Microporous material and systems and methods for making the same

A method of producing a porous, hydrogel matrix, said method comprising

• providing a dope mix comprising at least one matrix polymer and at least one nonsolvent polymer;
• producing a first cast material by casting the dope mix in a form selected from the group consisting of a thin layer, a continuous sheet, a hollow fiber, a tube, a coating on a porous substrate, a coating on a non-porous substrate, and a coating on a monolith;
• exposing the first cast material for a predetermined period of time to a humid gas or humid mix of gases to produce a second cast material;
• forming the porous matrix by immersing the second cast material in a coagulation bath comprising a quenching solution, the quenching solution comprising at least one non-solvent;
• rinsing the matrix in a rinse bath to perform a pre-drying rinse, such that between 1% and 15% of the original non-solvent polymer remains in contact with the matrix after rinsing;
• and
• drying the matrix to form a porous hydrogel matrix with which the non-solvent polymer is substantially bound.