A method of freeze-drying comprising rapidly freezing either liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide in and around a material having pores at a rate of at least 0.2° C./min to limit the size of crystals formed from the carbon dioxide so as to avoid the formation of gas bubbles and damage to the pores and exposure of the material to gas-liquid interfaces. During freezing a solid layer primarily of solid carbon dioxide is formed on and surrounding the material by transferring heat with a cryogenic liquid circulating about the material. This solid layer protects the material from gas-liquid interfaces and surface tension before decreasing pressure about the material by venting carbon dioxide.

The invention provides a porous stamp material for laser processing that is available for continuous extrusion molding. A material including at least 100 parts by weight of thermoplastic resin, 50-250 parts by weight of hydroxylated compound whose dehydration starting temperature is 100 to 500° C., and water-soluble pore-forming material that has 10-60 μm average particle diameter is mixed to obtain a mixed material. The obtained mixed material is extruded to obtain an extrusion molded product. The obtained extrusion molded product is processed with an aqueous solvent to elute the water-soluble pore-forming material, thereby yielding a porous stamp material that has continuous pores having 10-60 μm pore diameter. The obtained porous stamp material is laser-processed to manufacture a stamp.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a solar cell module, comprising the steps of: placing a mixture solution comprising a polysiloxane and a curing agent in a humidified condition and sealing same; forming a polysiloxane film by curing the mixture solution; and manufacturing a porous polysiloxane film by evaporating water drops formed on the surface of the polysiloxane film. By applying the porous polysiloxane film manufactured by the present invention to a solar cell module, weight reduction and efficiency improvement effects of the solar cell module can be obtained.

Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for fabricating and implementing nanoparticles with hollow core and sealable holes. In one aspect, a nanoparticle device can includes a shell structure including at least two layers including an internal layer and an external layer, the internal layer structured to enclose a hollow interior region and include one or more holes penetrating the internal layer, the external layer is of a porous material and formed around the internal layer and sealing the one or more holes, and a substance contained within the hollow interior region, the substance incapable of passing through the external layer.

A method for forming a thermoplastic body having regions with varied material composition and/or porosity. Powder blends comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a sacrificial porogen and an inorganic reinforcement or filler are molded to form complementary parts with closely toleranced mating surfaces. The parts are formed discretely, assembled and compression molded to provide a unitary article that is free from discernible boundaries between the assembled parts. Each part in the assembly has differences in composition and/or porosity, and the assembly has accurate physical features throughout the sections of the formed article, without distortion and nonuniformities caused by variable compaction and densification rates in methods that involve compression molding powder blends in a single step.

A method includes mixing a polymer, an organic solvent, and a porogen such that an initial paste is formed. The method also includes in-situ shaping the initial paste; creating a plurality of channels within the shaped paste and removing the organic solvent from the shaped paste such that a solidified perforated paste is formed; and leaching out the porogen from the solidified perforated paste such that a porous scaffold is formed.

The present invention relates to a monolithic multi-layered material having at least a first layer, from which anisotropic pores originate, and a second layer, in which the anisotropic pores continue. The present invention further relates to a monolithic medical material having at least a first layer, from which anisotropic pores originate, and a second layer, in which the anisotropic pores continue. The present invention further relates to a process for the production of a multi-layered material having anisotropic pores. It further relates to a multi-layered material which can be produced by the process according to the invention.

Membranes and methods of making and using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can include a foamed polymeric support and a plurality of inorganic particles disposed within the foamed polymeric support. The foamed polymeric support can contain a hydrophilic polymer such as polyethersulfone. The plurality of inorganic particles can include hydrophilic particles such as zeolite particles. In certain embodiments, the membrane can be used in humidifiers, such as those used in fuel cell systems. In some aspects, the membrane can be used for separating a fluid mixture comprising water. The membranes described herein are stable for high temperature applications.

A hybrid porous structured material may include a porous region and a non-porous region. The porous region may include an imaginary stacked structure, wherein a plurality of imaginary spherical bodies/cavities are stacked so as to contact each other in three-dimensional directions. The non-porous region fills the gaps between the imaginary spherical bodies. A spherical colloid particle is present in each of the plurality of imaginary spherical bodies in the porous region. A separation membrane may include the hybrid porous structured material. A water treatment device may include the membrane.

A method of making a nanoporous structure comprising a matrix and at least one nanosized pore within the matrix, wherein the method comprises contacting at least a portion of a templated matrix with an acid solution, wherein the templated matrix comprises a matrix that selected from the group consisting of an organic polymer, a sol-based ceramic, an inorganic salt, an organoaluminate, and combinations thereof, and one or more nanosized templates within the matrix, wherein each nanosized template comprises a core that comprises an inorganic oxide, to dissolve at least a portion of the inorganic oxide of at least one of the cores and form the at least one nanosized pore within the matrix thereby forming the nanoporous structure.