Process Of Preparing A Cellular Product By Removal Of Material From A Solid Polymer-containing Matrix Without Expanding The Matrix; Composition Which Is Nonexpandible And Is Designed To Form A Cellular Product By Said Process; Or Process Of Preparing Said Composition Patents (Class 521/61)
  • Patent number: 8557270
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacture of an interconnected porous non-biodegradable polymer implant suitable for implantation into a mammal for the treatment, repair or replacement of defects or injury in musculoskeletal tissue, wherein the mechanical properties of the implant can be controlled by varying the concentration of the non-biodegradable polymer and/or varying the duration and number of freeze-thaw cycles and the interconnected porous non-biodegradable polymer implant has sufficient percent porosity and pore diameter to facilitate integration of cells and attachment within the mammal via ingrowth of surrounding tissue. The present invention also relates to an implant manufactured by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: New York Society for the Ruptured and Crippled Maintaining the Hospital for Special Surgery
    Inventors: Suzanne A. Maher, Kenneth Ng, Tony Chen, Florian Wanivenhaus
  • Patent number: 8487013
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous resin particle containing an aromatic vinyl compound-aromatic divinyl compound copolymer having a hydroxyl group, the method including: dissolving a monomer mixture containing an aromatic vinyl compound, an aromatic divinyl compound and a (meth)acrylic acid ester having one hydroxyl group within the molecule thereof, and a polymerization initiator in an organic solvent to obtain a solution containing the monomer mixture and the polymerization initiator; suspending the solution in water in the presence of a dispersion stabilizer; and performing a suspension copolymerization. The method of the invention is capable of easily producing a porous resin particle containing an aromatic vinyl compound-aromatic divinyl compound copolymer having a hydroxyl group, that is used as a support for solid phase synthesis and enables efficient nucleic acid synthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kenjiro Mori, Tatsuya Konishi
  • Patent number: 8481603
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer bead material that are characterised by having pore sizes that can be pre-determined and that can be obtained with a narrow distribution of such pore sizes created by use of sacrificial filler materials within the polymer material. The invention also discloses processes for production of the material as spherical or approximately spherical beads or resins with predefined sizes. Also, the invention relates to the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymer materials that are created by the said method. Further the invention relates to the use of said polymer materials for separation, detection, catalysis or entrapment of chemicals, metal ions, inorganic compounds, drags, peptides, proteins, DNA, natural and artificial polymers, natural or artificial compounds, food or pharma products, viruses, bacteria, cells and other entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Biotage AB
    Inventors: Ecevit Yilmaz, Johan Billing
  • Patent number: 8470901
    Abstract: A composition for manufacturing an organic aerogel including at least one monomer having at least two substituted or unsubstituted acrylamide groups and a solvent is provided, along with an organic aerogel including a polymeric reaction product of the monomer or monomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Ho Park, Sung-Woo Hwang, Myung-Dong Cho
  • Patent number: 8460628
    Abstract: The invention relates to spiro compounds of the formula (I) and to monolithic materials prepared therefrom by twin ring-opening polymerization which consist of a porous metal oxide or semimetal oxide framework and are suitable for use as catalyst supports or as supports for active compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Matthias Koch, Stefan Spange, Arno Lange, Hans Joachim Haehnle, Rainer Dyllick-Brenzinger, Phillip Hanefeld, Marc Schroeder, Illshat Gubaydullin
  • Patent number: 8436060
    Abstract: An organic aerogel includes a polymer prepared from a substituted or unsubstituted maleimide compound and a compound having at least two vinyl groups. A composition for the organic aerogel includes a substituted or unsubstituted maleimide compound and a compound having at least two vinyl groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-Hee Kim, Myung-Dong Cho, Sang-Ho Park, Sung-Woo Hwang
  • Patent number: 8436061
    Abstract: Organic, small pore area materials (“SPMs”) are provided comprising open cell foams in unlimited sizes and shapes. These SPMs exhibit minimal shrinkage and cracking. Processes for preparing SPMs are also provided that do not require supercritical extraction. These processes comprise sol-gel polymerization of a hydroxylated aromatic in the presence of at least one suitable electrophilic linking agent and at least one suitable solvent capable of strengthening the sol-gel. Also disclosed are the carbonized derivatives of the organic SPMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: American Aerogel Corporation
    Inventors: Donald F. Albert, Greg R. Andrews, Joseph W. Bruno
  • Publication number: 20130109770
