A porous solid compound having high porosity is prepared by controlling the reaction conditions of a compound containing a cyano group and a halogenated metal compound. The porous solid compound includes one or more heterocycles formed by alternately bonding triazine and phenyl or biphenyl wherein the pore volume of the porous solid compound is 5 cm.sup.3/g or more.

Compositions for forming porous materials and three-dimensional objects, including fibers, films and coatings made from the materials are provided. Also provided are methods for forming the porous objects from the compositions. The compositions include a solvent, a polymer binder that is soluble in the solvent, and solid particles that are insoluble in the solvent. The solid particles include water-soluble salt particles that can be selectively dissolved from objects made from the compositions to render the resulting structures porous.

A method of manufacturing a flexible intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite controlling for an effective pore size using removable pore-forming substances and physically incorporated, non-leaching antimicrobials. A flexible intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite controlled for an effective pore size composited physically incorporated, high-surface area, non-leaching antimicrobials, optionally in which the physically incorporated non-leaching antimicrobial exposes nanopillars on its surface to enhance antimicrobial activity. A kit that enhances the effectiveness of the intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite by storing the composite within an antimicrobial container.

The present invention provides for concentrated aqueous silk fibroin solutions and an all-aqueous mode for preparation of concentrated aqueous fibroin solutions that avoids the use of organic solvents, direct additives, or harsh chemicals. The invention further provides for the use of these solutions in production of materials, e.g., fibers, films, foams, meshes, scaffolds and hydrogels.

Soft actuators are fabricated from materials that enable the actuators to be constructed with an open-celled architecture such as an interconnected network of pore elements. The movement of a soft actuator is controlled by manipulating the open-celled architecture, for example inflating/deflating select portions of the open-celled architecture using a substance such as compressed fluid.

A material composition including a matrix including a first material, the matrix including a plurality of voids disposed in the matrix, two or more voids being spaced apart from each other, a plurality of elongate fibers of a second material located within the matrix, wherein the plurality of fibers are configured to reinforce the matrix and, wherein the material composition is a composite material composition.

Star block copolymers having 3 to 8 arms are formed as a 3D foam scaffold having tailor-made pore sizes that mimic an actual cell size of a specific animal and/or human tissue and/or organs. The pore sizes are made within the elastomeric foams via a salt leaching process wherein a salt of a specific particle size is blended within the star block copolymers and crosslinked as by polyisocyanate compounds. Water or other suitable solvent are utilized to dissolve and leach out the salt leaving an open pore system. Animal and/or human cells are then injected into the 3D elastomeric foam scaffold that contains pendant liquid crystals on the star block copolymer whereby with the aid of nutrients, cells are formed within the pore system that are viable for at least three months. The size of the pore is predetermined to produce a desired cultured cell having a desired size. The tissue and/or cells within the elastomeric scaffold can be applied to animal and/or human tissue and/or organs whereupon they grow and reconstruct the damaged, injured, diseased, etc., area and result in a healthy, repaired, and viable tissue or organ. The elastomeric liquid crystal containing foam scaffold will degrade naturally and/or also be consumed by the growing cells so that it no longer exists. In other words, a specific type of animal or human cell can be culturally produced having a predetermined average cell diameter that is substantially or essentially the same diameter of a natural cell.

A method of manufacturing a flexible intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite controlling for an effective pore size using removable pore-forming substances and physically incorporated, non-leaching antimicrobials. A flexible intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite controlled for an effective pore size composited physically incorporated, high-surface area, non-leaching antimicrobials, optionally in which the physically incorporated non-leaching antimicrobial exposes nanopillars on its surface to enhance antimicrobial activity. A kit that enhances the effectiveness of the intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite by storing the composite within an antimicrobial container.

A foam composition that includes a polymer material such as polyurethane or polyurea and a leachable water-soluble fine powder is provided. This composition can he used in a relatively simple process to obtain a foam body (porous body) that is uniform only at the surface or uniform throughout. The foam body can be suitably used as a golf ball member in golf balls required to have good controllability on approach shots. Also provided is a method for producing a foam member, which method includes the steps of to molding the foam composition to obtain a solid molded body, and then leaching out and removing the water-soluble fine powder so as to obtain a foam-molded body.

Provided is a separator including a first later consisting of a porous polyolefin and a secondary battery utilizing the separator. The first layer exhibits a temperature-increase convergence time equal to or longer than 2.9 s.Math.m.sup.2/g and equal to or shorter than 5.7 s.Math.m.sup.2/g when the first layer is irradiated with a microwave having a frequency of 2455 MHz and an output power of 1800 W after being dipped in N-methylpyrrolidone containing 3 wt % of water. A minimum height of a ball placed over the first layer and having a diameter of 14.3 mm and a weight of 11.9 g is equal to or more than 50 cm and equal to or less than 150 cm, the minimum height causing a split in the first layer when the ball freely falls on the first layer.