| CPC C08J 3/18 (2013.01) [B27D 1/06 (2013.01); C08J 7/02 (2013.01); C08J 7/08 (2013.01); C08L 97/02 (2013.01); C08J 2397/02 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |

|
1. A continuous, half-continuous or static method of plasticizing and densifying hydrophilic polymeric biomaterials, said hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial having at least one surface, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial;
(b) softening said surface of the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial to be compressed by applying heat to increase the temperature of the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial;
(c) compressing the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial by applying an elevated pressure onto the softened surface of said hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial obtained in step (b) at an elevated temperature for a pre-determined period of time;
(d) decreasing the temperature applied to the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial; and
(e) decreasing the pressure applied to the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial;
wherein:
a plasticizing liquid is added to said surface of the hydrophilic polymeric biomaterial to be densified before step (b), such that said liquid penetrates said surface during step (b), and
the plasticizing liquid is a non-imidazolium-based ionic liquid (IL), an organic superbase or a Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES).
|