Disclosed are cellulose-based flexible gels containing cellulose nanorods, ribbons, fibers, and the like, and cellulose-enabled inorganic or polymeric composites, wherein the gels have tunable optical, heat transfer, and stiffness properties. The disclosed gels are in the form of hydrogels, organogels, liquid-crystal (LC) gels, and aerogels, depending on the solvents in the gels.

Modification of the rheology of a liquid medium, aqueous or nonaqueous, with polymers in the form of specific particles obtained by grinding (micronizing) a porous macrogel, itself prepared by a process comprising a radical polymerization step which comprises reacting in the presence of pore formers monomers containing monomers bearing at least two ethylenic unsaturations, typically in combination with monomers bearing a single ethylenic unsaturation; a polymerization initiator; and optionally a polymerization control agent. These polymer particles keep other particles in suspension within the liquid medium, and also the stabilized suspensions are obtained.

Provided is a method of preparing a superabsorbent polymer sheet, including polymerization of monomers in the presence of an encapsulated foaming agent and an inorganic foaming agent. According to the method of preparing the superabsorbent polymer sheet of the present invention, a porous flexible superabsorbent polymer sheet may be prepared.

A foam sheet having at least one glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0 to 40° C., a peak value of the loss tangent (tanδ) in the glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0.30 or more, and a 25% compressive strength of 1000 kPa or less, and further having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of −40° C. or less. A foam sheet having cushioning properties and vibration resistance in which no cracking occurs even when used in cold areas can be provided.

A method can be used for manufacturing one or more bodies made of a porous material derived from precursors of the porous material in a sol-gel process. The method involves filling precursors of the porous material into a mold defining the shape of the body, where the precursors include at least two reactive components and a solvent, and forming a gel body. The step is then repeated so as to form several gel bodies. The gel bodies are then removed from the mold after a predetermined time in which the gel bodies are formed from the precursors of the porous material. The gel bodies are arranged adjacent to one another, a spacer is provided between two adjacent gel bodies so as to provide a clearance therebetween, and the solvent is then removed from the gel bodies.

An article having: an elastomeric jacket; a gel within the jacket; and a plurality of gas-filled, polymerically-encapsulated microbubbles suspended in the gel. The microbubbles have a Gaussian particle size distribution. The largest microbubble has a diameter at least 10 times the diameter of the smallest microbubble. The article may exhibit Anderson localization at at least one frequency of sound waves impacting the article.

A process for preparing a porous material involves at least the steps of providing a mixture (I) containing a composition (A), which contains components suitable to from an organic gel, and a solvent (B); reacting the components in the composition (A) in the presence of the solvent (B) to form a gel; and drying of the gel. The composition (A) contains a catalyst system (CS), which contains at least a catalyst component (C1) selected from ammonium salts and phosphonium salts, and an acid with a phosphor containing acid group as a catalyst component (C2). Porous materials can be obtained in this way and the porous materials can be used as thermal insulation material and in vacuum insulation panels and vacuum insulation systems, in particular in interior or exterior thermal insulation systems as well as for insulation of refrigerators and freezers and in water tank or ice maker insulation systems.

A method of preparing a superabsorbent polymer sheet by polymerization of monomers in the presence of an encapsulated foaming agent and an inorganic foaming agent is provided. According to the method of preparing the superabsorbent polymer sheet of the present invention, a porous and flexible superabsorbent polymer sheet having an excellent initial absorption rate may be prepared.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a gelled, dried composition forming a monolithic aerogel with a heat conductivity of less than or equal to 40 mW.Math.m.sup.−1.Math.K.sup.−1 and derived from a resin of polyhydroxybenzene(s) and formaldehyde(s), to this aerogel composition and to the use thereof. This process comprises: a) polymerization in an aqueous solvent of said polyhydroxybenzene(s) and formaldehyde(s) in the presence of an acidic or basic catalyst, to obtain a solution based on the resin, b) gelation of the solution obtained in a) to obtain a gel of the resin, and c) drying of the gel to obtain a dried gel. According to the invention, step a) is performed in the presence of a cationic polyelectrolyte dissolved in this solvent, and the process also comprises a step d) of heat treatment under inert gas of the dried gel obtained in step c) at temperatures of between 150° C. and 500° C. to obtain the non-pyrolyzed aerogel whose heat conductivity is substantially unchanged, even after exposure to a humid atmosphere.

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing a porous material, at least comprising the steps of providing a gel comprising a solvent (S), wherein the solvent (S) has a volume (V1), pressurizing the gel with carbon dioxide at a temperature and a pressure at which carbon dioxide solubilizes in the solvent (S) forming gas-expanded liquid (EL), wherein the gas-expanded liquid (EL) has a volume (V2) and (V2) is greater than (V1); removing supernatant liquid, and drying the gel. The present invention further is directed to the porous material obtained or obtainable according to the process as such as the use of the porous material according to the invention in particular for medical, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications or for thermal insulation.