High strength biomedical materials and processes for making the same are disclosed. Included in the disclosure are nanoporous hydrophilic solids that can be extruded with a high aspect ratio to make high strength medical catheters and other devices with lubricious and biocompatible surfaces.

The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of a nano- and/or microscale cellulose-based foam. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a suspension (1) comprising nano- and/or microscale cellulose in an aqueous medium, (ii) simultaneously cooling and agitating the suspension (1) in a mechanical step (2a; 2b) to obtain an at least partially frozen suspension. (iii) freezing the at least partially frozen suspension (5) to obtain a substantially frozen suspension, (iv) treating the suspension under solvent-exchange (7; 8) and (v) removing the solvent (10; 13) to obtain a substantially dry foam (40A) comprising nano- and/or microscale cellulose.

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.

An aerogel and drying method, the aerogel having a larger size, good productivity, and high transparency. The aerogel has a silsesquioxane structure and exhibits two exothermic peaks observed in a temperature range of 300 to 600° C. as measured by TG-DTA (thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis) under an inert gas atmosphere containing 80% by volume of an inert gas and 20% by volume of oxygen. A method for producing aerogel includes a drying step including a first step in which an aerogel which has undergone condensation of a hydrolysate is placed in a liquid phase system having a first liquid phase and a second liquid phase; a second step in which a first solvent constituting the first liquid phase is evaporated from the first liquid phase at a temperature greater than room temperature; and a third step in which heating is still continued after the first liquid phase is evaporated off.

A method of forming a carbon foam material comprises forming an emulsion may include a phenol formaldehyde and hexamine in monoethylene glycol and water, curing the emulsion to yield a cured resin, and carbonizing the cured resin to form the carbon foam material. Forming the emulsion may include dispersing the phenol formaldehyde and hexamine in the monoethylene glycol to form an initial solution, contacting the initial solution with the water to form an initial emulsion, and agitating the initial emulsion to form an agitated emulsion. The method may further comprise contacting the agitated emulsion with an oil. Also, a carbon foam material that may be characterized as exhibiting a density of less than about 0.500 g/cc, as exhibiting a compressive strength equal to or greater than about 200 psi, or both.

High strength biomedical materials and processes for making the same are disclosed. Included in the disclosure are nanoporous hydrophilic solids that can be extruded with a high aspect ratio to make high strength medical catheters and other devices with lubricious and biocompatible surfaces.

High strength biomedical materials and processes for making the same are disclosed. Included in the disclosure are nanoporous hydrophilic solids that can be extruded with a high aspect ratio to make high strength medical catheters and other devices with lubricious and biocompatible surfaces.

High strength biomedical materials and processes for making the same are disclosed. Included in the disclosure are nanoporous hydrophilic solids that can be extruded with a high aspect ratio to make high strength medical catheters and other devices with lubricious and biocompatible surfaces.

Disclosed are cellulose-based flexible gels containing cellulose nanorods, ribbons, fibers, and the like, and cellulose-enabled inorganic or polymeric composites, wherein the gels have tunable optical, heat transfer, and stiffness properties. The disclosed gels are in the form of hydrogels, organogels, liquid-crystal (LC) gels, and aerogels. Further disclosed are highly transparent and flexible cellulose nanofiber-polysiloxane composite aerogels featuring enhanced mechanical robustness, tunable optical anisotropy, and low thermal conductivity. Further disclosed are gels comprising cellulosic material derived from bacteria and processes for preparing bacterial cellulose gels and methods of use.

Disclosed are cellulose-based flexible gels containing cellulose nanorods, ribbons, fibers, and the like, and cellulose-enabled inorganic or polymeric composites, wherein the gels have tunable optical, heat transfer, and stiffness properties. The disclosed gels are in the form of hydrogels, organogels, liquid-crystal (LC) gels, and aerogels. Further disclosed are highly transparent and flexible cellulose nanofiber-polysiloxane composite aerogels featuring enhanced mechanical robustness, tunable optical anisotropy, and low thermal conductivity. Further disclosed are gels comprising cellulosic material derived from bacteria and processes for preparing bacterial cellulose gels and methods of use