A novel processing approach for free-standing porous non-oxide ceramic supports from polycarbosilane and polysilazane precursors
In this contribution, a low-pressure/low-temperature casting technique for the preparation of novel free-standing macrocellular polymer-derived ceramic support structures is presented. Preceramic polymers (polycarbosilane and poly(vinyl)silazane) are combined with sacrificial porogens (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene microbeads) to yield porous ceramic materials in the Si—C or Si—C—N systems, exhibiting well-defined pore structures after thermal conversion. The planar-disc-type specimens were found to exhibit biaxial flexural strengths of up to 60 MPa. In combination with their observed permeability characteristics, the prepared structures were found to be suitable for potential applications in filtration, catalysis, or membrane science.
Analysis of polyethylene-particle filled SiCN precursor and the resulting porous ceramics with emphasis on using micro computed tomography
Porous, polymer derived SiCN ceramics are synthesized from a solid polysilazane (PSZMS) and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (PE) as sacrificial filler. Common analytical methods for the investigation of the thermal decomposition processes and the formed (macro) porosities, such as thermogravimetry and mercury porosimetry respectively, were supplemented by micro computed tomography (µ-CT) measurements. Due to its non-destructive nature, this method enables the comparative analysis of both, the in the first step formed preceramic duromers, to distinguish between the different polymers, as well as the resulting porous ceramics. The via µ-CT determined values for the two polymer phases after cross-linking are in a good agreement with the used original amounts of PE and PSZMS. In contrast the values for the porosity resulting from the PE filler and for the formed SiCN ceramic after pyrolysis differ in greater extent due to the limiting resolution that can be achieved by applying µ-CT measurements.
Practical, legal, and ethical issues in expanded access to investigational drugs.
The authors review the FDA policies and procedures that permit some patients with serious conditions to receive investigational drugs before formal product approval and examine the legal and ethical issues associated with expanded access.