According to the present disclosure, a plurality of aluminum oxide nanoparticles and a polymerizable monomer are dissolved in a polyimide solution to obtain a polyimide mixed solution. Next, the polyimide mixed solution is coated onto a glass substrate. Then, the surface of the glass substrate is irradiated with UV light to form a network polymer on the surface of the glass substrate, the network polymer enclosing the aluminum oxide nanoparticles. Finally, the glass substrate is heated to form the flexible material having the surface protecting layer. Abrasion resistance of the flexible material manufactured according to the present disclosure is excellent.

Described herein are compositions useful for controlling fluid flow, for example in a target zone of a subterranean environment, and methods of forming and using the same. The composition generally comprises a quantity of fibers and a quantity of swellable particles, which may be dispersed in a carrier fluid. The composition may be synthesized in the form of a bulk gel or may be gelatinated during use. The fibers in the compositions provide improved performance as compared to prior PPG and RPPG particle-containing compositions. Specifically, the compositions reinforce the re-cross-linked/re-associated hydrogel plug in underground features and support proper rehydration of RPPG particles with water or brine to better to provide structural support for the particles within the gel and to more completely fill underground void space conduits.

Methods for synthesizing a hydrogel are disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (a) dissolving effective amounts of a monomer, a crosslinker, and a photoinitiator in deionized water, wherein the overall concentration is about 200 mg/ml; (b) preparing a solution of a fluorinated acrylate or diacrylate in ethanol wherein the overall concentration is about 200 mg/ml; (c) separately stirring the solutions prepared in steps (a) and (b) for approximately three hours; (c) gradually introducing the solution from step (b) into the solution from step (a); (d) stirring the resulting solution from step (c) for about two hours; and (e) exposing the solution from step (d) to UV-A irradiation for about 15 minutes.

A manufacturing method includes: inducing gelation of an electrically conductive polymer to form a gel; infiltrating the gel with a solution including monomers; and polymerizing the monomers to form a secondary polymer network intermixed with the electrically conductive polymer.

Aqueous binder compositions for binding fibers comprise a vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer of 60 to 94% by weight vinyl acetate, 5 to 30% by weight ethylene and 0 to 20% by weight of further ethylenically unsaturated comonomers copolymerizable therewith, polymerized in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol in aqueous medium, wherein the polymerization is carried out in the presence of a copolymer B) containing 20 to 50% by weight of monomer units derived from ethylenically unsaturated carboxamides, 20 to 50% by weight of monomer units derived from ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids, and 20 to 50% by weight of monomer units derived from ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids or anhydrides thereof.

A method of forming a cartilage mimetic gel includes irradiating a first network precursor in a first network, forming, via the irradiating, a single network hydrogel, soaking the single network hydrogel in a second network comprising a second network precursor, irradiating the second network precursor forming a double network hydrogel structure, and soaking the double network hydrogel structure to allow for the double network hydrogel structure to swell to equilibrium.

The invention is related to a hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens having a layered structural configuration: a lower water content silicone hydrogel core (or bulk material) completely covered with a layer of a higher water content hydrogel totally or substantially free of silicone. A hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens of the invention possesses high oxygen permeability for maintaining the corneal health and a soft, water-rich, lubricious surface for wearing comfort.

Disclosed herein are hydrogels comprising a polynucleotide-based structural component. Methods of altering a property of a hydrogel based on user-defined nucleic acid input sequences are also disclosed. In addition, various applications are described that utilize these hydrogels and methods.

The invention relates to a process for producing a pulverulent composition comprising at least one polymeric dispersant (PD) which comprises structural units having anionic and/or anionogenic groups and structural units having polyether side chains, and at least one polysaccharide (PS). The process here comprises the process steps: a) production of an aqueous dispersion having a viscosity of the dispersion of less than 10 000 mPa.Math.s, comprising the at least one polymeric dispersant (PD) and the at least one polysaccharide (PS) and b) spray drying of the aqueous dispersion produced in process step a). Furthermore, the use of the pulverulent composition according to the invention in inorganic binder compositions, especially as a rheological additive, is disclosed.

Disclosed is an anion exchange porous medium, e.g., a porous membrane, that includes a porous support and a crosslinked cationic polymer coating disposed thereon, wherein the cationic polymer of the crosslinked cationic polymer coating comprises polymerized monomer (A) and polymerized monomer (B) wherein A and B are as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the anion exchange porous medium and of treating a fluid containing a biologic.