A method for producing porous particles of a cross-linked polymer, and porous particles that can be produced according to the method are disclosed. The porous particles of a crosslinked hydroxy- or amino-group-containing polymer have a relatively low swelling factor. A composite material contains the porous particles dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase. The porous particles, or the composite material, are used for purifying organic molecules and for bonding metals from solutions. A filter cartridge contains the porous particles of a cross-linked polymer or the composite material.

Provided is a production method for a gel composition including steps (1) to (3) mentioned below: step (1) of mixing at room temperature a partial degradation product of the galactose moiety of galactoxyloglucan and an aqueous solvent to obtain a mixture; step (2) of cooling or freezing the mixture obtained in step (1); and step (3) of gelling the mixture cooled or frozen in step (2) by heating to obtain a gel composition that includes the galactose-partial degradation product.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a piezoresistive sensor material, including: preparing a wood fiber aerogel; conducting dopamine self-polymerization on the surface of the aerogel to obtain a wood fiber-based hydrogel; soaking the wood fiber-based hydrogel in a nano conductive phase suspension or a nano conductive phase precursor to form a conductive phase-loaded wood fiber-based hydrogel; subjecting the conductive phase-loaded wood fiber-based hydrogel to reaction with an aqueous solution including a polyelectrolyte monomer, a crosslinker, an initiator and a catalyst to form a conductive phase-wood fiber-based hydrogel composite; and complexing the composite with metal ions. The present disclosure further discloses a piezoresistive sensor including the sensor material, and a preparation method thereof. The sensor material prepared by the method of the present disclosure has excellent mechanical strength and ionic conductivity, and a sensor further prepared has extremely-high sensitivity.

The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer. After the PCR reaction, unbound DNA may be removed from the gel, e.g., via diffusion or washing. Thus, a gel particle having bound DNA may be formed in one embodiment of the invention.

The invention discloses a separation matrix comprising polysaccharide gel beads, wherein said polysaccharide gel beads comprise embedded fibers. The invention further discloses a method of preparing the separation matrix and use of the matrix for separation purposes.

An expandable hydrogel structure formed of a housing with a superabsorbent material disposed and sealed therein, particularly wherein the housing is fabricated of a hydrogel membrane with a plurality of macropores providing fluid communication between the superabsorbent material and an exterior of the housing. Exposure of the superabsorbent material to an expansion trigger expands the housing from an initial size to an expanded size that is at least about 50 times to at least about 100 times the initial size. One or more therapeutic agents can further be disposed within the housing to provide controlled release of the therapeutic agents from the expanded housing for extended periods.

A device for spherification of a liquid includes a first device for storing a first liquid; and a spherification tank for storing a second liquid, arranged so that a dripper or entry funnel controls a level of the second liquid in the spherification tank. A device meters the first liquid coming from the first tank into the spherification tank. An extraction device extracts spheres generated in the spherification tank as a result of the metering. The extraction device includes a worm screw located in the spherification tank, the worm screw being arranged at an angle to the level, and a motor for rotating the worm screw.

[Object]

To provide a decorative aqueous composition that includes particles formed from opal-type colloidal crystals uniformly and stably dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium, and exhibits a structural color due to interference of light, and to provide a method for producing the decorative aqueous composition.

[Solution]

The decorative aqueous composition of the present invention contains particles of opal-type colloidal crystals dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium in which a polymer is dissolved. The particles of the opal-type colloidal crystals are made from hydrophilic colloidal particles having an average particle diameter ranging from 10 nm to 1000 nm with a variation coefficient of the particle diameter being within 20%. Therefore, the decorative aqueous composition of the present invention contains opal-type colloidal crystals uniformly and stably dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium, and exhibits a structural color due to interference of light. As a result, the decorative aqueous composition can be suitably used in a cosmetic lotion or the like.

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.

Adhesive hydrogels comprising a (co)polymer matrix, wherein the adhesive hydrogel comprises at least one rough surface as well as processes for preparing such hydrogels are disclosed.