    Abstract: Organic-inorganic composite particles that can be dispersed in a solvent and/or a resin as primary particles having an organic group on the surface of inorganic particles, the organic-inorganic composite particles having negative birefringence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Hatakeyama, Takahiro Fukuoka, Junichi Nagase, Shusaku Shibata, Tatsuki Nagatsuka, Saori Fukuzaki
  • Patent number: 8420704
    Abstract: A process for preparing a polymer composite that includes reacting (a) a multi-functional monomer and (b) a block copolymer comprising (i) a first block and (ii) a second block that includes a functional group capable of reacting with the multi-functional monomer, to form a crosslinked, nano-structured, bi-continuous composite. The composite includes a continuous matrix phase and a second continuous phase comprising the first block of the block copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Marc Hillmyer, Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 8415403
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing porous materials, which comprises the following steps: preparation of a solution of at least one structuring agent, having at least two structuring parts linked by at least one type of reversible non-covalent interaction; formation of the structured or porous material; separation of the at least two parts of the structuring agent at low temperature; and recovery of at least 50% by weight of the two non-degraded structuring parts and the porous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Total Raffinage Marketing, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Niki Baccile, Martin In, Corine In-Gerardin, Francis Luck, Julien Reboul, Sander Van Donk
  • Patent number: 8410185
    Abstract: A porous polymer, poly-9,9?-spirobifluorene and its derivatives for storage of H2 are prepared through a chemical synthesis method. The porous polymers have high specific surface area and narrow pore size distribution. Hydrogen uptake measurements conducted for these polymers determined a higher hydrogen storage capacity at the ambient temperature over that of the benchmark materials. The method of preparing such polymers, includes oxidatively activating solids by CO2/steam oxidation and supercritical water treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Uchicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Luping Yu, Di-Jia Liu, Shengwen Yuan, Junbing Yang
  • Patent number: 8399530
    Abstract: A process for producing polymer foams by precise control of their morphology through use of microfluidic processes, foams produced in this way and use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Meik Ranft, Armin Alteheld, Andre Guerin Moreira, Wiebke Drenckhan, Antje van der Net, Alexander Gryson, Florence Elias
  • Patent number: 8388878
    Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a microporous sheet material of a polymeric matrix of polyolefin, with finely divided and substantially water-insoluble filler distributed throughout the matrix, and a network of interconnecting pores communicating throughout the microporous material. The method includes: (a) forming a mixture of polyolefin, filler and a processing plasticizer composition; (b) extruding the mixture to form a continuous sheet; and (c) contacting the continuous sheet with a non-flammable extraction fluid composition to extract the processing plasticizer composition from the continuous sheet. The extraction fluid has a boiling point of 75° C. or less, and is essentially free of trichloroethylene. The microporous sheet material has Tensile Strength equal to or greater than 800 kPa. A microporous sheet material also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Luciano M. Parrinello, James L. Boyer, Jun Deng, Yi J. Warburton
  • Patent number: 8389589
    Abstract: A nanoporous material exhibiting a lamellar structure is disclosed. The material comprises three or more substantially parallel sheets of an organosilicate material, separated by highly porous spacer regions. The distance between the centers of the sheets lies between 1 nm and 50 nm. The highly porous spacer regions may be substantially free of condensed material. For the manufacture of such materials, a process is disclosed in which matrix non-amphiphilic polymeric material and templating polymeric material are dispersed in a solvent, where the templating polymeric material includes a polymeric amphiphilic material. The solvent with the polymeric materials is distributed onto a substrate. Organization is induced in the templating polymeric material. The solvent is removed, leaving the polymeric materials in place. The matrix polymeric material is cured, forming a lamellar structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer Nam Cha, Geraud Jean-Michel Dubois, James Lupton Hedrick, Ho-Cheol Kim, Victor Yee-Way Lee, Teddie Peregrino Magbitang, Robert Dennis Miller, Willi Volksen
  • Patent number: 8383693
    Abstract: An aerogel including a polymeric reaction product of (a) a first monomer including an aromatic compound having at least two unsaturated functional groups, and (b) a second monomer represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 and including at least two groups independently chosen from (meth)acrylate groups and NR?R? (where R? and R? are the same or different and are (meth)acryloyl groups) is provided. Each substituent is as defined in the specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-Hee Kim, Myung-Dong Cho, Sang-Ho Park, Sung-Woo Hwang
