A porous polymer monolith comprises a polymer body having macroporous through-pores that facilitate fluid flow through the body and an array of mesopores adapted to bind from the fluid flow molecules of a predetermined range of sizes, wherein the surface area of the monolith is predominantly provided by the mesopores. Also disclosed is a method of making a porous polymer monolith. The method includes forming a polymer body by phase separation out of a solution containing at least a monomer, a crosslinker and a primary porogen, whereby the body contains multiple macroporous through-pores, wherein the solution further contains a secondary porogen comprising oligomers inert with respect to the monomer and cross-linker but chemically compatible with the monomer so as to form mesostructures within the polymer body during said phase separation, and washing the mesostructures from the body to provide an array of mesopores such that the surface area of the monolith is predominantly provided by the mesopores.

Aerogels comprising a hydrophobic polyimide moiety, including hydrophobic polyimide aerogels, as well as methods of manufacture and applications thereof, are generally described.

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A polymer solution is created by mixing an olefin-based resin and a solvent in a pressure vessel. A high-pressure fluid of carbon dioxide is created. Temperature of the high-pressure fluid is adjusted. A mixed fluid is created by mixing the high-pressure fluid of which the temperature is adjusted and the polymer solution in the pressure vessel. Cooling of the mixed fluid causes phase separation of the mixed fluid to occur. After phase separation, pressure in the pressure vessel is released, and the solvent and the carbon dioxide vaporize. The vaporizing of the solvent and the carbon dioxide creates a porous medium of olefin-based resin.

A moisture barrier layer-foamed polymeric composite sheet underlayment article comprising a foamed polymeric sheet and a moisture barrier layer adhered thereto is disclosed. In one aspect, cork particles are present in the composite.

The present invention discloses novel porous polymeric compositions comprising random copolymers of amides, imides, ureas, and carbamic-anhydrides, useful for the synthesis of monolithic bimodal microporous/macroporous carbon aerogels. It also discloses methods for producing said microporous/macroporous carbon aerogels by the reaction of a polyisocyanate compound and a polycarboxylic acid compound, followed by pyrolytic carbonization, and by reactive etching with CO.sub.2 at elevated temperatures. Also disclosed are methods for using the microporous/macroporous carbon aerogels in the selective capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Cellular and multi-cellular polystyrene and polystyrenic foams and methods of forming such foams are disclosed. The foams include an expanded polystyrene formed from expansion of an expandable polystyrene including an adsorbent comprising alumina, wherein the multi-cellular polystyrene exhibits a multi-cellular size distribution. The process for forming a foamed article includes providing a formed styrenic polymer and contacting the formed styrenic polymer with a first blowing agent and an adsorbent comprising alumina to form extrusion polystyrene. The process further includes forming the extrusion styrenic polymer into an expanded styrenic polymer and forming the expanded styrenic polymer into a foamed article.

Polymeric porous particles have a continuous organic solid phase and at least two sets of discrete pores that are isolated from each other within the continuous phase and that have different average sizes. One set of discrete pores has a larger average size than another set of discrete pores by at least 50%. At least one set of discrete pores is free of detectably different marker materials. There porous particles can be prepared using evaporative limited coalescence techniques with especially chosen discrete pore stabilizing hydrocolloids to protect the pores during formation and to provide the different average sizes. The resulting porous particles can be incorporated into articles of various types and having various shapes.

Organic polymer aerogels, articles of manufacture, and uses thereof are described. The aerogels include an organic polymer matrix and microstructures dispersed within the aerogels, which provides for superior thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.

Fiber-reinforced organic polymer aerogels, articles of manufacture and uses thereof are described. The reinforced aerogels include a fiber-reinforced organic polymer matrix having an at least bimodal pore size distribution with a first mode of pores having an average pore size of less than or equal to 50 nanometers (nm) and a second mode of pores having an average pore size of greater than 50 nm and a thermal conductivity of less than or equal to 30 mW/m.Math.K at a temperature of 20° C.

An intravascular multi-side hole catheter containing a bioscaffold capable of housing therapeutic cells is provided. The catheter comprises a plurality of side holes distributed along the length of the catheter in a spiraling corkscrew pattern. The bioscaffold inside the catheter is designed with a plurality of macropores capable of encapsulating therapeutic cells for cellular therapy. Upon placement of the catheter in a vein, the side holes allow blood to flow though the catheter thereby supplying oxygen and nutrients to any loaded cellular cargo and also providing for the removal of waste products. Methods of producing the intravascular catheter and methods of using the intravascular catheter in cellular therapy, including for delivery of insulin-secreting cells such as beta cells or stem cell-derived islets into blood vessels for treating type 1 diabetes are also disclosed.