Abstract:
The present invention refers to a porous PEEK-type polymer article comprising a porous PEEK-type polymer structure and presenting at least a trimodal pore distribution. The invention describes a process for the production of said porous PEEK-type polymer article comprising: a) contacting a PEEK-type polymer with a composition comprising at least a organic solvent, b) heating at a temperature at which the PEEK-type polymer is dissolved, c) adding at least a porogen agent, d) cooling the mixture obtained in c) at a temperature at least equal or lower than the temperature at which the PEEK-type polymer precipitates, e) forming said cooled mixture into a shaped article, f) removing the organic solvent and the porogen agent, and g) recovering the PEEK-type polymer article.
Abstract:
The present invention refers to a porous PEEK-type polymer article comprising a porous PEEK-type polymer structure and presenting at least a trimodal pore distribution. The invention describes a process for the production of said porous PEEK-type polymer article comprising: a) contacting a PEEK-type polymer with a composition comprising at least a organic solvent, b) heating at a temperature at which the PEEK-type polymer is dissolved, c) adding at least a porogen agent, d) cooling the mixture obtained in c) at a temperature at least equal or lower than the temperature at which the PEEK-type polymer precipitates, e) forming said cooled mixture into a shaped article, f) removing the organic solvent and the porogen agent, and g) recovering the PEEK-type polymer article.
Abstract:
Process for recovering polyester polymer as a microporous solid from a mixed polymer recycle stream which comprises:-
a) contacting the mixed polymer recycle stream at elevated temperature with a selective solvent in which polyester polymers are soluble and other polymers present in the recycle stream are substantially insoluble to form a solution of polyester polymer in the selective solvent; b) if the concentration of polyester in said solution is below 35 wt.%, increasing it to above that value; c) cooling the selective solvent solution to form a solid material having an interconnected phase of solid polymer domains rich in polyester polymer and a phase of solvent domains rich in selective solvent; d) extracting the selective solvent from the solid material to form a microporous solid.
There is also provided an article comprising a molded, extruded, or cut, solid polyethylene terephthalate polymer having an open microporous structure, the average pore diameter being within the range of 0.5 to 50 microns.
Abstract:
Porous polymeric structures are provided along with a method to make such structures comprising heat-induced phase separation of a polymeric solution exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature.
Abstract:
A process for making a polymeric, porous hollow fibre (21) by heating a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a solvent to a temperature and for a time for the polymer and solvent to mutually dissolve, then introducing the molten mixture into an extrusion head adapted to shape the hollow fibre. The shaped fibre is then cooled in the extrusion head to a temperature so that non-equilibrium liquid-liquid phase separation takes place to form a bi-continuous matrix of the polymer and solvent in which the polymer and solvent form two intermingled separate phases of large interfacial surface area. Finally, the solvent is removed from the polymer. The extrusion head for forming the above-mentioned polymeric, porous hollow fibre has an elongated body (17, 18) defining an axial passageway (11) for receiving a lumen-forming fluid (14) and a first annular passage (12) therearound for receiving the molten mixture (15) from which the hollow fibre (21) is formed. A second annular passageway (13) is radially outward of the first annular passageway (12) and receives a coating fluid (16). A third annular passageway (19) receives a cooling fluid and has means (20) for directing the cooling fluid towards the outer surface of the coating fluid (16). The porous polymeric material of the fibre produced by the above-mentioned process has a lacey or filamentous structure consisting of a plurality of polymer strands connected together at spaced apart locations along each strand.