The composition, advantageously an emulsion or a foam, includes an internal phase dispersed in a hydrophilic continuous phase, the percentage of the internal phase being higher than 50%. The emulsion composition contains nanocrystals of a polysaccharide other than cellulose, advantageously chitin, that are located at the interface between the internal phase and the hydrophilic continuous phase.

(Co)polymer matrix composites including a porous (co)polymeric network; a nonvolatile diluent, and a multiplicity of thermally-conductive particles distributed within the (co)polymeric network; wherein the thermally-conductive particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the (co)polymer matrix (including the thermally-conductive particles and the nonvolatile diluent). Optionally, the (co)polymer matrix composite volumetrically expands by at least 10% of its initial volume when exposed to a temperature of at least 135° C. Methods of making and using the (co)polymer matrix composites are also disclosed. The (co)polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as heat dissipating or heat absorbing articles, as fillers, thermal interface materials, and thermal management materials, for example, in electronic devices, more particularly mobile handheld electronic devices, power supplies, and batteries.

Method of preparing a porous material includes preparing a mixture of from about 10 to about 30% by mass of a matrix material, from about 20 to about 60% by mass of a plurality of particles, from about 20 to about 60% by mass of a porogen, and from about 1 to about 10% by mass of an interfacial compatibilizer. The matrix material and the porogen may be selected so as to be phase separated in the mixture. The method may further include placing the mixture into a form; initiating a solidification of the matrix material during which the porogen remains nonvolatile and the matrix material and the porogen remain phase separated; and removing at least a portion of the porogen to obtain the porous material. Porous materials produced by the methods. Microfluidic channels produced by the methods.

A polymer matrix composite comprising a porous polymeric network; and a plurality of dielectric particles distributed within the polymeric network structure; wherein the dielectric particles are present in a range from 5 to 98 weight percent, based on the total weight of the dielectric particles and the polymer (excluding the solvent); and wherein the polymer matrix composite has a dielectric constant in a range from 1.05 to 80; and methods for making the same. Polymer matrix composites comprising dielectric particles are useful, for example, as electric field insulators.

A porous membrane includes a modacrylic copolymer. The modacrylic copolymer includes, with respect to 100 parts by mass of all structural units constituting the modacrylic copolymer, 15 to 85 parts by mass of a structural unit derived from acrylonitrile, 15 to 85 parts by mass of a structural unit derived from at least one halogen-containing monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl halide and vinylidene halide, and 0 to 10 parts by mass of a structural unit derived from a vinyl monomer having an ionic substituent. The porous membrane can be produced by preparing a modacrylic copolymer solution by dissolving the modacrylic copolymer in a solvent, and bringing the modacrylic copolymer solution into contact with a non-solvent for the modacrylic copolymer such that the modacrylic copolymer solution is solidified.

(Co)polymer matrix composites including a porous (co)polymeric network; a multiplicity of thermally-conductive particles and a multiplicity of magnetic particles distributed within the (co)polymeric network structure; wherein the thermally-conductive particles, magnetic particles and optional magnetic particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the particles and the (co)polymer (excluding the solvent). Methods of making and using the (co)polymer matrix composites are also disclosed. The (co)polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as heat dissipating or heat absorbing thermal interface materials that also provide magnetic properties useful, for example, in flux field directional materials or shielding from electromagnetic interference.

(Co)polymer matrix composites including a porous (co)polymeric network; a multiplicity of thermally-conductive particles, and a multiplicity of endothermic particles distributed within the (co)polymeric network structure; wherein the thermally-conductive particles and endothermic particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the particles and the (co)polymer (excluding the solvent). Optionally, the (co)polymer matrix composite volumetrically expands by at least 10% of its initial volume when exposed to a temperature of at least 135° C. Methods of making and using the (co)polymer matrix composites are also disclosed. The (co)polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as heat dissipating or heat absorbing articles, as fillers, thermal interface materials, and thermal management materials, for example, in electronic devices, more particularly mobile handheld electronic devices, power supplies, and batteries.

(Co)polymer matrix composites including a porous (co)polymeric network; a multiplicity of thermally-conductive particles, a multiplicity of intumescent particles and optionally a multiplicity of endothermic particles distributed within the (co)polymeric network structure; wherein the thermally-conductive particles, intumescent particles and optional endothermic particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the particles and the (co)polymer (excluding the solvent). Optionally, the (co)polymer matrix composite volumetrically expands by at least 50% over its initial volume when exposed to at least one temperature greater than 135° C. when exposed to at least one temperature greater than 135° C. Methods of making and using the (co)polymer matrix composites are also disclosed. The (co)polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as heat dissipating or heat absorbing articles, thermally-initiated fuses, and fire-stop devices.

Polymer matrix composite comprising a porous polymeric network; and a plurality of intumescent particles distributed within the polymeric network structure; wherein the intumescent particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the intumescent particles and the polymer (excluding the solvent); and wherein the polymer matrix composite volumetrically expands at least 2 times its initial volume when exposed to at least one temperature greater than 135° C.; and methods for making the same. The polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as fillers, thermally initiated fuses, and fire stop devices.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing nanoporous polysulfone-based polymers, including: a copolymer of a polysulfone polymer and a polar polymer is immersed into a compound swelling agent, and maintained for at least 1 minute above room temperature; the compound swelling agent is a solvent pair composed of the mixture of solvent A and solvent B; the solvent A has high affinity with the polysulfone polymer; and the solvent B has high affinity with the polar polymer; the treated copolymer is taken out from the compound swelling agent and then dried to remove the solvent to obtain the nanoporous polysulfone-based polymers.