Provided herein is a superabsorbent polyHIPE composition-of-matter comprising a majority of ionizable pendant groups, capable of absorbing up to 300-fold by mass water while exhibiting a notable mechanical strength in both the dry and wet form, as well as various uses thereof.

A porous body including, as a base resin, a crosslinked polymer obtained by crosslinking a polymer of an acrylic monomer and/or a styrene-based monomer. A storage modulus of the porous body is 5 kPa or more and 2000 kPa or less at 23? C., an apparent density of the porous body is 10 kg/m.sup.3 or more and 250 kg/m.sup.3 or less, and a molecular weight between crosslinking points of the crosslinked polymer is 1.0?10.sup.4 or more.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a hierarchically porous polymer and a hierarchically porous polymer prepared thereby. The method comprises the steps of: (a) polymerizing an external oil phase of a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) consisting aqueous droplets to produce a cross-linked block copolymer; (b) obtaining a macroporous polymer with interconnected macropores by removing the aqueous droplets; and (c) treating the obtained porous polymer with a base, thereby obtaining a hierarchically porous polymer having three-dimensional mesopores formed in the macroporous walls. According to the method, the macropore size and mesopore size of the hierarchically porous polymer can all be controlled. The hierarchically porous polymer prepared by the method can easily separate polymers having different sizes, and thus is highly useful in the polymer separation field.

A polyHIPE-templated composition-of-matter afforded by interfacial polymerization, comprising a polymer of alternating residues of hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers. The described composition-of-matter is characterized by an open-, quasi-closed- or a truly closed-cell microstructure, whereas the latter is capable of non-releasably or releasably encapsulating an organic or aqueous composition therein for extended periods of time, as well as various uses thereof.

The present invention discloses a single-step process for the formation of a three dimensional porous scaffold,the process comprising of carrying out ring opening polymerization of a monomer under high internal phase emulsion mode in the presence of at least one catalyst selected from methanesulfonic acid and stannous octoate to form a three dimensional porous scaffold. Further, the present invention discloses a three dimensional porous scaffold comprising of a polymer, to form a three dimensional porous scaffold having a pore size in the range of 0.1-30 micrometer and a porosity in the range of 75%-95%.

A method for polymerizing an open-cell foam including exposing an emulsion comprising a photoinitiator to an Ultraviolet light source, partially polymerizing the top surface of the emulsion, and moving the partially polymerized emulsion to a second polymerization stage.

A method for manufacturing a porous film includes: a first step of preparing droplets (D) which are formed from a first liquid into spheres with a predetermined diameter of 10 ?m or more and 2000 ?m or less and a second liquid (L2) which includes a curing agent which cures by imparting energy or a curing agent which cures due to change in pH and includes droplets dispersed therein; a second step of injecting the droplets and the second liquid into a gap between a pair of substrates (31 and 32); a third step of curing the second liquid to form an external phase, and the fourth step of removing the droplets in the external phase to form hole sections.

A method for polymerizing a High Internal Phase Emulsion foam including exposing a High Internal Phase Emulsion foam comprising a photoinitiator to an Ultraviolet light source, and partially polymerizing the top surface of the emulsion.

A method for producing polyHIPE porous monoliths, of the polyHIPE type or in the form of a rigid foam, by hardening solutions of condensed tannins in the presence of oil and/or air or in the presence of a non-water-miscible volatile solvent and/or air. Also disclosed is the use of these materials in the areas of catalysis, chromatography, heat and sound insulation, tissue engineering and medication release and as a floral foam.

A method for continuous High Internal Phase Emulsion (HIPE) foam production. A HIPE is produced then extruded onto a belt. After polymerization, a portion of the saturated aqueous phase is removed using a vacuum box. A nip insert is inserted under the vacuum box to raise the vacuum box leading to improved uniformity of the HIPE in the cross direction along the belt.