Abstract: A process is provided for producing a structure into which blood or other bio-fluids can flow by capillary action, e.g. for a whole blood microsampling probe. The process comprises mixing particles of novolak resin and particles of hydrocarbon polymer, producing an uncarbonized structure from the mixture by pressurised moulding and carbonizing the moulded structure, the hydrocarbon resin being a polymer such as polystyrene that on pyrolysis has a zero carbon yield, and the particles of the hydrocarbon polymer leaving voids in the carbonized structure of sufficient size for flow of whole blood into and through the structure. The particles may be of partly cured and milled novolak resin, the novolak particles when in the moulded structure not exhibiting bulk flow during carbonization but sintering at inter-particle contact points during carbonization to provide a consolidated structure. In this variant, ethylene glycol may be used as a sintering aid.

Abstract: A low pressure drop device for personal protection against toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents has a flexible polymer hood impermeable to toxic challenge molecules, a neck seal for sealing the hood about the neck, a half mask for connection to a canister and a low pressure drop canister for chemical protection. The canister contains carbon monoliths of 5- 40 mm diameter, length 1-3 cm, open area 30-60%, surface area ?700 m2/g optionally activated to >30 wt % weight loss and optionally impregnated with metallic additives and/or triethylene diamine. The monoliths have square channels of size 100-2000 ?m and wall thickness 100-2000 ?m. It also contains a resiliently flexible closed cell foam with holes slightly smaller than the monoliths so that flow through the canister is through the monoliths.

Abstract: A range of carbon materials can be produced using lignin in combination with synthetic phenolic resins or naturally occurring lingo-cellulosic materials. The lignin, which is essentially a naturally occurring phenolic resin, has a carbon yield on pyrolysis similar to that of the synthetic resins, which aids processing. The lignin can be used as a binder phase for synthetic resin or lignocellulosic materials allowing the production of monolithic carbons from a wide range of precursors, as the primary structural material where the thermal processing is modified by the addition of small quantities of synthetic resin materials or as structure modified in the production of meso/macro porous carbons in either bead, granular or monolithic form. A carbonised monolith is provided comprising mesoporous and/or macroporous carbon particles dispersed in a matrix of microporous carbon particles with voids between the particles defining paths for fluid to flow into and through the structure.

Abstract: A range of carbon materials can be produced using lignin in combination with synthetic phenolic resins or naturally occurring lingo-cellulosic materials. The lignin, which is essentially a naturally occurring phenolic resin, has a carbon yield on pyrolysis similar to that of the synthetic resins, which aids processing. The lignin can be used as a binder phase for synthetic resin or lignocellulosic materials allowing the production of monolithic carbons from a wide range of precursors, as the primary structural material where the thermal processing is modified by the addition of small quantities of synthetic resin materials or as structure modified in the production of meso/macro porous carbons in either bead, granular or monolithic form. A carbonised monolith is provided comprising mesoporous and/or macroporous carbon particles dispersed in a matrix of microporous carbon particles with voids between the particles defining paths for fluid to flow into and through the structure.

Abstract: A porous carbon material suitable for incorporation in smoke filters for cigarettes has a BET surface area of at least 800 m2/g and a pore structure that includes mesopores and micropores. The pore volume (as measured by nitrogen adsorption) is at least 0.9 cm3/g and from 15 to 65% of the pore volume is in mesopores. The pore structure of the material provides a bulk density generally less than 0.5 g/cc. The material may be produced by carbonizing and activating organic resins and may be in the form of beads for ease of handling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a low pressure drop personal protection device for providing protection against a range of toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents and capable of being worn by a wide range of users. The device comprises: a flexible polymeric hood in which the polymer is selected to be impermeable to the toxic challenge molecules; a neck seal for sealing the hood about the neck;a half mask for providing connection for a canister; and a low pressure drop canister system for providing chemical protection. The canister may comprise a resiliently flexible, closed cell foam and monolithic activated carbons, the foam having holes slightly smaller than the size of the monoliths so that flow through the canister is through the monoliths.

