Biofunctional polymers prepared in supercritical fluid
AssigneeThe University of Nottingham
InventorsSteven Melvyn Howdle, Vladimir Popov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
AssigneeThe University of Nottingham
InventorsSteven Melvyn Howdle, Vladimir Popov
Estimating the term…
Process for the preparation of a composition comprising a biofunctional polymer substrate and biofunctional material substrate adapted for use in or in association with the human or animal body, cultivated or uncultivated living matter, wherein the biofunctional material substrate is substantially insoluble in the polymer substrate and/or a supercritical fluid, wherein the process comprises contacting a mixture of the substrates or their precursors with a supercritical fluid under supercritical conditions and conditions of reduced viscosity and physical blending to plasticise and swell the polymer and distribute the biofunctional material substrate throughout the polymer, and releasing the fluid under subcritical conditions, wherein the substrates are adapted to be isolated in form of a solid admixture comprising the biofunctional material substrate in substantially unchanged chemical form, and in substantially unchanged physical form, composition obtained thereby, polymer matrix embodiment thereof and the process for its preparation.
A process for the preparation of a composition comprising a solid admixture of a biofunctional polymer substrate and a biofunctional material substrate for use in or in association with the human or animal body, cultivated or uncultivated living matter, which process comprises mixing the biofunctional material substrate in solid or liquid phase into the biofunctional polymer substrate in fluid phase or solid phase and a supercritical fluid in fluid phase under supercritical conditions of reduced viscosity to plasticize and swell the biofunctional polymer substrate and under conditions of physical blending to distribute the biofunctional material substrate throughout the biofunctional polymer substrate, and releasing the fluid under supercritical conditions, in situ, by depressurizing a pressure vessel to obtain a monolithic block of the biofunctional polymer substrate, wherein a biofunctional polymer substrate consistency, which retains a foamed state on releasing supercritical fluid is selected or less viscous biofunctional polymer substrate consistency which relaxes on releasing the supercritical fluid is selected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.