A method for preparing an aerogel comprising nano attapulgite and phenolic aldehyde and a method for preparing abrasion-resistant vehicle tire. 80-100 weight distributions of rubber, 3-8 weight distributions of SiO.sub.2.nH.sub.2O, 3-6 weight distributions of an anti-aging agent, 3-4 weight distributions of a heat stabilizer, 3-5 weight distributions of a compatibilizing agent, and 3-12 weight distributions of the aerogel comprising the nano attapulgite and the phenolic aldehyde is selected as a raw material of the abrasion-resistant rubber material to prepare rubber composite material for the abrasion-resistant vehicle tire.

Compositions include an aqueous organic-based gellant system and nicotine or a salt thereof. The compositions are readily prepared and stored in cartridges or used directly in a device for delivering nicotine to a user.

Provided herein, inter alia, are compositions including sol-gels and nicotine. The compositions are readily prepared and stored in cartridges or used directly in a device for delivering nicotine to a user.

A first aspect of the invention refers to a method for producing a hydrogel microsphere, the method comprising the steps of: a. generating by means of a capillary a droplet of controlled size of a first fluid in a gaseous phase, b. dispensing said droplet of a first fluid into a recipient comprising a second fluid, wherein the first fluid is immiscible with the second fluid and wherein the density of the second fluid is lower than the density of the first fluid, c. contacting the droplet of the first fluid with the second fluid, thereby producing a hydrogel microsphere, d. recovering the hydrogel microsphere from the second fluid for storage. A second aspect of the nvention is directed to a hydrogel microsphere obtainable by the method according to the first aspect of the invention. A further aspect of the invention refers to a system for producing a hydrogel microsphere according to any of the second and third aspect.

A hydrogel product is comprising a chondroitin, molecule selected from the group consisting of chondroitin and chondroitin sulfate as the swellable polymer, wherein the chondroitin molecule is cross-linked into a network via its carboxyl groups. The hydrogel product can be prepared by a process comprising the steps of (a) providing chondroitin molecules; (b) activating the carboxyl groups on the chondroitin molecules with a triazine-based coupling reagent to form an activated, cross-linked chondroitin; and (c) cross-linking the activated chondroitin molecules via their carboxyl groups using a cross-linking agent. The hydrogel product is useful for treatment of soft tissue disorders.

A microfluidic droplet generator that includes a body, an inlet arranged adjacent an upper surface of the body, and a sample reservoir adapted to contain a reservoir fluid that is immiscible in water. The sample reservoir includes a floor and a sidewall coupled to the floor. The floor extends along a horizontal axis and the sidewall extends along a vertical axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal axis. The microfluidic droplet generator also includes one or more microchannels fluidly connecting the inlet to the sample reservoir. Each of the microchannels includes an inlet end and a reservoir end, and the reservoir end of each of the microchannels intersects the sidewall of the sample reservoir at a location beneath the upper surface of the body.

An object is to provide dispersion containing lipid peptide type compound useful as low molecular weight gelator, such as lipid dipeptide and lipid tripeptide, and dissolution accelerator capable of dissolving the lipid peptide type compound at lower temperature and more easily. It is also an object to provide dispersion that can form hydrogel by simpler method and under milder condition (low temperature) and from which gel can be obtained as gel having high thermal stability, and provide method for forming the gel. Dispersion including: a lipid peptide type compound in which peptide portion formed by repetition of at least two or more identical or different amino acids is bonded to lipid portion including C.sub.10-24 aliphatic group; dissolution accelerator having, in molecules thereof, hydrophilic portion and hydrophobic portion, the hydrophilic portion having betaine structure; and water; and method for producing hydrogel by use of the dispersion.

An atomizing liquid gel with reversible phase transition characteristics includes: a sugar-based gelling agent, 0.1-3.0 wt %; an atomizing liquid, 97.0-99.9 wt %; a molecule of the sugar-based gelling agent is a sugar molecule introduced with an amide group and/or an aryl group, and the sugar molecule optionally further includes at least one hydrophobic structural part selected from —C.sub.xH.sub.y, —O—C.sub.xH.sub.y and ##STR00001##
and x>2 and y>2. The atomizing liquid gel has characteristics of thermal reversible phase transition and/or shear reversible phase transition, a temperature of gel-sol phase transition is 100° C.-248° C., and a critical shear stress of the gel-sol phase transition is 40-800 Pa. Under heating and/or oscillation, the atomizing liquid gel converts from the gel state to a sol state, and the atomizing agent fixed in the gel releases to form an inhalable aerosol. When the heating and/or oscillation are stopped, the atomizing liquid gel is quickly recovered from the sol state to the gel state, and the unatomized atomizing agent is refixed in the gel. The use of the atomizing liquid gel solves the problem of liquid leakage of the liquid nicotine of the atomizer caused by the smoke condensate after the smoking stops, the change of air pressure or the action of external force during transportation.

The invention relates to poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) microgels, to the process for preparing same and the uses thereof in various fields of application such as optics, electronics, pharmacy and cosmetics. These microgels have the advantage of being monodisperse, pH-responsive and temperature-responsive. They can carry magnetic nanoparticles or biologically active molecules. These microgels may also form transparent films, which have novel optical and electromechanical properties.

Methods are provided for producing a gelatinous composition containing a phospholipid, which has excellent emulsion stability, as well as methods for easily producing an emulsified composition that is excellent in use feeling and emulsion stability. Gelatinous compositions having excellent emulsion stability, and emulsified compositions having excellent use feeling and emulsion stability are also provided. The methods for producing the gelatinous compositions and emulsified compositions comprise dissolving a phospholipid and a cyclic lipopeptide biosurfactant in a polyol solvent or a mixed solvent of water and a polyol to obtain a surfactant solution, and mixing an oily ingredient with the surfactant solution to obtain a gelatinous composition, wherein a mass ratio of the cyclic lipopeptide biosurfactant to the phospholipid in the gelatinous composition is 0.25 or more.