  • Publication number: 20130022648
    Abstract: The disclosure provides granular forms of porous biomaterials and methods for forming and applying these biomaterials, including uses to promote vascularization and tissue ingrowth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: HEALIONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Max Maginness, Andrew Marshall, Christine L. Glaister, Michel Alvarez
  • Patent number: 8357728
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous material comprising the steps of; (a) providing a C/W emulsion comprising an aqueous phase, a matrix building material, a surfactant and liquid CO2 phase; (b) at least partially freezing the aqueous phase; (c) gasifying CO2 from the liquid CO2 phase to form an intermediate porous material; (d) venting gasified CO2 from the intermediate porous material; and (e) freeze drying the intermediate porous material at least substantially to remove the aqueous phase and form the porous material. The present invention also relates to a porous material obtainable by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: IOTA NanoSolutions Limited
    Inventors: Rachel Butler, Andrew Ian Cooper
  • Patent number: 8357727
    Abstract: Olefin polymer-based, durable, open-cell foam compositions, structures and articles derived from same; methods for preparation of such foams; and use of the dry durable foams in various applications are disclosed. Further described is use of the foams and structures and articles made of same in absorption, filtration, insulation, cushioning and backing applications, and in particular for odor removal, hygiene and medical applications due to, among other properties, good absorption capabilities, softness and/or flexibility of the foams and their recyclable nature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Inventors: Gary M. Strandburg, Mark W. VanSumeren, Shaofu Wu, Luther E. Stockton
  • Publication number: 20130012678
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a porous material, wherein porosity can be controlled to 50% or higher by means of a freezing method, pore size can be controlled to 10 ?m to 300 ?m, and pore diameter distribution is uniform. The method is a method for producing a porous material, comprising freezing a mixture of water and a raw material comprising at least any of a ceramic material, a resin, a metal, and precursors thereof from a specific portion of the mixture to use ice crystals produced at the time as a pore source and then heat-treating a dry material obtained by removing the ice from the frozen material, wherein the mixture of a raw material and water or the frozen material comprises an antifreeze protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Nichirei Foods Inc.
    Inventors: Manabu Fukushima, Yuichi Yoshizawa, Norimitsu Murayama, Sakae Tsuda, Takeshi Koizumi, Toshifumi Inoue
  • Patent number: 8277719
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of thermoplastic auxetic foams comprising the steps of: a) taking conventional thermoplastic foam; b) subjecting said foam to at least one process cycle wherein the foam is biaxially compressed and heated; c) optionally subjecting the foam to at least one process cycle wherein the biaxial compression is removed and the foam mechanically agitated prior to reapplying biaxial compression and heating; d) cooling said foam to a temperature below the softening temperature of said foam; and e) removing said compression and heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Auxetic Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew Alderson, Kim Lesley Alderson, Philip John Davies, Gillian Mary Smart
  • Patent number: 8268411
    Abstract: A method of forming a porous composite material in which substantially all of the pores within the composite material are small having a diameter of about 5 nm or less and with a narrow PSD is provided. The porous composite material includes a first solid phase having a first characteristic dimension and a second phase comprised of pores having a second characteristic dimension, wherein the characteristic dimensions of at least one of said phases is controlled to a value of about 5 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Gates, Alfred Grill, Deborah A. Neumayer, Son Nguyen, Vishnubhai V. Patel
  • Patent number: 8247464
    Abstract: A selective high intensity ultrasonic foaming technique is described to fabricate porous polymers for biomedical applications. Process variables, including ultrasound power, scanning speed, and gas concentration have an affect on pore size. Pore size can be controlled with the scanning speed of the ultrasound insonation and interconnected porous structures could be obtained using a partially saturated polymers. A gas concentration range of 3-5% by weight creates interconnected open-celled porous structures. The selective high intensity ultrasonic foaming method can be used on biocompatible polymers so as not to introduce any organic solvents. The method has use in cell related biomedical applications such as studying cell growth behaviors by providing a porous environment with varying topological features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Wei Li, Hai Wang, Vipin Kumar, Thomas J. Matula
  • Patent number: 8242182