Abstract: Whole blood is treated extracorporeally to remove substances contrary to health using mesoporous/microporous or macroporopus/microporous carbon in the form of beads or a channel monolith. The carbon may be the result of carbonizing a mesoporous or macroporous phenolic resin. Substances contrary to health include externally introduced toxins such as bacterially derived staphylococcus enterotoxins A, B, TSST-1 or autologous, biologically active molecules with harmful, systemic effects when their activity is excessive or unregulated. Examples include the removal of inappropriate amounts of pro- or anti-inflammatory molecules and toxic mediators of systemic inflammatory response syndrome related to sepsis, cardio-pulmonary by-pass surgery, ischaemic reperfusion injury; the removal of larger molecular weight and protein bound uremic toxins related to kidney and hepatic toxins related to liver failure and the removal of toxins relevant to biological and chemical warfare.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material.

Abstract: Whole blood is treated extracorporeally to remove substances contrary to health using mesoporous/microporous or macroporopus/microporous carbon in the form of beads or a channel monolith. The carbon may be the result of carbonising a mesoporous or macroporous phenolic resin. Substances contrary to health include externally introduced toxins such as bacterially derived staphylococcus enterotoxins A, B, TSST-1 or autologous, biologically active molecules with harmful, systemic effects when their activity is excessive or unregulated. Examples include the removal of inappropriate amounts of pro- or anti-inflammatory molecules and toxic mediators of systemic inflammatory response syndrome related to sepsis, cardio-pulmonary by-pass surgery, ischaemic reperfusioninjury; the removal of larger molecular weight and protein bound uremic toxins related to kidney and hepatic toxins related to liver failure and the removal of toxins relevant to biological and chemical warfare.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing discrete solid beads of polymeric material e.g. phenolic resin having a mesoporous structure, which process may produce resin beads on an industrial scale without aggregates of resin building up speedily and interrupting production. The process comprises the steps of: (a) combining a stream of a polymerizable liquid precursor e.g. a novolac and hexamine as cross-linking agent dissolved in a first polar organic liquid e.g. ethylene glycol with a stream of a liquid suspension medium which is a second non-polar organic liquid with which the liquid precursor is substantially or completely immiscible e.g. transformer oil containing a drying oil; (b) mixing the combined stream to disperse the polymerizable liquid precursor as droplets in the suspension medium e.g.

Abstract: An MEA comprising: (i) a central first conductive gas diffusion substrate having a first face and a second face; (ii) first and second catalyst layers each having a first and second face and wherein the first face of the first catalyst layer is in contact with the first face of the gas diffusion substrate and the first face of the second catalyst layer is in contact with the second face of the gas diffusion substrate; (iii) first and second electrolyte layers each having a first and second face and wherein the first face of the first electrolyte layer is in contact with the second face of the first catalyst layer and the first face of the second electrolyte layer is in contact with the second face of the second catalyst layer; (iv) third and fourth catalyst layers each having a first and second face and wherein the first face of the third catalyst layer is in contact with the second face of the first electrolyte layer and the first face of the fourth catalyst layer is in contact with the second face of the se

Abstract: A cured porous phenolic resin is provided that can be made by cross-linking a phenol-formaldehyde pre-polymer in the presence of a pore former, preferably ethylene glycol. The resin may be formed in situ by condensing a phenol with or without modifying agents and with cross-linking agent by pouring partially cross-linked resin into hot oil, in which case mesoporous resin beads are obtained. The resulting resin has mesopores observable in carbon derived from said resin by a pore structure of said derived carbon that comprises mesopores of diameter of 20-500 ?, as estimated by nitrogen adsorption porosimentry, the value for the differential of pore volume V with respect to the logarithm of pore radius R (dV/d log R) for the mesopores being greater than 0.2 for at least some values of pore size in the range 20-500 ?. Microporous beads of the resin may be carbonized into mesoporous carbon beads.

Abstract: A cured porous phenolic resin is provided that can be made by cross-linking a phenol-formaldehyde pre-polymer in the presence of a pore former, preferably ethylene glycol. The resin may be formed in situ by condensing a phenol with or without modifying agents and with cross-linking agent by pouring partially cross-linked resin into hot oil, in which case mesoporous resin beads are obtained. The resulting resin has mesopores observable in carbon derived from said resin by a pore structure of said derived carbon that comprises mesopores of diameter of 20-500 ?, as estimated by nitrogen adsorption porosimentry, the value for the differential of pore volume V with respect to the logarithm of pore radius R (dV/d log R) for the mesopores being greater than 0.2 for at least some values of pore size in the range 20-500 ?. Microporous beads of the resin may be carbonized into mesoporous carbon beads.

