Abstract: An energy dissipating fiber and fabric for protective textile application, which can absorb energy during shocking, stretching and vibration. The disclosed fiber/fabric can include a polymer matrix, a shear-thickening material and a reinforcing filler.

Abstract: A solventless method of making a dry electrode for an electrochemical cell is provided. A solventless electrode material mixture includes 85-99% electrode active material and from 0-10% conductive carbon additive. A polymer binder system is present from 1-15%. The polymer binder system includes one or more polymer binders. The electrode material mixture is mixed at a temperature greater than a softening point or a melting point of at least one polymer binder of the polymer binder system. The electrode material mixture is kneaded into an electrode material dough. The electrode material dough is formed into an electrode material sheet. At least a portion of the electrode material sheet is affixed to a metal current collector to form an electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bactericidal and virucidal fabric selected from cotton or non-woven fabric prepared by formulations and methods described herein. The formulations include a beta-cyclodextrin-containing compound associated with one or more metal ions including at least zinc ions and water for providing bactericidal and virucidal properties to the fabric dip-coated with the formulations according to various embodiments of the present invention. The as-prepared fabric has an increment in Grams per Square Meter (GSM) value of approximately 13.0 to 20.0 g/m2, an antibacterial activity value of at least 3.0, and/or antiviral activity value of at least 2.5.

Abstract: A germ-repellent plastic contains an anti-biofouling compound, and a basic plastic. The anti-biofouling compound is optionally selected from the group of a polyol, a polyether polyol, a polyol derivative, and a combination thereof; or the anti-biofouling compound is selected from the group consisting of a polyether, a poly (ethylene glycol) ether, a polysorbate, and a combination thereof; or the anti-biofouling compound is selected from the group consisting of poly (ethylene glycol) sorbitan monolaurate, poly (ethylene glycol) sorbitan monooleate, poly (ethylene glycol) sorbitol hexaoleate, ceteareth, and a combination thereof. The basic plastic is not a blend of a low-density polyethylene polymer and an ethyl vinyl acetate copolymer, a blend of a polypropylene polymer and an ethyl vinyl acetate copolymer, a blend of polyolefin elastomer polymers and a polyvinyl chloride polymer. A method for manufacturing such a germ-repellent plastic and a germ-repellent plastic item are also described.

Abstract: A foldable ultrathin glass article includes an ultrathin chemically-tempered foldable glass substrate having a thickness of approximately 100 microns or less and a compressive surface stress of at least 100 MPa. A single-layer hard coating is bonded to the first and/or second surface of the ultrathin tempered glass foldable substrate without an adhesive layer. The hard coating includes at least one silsesquioxane having a silicon-oxygen core framework directly bonded to the ultrathin tempered glass foldable substrate. The impact resistance defined by a maximum pen drop height without glass failure is at least four times greater than the ultrathin tempered glass foldable substrate without the hard coating. The hard coating has a surface hardness of at least 7H surface hardness and has a hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle of at least 100°. The coating has a transparency of at least 98 percent compared to uncoated substrates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally-decomposable consolidated polymer particle encapsulated-electrode for a lithium-ion battery. The electrode includes polymer particles including at least one connection unit and at least one crosslinker in an amount of approximately 40% to 98% by weight and at least one binder material in an amount of approximately from 2% to 60% by weight. The consolidated crosslinked polymer particle coating results in a porous structure encapsulating the electrode. The pressure resistance of the consolidated crosslinked polymer particle coating ranges approximately from 0.5 to 8 MPa and the consolidated crosslinked polymer particle coating is decomposed to release a non-flammable gas and phosphorous-containing molecules so as to prevent thermal runaway at a temperature approximately from 300° C. to 500° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-porous, breathable and waterproof transparent plastic film on a plastic substrate and methods for fabricating the same. The film includes a thermoplastic polyester resin, an amphiphilic modifier having a hydrophilic segment that acts as a channel for water vapor transmission through the film connected to a hydrophobic segment that anchors the amphiphilic modifier to a portion of the polyurethane base resin and a compatibilizer. The resultant non-porous, breathable and waterproof transparent plastic film has a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) or breathability of not less than 250 g/m2/24 hr according to ASTM E96B, and having at least 90% of the transmittance. They are also resistant to liquid penetration and micro-contaminants such as bacteria and virus, making them suitable for broad applications in medical, healthcare and food packaging industries.

Abstract: Method for preparing porous polyurethane materials with controlled pore size and shape using isocyanates, polyols, and additives, and the porous polyurethane materials prepared therefrom. Method for preparing porous polyimides using at least one polyamine and a dianhydride and the porous polyimides materials prepared therefrom. The porous materials are useful for energy management, such as thermal, impact and vibration energy, and can exhibit improved fire-resistant performance.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to salvianolic acid-gelatin conjugate load retentive hydrogel nanoparticles useful for oral delivery of salvianolic acid, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, and methods of use and preparation thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to multi-component shape memory threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes, which includes at least two shape-memory polymeric (SMP-N) components. Each of the at least two SMP-N components is of at least 1% of the total weight, and N is a positive integer starting from 1, and the SMP-N components have a selectively engineered shape recovery temperature (Tr) between approximately 0° C. to 130° C. Also, when TrN and TrN+1 are higher than room temperature, the threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes are configured to assume a substantially helical configuration upon heating to above TrN and lower than TrN+1 by a stimulus when an elongation of the threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes is approximately 30% to approximately 300%, and having a coil diameter from 0.5 to 10 mm and a number of the turns per cm from 5 to 30.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-porous, breathable and waterproof transparent plastic film on a plastic substrate and methods for fabricating the same. The film includes a thermoplastic polyester resin, an amphiphilic modifier having a hydrophilic segment that acts as a channel for water vapor transmission through the film connected to a hydrophobic segment that anchors the amphiphilic modifier to a portion of the polyurethane base resin and a compatibilizer. The resultant non-porous, breathable and waterproof transparent plastic film has a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) or breathability of not less than 250 g/m2/24 hr according to ASTM E96B, and having at least 90% of the transmittance. They are also resistant to liquid penetration and micro-contaminants such as bacteria and virus, making them suitable for broad applications in medical, healthcare and food packaging industries.