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing water dispersible or water soluble porous bodies and the bodies themselves The bodies have an intrusion volume as measured by mercury porosimetry of at least about 3 ml/g and comprise a three dimensional open-cell lattice containing less than 10% by weight of a water soluble polymeric material and 5 to 90% by weight of a surfactant, with the proviso that said porous bodies are not spherical beads having an average bead diameter of 0.2 to 5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: IOTA NanoSolutions Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Ian Cooper, David John Duncalf, Alison Jayne Foster, Steven Paul Rannard, Haifei Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120196945
    Abstract: A method of producing a porous molded part includes a mixing process for mixing a granular porous organizer composed of a water-soluble compound, a porous forming assistant agent composed of a polyhydric alcohol, and a cross-linking agent composed of an organic peroxide with a thermoplastic resin composition having a glass transition temperature below 0° C. to obtain a molding material; a cross-linking and forming process for placing the molding material in a molding die and performing a heat press molding thereby progressing coincidentally a cross-linking reaction and a shape forming of a seal face to obtain a molded material; an extracting process for extracting the granular porous organizer from the molded material obtained in the cross-linking and forming process to obtain a porous molded part; and a drying process for drying the porous molded part obtained in the extracting process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Ikuzo MATSUSHITA, Katsuya Takaichi, Yoshiaki Nagata
  • Publication number: 20120187046
    Abstract: Sulfur contaminants, such as elemental sulfur (S8), hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur components in fluids (e.g., air, natural gas, and other gases, as well as water and other liquids) are removed using a silicone-based chemical filter/bath. In one embodiment, a silicone-based chemical filter includes a membrane having a cross-linked silicone that is a reaction product of an olefin and a polyhydrosiloxane. For example, sulfur contaminants in air may be removed by passing the air through the membrane before the air enters a data center or other facility housing computer systems. In another embodiment, a silicone-based chemical bath includes a housing having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a chamber containing a silicone oil. For example, sulfur contaminants in air may be removed by passing the air through the silicone oil in the chamber before the air enters a data center or other facility housing computer systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dylan J. Boday, Joseph Kuczynski, Robert E. Meyer, III, Timothy J. Tofil
  • Patent number: 8227518
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Tennison, Oleksundr Prokopovych Kozynchenko, Volodymyr Vasyljovych Strelko, Andrew John Blackburn
  • Patent number: 8222308
    Abstract: A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of: forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to stress, and if necessary also to a reduction in temperature, to cause the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Queensland
    Inventors: Justin John Cooper-White, Yang Cao
  • Publication number: 20120178836
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacture of an interconnected porous non-biodegradable polymer implant suitable for implantation into a mammal for the treatment, repair or replacement of defects or injury in musculoskeletal tissue, wherein the mechanical properties of the implant can be controlled by varying the concentration of the non-biodegradable polymer and/or varying the duration and number of freeze-thaw cycles and the interconnected porous non-biodegradable polymer implant has sufficient percent porosity and pore diameter to facilitate integration of cells and attachment within the mammal via ingrowth of surrounding tissue. The present invention also relates to an implant manufactured by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE RUPTURED AND CRIPPLED MAINTAINING THE HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY
    Inventors: Suzanne A. Maher, Kenneth Ng, Tony Chen, Florian Wanivenhaus
  • Patent number: 8207236
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the production of porous particles that involves extracting an organic solvent from a water-in-oil-in-water emulsion. In accordance with the method of the invention, a first aqueous solution including a porosity-promoting agent is emulsified into an organic solution including a therapeutic constituent and, optionally, a matrix material to form a water-in-oil emulsion. The water-in-oil emulsion is then emulsified into a second aqueous solution including a surfactant to form the water-in-oil-in-water emulsion. Extraction of the organic solvent from the water-in-oil-in-water emulsion, such as by supercritical fluid extraction, causes the therapeutic constituent and optional matrix material to precipitate and thus form an aqueous suspension of porous particles. The aqueous suspension can be centrifuged, filtered and lyophilized to obtain dry porous particles suitable for use in the deep lung delivery of drugs and other therapeutic agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Pratibhash Chattopadhyay, Boris Y. Shekunov, Adam K. Gibson
