Methods for manufacturing articles, including articles of footwear, apparel, and sporting equipment are provided. The methods comprise decorating a plurality of foam particles. The decorating can comprise applying a coating on the foam particles, or embossing or debossing the foam particles, or both. The decorating can comprise applying a coating on the foam particles by printing, painting, dyeing, applying a film, or any combination thereof. The plurality of foam particles are affixed utilizing aspects of additive manufacturing methods. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A bio-based poly(arylether sulfone) copolymer (“copolymer b-PAES”) comprises at least two sulfone recurring units derived from two distinct dihydroxy/diol monomers: a bio-compatible and bio-based diol momoner and a bisphenol monomer distinct from Bisphenol S (BPS) and Bisphenol A (BPA). The dihydroxy bisphenol monomer comprises a substituted-phenol bisphenolic compound distinct from BPS and BPA, preferably comprises a bisphenol F derivative with both alkyl substituted-phenol groups. The bio-based diol monomer comprises at least one diol selected from isosorbide, isomannide and/or isoidide. The copolymer b-PAES is preferably free of BPA and BPS. A process for manufacturing such copolymer b-PAES, its use for manufacturing an article, an article made therefrom such as membranes, and a polymer solution for manufacture of membrane comprising such copolymer b-PAES.

A macroporous polymeric hydrogel microsphere that contains poly(ethylene glycol), chitosan, and water. The hydrogel microsphere, having a diameter of 50-250 μm and a mesh size of 5-100 nm, is capable of transporting biomolecules conjugated to it. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating the microsphere based on a micromolding technique utilizing surface tension-induced droplet formation followed by photo-induced polymerization.

A biodegradable hydrogel having an acetal structure whose hydrolysis rate under different pH environments in the living body can be accurately controlled. The hydrogel is obtained by crosslinking a polyalkylene glycol derivative having a cyclic benzylidene acetal structure represented by formula (1) shown below with a crosslinking agent: ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1 and R.sup.6; R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5; s; t; s+t; P.sup.1; Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2; W.sup.1 and X.sup.1 are as defined herein.

The present invention provides a multi plate screw press sludge dewatering machine and a helical shaft thereof. The multi plate screw press sludge dewatering machine includes fixed rings, movable rings, the helical shaft, a sludge inlet tank and a sludge discharging tank; the helical shaft adopts a variable diameter variable pitch helical shaft, a lead angle arrangement sequence of a helical blade of the whole helical shaft is gradual reduction from the sludge discharging tank to the sludge inlet tank, and the lead angle arrangement sequence is gradually reduced from 16°-22° to 6°-14°; a pitch of the helical shaft is gradually increased along a direction from the sludge inlet tank to the sludge discharging tank; a diameter of a shaft body of the helical shaft is gradually increased along with a direction of the sludge discharging tank from a ⅓ position of a shaft length; and blockage prevention plates are arranged on two sides of the bottom of the helical blade. The helical shaft in the present invention is specially designed, so that the pitch is more reasonable, a helical angle is gentler, frictional resistance when sludge passes through the helical shaft may be effectively reduced, and phenomena of shaft blockage and shaft sticking of the sludge may be reduced.

Provided is a superabsorbent structure based on a covalently crosslinked copolymer having a microstructure of a HIPE, and characterized by hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments of at least five residues; the unique chemical and structural properties of the copolymer afford a polymeric superabsorbent structure that is capable of swelling in polar as well as apolar media. Also provided are processes of manufacturing the superabsorbent structure, and uses thereof.

Provided are supramolecular polypseudorotaxane hydrogel compositions and 3-D structures capable of reversible 3-D structural deformation which include (a) a solvent; (b) an at least partially linear polymer, where the polymer further comprises groups capable of covalent crosslinking between the polymers; (ii) at least one first macrocyclic ring which forms a pseudorotaxane with a polymer in the polymer network; and (iii) at least one second macrocyclic ring that does not form the pseudorotaxane. The hydrogel composition has a viscosity which allows for 3-D printing of the hydrogel to form a 3-D structure, and a storage (elastic) modulus after crosslinking that allows for the 3-D structure to undergo reversible 3-D structural deformation upon change of solvent conditions. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the compositions and 3-D structures.

Reversibly crosslinkable polymeric networks, including reversibly crosslinkable hydrogel networks are provided. Also provided are methods of making the polymeric networks and methods of using the hydrogel networks in tissue engineering applications. The reversibly crosslinkable polymeric networks are composed of polymer chains that are covalently crosslinked by azobenzene boronic ester bonds that can be reversibly formed and broken by exposing the polymeric networks to different wavelengths of light.

The present disclosure relates to a novel method for dispersion of nanocellulose in melt-processed polymers without the introduction of solvent during melt processing.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for transdermal delivery of molecules or active ingredients into skin layers underneath Stratum Corneum. In preferred embodiments, the compositions comprise delivery systems providing high transdermal delivery efficiency.