Systems and methods for developing a composite material are disclosed. The system can include a plurality of particles and a plurality of filaments. The plurality of particles can generate mechanical force in response to changing relative humidity, and the plurality of filaments can transfer the mechanical force throughout the composite material.

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.

This provides a flexible, porous, dissolvable solid sheet article having large pores on its top surface as well as a method of making the same.

A method of producing a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers comprising a method of impregnating an aerogel with polymers, placing the aerogel impregnated with polymers within a dissolved polymer, cooling the dissolved polymer to create a polymer form with dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers, adding molten metal to the polymer form, vaporizing the polymer form, replacing the polymer form with molten metal, and cooling the molten metal to yield a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers. Dispersing the aerogel particles impregnated with polymers within the polymer form prior to adding molten metal allows the aerogel particles to be fully dispersed throughout the metal form.

Synthetic composite materials for use, for example, as orthopedic implants are described herein. In one example, a composite material for use as a scaffold includes a thermoplastic polymer forming a porous matrix that has continuous porosity and a plurality of pores. The porosity and the size of the pores are selectively formed during synthesis of the composite material. The example composite material also includes a plurality of a anisometric calcium phosphate particles integrally formed, embedded in, or exposed on a surface of the porous matrix. The calcium phosphate particles provide one or more of reinforcement, bioactivity, or bioresorption.

Porous and microporous parts prepared by additive manufacturing as disclosed herein are useful in medical and non-medical applications. The parts are prepared from a composition containing both a solvent soluble component and a solvent insoluble component. After a part is printed by an additive manufacturing process it is exposed to solvent to extract solvent soluble component away from the printed part, resulting in a part having surface cavities.

A method to form automobile vehicle acoustic insulators includes as stages: forming a fiber mass by mixing a low melting point polymeric fiber and a high melting point polymeric fiber in predefined volumes in a mixing device; adding a water volume to the fiber mass to create a semi-solid mass; placing the semi-solid mass in a mold; internally heating the semi-solid mass in the mold using microwave energy; and expelling a first portion of the water volume through apertures created in the mold.

Multiple processes for preparing porous articles are described. The porous articles can be in a wide array of shapes and configurations. The methods include providing a soluble material in particulate form and forming a packed region from the material. The methods also include contacting a flowable polymeric material with the packed region such that the polymeric material is disposed in voids in the packed region. Also described are systems for performing the various processes.

A method for manufacturing a body made of a porous material derived from precursors of the porous material in a sol-gel process, including (i) providing a mold, containing a lower part defining an interior volume for receiving the precursors of the porous material, wherein the lower part comprises a first opening, and surfaces of the lower part facing the interior volume are at least partially provided with a coating made of a material being electrically dissipative and non-sticky to the precursors of the porous material and/or the body, (ii) filling precursors of the porous material into the lower part in a first inert or ventilated region, wherein the precursors include two reactive components and a solvent, (iii) removing the body from the lower part through the first opening after a predetermined time, (iv) disposing the body onto a support, and (v) removing the solvent from the body.

A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.