Abstract: A controlled release pharmaceutical composition comprises (a) at least one pharmaceutically active substance having a water contact angle (?) such that cos ? is between +0.9848 and ?0.9848, (b) a first intelligent polymer component; and (c) a second intelligent polymer component having opposite wettability characteristics to the first intelligent polymer component, the first and second polymer components being present in a ratio in the range of about 1:100 to about 100:1 by weight. The polymer components are effective for controlled release of the pharmaceutically active substance from the composition.

Abstract: The invention relates a gas barrier multi-layer hollow container having a multi-layer wall structure that a thermoplastic resin layer is laminated on at least one side of a layer formed from polyglycolic acid containing at least 60 wt. % of a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): wherein the container has excellent oxygen gas barrier property and/or carbon dioxide gas barrier property, and a production process thereof.

Abstract: A composite gas barrier film having a layer structure comprises a thermoplastic resin film laminated on at least one side of a film formed from polyglycolic acid containing at least 60 wt. % of a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): wherein the polyglycolic acid film is a film formed from polyglycolic acid having a melt viscosity, &eegr;* of 500 to 100,000 Pa•s as measured at a temperature of the melting point of the polymer +20° C. and a shear rate of 100/sec, a melting point Tm of at least 150° C., and a melt enthalpy, &Dgr;Hm of at least 20 J/g. An adhesive layer is provided between the polyglycolic acid film and the thermoplastic resin film. The film has excellent oxygen gas barrier property and/or carbon dioxide gas barrier property.

Abstract: The invention provides an injection-molded product of polyglycolic acid obtainable by molding a thermoplastic resin material at an injection temperature ranging from the melting point, Tm of the polymer to 255° C., wherein the thermoplastic resin material comprises polyglycolic acid having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): and the following physical properties: (a) the melt viscosity, &eegr;* [as measured at a temperature of (the melting point, Tm of the polymer+20° C.) and a shear rate of 1,000/sec] being 30-10,000 Pa·s; (b) the melting point, Tm being at least 150° C.; (c) the melt enthalpy, &Dgr;Hm being at least 20 J/g; and (d) the density being at least 1.50 g/cm3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form, and a production process thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a stretch blow molded container formed from a thermoplastic resin material which comprises polyglycolic acid having(a) a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## (b) a melt viscosity, .eta.* [as measured at a temperature of (the melting point, Tm of the polymer+20.degree. C.) and a shear rate of 100/sec] of 500-100,000 Pa.s;(c) a melting point, Tm of at least 180.degree. C.;(d) a melt enthalpy, .DELTA.Hm of at least 20 J/g; and(e) a density of at least 1.50 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form,wherein the stretch blow molded container has tensile strength (in a circumferential direction) of at least 100 MPa and a carbon dioxide permeability (as measured at a temperature of 23.degree. C. and 80% relative humidity; in terms of the thickness of 50 .mu.m) of 300 cc/m.sup.2.day.atm or smaller at the body sidewall thereof, and a production process thereof.

Abstract: An injection-molded product is obtained by injection molding a thermoplastic resin material. The thermoplastic resin material comprises a polyglycolic acid homopolymer or copolymer having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## in a proportion not lower than 70 wt. % and a repeating unit derived from at least one cyclic comonomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxalate and lactide in a proportion not higher than 30 wt. %, and having the following physical properties: (a) a melt viscosity, n*, measured at a temperature of the melting point, Tm, of the polyglycolic acid homopolymer or copolymer +20.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1,000/sec, of 30-10,000 Pa.multidot.s; (b) a melting point, Tm, of at least 150.degree. C.; (c) a melt enthalpy, .DELTA.Hm, of at least 20 J/g; and (d) a density of at least 1.50 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form. The injection-molded product has Izod impact strength, unnotched, 25.degree. C., of at least 20 kJ/m.sup.

