Disclosed is a method for making a composite material, which is of particular use in wound treatment. The composite material has a hydrophilic polyurethane foam material with a first polyurethane polymer; a hydrophilic fiber material having a second polymer, wherein said second polymer is not a polyurethane polymer and wherein said fiber material is capable of absorbing and retaining a fluid. The first polymer is covalently bonded to the second polymer.

A support nanofunctionalised with photocatalytic nanoparticles made of polymeric material, preferably transparent or translucid, characterised by a nanoroughness, measured by means of an electron microscope, comprised between 10 and 150 nm and a macroroughness, measured by means of an electron microscope, comprised between 100 and 600 ?m, wherein said nano and macro-roughness are diffused internally and/or superficially. A process for preparing the nanofunctionalised support is also described. Further, an use of the nanofunctionalised support as a photocatalyst activated by UV and/or visible light, for the decontamination of a fluid, preferably air and/or water, from organic contaminants, bacteria, moulds, odours and a combination thereof is described. Finally, a filtration device comprising at least one nanofunctionalised support of the invention associated with at least one source of UV and/or visible light configured to irradiate said at least one nanofunctionalised support is described.

A polymer composite article having retained solids is disclosed. The polymer composite article includes a composite region having a first porous polymer comprising a plurality of pores and the retained solids. The composite region has at least a portion of the retained solids immobilized within some of the pores. In embodiments where the retained solids are solid sorbent materials, the article is configured to receive carbon dioxide through the first porous polymer that can be adsorbed onto the solid sorbent.

A method for preparing a sorbent precursor, which may be sulphided and used to remove heavy metals such as mercury from fluid streams, includes the steps of: (i) mixing together an inert particulate support material and one or more binders to form a support mixture, (ii) shaping the support mixture by granulation in a granulator to form agglomerates, (iii) coating the agglomerates with a coating mixture powder including a particulate copper compound and one or more binders to form a coated agglomerate, and (iv) drying the coated agglomerate to form a dried sorbent precursor.

Solid nanocomposite material comprising nanoparticles of a hexacyanometallate or octacyanometallate of an alkali metal and of a transition metal, of formula [Alk.sup.+.sub.x]M.sup.n+[M(CN).sub.m].sup.z in which Alk is an alkali metal, x is 1 or 2, M is a transition metal, n is 2 or 3, M is a transition metal, m is 6 or 8, z is 3 or 4, attached to at least one surface of a porous inorganic solid support, in which the nanoparticles are attached by adsorption to the at least one surface of the solid support, and in which the surface is a basic surface. Method for preparing this material. Method for extracting at least one metal cation from a liquid medium containing it, wherein the liquid medium is brought into contact with the material.

An object of the present invention is to provide a material for blood purification having the capability to remove cytokines and activated leukocyte-activated platelet complexes. The present invention provides a material for blood purification, the material containing a water-insoluble material in which a ligand having an amide group(s) and an amino group(s) is bound to a substrate, wherein the content of the amide group(s) is 3.0 to 7.0 mmol per 1 g dry weight of the water-insoluble material; and wherein the content of the amino group(s) is 1.0 to 7.0 mmol per 1 g dry weight of the water-insoluble material.

A water filtration media which prevents or resists the accumulation of microbes while simultaneously addressing the added problem of leaching caused by the treatment of activated carbon. In one preferred embodiment, the combination of Cu and Ag on activated carbon is prepared. Steps are taken to bind the silver and copper using anionic surfactant so that there is less leaching of silver and copper from the media. In a separate embodiment, the combination of Cu and Zn is prepared, which is subjected to high temperature for better binding of the metal oxides with the carbon.

An absorbent core composite is disclosed for incorporation into a disposable absorbent article. The composite includes a first material layer and a second material layer (preferably nonwoven) partially secured to the first material layer to define at least one pocket therebetween. Preferably, multiple pockets are defined, except in the case of where a generally uniform layer or bed of absorbent is preferred or better suited for the application. The pocket is said have a fixed initial volume. Further, an aggregate of absorbent particles is provided in the pocket(s) to occupy a portion of the fixed initial volume. The absorbent particles are preferably SAP particles and is characterized by a dry volume associated with a dry state and a swell volume associated with a liquid saturation state. In respect to or for the pocket, the aggregate is characterized by a collective dry volume and a collective swell volume, wherein the pocket has an initial configuration that retains the aggregate therein.

The present invention relates to a composite material, which is of particular use in wound treatment, and to a method for producing the same composite material. Said composite material comprises a hydrophilic polyurethane foam material comprising a first polyurethane polymer; a hydrophilic fiber material comprising a second polymer, wherein said second polymer is not a polyurethane polymer and wherein said fiber material is capable of absorbing and retaining a fluid. In the composite material according to the present invention, said first polymer is covalently bonded to said second polymer.

A separation method for a separation target metal uses a metal ligand having an oxide of the separation target metal as a core. The separation method for the separation target metal includes a step of dispersing the metal ligand in a solution containing the separation target metal and separating the separation target metal in the solution as the oxide of the separation target metal. A metal coordination polymer includes: a metal oxide; and a ligand polymer that carries the metal oxide. The metal oxide is an oxide of any one, two, or more of cobalt, nickel, and manganese, and the ligand polymer is a copolymer of (1) an optionally substituted divinylbenzene and (2) acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.