  • Patent number: 8193255
    Abstract: Porous infusible polymer (IP) parts are made by incorporating 0.2 to 10 volume percent organic fibers, preferably with short lengths, into the particulate IP, consolidating the mixture under pressure and optionally heating, and then “burning off” the fibers. After the fibers are burned off the resulting part has porosity in which the pores are elongated, usually retaining the shape of the organic fibers. When these parts are exposed to moisture (which they usually absorb) and then suddenly heated they tend not to blister from vaporization of the water. This makes them useful as parts for aircraft (jet) and other engines and other applications where sudden temperature increase may occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Thomas P. Gannett
  • Patent number: 8173716
    Abstract: Open-cell foam based on a melamine-formaldehyde condensation product, a polyurethane or a polyimide, which has been modified with hydrophobins, a method of producing such foams, and the use thereof for absorbing organic liquids, as leakage and bleeding protection for liquid stores, for liquid-liquid separation and as matrix for carrying out chemical and/or biological processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Ulf Baus, Thorsten Montag, Claus Bollschweiler, Thomas Subkowski, Marvin Karos, Armin Alteheld, Hans-Jürgen Quadbeck-Seeger, Bernhard Vath
  • Patent number: 8143337
    Abstract: A composite material having polymeric resin with disperse phases of reinforcing fibers and nanoparticle materials and its manufacture is disclosed herein. The nanoparticles may be bound together and added to the polymeric resin as microscale aggregations, and then unbound to create a disperse phase of nanoparticles in the resin. In other embodiments, the nanoparticles may be bound to a substrate, such as long fibers, and added to a polymeric resin. The nanoparticles are then unbound from the substrate and dispersed throughout the polymeric resin. The polymeric resin may have multiple components where one component may control the dispersion of the nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Ohio State University
    Inventors: L. James Lee, Gang Zhou, Xia Cao
  • Patent number: 8143322
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pump and pumping system for a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip, and a fabricating method thereof. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of fabricating a pump for microfluidic lab-on-a-chips, the method including: infiltrating PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) solution into a porous lump of water-soluble material; performing soft baking of the porous lump of water-soluble material containing the PDMS solution; and dissolving the porous lump of water-soluble material via water to obtain a porous PDMS structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignees: Postech Academy-Industry Foundation, Chung-Ang University Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Tai-Hun Kwon, Dong-Sung Kim, Kyoung-Je Cha
  • Patent number: 8119700
    Abstract: Disclosed is an organic aerogel including a polymer obtained from reaction an aryl alcohol compound, an aldehyde compound, and a polyol compound, a composition for forming the same, and a method of preparing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Ho Park, Myung-Dung Cho, Kwang-Hee Kim, Sung-Woo Hwang
  • Patent number: 8097657
    Abstract: The present invention relates to organic polymer porous materials, and in particular, to an organic polymer porous material that functions as a reusable insoluble solid catalyst and a method for producing the same. The organic polymer porous material of the present invention is characteristic in that the amount of immobilized bases is high and the specific surface area is large. The object has been achieved by an organic polymer porous material including a polymer (PA) obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable composition (A) containing a compound (a) obtained by reacting a dendrimer (a1) having at least an amino group as a reactive functional group or a polyethyleneimine (a2) having at least an amino group as a reactive functional group with a compound (a3) having a vinyl group and a group that can react with the reactive functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignees: DIC Corporation, Kawamura Institute of Chemical Research
    Inventors: Shinji Kato, Shin Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8080590
    Abstract: A porous polymeric matrix containing at least one natural polymer and at least one synthetic polymer and optionally at least one cation. Furthermore, a method of making a porous polymeric matrix involving mixing at least one natural polymer and inorganic salts with a solution comprising at least one solvent and at least one synthetic polymer to form a slurry, casting the slurry in a mold and removing the solvent to form solid matrices, immersing the solid matrices in deionized water to allow natural polymer cross-linking and pore creation to occur simultaneously, and drying the matrices to create a porous polymeric matrix; wherein the matrix contains a cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: LinShu Liu, Marshall L. Fishman, Kevin B. Hicks