Abstract: The invention provides a stretch blow molded container formed from a thermoplastic resin material which comprises polyglycolic acid having(a) a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## (b) a melt viscosity, .eta.* [as measured at a temperature of (the melting point, Tm of the polymer+20.degree. C.) and a shear rate of 100/sec] of 500-100,000 Pa.multidot.s;(c) a melting point, Tm of at least 180.degree. C.;(d) a melt enthalpy, .DELTA.Hm of at least 20 J/g; and(e) a density of at least 1.50 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form,wherein the stretch blow molded container has tensile strength (in a circumferential direction) of at least 100 MPa and a carbon dioxide permeability (as measured at a temperature of 23.degree. C. and 80% relative humidity; in terms of the thickness of 50 .mu.m) of 300 cc/m.sup.2 .multidot.day.multidot.atm or smaller at the body sidewall thereof, and a production process thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a polyglycolic acid sheet obtainable by melt-extruding a thermoplastic resin material into a sheet in a temperature range of from the melting point, Tm of the polymer to 255.degree. C., wherein the thermoplastic resin material comprises polyglycolic acid having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## and the following physical properties: (a) the melt viscosity, .eta.* ?as measured at a temperature of (the melting point, Tm of the polymer+20.degree. C.) and a shear rate of 100/sec! being 500-100,000 Pa.s;(b) the melting point, Tm being at least 150.degree. C.;(c) the melt enthalpy, .DELTA.Hm being at least 20 J/g; and(d) the density being at least 1.50 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form, and the sheet has tensile strength of at least 60 MPa, and a production process thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides an oriented polyglycolic acid film formed from a thermoplastic resin material which comprises polyglycolic acid having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## and the following physical properties: (a) the melt viscosity, .rho.* ?as measured at a temperature of (the melting point, Tm of the polymer+20.degree. C.) and a shear rate of 100/sec! being 500-100,000 Pa.s;(b) the melting point, Tm being at least 150.degree. C.;(c) the melt enthalpy, .DELTA.Hm being at least 20 J/g; and(d) the density being at least 1.50 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an unoriented, crystallized form, wherein the film has tensile strength of at least 150 MPa, and production processes thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides an economical and efficient process for preparing a dimeric cyclic ester of an .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid by depolymerizing a corresponding .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid oligomer, which comprises the steps of (1) heating a mixture containing the .alpha.-hydroxycarboxylic acid oligomer and at least one high-boiling polar organic solvent having a boiling point within a range of 230.degree.-450.degree. C. to a temperature, at which the depolymerization of the oligomer takes place, under atmospheric pressure or reduced pressure, (2) dissolving the oligomer in the solvent until a residual rate of a melt phase of the oligomer reaches 0.5 or lower, (3) further continuing the heating at the temperature, at which the depolymerization of the oligomer takes place, to depolymerize the oligomer, (4) distilling out the dimeric cyclic ester formed together with the high-boiling polar organic solvent, and (5) recovering the dimeric cyclic ester from the distillate.

Abstract: The invention provides poly(ethylene oxalate) containing recurring units represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## in a proportion of at least 60 basal mol %, wherein (a) the solution viscosity (.eta..sub.inh) is at least 0.25 dl/g as measured at 30.degree. C. and a polymer concentration of 0.40 g/dl in a 4:1 (by weight) mixed solvent of m-chlorophenol and 1,2,4-trichloro-benzene,(b) the melt viscosity (.eta.*) is at least 30 Pa.s as measured at 190.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1,000/sec, and(c) the density is at least 1.48 g/cm.sup.3 as measured in an amorphous state,various products formed or molded from the poly(ethylene oxalate) and a production process of the poly(ethylene oxalate). The polymer is high-molecular weight and excellent in melt processability, heat resistance, crystalline properties, mechanical properties and the like, and has good degradability in soil.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an aromatic thioether ketone/thioether sulfone random copolymer comprising phenylene thioether ketone recurring units (I) and phenylene thioether sulfone recurring units (II), (a) the compositional ratio (I:II) of the recurring units (I) to the recurring units (II) ranging from 98:2 to 65:35, (b) the solution viscosity (.eta..sub.inh) being at least 0.3 dl/g, (c) the melt crystallization time (.tau.) being at least 3 minutes, (d) the melting point (Tm) being 300.degree.-350.degree. C., (e) the glass transition temperature being at least 125.degree. C., (f) the retention (400.degree. C./20 min) of melt crystallization enthalpy (.DELTA.Hmc) being at least 60%, and (g) the average particle size being at least 0.1 mm, and the production process thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an aromatic thioether ketone/thioether sulfone random copolymer comprising phenylene thioether ketone recurring units (I) and phenylene thioether sulfone recurring units (II), (a) the compositional ratio (I:II) of the recurring units (I) to the recurring units (II) ranging from 98:2 to 65:35, (b) the solution viscosity (.eta..sub.inh) being at least 0.3 dl/g, (c) the melt crystallization time (.tau.) being at least 3 minutes, (d) the melting point (Tm) being 300.degree.-350.degree. C., (e) the glass transition temperature being at least 125.degree. C., (f) the retention (400.degree. C./20 min) of melt crystallization enthalpy (.DELTA.Hmc) being at least 60%, and (g) the average particle size being at least 0.1 mm, and the production process thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an aromatic thioether ketone/thioether sulfone random copolymer comprising phenylene thioether ketone recurring units (I) and phenylene thioether sulfone recurring units (II), (a) the compositional ratio (I:II) of the recurring units (I) to the recurring units (II) ranging from 98:2 to 65:35, (b) the solution viscosity (.eta..sub.inh) being at least 0.3 dl/g, (c) the melt crystallization time (f) being at least 3 minutes, (d) the melting point (Tm) being 300.degree.-350.degree. C., (e) the glass transition temperature being at least 125.degree. C., (f) the retention (400.degree. C./20 min) of melt crystallization enthalpy (.DELTA.Hmc) being at least 60%, and (g) the average particle size being at least 0.1 mm, and the production process thereof.

