A hollow fibre membrane having a coiled, a hemihelix, a helical or an undulated native form, in which the membrane can be stretched by up to 4-times its original length with no plastic deformation, and wherein the native form of the membrane is produced by the asymmetric flow of liquid polymer through an opening of a die or nozzle.

A hollow fibre membrane having a coiled, a hemihelix, a helical or an undulated native form, in which the membrane can be stretched by up to 4-times its original length with no plastic deformation, and wherein the native form of the membrane is produced by the asymmetric flow of liquid polymer through an opening of a die or nozzle.

A foamable filament composition comprising a single polymer or blend of polymers and a foaming agent having an activation temperature, wherein the single polymer or blend of polymers has a sufficient molecular weight to allow for polymer chain entanglement, and wherein the single polymer or polymer blend is melt-processable at a temperature below the activation temperature of the foaming agent.

A foamable filament composition comprising a single polymer or blend of polymers and a foaming agent having an activation temperature, wherein the single polymer or blend of polymers has a sufficient molecular weight to allow for polymer chain entanglement, and wherein the single polymer or polymer blend is melt-processable at a temperature below the activation temperature of the foaming agent.

The present application discloses a method for preparing microporous PVA fiber comprising the following steps: Step 1: preparing spinning solution, calcium hydroxide solution, and sodium sulfate solution; Step 2: cooling the spinning solution to 40-60° C., and adding a foaming agent thereto to provide the PVA spinning stock solution; Step 3: spinning into the sodium sulfate solution so that the fiber containing the reaction product of the foaming agent and the mirabilite is dehydrated to provide a primary PVA fiber; Step 4: reacting the fiber with the calcium hydroxide solution to provide a secondary fiber; Step 5: foaming and pore forming; and Step 6: cleaning and drying to provide the final product of microporous PVA fiber.

The present application discloses a method for preparing microporous PVA fiber comprising the following steps: Step 1: preparing spinning solution, calcium hydroxide solution, and sodium sulfate solution; Step 2: cooling the spinning solution to 40-60° C., and adding a foaming agent thereto to provide the PVA spinning stock solution; Step 3: spinning into the sodium sulfate solution so that the fiber containing the reaction product of the foaming agent and the mirabilite is dehydrated to provide a primary PVA fiber; Step 4: reacting the fiber with the calcium hydroxide solution to provide a secondary fiber; Step 5: foaming and pore forming; and Step 6: cleaning and drying to provide the final product of microporous PVA fiber.

The disclosure provides a method for preparing a hollow fiber membrane by melt spinning-stretching and selective swelling, including: preparing a nascent hollow fiber by melt spinning in an inert gas protective atmosphere by using an amphiphilic block copolymer as a film forming material, and stretching the nascent hollow fiber in the cooling process, a stretch rate being controlled at 200-540 mm/min, and a stretch ratio being controlled at 150-600%; immersing the obtained hollow fiber in a swelling solvent, and treating the hollow fiber in a water bath at 65° C. for 1 h; and then transferring the hollow fiber into a long-chain alkane solvent, treating the hollow fiber at the same temperature for 1-12 h, and after the completion of the treatment, immediately taking out the hollow fiber and drying the hollow fiber to obtain the hollow fiber membrane with a bicontinuous porous structure. By combining the melt spinning-stretching and the selective swelling, the method of the disclosure can synchronously and continuously improve the permeability and selectivity of the hollow fiber membrane. The treatment in the long-chain alkane solvent can make the polar chain excessively enriched on the surface of the membrane migrate inward, thereby improving the performance of the hollow fiber membrane.

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.

A spin dope composition produces a polymeric fiber useful in non-cryogenic gas separation. The composition includes polysulfone as the polymeric component, two solvents, in which the polymer is soluble, and a non-solvent, in which the polymer is insoluble. The solvents preferably include N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAC), and the non-solvent preferably includes triethylene glycol (TEG). Fibers made from the present composition have been found to exhibit superior properties of gas flux and selectivity, as compared with fibers made from spin dopes having only one solvent component.