A porous polybenzimidazole (PBI) particulate resin is disclosed. This resin is easily dissolved at ambient temperatures and pressures. The resin is made by: dissolving a virgin PBI resin in a highly polar solvent; precipitating the dissolved PBI in a bath; and drying the precipitated PBI, the dried precipitated PBI being porous. The porous PBI resin may be dissolved by: mixing a porous PBI resin with a highly polar solvent at ambient temperatures and pressures to form a solution.