Foam-like materials and methods for producing same

• US 8,679,570 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Allergan, Inc. (Canada) (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goraltchouk, Alexei, Thompson, Jordan M., Ma, Kevin A., Van Epps, Dennis E., Manesis, Nicholas J., Abiad, Miram M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan, Dah-Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Diane
• Application Number:
  US13/093,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 427/2.24, 623 7- 8
• US Class Current: 427/2.24
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/046 Elimination of a polymeric phase
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/26 by elimination of a solid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. leaching out
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/365 Coating

Abstract

Described herein are foam-like materials having substantially the same physical structure of polyurethane foams but with properties that can be tailored for a particular application. Methods of forming these foam-like materials are also described.

Claims

1. A method of making a foam-like material comprising:

providing a polyurethane foam base material having a porous surface;

contacting the base material with a first fluid material;

drawing the first fluid material into intimate contact with the base material to form a conformal coat of the first fluid material on the base material, the conformal coat having a thickness of about 50 μ

m to about 100 μ

m;

curing the conformal coat on the base material; and

removing the base material from the cured conformal coat, resulting in a foam-like material comprising the cured first fluid material, the foam-like material having a porous surface conforming to a polyurethane foam.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of drawing the first fluid material into intimate contact with the base material includes using a vacuum.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising using positive air pressure to blow away excess fluid material from the base material before the step of curing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first fluid material is a silicone elastomer dispersion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first fluid material is a Styrene Isoprene Styrene dispersion.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first fluid material is a fluoroelastomer dispersion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the base material is removed by dissolution.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the base material is a polyurethane foam and the first fluid material is a fluoroelastomer dispersion.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the base material is a polyurethane foam and the first fluid material is a styrene isoprene styrene dispersion.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the base material comprises removing the base material from the cured first fluid material.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the base material comprises contacting the base material with a solution, mixture suspension, emulsion, dispersion or combination thereof capable of dissolving the base material.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of removing at least a portion of the base material comprises degradation or dissolution of the base material with a base, a solvent, an enzyme, an acid, heat, oxidation, ultraviolet light, gamma irradiation, visible light, infrared light or a combination thereof.