  • Patent number: 8076382
    Abstract: Porous polymers, tribenzohexazatriphenylene, poly-9,9?-spirobifluorene, poly-tetraphenyl methane and their derivatives for storage of H2 prepared through a chemical synthesis method. The porous polymers have high specific surface area and narrow pore size distribution. Hydrogen uptake measurements conducted for these polymers determined a higher hydrogen storage capacity at the ambient temperature over that of the benchmark materials. The method of preparing such polymers, includes oxidatively activating solids by CO2/steam oxidation and supercritical water treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Luping Yu, Di-Jia Liu, Shengwen Yuan, Junbing Yang
  • Patent number: 8076383
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous resin particle having a functional group X, the method including: dissolving a radical polymerizable aromatic monovinyl monomer and a radical polymerizable aromatic divinyl monomer together with a polymerization initiator in an organic solvent to prepare a monomer solution, dispersing the monomer solution in water in the presence of a dispersion stabilizer to obtain a suspension polymerization reaction mixture, and performing a suspension copolymerization while adding, when 0 to 80% of the entire polymerization time of the suspension copolymerization is passed, a mercapto compound represented by the formula (I): HS—R—X??(I) in which R represents an alkylene group having a carbon number of 2 to 12, and the functional group X represents a functional group selected from a hydroxy group and a primary amino group, to the suspension polymerization reaction mixture; and the porous resin particle obtained by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Konishi, Kenjiro Mori
  • Patent number: 8071657
    Abstract: Organic, small pore area materials (“SPMs”) are provided comprising open cell foams in unlimited sizes and shapes. These SPMs exhibit minimal shrinkage and cracking. Processes for preparing SPMs are also provided that do not require supercritical extraction. These processes comprise sol-gel polymerization of a hydroxylated aromatic in the presence of at least one suitable electrophilic linking agent and at least one suitable solvent capable of strengthening the sol-gel. Also disclosed are the carbonized derivatives of the organic SPMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: American Aerogel Corporation
    Inventors: Donald F. Albert, Greg R. Andrews, Joseph W. Bruno
  • Publication number: 20110276133
    Abstract: The present specification discloses porous materials, methods of forming such porous materials, biocompatible implantable devices comprising such porous materials, and methods of making such biocompatible implantable devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Allergan, Inc.
    Inventors: Futian Liu, Nicholas J. Manesis, Alexei Goraltchouk, Dimitrios Stroumpoulis
  • Patent number: 8044108
    Abstract: A porous polymer blend, and a method of producing a porous polymer blend from at least two immiscible polymers. The at least two immiscible polymer being blended together and exhibiting the absence of complete phase separation. The method of producing a porous polymer blend comprising: forming a liquid composition comprising at least two immiscible polymers dissolved in a common solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to a reduction in temperature to cause at least two immiscible polymers to phase separate into a common polymer rich phase and a common polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least two immiscible polymers in the common polymer rich phase so as to avoid complete phase separation of the at least two immiscible polymers; and removing the common polymer pore phase to provide a blend of the at least two immiscible polymers having a porous morphology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignees: The University of Queensland, The University of Melbourne
    Inventors: Justin John Cooper-White, Yang Cao, Andrew Stewart Rowlands
  • Publication number: 20110256628
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein include porous scaffolds formed from a stimuli-responsive polymer. The stimuli-responsive polymer of the scaffold creates a “smart” scaffold that changes properties in response to an effective stimulus applied to the stimuli-responsive polymer. In a preferred embodiment, an effective stimulus applied to the scaffold initiates a phase transition event in the stimuli-responsive polymer that results in a change in the volume of the pores of the scaffold. The scaffolds can be used to capture appropriately sized objects (e.g., cells) by using the volume-change properties of the pores. Relatedly, the scaffolds can be used as tissue-engineering scaffolds by capturing cells in the pores and introducing the cell-loaded scaffold into a cell-growth environment (e.g., in vivo).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: The University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Anna Galperin, Thomas Joseph Long, Buddy D. Ratner
  • Publication number: 20110237691
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Stephen Robert TENNISON, Oleksundr Prokopovych KOZYNCHENKO, Volodymyr Vasyljovych STRELKO, Andrew John BLACKBURN
  • Patent number: 8022110
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Yamada, Tomoyuki Suzuki, Jun Sakai, Norihiro Tomokiyo
  • Patent number: 8007823