Abstract: A method of making mesoporous carbon beads comprises steps of providing a nucleophilic component such as phenolic compound or phenol condensation prepolymer, dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine, dispersing the resulting solution into a mineral oil to form beads, condensing both the component and the agent in the presence of the pore former to form beads of porous resin, removing the beads from the mineral oil and carbonizing the beads to form mesoporous carbon beads.

Abstract: A method is provided for making mesoporous resin. It comprises: (a) providing a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents selected from hydroquinone, resorcinol, urea, aromatic amines and heteroaromatic amines; (b) dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former selected from the group consisting of a diol, a diol ether, a cyclic ester, a substituted cyclic ester, a substituted linear amide, a substituted cyclic amide, an amino alcohol and a mixture of any of the above with water, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine; and (c) condensing the nucleophilic component and the electrophilic cross-linking agent in the presence of the pore former to form a porous resin. The resin may be formed in situ by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil.

Abstract: A method is provided for carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material, which comprises supplying the material to an externally fired rotary kiln maintained at carbonizing and activating temperatures, the kiln having a downward slope to progress the material as it rotates, the kiln having an atmosphere substantially free of oxygen provided by a counter-current of steam or carbon dioxide, and annular weirs being provided at intervals along the kiln to control progress of the material. There may further be provided an externally fired rotary kiln for carbonizing and activating carbonaceous material having a hollow rotary body that has a downward slope towards a discharge end thereof, and which is provided at intervals along its length with annular weirs for controlling progress of the carbonaceous material. In embodiments, there is also provided a process is for producing discrete solid beads of polymeric material e.g.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing discrete solid beads of polymeric material e.g. phenolic resin having a mesoporous structure, which process may produce resin beads on an industrial scale without aggregates of resin building up speedily and interrupting production. The process comprises the steps of: (a) combining a stream of a polymerizable liquid precursor e.g. a novolac and hexamine as cross-linking agent dissolved in a first polar organic liquid e.g. ethylene glycol with a stream of a liquid suspension medium which is a second non-polar organic liquid with which the liquid precursor is substantially or completely immiscible e.g. transformer oil containing a drying oil; (b) mixing the combined stream to disperse the polymerizable liquid precursor as droplets in the suspension medium e.g.

Abstract: A method is provided for making mesoporous resin. It comprises: (a) providing a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents selected from hydroquinone, resorcinol, urea, aromatic amines and heteroaromatic amines; (b) dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former selected from the group consisting of a diol, a diol ether, a cyclic ester, a substituted cyclic ester, a substituted linear amide, a substituted cyclic amide, an amino alcohol and a mixture of any of the above with water, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine; and (c) condensing the nucleophilic component and the electrophilic cross-linking agent in the presence of the pore former to form a porous resin. The resin may be formed in situ by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil.

Abstract: A method is provided for making mesoporous resin. It comprises: (a) providing a nucleophilic component which comprises a phenolic compound or a phenol condensation prepolymer optionally with one or more modifying reagents selected from hydroquinone, resorcinol, urea, aromatic amines and heteroaromatic amines; (b) dissolving the nucleophilic component in a pore former selected from the group consisting of a diol, a diol ether, a cyclic ester, a substituted cyclic ester, a substituted linear amide, a substituted cyclic amide, an amino alcohol and a mixture of any of the above with water, together with at least one electrophilic cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, furfural and hexamethylene tetramine; and (c) condensing the nucleophilic component and the electrophilic cross-linking agent in the presence of the pore former to form a porous resin. The resin may be formed in situ by pouring the partially cross-linked resin into hot oil.

Abstract: An improved fuel cell structure uses a first sheet of carbon fibres separated by an electrolyte from a second sheet of carbon fibres. A fuel cell catalyst is coated on the outside of the fibres and the fuel passed down one set of fibres and oxygen or air passed down the second sheet of fibres.