Processes for making shaped articles such as filaments or films from solutions of polyglycolic acid

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SHAPED ARTICLE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID WITH COMPRISES EXTRUDING A SOLUTION COMPRISING POLYGLYCOLIC ACID, HAVING A CRYSTALLINE MELTING POINT BETWEEN ABOUT 2222* AND 235*C AND HAVING A DEGREE OF CRYSTALLINITY NOT GREATER THAN ABOUT 30 PERCENT, DISSOLVED IN HEXAFLUOROISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, IN AN AMOUNT VARYING BETWEEN 0.01 AND 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE SOLUTION, THROUGH AN EXTRUSION ORIFICE AND INTO A MEDIUM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A LIQUID COAGULATING BATH AND AN INERT STRIPPING GAS TO FOR A SHAPED ARTICLE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID, TREATING SAID ARTICLE TO REMOVE RESIDUAL SOLVENT, AND STRETCHING SAID ARTICLE TO ORIENT THE POLYGLYCOLIC ACID

Claim 3

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SHAPED ARTICLE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID WHICH COMPRISES EXTRUDING A SLUTION COMPRISING POLYGLYCOLIC ACID, HAVING A CRYSTALLINE MELTING POINT BETWEEN ABOUT 222* AND 235*C AND HAVING A DEGREE OF CRYSTALLINITY NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 75 PERCENT, DISSOLVED IN HEXAFLUOROACETONE SESQUIHYDRATE, IN AN AMOUNT VARYING BETWEEN ABOUT 0.01 AND 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF SAID POLYGLYCOLIC ACID BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE SOLUTION, THROUGH AN EXTRUSION ORIFICE AND INTO A MEDIUM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A LIQUID COAGULATING BATH AND AN INERT STRIPPING GAS TO FORM A SHAPED ARTICLE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID, TREATING SAID ARTICLE TO REMOVE RESIDUAL SOLVENT, AND STRETCHING SAID ARTICLE TO ORIENT THE POLYGLYCOLIC ACID.

Claim 4

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SHAPED ARTICLE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID WHICH COMPRISES EXTRUDING A SLUTION COMPRISING POLYGLYCOLIC ACID, HAVING A CRYSTALLINE MELTING POINT BETWEEN ABOUT 222* AND 235*C AND HAVING A DEGREE OF CRYSTALLINITY NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT 75 PERCENT, DISSOLVED IN HEXAFLUOROACETONE SESQUIHYDRATE, IN AN AMOUNT VARYING BETWEEN ABOUT 0.01 AND 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF SAID POLYGLYCOLIC ACID BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE SOLUTION, THROUGH AN EXTRUSION ORIFICE AND INTO A MEDIUM SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A LIQUID COAGULATING BATH AND AN INERT STRIPPING GAS TO FORM A SHAPED ARTICLE OF POLYGLYCOLIC ACID, TREATING SAID ARTICLE TO REMOVE RESIDUAL SOLVENT, AND STRETCHING SAID ARTICLE TO ORIENT THE POLYGLYCOLIC ACID.

Claim 5

A process for preparing a cast film of polyglycolic acid which comprises depositing a solution comprising polyglycolic acid, having a crystalline melting point between about 222*C and 235*C and having a degree of crystallinity not greater than about 30 percent, dissolved in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol, in an amount varying between 0.01 aNd 30 percent by weight of polyglycolic acid based on the total weight of the solution, on to a surface and thereupon removing said solvent to deposit a film of polyglycolic acid upon said surface.

Claim 6

A process for preparing a cast film of polyglycolic acid which comprises depositing a solution comprising polyglycolic acid, having a crystalline melting point between about 222*C and 235*C and having a degree of crystallinity not greater than about 30 percent, dissolved in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol, in an amount varying between 0.01 aNd 30 percent by weight of polyglycolic acid based on the total weight of the solution, on to a surface and thereupon removing said solvent to deposit a film of polyglycolic acid upon said surface.

Claim 7

A process for preparing a cast film of polyglycolic acid, having a crystalline melting point between about 222* and 235*C and having a degree of crystallinity not exceeding about 75 percent, dissolved in hexafluoroacetone sesquihydrate, in an amount varying between about 0.01 and 40 percent by weight of said polyglycolic acid based on the total weight of the solution, on to a surface and thereupon removing said solvent to deposit a film of polyglycolic acid upon said surface.

Claim 8

A process for preparing a cast film of polyglycolic acid, having a crystalline melting point between about 222* and 235*C and having a degree of crystallinity not exceeding about 75 percent, dissolved in hexafluoroacetone sesquihydrate, in an amount varying between about 0.01 and 40 percent by weight of said polyglycolic acid based on the total weight of the solution, on to a surface and thereupon removing said solvent to deposit a film of polyglycolic acid upon said surface.