The present invention provides porous materials for use in solid phase extractions and chromatography. In particular, the materials exhibit superior properties in the SPE analysis of biological materials. In certain aspects, the materials feature at least one hydrophobic component, at least one hydrophilic component and a average pore diameter of about 100 to about 1000 . In certain embodiments the materials also exhibit a nitrogen content from about 1% N to about 20% N. In certain embodiments, the materials feature at least one hydrophobic component, at least one hydrophilic component wherein more than 10% of the BJH surface area of the porous material is contributed by pores that have a diameter greater than or equal to 200 .

The present disclosure relates to a polymer foam and a preparation method thereof. The polymer foam is obtained by physically foaming a thermoplastic elastomer or a polyolefin material, and has an apparent density of 0.30 g/cm.sup.3 or less and a rebound degree of 50% or more as measured according to ASTM D2632.

A formulation includes a polymeric material, a nucleating agent, a blowing, and a surface active agent. The formulation can be used to form a container.

A graded-index optical element may include a nanovoided material including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The nanovoided material may be transparent between the first surface and the second surface. Additionally, the nanovoided material may have a predefined change in effective refractive index in at least one axis due to a change in at least one of nanovoid size or nanovoid distribution along the at least one axis. Various other elements, devices, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.

The present invention includes a hydrogel and a method of making a porous hydrogel by preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; casting the mixture into a vessel; allowing the cast mixture to dry to form an amorphous hydrogel film; seeding the cast mixture with a seed crystal of the crystallizable molecule; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel.

Generation of a balloon-shaped air bubble is suppressed. A foam molded article according to a mode of the present disclosure is characterized in that in a situation of being divided into two equal parts in the thickness direction T of the foam molded article, the average cell diameter 1 in the thickness direction T on the inner surface side A of the foam molded article is 1.2 times ((1/1)=1.2) or greater of the average cell diameter 1 in the thickness direction T on the outer surface side B of the foam molded article and that the surface roughness Sm of the inner surface of the foam molded article is 1000 m or greater.

A porous resin molded body contains cellulose acylate (A), wherein the porous resin molded body has a porosity of about 2% or more and about 30% or less.

The present application discloses biodegradable cellulose acetate foam, wherein the foam has a density of from 0.01 to 0.9 g/cm.sup.3, an average foam cell size between 0.05 mm to 1.0 mm, and wherein the Rrms surface area roughness is from 0.01 to 500 microns. The present application also discloses compositions that can be used to prepare the foam.

Expanded particles of a polycarbonate-based resin containing a polycarbonate-based resin containing a component derived from bisphenol A as abase resin, the expanded particles being expanded particles of a polycarbonate-based resin satisfying any one of the following conditions (a) to (c) in a GC/MS chart: (a) a peak derived from a molecular weight of from 145 to 230 and a peak derived from a molecular weight of from 320 to 350 are shown; (b) a peak derived from a molecular weight of from 210 to 230 is shown; and (c) a peak derived from a molecular weight of from 290 to 320 is shown.

A complex structure material includes a foam made of thermosetting resin and coverings made of thermoplastic resin. The foam includes a matrix and pores. At least some of the pores communicate with each other. The foam has a continuous porous structure formed by the matrix and the pores. The coverings cover inner walls of the pores in the foam.