Highly transparent (up to 92% light transmittance) wood composites have been developed. The process of fabricating the transparent wood composites includes lignin removal followed by index-matching polymer infiltration resulted in fabrication of the transparent wood composites with preserved naturally aligned nanoscale fibers. The thickness of the transparent wood composite can be tailored by controlling the thickness of the initial wood substrate. The optical transmittance can be tailored by selecting infiltrating polymers with different refractive indices. The transparent wood composites have a range of applications in biodegradable electronics, optoelectronics, as well as structural and energy efficient building materials. By coating the transparent wood composite layer on the surface of GaAs thin film solar cell, an 18% enhancement in the overall energy conversion efficiency has been attained.

A polyolefin microporous film includes: a polyethylene-based resin; and a polyolefin (B) other than polyethylene. The polyolefin microporous film has peaks at temperatures of lower than 150° C. and 150° C. or higher respectively in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). A half width of the peak at lower than 150° C. is 10° C. or lower. A puncture strength in terms of 10 μm is 2.0 N or more.

A polyolefin microporous film includes: a polyethylene-based resin; and a polyolefin (B) other than polyethylene. The polyolefin microporous film has peaks at temperatures of lower than 150° C. and 150° C. or higher respectively in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). A half width of the peak at lower than 150° C. is 10° C. or lower. A puncture strength in terms of 10 μm is 2.0 N or more.

A method of forming a porous, polymer aerogel, includes producing a miscible formulation of at least one of monomers, oligomers, crosslinkers and prepolymers, polymerizing the miscible formulation to form a multiphasic gel, wherein phases are continuous and the multiphasic gel has at least one depolymerizable domain and at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and the at least one depolymerizable domain is chemically bonded to the at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and removing the depolymerizable domain or domains from the multiphasic gel to produce a porous aerogel with a color rendering index of at least 25. A method of forming a porous, polymer aerogel, including producing a miscible formulation of at least one monomer, oligomer or crosslinker, and a prepolymer having at least one reactive functional group, polymerizing the miscible formulation to form a multiphasic gel, wherein the prepolymer having at least one reactive functional group is chemically bonded to a polymer that results from the polymerization of the at least one monomer or oligomer, and phases are continuous and the multiphasic gel has at least one depolymerizable domain bonded to at least one non-depolymerizable domain, and placing the multiphasic gel in a depolymerization solution having a depolymerization solvent to chemically degrade the depolymerizable domain into smaller oligomers and monomers, removing the depolymerization solvent to produce a porous aerogel with a color rendering index of at least 25.

Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

Devices and methods for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer are disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

The invention provides systems and methods for substantially improving the compaction resistance of isoporous block copolymer (BCP) film by adding a high molecular weight hydrophilic additive in the casting dope formulation. Systems and methods disclosed also disclose several other multifunctional enhancements to film properties including: low fouling propensity, improved permeability, improved permeability retention upon drying, and ability to tune the substructure and pore size of these novel BCP films. These porous BCP films are useful in filtration and separations applications and are amenable to standard manufacturing practices.

The invention provides systems and methods for substantially improving the compaction resistance of isoporous block copolymer (BCP) film by adding a high molecular weight hydrophilic additive in the casting dope formulation. Systems and methods disclosed also disclose several other multifunctional enhancements to film properties including: low fouling propensity, improved permeability, improved permeability retention upon drying, and ability to tune the substructure and pore size of these novel BCP films. These porous BCP films are useful in filtration and separations applications and are amenable to standard manufacturing practices.

The invention provides systems and methods for substantially improving the compaction resistance of isoporous block copolymer (BCP) film by adding a high molecular weight hydrophilic additive in the casting dope formulation. Systems and methods disclosed also disclose several other multifunctional enhancements to film properties including: low fouling propensity, improved permeability, improved permeability retention upon drying, and ability to tune the substructure and pore size of these novel BCP films. These porous BCP films are useful in filtration and separations applications and are amenable to standard manufacturing practices.

The present invention relates to porous microparticles of a biodegradable polymer, and a polymer filler comprising the same.