A composite material includes a polymer matrix with a polymer having D-glucosamine monomer units and 50% or fewer N-acetyl-D-glucosamine monomer units. A salt can be disposed in the polymer matrix. A dispersed phase is disposed in the polymer matrix with the salt, and the dispersed phase and the polymer matrix form a porous composite foam. The porous composite foam includes, by weight, 0.5-3 times the dispersed phase to the polymer matrix, and the porous composite foam has a density of less than 1 g/cm.sup.3.

Methods and materials used for production of constructs having a porous open or semi-open celled structure. Constructs may include a porous matrix as a base and a biocompatible conformal coating thereon.

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.

Textile compositions comprising at least one filamentous fungus are disclosed, as are methods for making and using such textile compositions. Embodiments of the textile compositions generally include at least one of a plasticizer, a polymer, and a crosslinker, in addition to the filamentous fungus. The disclosed textile compositions are particularly useful as analogs or substitutes for conventional textile compositions, including but not limited to leather.

A hyaluronic acid product is comprising a cross-linked hyaluronic acid and one or more cyclodextrin molecules, and further comprising a guest molecule capable of forming a guest-host complex with the aminocyclodextrin molecule acting as a host, wherein the guest molecule is a retinoid, preferably adapalene, or a RAM BA. The hyaluronic acid is cross-linked by ether bonds, and the one or more cyclodextrin molecules are grafted onto the cross-linked hyaluronic acid by amide bonds, preferably using a triazine-based coupling reagent.

A shear-thinning hydrogel composition includes: a first polymer chain including: (i) a first plurality of units each having at least one of a monosaccharide and an amino acid; and (ii) a cross-linking group bound to the at least one of the monosaccharide and the amino acid of one of the first plurality of units via conversion of a carboxyl group of the unit to a peptide bond; a second polymer chain including a second plurality of the units; and a cross-linking additive connecting one of the second plurality of units to the first polymer chain via the cross-linking group.

A flame retardant composition comprising chitosan or a modified chitosan, as well as a method for preparing a flame retardant comprising chitosan or a modified chitosan, is provided. Also provided are methods for making a flame retardant article using the described flame retardant composition. In various embodiments, the flame retardant composition is prepared by dissolution of chitosan or a modified chitosan by an aqueous acid, followed by evaporation of the water. In various embodiments, the flame retardant composition can further include at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of a polyol, flame retardant, nitrogen containing compound, carbonate containing compound, crosslinking agent, and combinations thereof.

A biocompatible membrane comprised of alginate and hyaluronate. The membrane may be used to prevent unwanted scarring after surgery. The tissue adherence and the rate of bioresorption of the membrane may be modified through an external stimulus comprising a sequestering agent and a viscosity modifier.

The invention relates to novel a high-volume swelling hydrogel which comprises a plurality of pores which are defined by an interpenetrating network, and/or a semi-interpenetrating network and/or simple cross-linked arrangement of a plurality of one or more species of hydrophilic polymers, optionally together with one or more biocompatible polymers and optionally together with one or more plasticising agents, characterised in that at least some of the pores are at least partially collapsed and/or flattened, and further characterised in that the interpenetrating network and/or semi-interpenetrating network and/or cross-linked arrangement which defines the collapsed and/or flattened pores is substantially unbroken. The invention also relates to a process for preparing such hydrogels, and to their use as an appetite suppressant.

A method is provided for manufacturing recyclable environment-friendly organic paper, in which a biomass plastic material, which is one of a biodegradable plastic (such as PLA), a biobased plastic (such as NPP), and a mixture of the two is used as a primary raw material, and the biomass plastic material and an inorganic mineral material (such as inorganic glass powder, mineral powder, and sand) and a bioplastic assisting agent (such as starch, apple pulp, egg shell, and the likes) are directly deposited into a compression and extension paper making machine to make environment-friendly organic paper. The environment-friendly organic paper so made does not contain fossil organic material (such as polypropylene), and thus no high temperature, smoke, and toxicant gases will be generated during burning and combustion and residuals of burning and combustion are primarily the natural inorganic minerals fraction can return to the earth and the nature.