Abstract:
A polymeric scaffold contains pendant liquid crystal side chains and has fully interconnected pores. Such a polymeric scaffold will preferably be 3D in nature and elastomeric, biocompatible and biodegradable. Such 3D liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) scaffolds can be used for various biomedical applications, including cell culture applications. A method for the production of such a polymeric scaffold containing liquid crystals and having interconnected pores is also disclosed that uses a metal foam sacrificial template as a scaffold to produce the polymeric smart response scaffold of the present invention. Consistent and controlled pore sizes result from etching the sacrificial metal foam template away from the polymeric scaffold, permitting the incorporation of growth factors, when needed, for enhancing cell viability and proliferation.
Abstract:
The invention provides a particulate material comprising porous polymeric microparticles having a mesoporous structure. A process for making the particles is also presented. The process comprises impregnating a porous microparticulate template material with a liquid comprising one or more monomers. The one or more monomers are then polymerized in and/or on the template material to form a polymer, and the template material is then removed to produce the particulate material.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for the formation of pores of controlled shape, dimensions and distribution in a polymer matrix comprising a step of embedding silicon nanowires and/or nanotrees in a nonpolymerized polymer matrix or a nonpolymerized polymer matrix in suspension or in solution in at least one solvent, a step of curing the polymer matrix, and a step of removing the silicon nanowires and/or nanotrees by chemical treatment. The process of the invention can be used for the manufacture of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell active layer. The invention has applications in the field of manufacture of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, in particular.
Abstract:
A porous polyimide obtained by removing a silica phase from an organic-inorganic polymer hybrid having a molecule structure in which a polyimide phase and the silica phase are held together by covalent bond.
Abstract:
A porous polyimide obtained by removing a silica phase from an organic-inorganic polymer hybrid having a molecule structure in which a polyimide phase and the silica phase are held together by covalent bond.
Abstract:
Ordered, monodisperse macroporous polymers, their corresponding ordered, monodisperse colloids, and methods of preparing them are disclosed. The methods use an ordered, monodisperse colloidal template to define the polymer pore morphology, which in turn acts as a mold for the growth of a new ordered, monodisperse colloid. The macroporous polymer may be prepared with either spherical or ellipsoidal pores from a wide variety of polymeric systems. The new ordered, monodisperse colloid may be grown from a wide variety of materials including ceramics, semiconductors, metals and polymers. These materials are potentially useful in optical, micro-filtering and drug delivery applications.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a porous hydrogel matrix having substantially interconnected tunnel-shaped micropores with a three-dimensional configuration of an interconnected hollow tetrapod network. Such matrices may be used to entrap motile cells that migrate into the micropores of said matrix. The matrices of the invention are formed by a method comprising the steps of providing a solution of a hydrogel-forming material,providing a template material with a three-dimensional configuration corresponding to the negative configuration of the desired interconnected porous structure of the hydrogel material, said template material comprising interconnected zinc oxide tetrapod (t-ZnO)networks, casting the solution of hydrogel-forming material onto the template and removing the template material from the hydrogel material by acid hydrolysis of the template material.
Abstract:
A method of making a silicone rubber having a structure adapted for growth of cells or living tissue, which comprises contacting a silicone rubber precursor with a biologically-acceptable sacrificial filler, curing the resultant mixture and removing the sacrificial filler to form a structured silicone rubber.
Abstract:
A porous, molecularly imprinted polymer and a process for its preparation are described. The porous, molecularly imprinted polymer is characterised in that it is obtainable by providing a porous silica; attaching a molecular template to the surface of the porous silica; filling the pores of the porous silica with a polymer; removing the silica and the molecular template, thereby leaving a porous, molecularly imprinted polymer. The process is characterised by the above defined process steps. Also described are a porous polymer vesicle and its preparation with the same features as defined for the porous, molecularly imprinted polymer and its preparation, except for the lack of the molecular template and thus the lack of the molecular imprint in the porous polymer.