Mesoporous poly (aryl ether ketone) articles are formed from blends of poly (aryl ether ketones) with pore forming additives by melt processing, and can be in the form of a monofilament, disc, film, microcapillary or other complex shapes. The method of formation provides for preparation of poly (aryl ether ketone) articles with high degree of surface area and uniform nanometer pore size. The preferred poly (aryl ether ketone)s are poly (ether ketone) and poly (ether ether ketone). The mesoporous articles formed by the method of the present invention are useful for a broad range of applications, including molecular separations and organic solvent filtration.

A porous layer is described. The porous layer comprises a solidified sol-gel inorganic material having a distribution of nanometric voids, wherein at least some of nanometric voids are at least partially coated internally by carbon or a hydrophobic substance containing carbon.

A porous layer is described. The porous layer comprises a solidified sol-gel inorganic material having a distribution of nanometric voids, wherein at least some of nanometric voids are at least partially coated internally by carbon or a hydrophobic substance containing carbon.

Provided are a varnish for porous polyimide film production, providing an unburned composite film that is less likely to have a sea-island structure, and a method for producing a porous polyimide film using the same. The varnish according to the present invention comprises a resin including polyamide acid and/or polyimide, fine particles, and a solvent, and has a fine particle content of not less than 65% by volume relative to the total of the resin and the fine particles and a viscosity at 25° C. of not less than 550 mPa.Math.s. Preferably, the varnish further comprises a dispersant. The method for producing a porous polyimide film according to the present invention comprises: forming an unburned composite film using the varnish; burning the unburned composite film to obtain a polyimide-fine particle composite film; and removing the fine particles from the polyimide-fine particle composite film.

Provided are a varnish for porous polyimide film production, providing an unburned composite film that is less likely to have a sea-island structure, and a method for producing a porous polyimide film using the same. The varnish according to the present invention comprises a resin including polyamide acid and/or polyimide, fine particles, and a solvent, and has a fine particle content of not less than 65% by volume relative to the total of the resin and the fine particles and a viscosity at 25° C. of not less than 550 mPa.Math.s. Preferably, the varnish further comprises a dispersant. The method for producing a porous polyimide film according to the present invention comprises: forming an unburned composite film using the varnish; burning the unburned composite film to obtain a polyimide-fine particle composite film; and removing the fine particles from the polyimide-fine particle composite film.

Methods of forming nanoporous materials are described herein that include forming a polymer network with a chemically removable portion. The chemically removable portion may be polycarbonate polymer that is removable on application of heat or exposure to a base, or a polyhexahydrotriazine (PHT) or polyhemiaminal (PHA) polymer that is removable on exposure to an acid. The method generally includes forming a reaction mixture comprising a formaldehyde, a solvent, a primary aromatic diamine, and a diamine having a primary amino group and a secondary amino group, the secondary amino group having a base-reactive substituent, and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of between about 50 degC and about 150 degC to form a polymer. Removing any portion of the polymer results in formation of nanoscopic pores as polymer chains are decomposed, leaving pores in the polymer matrix.

Methods of forming nanoporous materials are described herein that include forming a polymer network with a chemically removable portion. The chemically removable portion may be polycarbonate polymer that is removable on application of heat or exposure to a base, or a polyhexahydrotriazine (PHT) or polyhemiaminal (PHA) polymer that is removable on exposure to an acid. The method generally includes forming a reaction mixture comprising a formaldehyde, a solvent, a primary aromatic diamine, and a diamine having a primary amino group and a secondary amino group, the secondary amino group having a base-reactive substituent, and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of between about 50 degC and about 150 degC to form a polymer. Removing any portion of the polymer results in formation of nanoscopic pores as polymer chains are decomposed, leaving pores in the polymer matrix.

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.

There is provided a method for producing a separator for an electricity storage device that includes a step of contacting a porous body formed from a silane-modified polyolefin-containing molded sheet with a base solution or acid solution, and a separator for an electricity storage device comprising a microporous film with a melted film rupture temperature of 180° C. to 220° C. as measured by thermomechanical analysis (TMA).

A process for the efficient transfer of molecules between phases employing mesoporous poly (aryl ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes is provided. The method addresses the controlled transfer of reactants into and removal of reaction products from a reaction media and the removal and separation of target molecules from process streams by membrane-assisted liquid-liquid extraction. A number of possible modes of liquid-liquid extraction are possible according to the invention by utilizing porous poly (aryl ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes of Janus-like structure that exhibit a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface characteristics. The method of the present invention can address the continuous manufacture of chemicals in membrane reactors and is useful for a broad range of separation applications, including separation and recovery of active pharmaceutical ingredients.