Abstract: A granular, high-melt-stable poly(arylene thioetherketone) has a solution viscosity (.eta..sub.inh) of at least 0.30 dl/g, a retention (400.degree. C./20 min) of melt crystallization enthalpy (.DELTA.Hmc) of at least 60%, a melting point of 340.degree.-360.degree. C., a glass transition temperature of at least 125.degree. C. and an average particle diameter of 0.1-2 mm. A production process of a granular, high-melt-stable poly(arylene thioether-ketone) comprises reacting an alkali metal sulfide and a dihalogenated aromatic compound consisting principally of a 4,4'-dihalobenzophenone in an organic amide solvent containing water. In the first step, (1) the ratio of the amount of the charged dihalogenated aromatic compound to the amount of the charged alkali metal sulfide is controlled to 0.95-1.2 (mole/mole), (2) the ratio of the water content to the amount of the charged organic amide solvent is controlled to 1-15 (mole/kg), and (3) the reaction is conducted for 3-30 hours at 180.degree.-260.degree. C.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an easily-slidable polyarylene thioether film comprising a film containing, as the basic resin, a polyarylene thioether mainly composed of repeating unit of ##STR1## and not containing substantial amount of powder lubricant, having at least one side surface of the arithmetic average surface roughness within the range of 2 to 200 nm and a high strength, and a process to produce the same.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a poly(arylene thioether) block copolymer alternately comprising (A) at least one poly(arylene thioether-ketone) block having predominant recurring units of the formula ##STR1## wherein the --CO-- and --S-- are in the para position to each other and (B) at least one poly(arylene thioether) block having predominant recurring units of the formula ##STR2## (a) the ratio of the total amount of the poly(arylene thioether) block (B) to the total amount of the poly(arylene thioether-ketone) block (A) being within a range of 0.05-5 by weight, (b) the average polymerization degree of the poly(arylene thioether) block (B) being at least 10, and (c) said block copolymer having a melt viscosity of 2-100,000 poises as measured at 350.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1,200/sec as well as a production process the poly(arylene thioether) block copolymer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a poly(arylene thioether) block copolymer alternately comprising (A) at least one poly(arylene thioether-ketone) block having predominant recurring units of the formula ##STR1## wherein the --CO-- and --S-- are in the para position to each other and (B) at least one poly(arylene thioether) block having predominant recurring units of the formula ##STR2## (a) the ratio of the total amount of the poly(arylene thioether) block (B) to the total amount of the poly(arylene thioether-ketone) block (A) being within a range of 0.05-5 by weight, (b) the average polymerization degree of the poly(arylene thioether) block (B) being at least 10, and (c) said block copolymer having a melt viscosity of 2-100,000 poises as measured at 350.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1,200/sec as well as a production process the poly(arylene thioether) block copolymer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a poly(arylene thioether) block copolymer alternately comprising (A) at least one poly(arylene thioether-ketone) block having predominant recurring units of the formula ##STR1## wherein the --CO-- and --S-- are in the para position to each other and (B) at least one poly(arylene thioether) block having predominant recurring units of the formula ##STR2## (a) the ratio of the total amount of the poly(arylene thioether) block (B) to the total amount of the poly(arylene thioether-ketone) block (A) being within a range of 0.05-5 by weight, (b) the average polymerization degree of the poly(arylene thioether) block (B) being at least 10, and (c) said block copolymer having a melt viscosity of 2-100,000 poises as measured at 350.degree. C. and a shear rate of 1,200/sec as well as a production process the poly(arylene thioether) block copolymer.

Abstract: A process for producing an easily-slidable polyarylene thioether film having an arithmetic average surface roughness, Ra, in a range of 2-200 nm and a dynamic friction coefficient, .mu.k, within a range of 0.1-0.6 at least on one surface of the film, which comprises:a) contacting at least one surface of an amorphous film, containing the polyarylene thioether, consisting essentially of repeating units of the formula: ##STR1## with at least one organic solvent having a solubility parameter within a range of 8.5-11.