Microporous polymer foams for biomaterials

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7127509

Aubert, J; Sylwester, A; Rand, P

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

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
360602 -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700209 -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
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