Functionalized isocyanate based organic aerogel/xerogel/cryogel comprising: a cross-linked porous network structure made of polyurethane and/or polyisocyanurate and/or polyurea, comprising on their pore surface before functionalization reactive groups (B) and functionalization molecules having a solubility in water <10 g/L at 20? C. chemically attached to the pore surface of the cross-linked porous network structure wherein said molecules have at least one reactive group (A) being capable of binding to said pore surface (by reaction with groups (B)) and at least one functional group (C) providing the pore surface with the desired functionalization.

The present invention provides a method for producing a porous silicone sheet comprising a freezing step of freezing a wet gel of a porous silicone body having communicating pores and a three-dimensional network silicone skeleton which forms the pores and which is formed by a copolymerization of a bifunctional alkoxysilane and a trifunctional alkoxysilane, to obtain a frozen body, a sheet forming step of forming the frozen body into a sheet to obtain a porous silicone sheet, and a cleaning step of cleaning the porous silicone sheet. According to the method of the present invention, a porous silicone body from which impurities have been sufficiently removed can be produced. In the course of the production, occurrence of fracture of a wet gel can be effectively prevented.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a cellulose sponge, comprising: (A) providing a solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose having a self-crosslinkable substituent; and (B) irradiating the solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose having the self-crosslinkable substituent with -ray for crosslinking, wherein a method for preparing the hydroxypropyl cellulose having the self-crosslinkable substituent comprises: (a) dissolving hydroxypropyl cellulose in dimethylformamide to form a hydroxypropyl cellulose solution; (b) dissolving a compound comprising the self-crosslinkable substituent in dimethylformamide and slowly adding it drop by drop into the hydroxypropyl cellulose solution; (c) adding alcohol for reaction; and (d) reacting and drying at room temperature to form the hydroxypropyl cellulose having the self-crosslinkable substituent. The present invention also relates to a mixed solution, comprising dimethylformamide, hydroxypropyl cellulose, a compound comprising a self-crosslinkable substituent and alcohol.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a porous material, at least 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 a catalyst system (CS) comprising a catalyst component (C1) selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and earth alkali metal, ammonium, ionic liquid salts of a saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic acid and a carboxylic acid as catalyst component (C2). 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.

A method for managing and/or treating obesity and/or overweight and/or for inducing weight loss. The method includes orally administering to a patient a composition capable of being transformed into a hydrogel foam after its introduction into the patient stomach. The hydrogel foam occupies at least 20% of the volume of the patient stomach.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a porous material, at least 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 a catalyst (C) selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and earth alkali metal salts of a saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic acid with 4 to 8 carbon atoms. 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.

Described herein are polymer complexes, including polymer gels and polymer foams, containing electrically conductive polymers and ionic liquids. The polymer complexes described herein are useful as components of electronic devices.

An amino-containing silica particle is provided. The amino-containing silica particle is obtained by hydrolysis-condensation reaction of an alkoxy silane represented by formula (I), an alkoxy silane represented by formula (II) and a catalyst:

Si(OR.sup.1).sub.4formula (I)

(NH.sub.2Y).sub.mSi(OR.sup.2).sub.4-mformula (II)

wherein in formula (I), R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl group, and in formula (II), Y is a C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl group or a C.sub.2-C.sub.10 alkenyl group, R.sup.2 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl group, and m is an integer of 1 to 3.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gel material including a solvophilic polymer having a m-scale porous structure. A polymer gel in which solvophilic polymer units are cross-linked with each other, wherein the polymer gel contains a solvent and has a three-dimensional network structure having two regions: a first region in which the polymer units are densely present and a second region in which the polymer units are sparsely present, and a mesh size composed of the first region is from 1 to 500 m.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a porous material, at least comprising the steps of providing a mixture (I) comprising a water soluble polysaccharide, at least one compound suitable to react as cross-linker for the polysaccharide or to release a cross-linker for the polysaccharide, and water, and preparing a gel (A) comprising exposing mixture (I) to carbon dioxide at a pressure in the range of from 20 to 100 bar for a time sufficient to form a gel (A), and depressurizing the gel (A). Gel (A) subsequently is exposed to a water miscible solvent (L) to obtain a gel (B), which is dried. 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, for cosmetic applications, for biomedical applications or for pharmaceutical applications.