Crystallization of constrained polymers
AssigneeUniversity of Massachusetts, a Massachusetts corporation
InventorsH. Henning Winter, Griffin Gappert
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Abstract
The invention provides micro- and nano-porous materials made from crosslinked polymers crystallized from supercritical fluids. The resulting products show an open cell porous network, and can be used for a variety of applications in medical fields, textiles, separation science and others. The invention also provides methods for obtaining such products.
Claims35
A method for producing porous structure in a polymer, the method comprising:
- a) shaping a polymer;
- b) constraining the structure of at least a portion of the polymer;
- c) melting the polymer;
- d) contacting the melted, constrained polymer with a solvent under conditions, and for a time sufficient to cause at least partial swelling of the polymer;
- e) crystallizing the swollen polymer;
- and
- f) removing the solvent, to yield a porous polymer.
A method for making a shaped material, the method comprising:
- allowing a solidifiable material to impregnate the interior of a porous structure;
- solidifying the solidifiable material;
- and
- removing the porous structure to produce a shaped material.
A porous crosslinked polymer having pore diameters from about 0.01 μm to about 100 μm, and having a open-cell, bicontinuous structure.
A method for growing cells comprising:
- providing a porous crosslinked polymeric scaffold;
- at least a portion of the surface of which is coated with cells;
- and
- allowing the cells to grow for a time, and under conditions, sufficient to produce new cell.
A battery separator comprising a porous crosslinked polymer.
A porous polymer having pore sizes between about 0.1 μm and 100 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.