Abstract: A launderable bactericidal and virucidal fabric finish formulation. The first component is a bactericidal and virucidal agent represented by formula (I): wherein n is 7; R1, R2, and R3 are jointly or independently selected from H or one of the following groups: wherein R4 is selected from CH3 or H; m is an integer from 2 to 10; p is an integer from 9 to 15; q is an integer from 2 to 10. A second component includes one or more crosslinkers and/or one or more catalysts. A third component includes one or more transition metal salts.

Abstract: The present invention provides an anti-pilling wool fabric with a coating having pilling resistance and resistance to fiber loss from fabric surface. The coating is formed by a coating formulation including at least two diisocyanates, at least two catalyst, a water dispersing agent, a buffer and water, which provides a polycarbodiimide crosslinker reactive to the relative less reactive groups on polypeptide of the wool fabric and promotes crosslinking between polypeptides of the wool fabric under relatively mild processing conditions so as to enhance mechanical strength of the wool fabric whilst no significant effect of the original finish merino wool fabric and/or garment and fiber loss from fabric surface are observed, compared to conventional treatment methods on wool fabric. A corresponding coating formulation and method of fabricating the anti-pilling wool fabric are also provided.

Abstract: An amorphous composite solid electrolyte is provided that includes one or more three-dimensional branched macromolecules with a core portion and at least three arm portions connected to the core portion. Each arm portion includes a random copolymer or a block polymer comprising a first monomer and a second monomer with a molar ratio of the first monomer to the second monomer in the range from greater than 0 to less than or equal to 1. An ion conductive electrolytic solution including at least one lithium salt solution in an amount of approximately 1 mol/l to 10 mol/l is entrained within the branched macromolecule, with a weight ratio of the branched macromolecule to the ion conducive electrolytic solution equal to or lower than 1:9, such that the branched macromolecule has a swelling degree of at least 5:1 (liquid:polymer in weight) of the ion conductive electrolytic solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with an in situ thermally-curable electrolyte. The thermally-curable electrolyte is cured from the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution including a first crosslinking agent, a second crosslinking agent, an initiator, an electrolyte solvent, an electrolyte salt, one or more electrolyte additives, and one or more monomers or a monomer polymerization product. The viscosity of the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution is below 200 cps such that the thermally-curable electrolyte precursor solution is infiltrated within the separator and the pores inside the cathode and anode layers then cured to form porous separator and porous electrodes fully permeated with a solid electrolyte.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a composite coating and a method for fabricating the composite coating. The composite coating comprises a polymer layer, a metal interlayer and an amorphous metal coating. The polymer layer is formed on a substrate and acts as a diffusion barrier layer, which is thick and dense enough to prevent the corrosive substances from penetrating into the substrate. The metal interlayer is formed between the polymer layer and the amorphous metal coating for improving the adhesion of the amorphous metal coating to the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thoroughly modified, functionalized polymeric hard coating material represented by one of the following formulae for a bendable, transparent and photo/thermal curable coating film: [R1RaSiO3/2]??Formula (1); [R1R2RaSiO3/2]??Formula (2). This invention further relates to the synthetic method and application of the thoroughly modified, functionalized polymeric hard coating material. The thoroughly modified, functionalized polymeric hard coating material-containing composition for a coating exhibits higher surface hardness of at least 6H on flexible substrates, higher surface hardness of at least 9H on rigid substrates, and a certain degree of flexibility, with potential properties such as a light transparency of at least 85% and/or an antimicrobial effectiveness of at least 99%, and/or anti-scratch ability.

Abstract: A pressure distribution mapping system includes a flexible M×N textile-based pressure sensor array. with first and second electrode textile layers and a piezoresistive fabric layer with a sheet resistance of at least 60 k-ohm/square positioned between the first and second electrode textile layers. Individual pressure sensors are formed by an intersection between a row electrically-conductive path and a column electrically-conductive path along with the portion of the piezoresistive layer positioned at the intersection. A measurement system measures the resistance of each pressure sensor of the pressure sensor array. The measurement system includes a reading module with first op-amps connected to each row and second op-amps connected to each column.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for extracting polysaccharides, for example, ?-glucan and sodium alginate, from a sample including a botanical product. The extraction can be carried out using a microwave assisted dual-solvent extraction followed by one or more membrane filtration steps.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive material with improved bonding performance to a wet substrate, the adhesive material includes a first component selected from a polysiloxane-based adhesive, or a polyurethane-based adhesive; and a second component of a catechol-containing polymeric additive which includes a reaction product of polyvinylpyrrolidone with 3?,4?-dihydroxy-2-chloroacetophenone, and the weight ratio of polyvinylpyrrolidone to 3?,4?-dihydroxy-2-chloroacetophenone ranging from 10:1 to 1:1. The adhesive material being a mixture of at least the first component and the second component, where the second component is approximately 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the first component.