Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Eveready Battery Company, Inc.

Playtex Products, Inc.

Lih-Sheng Turng

Hao-yang Mi

Yiyang Xu

Xiaofei Sun

Xiaochun Li

Dong-Fang Wang

Yu-Jyun Lin

Jun Peng

Keith J Edgett

Eugene P Dougherty

Yiyan Peng

Patrick Gorton

Thomas K Ellingham, Jr

Dongfang Wang

Chris Lacey

Jungjoo Lee

Larry R Holmes, Jr

Zbongbao Chen

Adam J Kramschuster

Michael P DeCicco

Jr Eugene P Dougherty

Disclosed herein are novel wavy, multi-component vascular grafts (WMVGs) with a wavy inner layer of rigid biopolymer fibers and an outer layer of elastic biopolymer fibers and a method for preparing WMVGs via electrospinning using a special assembled collector. The fabricated WMVGs closely mimic the non-linear tensile stress-strain relationship of native blood vessels and showed sufficient mechanical strength needed for implantation.

Wavy multi-component vascular grafts with biomimetic mechanical properties, antithrombogenicity, and endothelial cell affinity

Methods of making polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/polymer composites are disclosed herein. The products can be used in the field of bio- and medical applications, such as for use in artificial blood vessels, vascular grafts, cardiovascular and soft tissue patches, facial implants, surgical sutures, and endovascular prosthesis, and for any products known in the aerospace, electronics, fabrics, filtration, industrial and sealant arts.

Methods of making polytetrafluoroethylene/polymer composites and uses thereof

Disclosed herein are methods for modifying a substrate having a hydrophobic surface. Also disclosed are modified hydrophobic substrates. The modified hydrophobic substrates and methods disclosed herein advantageously improve cell affinity and antithrombogenicity of hydrophobic surfaces.

Promoting endothelial cell affinity and antithrombogenicity of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) by mussel-inspired modification and RGD/heparin grafting

Green, fast and easy evaporating organic solvent for use as a lubricant in the processing of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) products and processes of using the solvents to fabricate the products are disclosed herein. The products can be used in the field of bio- and medical applications, such as for use in vascular grafts, cardiovascular and soft tissue patches, facial implants, surgical sutures, and endovascular prosthesis, and for any products known in the aerospace, electronics, fabrics, filtration, industrial and sealant arts.

Green fabrication of polytetrafluoroethylene and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and uses thereof

A method of processing of a polymer blend is provided. The method includes the step of introducing a polymer material and a secondary polymer material into a barrel of an extruder. A user-selected gas having a supercritical point is injected into the barrel. The user-selected gas is below the supercritical point thereof. The polymer material, the secondary polymer material and the user-selected gas are mixed within the barrel to form a polymer blend. The polymer blend is ejected from the barrel into a mold, pelletizer or the like.

Sub-critical gas-assisted processing of a polymer blend

A triboelectric generator and method are provided. The triboelectric generator includes a first electrode having an inner surface and an outer surface and a second electrode having an inner surface and an outer surface. A dielectric layer has a first surface and a second surface in engagement with the inner surface of the second electrode. The dielectric layer impregnated with biorenewable fillers. Periodic engagement of the first surface of the dielectric layer with the inner surface of the first electrode generates an electrical output across the first and second electrodes.

Cellulose composite-structured triboelectric generator and method

A method of fabricating an injection-molded component is provided. The method includes the step of introducing pellets into an injection barrel of an injection molding machine. The pellets include a first supercritical fluid. The pellets are plasticized in the injection barrel and a second supercritical fluid is injected into the plasticized pellets. The second supercritical fluid and the plasticized pellets are mixed to form a mixed material. The mixed material is injected into a mold.

Method of fabricating an injection molded component

A method of fabricating a foamed, injection-molded component is provided. The method includes the step of plasticizing pellets including a first polymeric material and a second polymeric material within an injection barrel to form an injection material. The first polymeric material defines a first phase of the injection material and the second polymeric material defines a second phase of the injection material. The first and second phases of the injection material are immiscible. The injection material is injected into a mold to fabricate the foamed injection-molded component having microscale, microcellular voids. Upon tensile loading, submicron, secondary phase cavities are formed in the injection-molded component, resulting in improved ductility and toughness.

Method of fabricating a foamed, injection molded component with improved ductility and toughness

In a method of microcellular injection molding, a polymer and a supercritical fluid are processed. A condition of processing the polymer and/or the supercritical fluid is adjusted to control a weight of a plastic part and/or a surface characteristic of a plastic part produced. In another method of producing a plastic part using microcellular injection molding, a polymer is heated and melted and a supercritical fluid is added thereto. The resulting mix is a single-phase polymer-gas solution comprising the polymer and the supercritical fluid. The polymer and/or the supercritical fluid are adjusted to control the weight of the plastic part and/or a surface characteristic of the plastic part. Once adjusted, the melted polymer with the supercritical fluid is injected into a mold. Upon injecting the melted polymer and supercritical fluid, a pressure drop causes the supercritical fluid to nucleate in the melted polymer, thereby causing nucleation of bubbles.

Methods for microcellular injection molding

A method of fabricating a foamed, injection-molded component is provided. The method includes the step of introducing a liquid, a nucleating agent and a polymer into an injection barrel of an injection molding machine. The liquid, the nucleating agent and the polymer are injected into a mold corresponding in shape to the component and the component is released from the mold.

A method is provided of fabricating a composite incorporating fillers. The method includes the steps of depositing the fillers in a matrix material either in a rapid prototyping device or prior to inserting the matrix material into a mold. The mold is positioned at a desired location with respect to an electrical field such that at least a portion of the fillers in the matrix material align in a first direction in response thereto. For producing a heterogeneous composite through a rapid prototyping process, the electrodes are positioned at a desired orientation to align the fillers. Thereafter, at least a portion of the matrix material is cured with desirable filler orientation. The procedure is repeated with the desired filler orientation and distribution being introduced layer by layer within the composite.

Method of orientating fillers in composite materials

An injection molding quality control system which seeks to ensure greater accuracy and consistency in parts, more specifically more accurate and consistent part weight, utilizes measured part weight to adjust mold separation to better achieve a desired part weight. The mold separation is controlled via both a cycle-to-cycle adjustment in switchover point (preferably based on injected mass within the cavity), and within-cycle adjustment of holding pressure. The system can result in superior accuracy and consistency in molded parts in both the long term (i.e., over many cycles) and in the short term (from cycle to cycle).

Injection molding quality control system

A method of fabricating a highly porous structure is provided. The method includes the step of compounding a biodegradable polymer, a water-soluble polymer and a porogen to form a composite blend. A foaming agent is dissolved into the composite blend and the composite blend is injected into a mold so as to form the structure. Thereafter, the structure is removed from the mold and leached in a fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Lih-Sheng Turng