The present invention relates to a porous silicone body having communicating pores and a three-dimensional network silicone skeleton that forms the pores, wherein the silicone skeleton is formed by polymerization of a bifunctional alkoxysilane and a trifunctional alkoxysilane, and the proportion of unreacted parts in the silicone skeleton is 10 mol % or less. The porous silicone body of the present invention has high flexibility and high heat resistance, and further has excellent recoverability of heat-resistant cushioning properties.

A nanocomposite including an array of extended length fibers with nanofibers oriented in transverse relation to the extended length fibers. The nanofibers are mechanically interlocked with the extended length fibers using a connecting agent concentrated at contact locations between the extended length fibers and the nanofibers without saturating the composite. The resultant composite of fibers and connecting agent is characterized by significant internal porosity with an internal void volume not occupied by the connecting agent.

A BAK removal device is constructed as a plug of microparticles of a hydrophilic polymeric gel that displays a hydraulic permeability greater than 0.01 Da. The polymer hydrophilic polymeric gel comprises poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA). The particles are 2 to 100 μm and the plug has a surface area of 30 mm.sup.2 to 2 mm.sup.2 and a length of 2 mm to 25 mm and wherein the microparticles of a hydrophilic polymeric gel has a pore radius of 3 to 60 μm.

Microporous polyolefin and microporous polydicyclopentadiene (polyDCPD) based aerogels and methods for preparing and using the same are provided. The aerogels are produced by forming a polymer gel structure within a solvent from a olefin or dicyclopentadiene monomer via Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP) reactions, followed by supercritical drying to remove the solvent from the aerogel. Other aerogels are prepared by sequentially (1) mixing at least one dicyclopentadiene monomer, at least one solvent at least one catalyst and at least one inorganic and/or organic reinforcing material, (2) gelling the mixture, (3) aging, and (4) supercritical drying. Aerogels provided herein are inexpensive to prepare, possess desirable thermal, mechanical, acoustic, chemical, and physical properties and are hydrophobic. The aerogels provided herein are suitable for use in various applications, including but not limited to thermal and acoustic insulation, radiation shielding, and vibrational damping applications.

A method of synthesizing aerogels and cross-linked aerogels in a single step and in a single pot without requiring any solvent exchange is described. Porous matrices are synthesized through a modification of hydrolysis condensation of alkoxides in which addition of water is minimized. The reaction occurs in an ethanol-water azeotrope mixture; the water in the azeotrope slowly hydrolyzes the alkoxide. Additionally, after gelation, the porous matrix is dried in supercritical ethanol rather than liquid CO.sub.2, which allows for elimination of solvent exchange steps. These modifications allow for the preparation of aerogel monoliths in any size in one step and in one pot and much faster than conventional procedures. In addition, the method provides for custom aerogel parts with large dimensions, as well as high volume fabrication of aerogels. The custom aerogel parts may be used in a variety of thermal insulation applications.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a porous material, at least comprising the steps of providing a mixture (I) comprising a composition (A) comprising components suitable to form 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 obtained in step b), wherein the composition (A) comprises at least one compound (af) comprising phosphorous and at least one functional group which is reactive towards isocyanates. The invention further relates to the porous materials which can be obtained in this way and the use of the porous materials as thermal insulation material and in vacuum insulation panels, in particular in interior or exterior thermal insulation systems as well as in water tank or ice maker insulation systems.

Disclosed are porous resin particles which contain a polymer of a monomer mixture containing, as monomers, at least a monofunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester and a crosslinking monomer. The monofunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester accounts for 1 wt % to 50 wt % of the monomer mixture, and the crosslinking monomer accounts for 50 wt % to 99 wt % of the monomer mixture. The porous resin particles have a specific surface area of 190 m.sup.2/g to 300 m.sup.2/g and a bulk specific gravity of 0.25 g/mL to 0.45 g/mL.

Nanoporous three-dimensional networks of polyurethane particles, e.g., polyurethane aerogels, and methods of preparation are presented herein. Such nanoporous networks may include polyurethane particles made up of linked polyisocyanate and polyol monomers. In some cases, greater than about 95% of the linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers are urethane linkages. To prepare such networks, a mixture including polyisocyanate monomers (e.g., diisocyanates, triisocyanates), polyol monomers (diols, triols), and a solvent is provided. The polyisocyanate and polyol monomers may be aliphatic or aromatic. A polyurethane catalyst is added to the mixture causing formation of linkages between the polyisocyanate monomers and the polyol monomers. Phase separation of particles from the reaction medium can be controlled to enable formation of polyurethane networks with desirable nanomorphologies, specific surface area, and mechanical properties. Various properties of such networks of polyurethane particles (e.g., strength, stiffness, flexibility, thermal conductivity) may be tailored depending on which monomers are provided in the reaction.

Disclosed is an elastomer synthesized by a reacting epoxidized vegetable oil with carboxylic acid to form the elastomer compound. More specifically, disclosed herein is an elastomer compound having a polyester component. The method for making the elastomer comprises mixing a polybasic acid with an alcohol solvent to form a solution, reacting said solution having carboxylic groups with epoxidized vegetable oil, and heating the solution at a range of approximately 50° C. to 80° C., wherein an amorphous polyester elastomer is formed. Also disclosed is an elastomer foam product formed by a reacting epoxidized vegetable oil with carboxylic acid.

Membranes having an average pore size of 5 nm to 5,000 nm and a porosity of 15% or more, said membrane being obtainable by a process comprising curing a composition comprising: 5 to 64 wt % of (i) a cross-linking agent comprising at least one cationic group; and 36 to 95 wt % of (ii) inert solvent(s).

The membranes are useful for detecting, filtering and/or purifying biomolecules.