Abstract: Apparatus including a substrate and a mechanical switch, the mechanical switch located over the substrate, the mechanical switch including: a first electrical contact over the substrate; a support over the substrate, the support including a region moveable relative to the first electrical contact, the moveable region having a second electrical contact, the second electrical contact located over the first electrical contact; and a self-assembled molecular layer between the substrate and the second electrical contact. Method including placing into operation an apparatus, and applying a coulomb force causing the second electrical contact to move relative to the first electrical contact such that the switch is opened or closed.

Abstract: A process is provided for modifying the properties of a hydrophobic microporous membrane which includes the steps of first providing a hydrophobic microporous membrane, treating it with a surfactant to render the membrane hydrophilic, wetting the membrane with an aqueous solution of a polyol such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and divinyl sulfone (DVS) or a precursor thereof, washing the membrane with water to displace the polyol/DVA from the exterior of the membrane while retaining it in the pores of the membrane, and crosslinking the polyol/DVS into an aqueous gel to yield a hydrophilic microporous membrane having pores filled with an aqueous polyol/DVS gel, the exterior of the membrane being unobstructed by gel. The modified membranes produced according to the process are useful in carrying out chromatographic separations.

Abstract: The present invention is a single-ply immobilized liquid membrane comprising an aqueous liquid membrane immobilized within a hydrophobic microporous support.

Abstract: A composite membrane is disclosed having a microporous support which is coated with a UV curable polymer composition having a sufficiently high viscosity to prevent pore filling upon coating and curing. A process for making and a process for using the membrane is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predetermining maximum pressure differentials for particular microporous hollow fiber membranes and essentially immiscible feed and extractant liquids to be employed in liquid-liquid extractions include a test module having a number of such fibers formed into a loop between the opposing ends thereof. A tubular sleeve element encompasses these opposing ends, and a potting compound positionally retains the opposing ends within the tubular sleeve. The hollow fiber lumens are fluid-connected to a reservoir containing a pressurized feed liquid, and the loops of hollow fiber are immersed in an essentially unpressurized extractant liquid. The pressure of the feed liquid is continually increased until there is an incipient presence of the feed liquid in the extractant liquid. The pressure of the feed liquid at that incipient presence may therefore be used to calculate a maximum pressure differential tolerated by the microporous hollow fibers for the feed and extractant liquids used.

Abstract: A composite membrane is disclosed having a microporous support which is coated with a UV curable polymer composition having a sufficiently high viscosity to prevent pore filling upon coating and curing. A process for making and a process for using the membrane is also disclosed.

Abstract: A battery separator includes a porous substrate and a thermal fuse material adhered to at least one surface of said porous substrate. The thermal fuse material is adhered to the substrate surface in a predetermined geometric array thereupon so as to establish open areas of the at least one substrate surface to thereby allow ionic migration therethrough. The thermal fuse material forming the geometric array on the substrate surface may itself define open pores to further facilitate such ionic migration. The thermal fuse material melts at or near a predetermined threshold temperature so that the substrate's permeability irreversibly becomes significantly decreased and thus interrupts the chemical reaction in an electrochemical battery. In such a manner, batteries of improved safety may be provided using the separators of this invention.

Abstract: The rate of mass transfer in liquid/liquid extractions can be increased by the appropriate selection of a solubilizing liquid to wet a microporous membrane. A solute is transferred between immiscible liquids across the membrane where and interface between the liquids is immobilized at a surface of the membrane.

Abstract: Liquid chromatography separations of solutes are achieved using porous hollow fibers. The pores of the hollow fibers immobilize a solute-absorbing phase (preferably organic) which has a greater absorbance affinity towards at least one solute in a mixture of solutes. By passing the solute mixture through the central lumen of the hollow fibers, chromatographic separation are realized due to the greater retention time of that solute with which the immobilized phase has greater absorbance affinity. The immobilized phase may be a liquid organic which may contain a surfactant so as to form reversed micelles or it may be in the form of a polymeric gel. Separations of biological species (e.g., proteins) may thus be accomplished by means of the present invention.

Abstract: Trickle bed reactors are prone to channelling, flooding, and similar flow problems. It has been found that these problems can be avoided by the use of a microporous membrane to separate a reactant fluid phase from a catalysis fluid phase surrounding a catalyst bed. An advantage of such a reactor is that the fluid flows can be separately controlled. An apparatus useful as a trickle bed reactor can include a plurality of microporous hollow fibers arranged in a shell-and-tube configuration within a housing. Such an apparatus is operated with a reactant fluid phase flowing through the fibers and with a catalyst bed on the shell-side of the arrangement.