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Tough micro-double-network (μ-DN) ion gels, composed of interpenetrating inorganic and organic networks swollen with 80 wt% of an ionic liquid, were fabricated in an open system using nonvolatile materials: silica nanoparticles for the inorganic network, a cross-linkable polymer for the organic network, and an ionic liquid. The cross-linkable copolymer, poly(N,Ndimethylacrylamide-co-N-succinimidyl acrylate) synthesized by reversible additionfragmentation chain transfer polymerization, was cross-linked in situ with a diamine to form the organic network. On the application of load, the inorganic network was partly destroyed resulting in substantial energy dissipation, but the organic network acted as hidden length to suppress the macroscopic destruction of the μ-DN ion gel. The modulus, fracture strength, and strain-to-break of the μ-DN ion gels were tuned by varying the cross-linking degree of the organic network, which could be controlled by changing either the succinimidyl acrylate content of the cross-linkable polymer or the cross-linkable polymer concentration in the precursor solution.

We have treated ten cardiogenic shock patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). These patients were later divided into three groups: the first group with ventricular septal perforation, the second with aorto-coronary bypass grafting (ACBG) before LVAD implantation and the third group without ACBG. LVAD maintained the systemic circulation in each group, and cardiac function recovered enough to remove LVAD in 70% of the total patients. Two of three patients in the first group were discharged from hospital. Two weaned cases in the second group died of multiple organ failure and one was discharged, and hemorrhagic necrosis was seen in the bypassed area of the myocardium. One patient of the third group could not be weaned from LVAD because of respiratory failure though his heart function began to recover. Another case in the third group underwent bypass grafting after removal of LVAD. However ACBG surgery should be done very carefully because a patient in shock is occasionally intolerant to major surgery. In all groups, the major cause of death was multiple organ failure which was probably caused by the prolonged low output condition prior to LVAD application. In the light of this experience, it appears that LVAD should be applied before irreversible damage occurs to major organs, including the heart itself. To ensure the timely application of LVAD, some way must be found to introduce systematic application of LVAD into the normal course of AMI treatment.

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An inorganic/organic micro-double-network (μ-DN) ion gel-based composite membrane with good mechanical properties and high CO2 permeance was developed in this study. The μ-DN ion gel was composed of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis­(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)­imide ([C4mim]­[Tf2N]), a cross-linked polymer network, and silica nanoparticle clusters. The mechanical strength of the μ-DN ion gel was optimized to achieve a fracture energy of 636 kJ/m3. The fabricated composite membrane with an ion gel layer thickness of 4.5 μm shows a CO2/N2 permselectivity of 23 and a CO2 permeance of 119 GPU. The gas permeance of the composite membranes was calculated by considering a series of diffusion processes, and the results were in good agreement with the experimental data. The calculation results obtained using the proposed model show high potential of our μ-DN ion gel to achieve much higher CO2 permeance.