Microporous polymer foams for biomaterials
A variety of microcellular foams were prepared for use in the fabrication of targets for inertial confinement fusion and pulsed driven x-ray lasers. The process consists of three steps. First a polymer and solvent are heated above their critical temperature to achieve a homogenous polymer solution. Next, the solution is quenched in a controlled fashion, usually within a mold. Quenching results in the formation of bi-continuous phases: a polymer-rich phase and a solvent-rich phase. Once phase separation has occurred, the solution can be frozen or alternatively with certain polymers the solution may form a stable gel. In the final step, the solvent is removed by sublimation of the frozen solvent or by liquid extraction of a resulting gel leaving behind a microcellular polymer foam. By controlling the phase separation during the quench, the foam morphology and pore size can be varied. 8 refs., 4 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 7127509
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-88-1121C; CONF-880912-5; ON: DE88010578
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
FABRICATION
FOAMS
GELS
HEAT TREATMENTS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLASTICS
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
POLYURETHANES
POROSITY
QUENCHING
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENTS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS