Porous polymer structures
First Claim
1. A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of:
- forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent;
subjecting the liquid composition to stress, to cause the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase;
solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and
removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of: forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to stress, and if necessary also to a reduction in temperature, to cause the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase.
21 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of:
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forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to stress, to cause the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 38)
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14. A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of:
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forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to stress to decrease the Gibbs free energy of mixing of the composition and form a homogeneous solution; simultaneously or consecutively decreasing the temperature of the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of:
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forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent, the liquid composition being a homogeneous solution at a predetermined temperature; subjecting the liquid composition to stress at the predetermined temperature to increase the Gibbs-free energy of mixing of the composition causing the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition at the predetermined temperature, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A porous polymer structure wherein at least a portion of the polymer has a bi-continuous morphology comprising a plurality of interconnected pores having a cellular structures;
wherein the polymer has regions of different morphology. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
Specification