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a highly controlled method of preparation of a microporous biodegradable polymeric article. Firstly, at least one biodegradable polymer A, one polymer B, biodegradable or not, partially or totally immiscible with A, and a compatibilizer C for A and B are selected. Secondly, the selected polymers are melt-blended, thereby preparing a polymer blend, wherein said polymers A and B have an essentially continuous morphology. Thirdly, after cooling, polymer B and compatibilizer C are selectively extracted from the polymer blend by dissolution in a solvent that is a non-solvent of polymer A. The resulting polymeric article has an essentially continuous porosity with a void volume between 10 and 90% and a unimodal diameter distribution set to a predefined unimodal peak location. It can be used in tissue engineering, for controlled release applications or as an implantable medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Corporation de l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal
    Inventors: Basil D. Favis, Pierre Sarazin, Jianming Li, Zhenhua Yuan
  • Patent number: 8003203
    Abstract: The present invention provides a porous resinous oil-retaining article, containing lubricating oil, which is excellent in the utilization efficiency of the lubricating oil, has a high mechanical strength, and further allows the resin and the lubricating oil to be combined with each other according to a use and a specification. The present invention also provides a method of producing the resinous oil-retaining article. The resinous oil-retaining article comprises a resinous porous article having interconnected holes which are open to a surface of the resinous porous article; and an oil impregnated into the resinous porous article. The interconnected holes are formed by molding a resin containing a pore-forming substance into a molding and extracting a part of the pore-forming substance from the molding with a solvent which dissolves the pore-forming substance and does not dissolve the resin. An interconnected hole porosity of the resinous porous article is not more than 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Hirata, Hideyuki Tsutsui
  • Publication number: 20110174728
    Abstract: The invention provides modified polysulfones substituted in one or more of the phenyl rings by functional groups and membranes composed of the modified polysulfones. Also provided are methods for the preparation of monodispersed nanoporous polymeric membranes. The membranes are useful for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and ultrafiltration, particularly for purification of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: TECHNION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION LTD.
    Inventors: Moris S. Eisen, Raphael Semiat, Natalia Vainrot
  • Patent number: 7947752
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microporous high density polyethylene film for a battery separator and a method of producing the same. The microporous high density polyethylene film includes high density polyethylene with a weight average molecular weight of 2×105-5×105, containing 5 wt % or less molecule with a molecular weight of 1×104 or less. The microporous high density polyethylene film has tensile strengths of 1,100 kg/cm2 or more in transverse and machine directions respectively, a puncture strength of 0.22 N/?m or more, a gas permeability (Darcy's permeability constant) of 1.3×10?5 Darcy or more, and shrinkages of 5% or less in machine and transverse directions, respectively. Particularly, the microporous high density polyethylene film has an excellent extrusion-compoundabiliy and stretchability and a high productivity, and can improve the performances and stability of a battery produced using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: SK Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Keun Lee, Jang Weon Rhee, Won Young Cho, Jung Moon Sung, Byoung Cheon Jo, Chol Ho Lee, In Hwa Jung, Byung Rae Jung
  • Patent number: 7943678
    Abstract: The invention presents a new method to prepare biomedical polyurethanes with high tensile and tear strengths. Such polyurethanes are especially interesting for making foams thereof, e.g. as meniscus implants. A new method, applicable to the biomedical polyurethanes, has been found to make such foams, that can be used as scaffolds. This method is based on salt leaching and phase separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Orteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Ralf Guillaume Jean Catharina Heijkants, Albert Johan Pennings, Jacqueline Hermina De Groot, Ralph Vincent Van Calck
  • Patent number: 7910383
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for preparing a molecular fingerprint comprising sites for identifying at least one target molecule, the fingerprint being obtained from at least one master molecule of polymeric type, called master polymer. The invention is characterized in that the master polymer is different from the target molecule(s), and is capable of being eliminated by degradation and/or washing, and that at least 5% in number of monomer units constituting the master polymer are involved in the formation of the sites for identifying the target molecule(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Polyintell
    Inventors: Sami Bayoudh, Kaynoush Naraghi, Michel Arotcarena