Thermally responsive materials, porous membranes comprising the thermally responsive materials, and batteries incorporating the porous membranes as thermally responsive separation membranes are provided. Also provided are methods of making the thermally responsive materials. The thermally responsive materials comprise upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers covalently bound to a support substrate.

The invention relates to a device, a method, and a kit for separating particles of different sizes in a liquid. The invention additionally relates to applications of the device. The device and the method involve the capability of binding particles to solid phase particles with different diameters in a liquid, whereby the hydrodynamic diameter of the solid-phase particles determines whether the particles can pass through pores of a filter element, the diameter of said pores being modifiable in a controlled manner (e.g., the diameter can be increased or decreased). Thus, particles of equal size (e.g., B-cells and T-cells) of a liquid can be separated from one another with a high degree of separation efficiency, wherein the particles can be separated simply, quickly, and inexpensively. High yields can be produced, and the particles can be provided in a therapeutically applicable liquid.

A novel thermo-induced stimuli-responsive membrane for leukocyte enrichment and its application to white blood cells were disclosed. Specifically, the thermo-induced stimuli-responsive membrane for leukocyte enrichment comprises a layer coated on a porous substrate, and composition of the layer comprises at least one copolymer selected from one of group consisting of poly(acrylic acid-co-alkyl methacrylate), poly(N-alkyl acrylamide-co-alkyl methacrylate) and their mixture. In particular, the time for white blood cells recovery is within 1 hour, so as to obtain fresh and high purity white blood cells by using the novel thermo-induced stimuli-responsive membrane.

A two-layer photo-responsive membrane including a polymer layer and a support layer, the polymer layer being disposed on a surface of the support layer. The polymer layer is formed of a graft copolymer that contains a hydrophobic backbone and multiple side chains, the side chains each consisting of repeat units that switch between a hydrophobic form and a hydrophilic form upon exposure to a light of a specific wavelength. The polymer layer has a molecular weight cut-off of 3,000 to 250,000 Daltons and a thickness of 50 nm to 10 ?m; and the support layer has a molecular weight cut-off of 50 to 250,000 Daltons. Also disclosed is a method of preparing this two-layer photo-responsive membrane.

A device and methods are disclosed herein for fluid removal during wound treatment or for removal or dialysis of components from blood or tissue. A device is disclosed that includes a multilayer membrane including a plurality of layers; an electroactive polymer within each layer; and a controller operably connected to sequentially activate the electroactive polymer to alter one or more sizes of the plurality of the variably-sized pores within one or more layers of the multilayer membrane. A device is disclosed that includes a multilayer membrane including a plurality of layers; an actuator operably attached to the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane; and a controller operably activating the actuator to alter a relative lateral position of the two or more layers of the multilayer membrane to align two or more of the plurality of pores within the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane.

The invention relates to a method for creating a porous film through aqueous phase separation, the method comprising: i) providing an aqueous solution comprising a responsive copolymer, and optionally a charged polymer, wherein at least one of the monomers in the responsive copolymer is a responsive monomer; ii) forming the aqueous solution into a thin layer and contacting the thin layer of aqueous solution with an aqueous coagulation solution in which the responsive copolymer is not soluble, or contacting the thin layer of aqueous solution with an aqueous coagulation solution in which a complex comprising the responsive copolymer and the charged polymer is not soluble; and iii) allowing solvent exchange between the aqueous solution and the aqueous coagulation solution to produce a porous film. The invention further relates to porous films or membranes thus obtained.

The invention provides a medical intravenous support apparatus that facilitates patient mobility while reducing the likelihood of an accidental fall. The design incorporates improved features for bag support, tube management, cord management, patient steadiness, user-friendly braking, and electric power supply.

The invention is directed to a scalable concentration device and method of use thereof based on electrokinetics.

A method is provided for fabricating a nanopore in a membrane. The method includes: applying an electric potential across the membrane, where value of the electric potential is selected to induce an electric field which causes a leakage current across the membrane; monitoring current flow across the membrane while the electric potential is being applied; detecting an abrupt increase in the leakage current across the membrane; and removing the electric potential across the membrane in response to detecting the abrupt increase in the leakage current.

A three-dimensionally ordered macroporous hydrogel for immobilizing a selected bioresponsive molecule and method of making are disclosed. The three-dimensionally ordered macroporous hydrogel comprises a crosslinked polymer that has a system of interconnected pores. The interconnected pores have a uniform pore size in the range of 50 to 5000 nm, and a plurality of first pore functional groups. The plurality of first pore functional groups is selected to immobilize a selected bioresponsive molecule. Examples of bioresponsive molecules include an enzyme; a molecule for: a protein scaffold, solid phase synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis, polypeptide synthesis, analyte detection, adsorption of analytes and measuring analyte concentrations, organic synthesis, and degradation of biologically active agents in wastewater. A method includes forming a colloidal crystal template, polymerizing a hydrogel within the pores of the colloidal crystal template, and selectively removing the colloidal crystal template. The hydrogel can be polymerized using CRP, ATRP and FRP polymerization processes.