Ethicon, Gmbh

American Can Company

Eugene P Reilly

Angelo G Scopelianos

Steven C Arnold

Akio Takahashi

Riad H Gobran

A composition of an absorbable polymer and a filler to increase the stiffness of the polymer is disclosed. The filler is a poly[succinimide], which is a bioabsorbable polymer that degrades into a nontoxic, simple amino acid. The composition can be melt processed to prepare medical and surgical devices, particularly those devices which are designed to penetrate bodily tissue or to withstand heavy loads. Typical surgical devices which can be made from the composition include surgical staples and ligating clips.

Reinforced absorbable polymers

Ligno-novolak resins, either in the form of physical blends of lignin and novolak resins or as synthetically derived from the reaction of lignin, phenol and an aldehyde in the presence of an acidic catalyst, are provided. The resins, including the physical blends, are curable to thermoset, substantially completely cross-linked resins in which the lignin is interreacted and cross linked through the action of a curing agent such as hexamethylenetetramine. The resins are useful in the production of molding compounds that exhibit properties that are at least comparable to those of compounds derived from novolak resins. Moreover, excellent heat deflection temperatures and superior electrical properties are exhibited by such molding compounds.

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Lawrenceville, NJ, United States of America

Eugene P Reilly