METHOD FOR PREPARING A POROUS POLYMER STRUCTURE

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous polymer structure. A polymer is dissolved in a first liquid or the polymer is brought into the liquid phase. To the solution are added particles which are insoluble in the first liquid, so that a suspension or dispersion results. The suspension or dispersion is then transferred into an excess of second liquid, in which both the polymer and the particles are insoluble. The second liquid is mixed vigorously and this results in a precipitate of the polymer with the particles encapsulated therein. This precipitate is then isolated, cut into granules and dried. These granules can be further processed in two ways. In the first method the granules are transferred into a third liquid in which the polymer does not dissolve but the particles do. The encapsulated particles are hereby leached out of the polymer, whereby porous granules result which can be further processed. In the second method the granules are thermally processed and moulded. The moulded polymer with the particles encapsulated therein are placed in a fourth liquid in which the polymer does not dissolve but the particles do. The encapsulated particles are hereby leached from the moulded polymer, thereby resulting in a porous moulded polymer which can be further processed