic acid and a heat stabilizer, wherein a difference (T2−T1) between the temperature T2 at 3%-weight loss on heating of the polyglycolic acid composition and the temperature T1 at 3%-weight loss on heating of the crystalline polyglycolic acid is not lower than 5° C.

Abstract: A method of refining a crystal of a crude cyclic ester comprises the steps of supplying the crude cyclic ester to a vertically extending cylindrical refiner (1) from an inlet (3) provided at a lower part of the refiner (1), agitating the crude cyclic ester by an agitator provided in the refiner (1) to make the crude cyclic ester flow upwardly, refining the crystals of the crude cyclic ester by counterflow-contact between the upflowing crude cyclic ester and a downflowing melted liquid containing a refined crystal component, and taking out refined crystals of the crude cyclic ester from an outlet (4) provided at an upper part of the refiner (1).