Abstract: The invention relates to a multilayer microporous membrane comprising polyethylene and polypropylene and having an improved balance of properties including improved thickness variation in at least one planar direction. The invention also relates to a system and method for producing such a membrane, the use of such a membrane as a battery separator film, and batteries containing such a membrane.

Abstract: A microporous polyethylene membrane made of a polyethylene resin comprising 15% or less by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a mass-average molecular weight of 1×106 or more, which is constituted by a dense-structure layer having an average pore diameter of 0.01 to 0.05 ?m, and a coarse-structure layer formed on at least one surface and having an average pore diameter 1.2-fold to 5.0-fold of that of the dense-structure layer, has a high electrolytic solution absorption speed with thickness and air permeability little changing when compressed. Such a microporous polyethylene membrane is produced by extruding a melt blend of the above polyethylene resin and a membrane-forming solvent through a die, cooling the resultant extrudate with a temperature distribution in a thickness direction to provide a gel-like sheet, stretching the gel-like sheet at a temperature from the crystal dispersion temperature of the polyethylene resin +10° C. to the crystal dispersion temperature +30° C.

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyolefin membrane comprising first microporous layers constituting at least both surface layers, and at least one second microporous layer disposed between both surface layers, the first microporous layer comprising a first polyethylene resin containing 8% or more by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 1×106 or more, the second microporous layer comprising a second polyethylene resin containing 7% or less by mass of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, and having a structure in which a pore diameter distribution curve obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry has at least two peaks, and the total thickness of the first microporous layers being 15-60% per 100% of the total thickness of the first and second microporous layers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polyolefin composition. The polyolefin composition can be in the form of a multi-layer, microporous polyolefin membrane comprising a first microporous layer containing 7% or less by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 1×106 or more, and having a structure in which a pore size distribution curve obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry has at least two peaks, and a second microporous layer containing 8% or more by mass of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.

Abstract: A microporous polyolefin membrane having a structure in which its pore size distribution curve obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry has at least two peaks, which is produced by (1) extruding a melt-blend of (a) (i) a polyethylene resin containing 7% or less by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 1×106 or more, or (ii) a mixture of 75% by mass or more of said polyethylene resin and 25% or less by mass of polypropylene, and (b) a membrane-forming solvent, (2) stretching a gel-like sheet obtained by cooling an extrudate, (3) washing it, (4) stretching the resultant microporous membrane to 1.1-1.8 fold in at least one direction, and (5) heat-setting it at a temperature in a range of the stretching temperature of the microporous membrane plus or minus 5 degrees centigrade.

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyolefin membrane having at least three layers, which comprises first microporous layers made of a polyethylene resin for constituting at least both surface layers, and at least one second microporous layer comprising a polyethylene resin and polypropylene and disposed between both surface layers, the heat of fusion (?Hm) of the polypropylene measured by differential scanning calorimetry being 90 J/g or more, and the polypropylene content in the second microporous layer being 50% or less by mass based on 100% by mass of the total of the polyethylene resin and the polypropylene.

Abstract: A microporous polyethylene membrane made of a polyethylene resin having a ratio (mass-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight) of 5 to 300 and comprising 1% or more by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having a mass-average molecular weight of 7×105 or more, the microporous polyethylene membrane comprising (a) a coarse-structure layer having an average pore diameter of more than 0.04 ?m, which is formed on at least one surface, and (b) a dense-structure layer having an average pore diameter of 0.04 ?m or less, an area ratio of the coarse-structure layer to the dense-structure layer in a membrane cross section being 0.1 to 0.8.

Abstract: A microporous polyethylene membrane having well-balanced permeability, mechanical properties, heat shrinkage resistance, compression resistance, electrolytic solution absorbability, shutdown properties and meltdown properties, with an average pore diameter changing in a thickness direction is produced by melt-blending a polyethylene resin and a membrane-forming solvent to prepare a solution A having a resin concentration of 25 to 50% by mass and a solution B having a resin concentration of 10 to 30% by mass, the resin concentration in the solution A being higher than that in the solution B, (a) simultaneously extruding the resin solutions A and B through a die, cooling the resultant extrudate to provide a gel-like sheet in which the resin solutions A and B are laminated, and removing the membrane-forming solvent from the gel-like sheet, or (b) extruding the resin solutions A and B through separate dies, removing the membrane-forming solvent from the resultant gel-like sheets A and B to form microporous polyet

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyolefin membrane comprising first microporous layers constituting at least both surface layers and at least one second microporous layer disposed between both surface layers; said first microporous layer being made of a first polyolefin comprising (i) polypropylene, or (ii) a mixture of 50% or more by mass of polypropylene and a polyethylene resin; said second microporous layer being made of a second polyolefin comprising (i) a mixture of 7% or less by mass of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene having weight-average molecular weight of 1×106 or more and the other polyethylene than said ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, (ii) the other polyethylene than said ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, or (iii) a mixture of 50% or less by mass of polypropylene and said mixture (i) or said polyethylene (ii); said second microporous layer having a larger average pore diameter than that of said first microporous layer; and the total thickness of said first microporous layer

Abstract: A microporous polymeric membrane having excellent properties for use as a battery separator is provided. The membrane is produced by heat-setting the microporous polymeric membrane in at least a first stage and a final stage, the first stage being upstream of the final stage and the temperature of the first stage being at least 15° C. cooler than the temperature of the final stage.

Abstract: A microporous polymeric membrane having excellent properties for use as a battery separator is provided. The membrane is produced by heat-setting the microporous polymeric membrane in at least a first stage and a final stage, the first stage being upstream of the final stage and the temperature of the first stage being at least 15° C. cooler than the temperature of the final stage.

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyethylene membrane comprising (a) a first microporous layer made of a polyethylene resin, and (b) a second microporous layer comprising a polyethylene resin, and a heat-resistant polymer having a melting point or a glass transition temperature of 170° C. or higher, the heat-resistant polymer being dispersed in the form of fine particles in the polyethylene resin, and the second microporous layer having pores containing fine particles of the heat-resistant polymer as nuclei from which the cleavage of polyethylene resin fibrils starts, the multi-layer microporous polyethylene membrane having well-balanced shutdown properties, meltdown properties, permeability, mechanical strength, heat shrinkage resistance and compression resistance.

Abstract: A microporous polyolefin membrane having large pore diameters and excellent air permeability, mechanical strength and compression resistance can be obtained by (a) stretching a gel molding comprising a polyolefin and a membrane-forming solvent at least uniaxially at a temperature from the crystal dispersion temperature of the polyolefin +15° C. to the crystal dispersion temperature of the polyolefin +40° C., removing the membrane-forming solvent, and then stretching again the resultant membrane to 1.1 to 2.5 fold at least uniaxially, or by (b) stretching the gel molding at least uniaxially, bringing the stretched film into contact with a hot solvent before and/or after removing the membrane-forming solvent, and then stretching again the resultant membrane to 1.1 to 2.5 fold at least uniaxially.

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyolefin membrane comprising a polypropylene layer and a polyethylene resin layer and having well-balanced permeability, mechanical strength, heat shrinkage resistance, shutdown properties and meltdown properties can be obtained by (1) forming a sheet comprising a gel-like polypropylene layer containing a membrane-forming solvent or a polypropylene layer containing no membrane-forming solvent and a gel-like polyethylene resin layer containing a membrane-forming solvent, stretching the sheet at two-stage temperatures, and then removing the membrane-forming solvent, or (2) forming a gel-like polypropylene sheet containing a membrane-forming solvent or a polypropylene sheet containing no membrane-forming solvent, and a gel-like polyethylene resin sheet containing a membrane-forming solvent, stretching them at two-stage temperatures, removing the membrane-forming solvent, and then laminating the resultant microporous polypropylene membrane and the resultant microporous polyethylene me

Abstract: A method for producing a microporous thermoplastic resin membrane from a thermoplastic resin and a membrane-forming solvent, using as part of a starting material film waste based on the thermoplastic resin and the membrane-forming solvent, which is generated in the production process of the microporous thermoplastic resin membrane, comprising the steps of melt-blending a virgin thermoplastic resin and a membrane-forming solvent in an extruder to prepare a virgin material solution, adding the film waste generated in the same or different production processes to the virgin material solution in a molten state in the extruder at an intermediate point, melt-blending them to prepare a thermoplastic resin solution, extruding the thermoplastic resin solution through a die, cooling the extrudate to form a gel-like sheet, and removing the membrane-forming solvent from the gel-like sheet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a particular multi-layer microporous membrane having a good balance of important properties, including excellent electrochemical stability and low heat shrinkage, while maintaining high permeability and heat resistance, with good mechanical strength, compression resistance and electrolytic solution absorption. Of particular importance when used as a battery separator, the present multi-layer microporous membrane exhibits excellent heat shrinkage, melt down temperature and thermal mechanical properties, i.e. low maximum shrinkage in the molten state. The multi-layer microporous membrane of the present invention can be produced (or manufactured) by layering, such as for example by coextrusion, one or more microporous membrane second layers and one or more microporous membrane first layers, such as on one or both sides of a second layer.

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyethylene membrane having at least three layers comprising (a) a first microporous layer amount of a polyethylene resin and constituting at least both surface layers, and (b) at least one second microporous layer made of a polyethylene resin, a heat-resistant resin having a melting point or glass transition temperature of 150° C. or higher and a filler, and sandwiched by both surface layers.

Abstract: A multi-layer, microporous polyethylene membrane having at least two layers, which comprises (a) a microporous polyethylene resin layer A comprising high-density polyethylene A having 0.2 or more terminal vinyl groups per 10,000 carbon atoms when measured by infrared spectroscopy, and (b) a microporous polyethylene resin layer B comprising high-density polyethylene B having less than 0.2 terminal vinyl groups per 10,000 carbon atoms when measured by infrared spectroscopy, has well-balanced permeability, mechanical strength, heat shrinkage resistance, shutdown properties, meltdown properties and oxidation resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particular multi-layer microporous membrane having a good balance of important properties, including excellent electrochemical stability and low heat shrinkage, while maintaining high permeability and heat resistance, with good mechanical strength, compression resistance and electrolytic solution absorption. Of particular importance when used as a battery separator, the present multi-layer microporous membrane exhibits excellent heat shrinkage, melt down temperature and thermal mechanical properties, i.e. low maximum shrinkage in the molten state. The multi-layer microporous membrane of the present invention is manufactured by layering, such as for example by coextrusion, one or more microporous membrane first layers and one or more microporous membrane second layers, such as on one or both sides of a first layer. The invention further relates to battery separators comprising the multi-layer microporous membrane and batteries utilizing the battery separators.

Abstract: (1) a combination of a microporous layer made of a polyethylene resin and a microporous layer made of polypropylene and a heat-resistant resin having a melting point or a glass transition temperature of 170° C. or higher, or (2) a combination of a microporous layer made of a polyethylene resin and a microporous layer made of polypropylene and inorganic filler having an aspect ratio of 2 or more provides a multi-layer, microporous polyolefin membrane with well-balanced permeability, mechanical strength, heat shrinkage resistance, shutdown properties and meltdown properties.