Abstract: A method of producing treated ion exchange resin material includes exposing an enclosed vessel containing ion exchange resin and a pre-treatment solution to high energy radiation. The treated ion exchange resin material has reduced organic impurities or total organic carbon (TOC).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a technique for manufacturing a humidifying membrane including a hydrophobic thin film-coating layer having a nano-sized crack morphology pattern on the surface of an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer ion exchange membrane and applying the membrane to a reverse electrodialysis process. The humidifying membrane including a hydrophobic thin film-coating layer having a nano-sized crack morphology pattern on the surface of an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer ion exchange membrane, manufactured according to the present disclosure, embodies a low bulk resistance of the ion exchange membrane and significantly improves ion selectivity, thereby overcoming the trade-off relationship between membrane resistance and ion selectivity, and thus may be commercially available as an anion and cation exchange membrane of a reverse electrodialysis device.

Abstract: A process for producing aqueous solutions of acrylic acid polymers by polymerization of acrylic acid in feed operation with a free-radical starter in the presence of hypophosphite in water as solvent, which comprises (i) initially charging water and optionally acrylic acid in acidic, unneutralized form, optionally one or more ethylenicaliy unsaturated comonomers, optionally aqueous hypophosphite solution and optionally initiator, (ii) adding acrylic acid in acidic, unneutralized form, optionally one or more ethylenicaliy unsaturated comonomers, aqueous free-radical starter solution and aqueous hypophosphite solution, (iii) adding a base to the aqueous solution after termination of the acrylic acid feed, wherein the comonomer content does not exceed 30 wt % based on the total monomer content, wherein the acrylic acid, the aqueous free-radical starter solution and the aqueous hypophosphite solution are added such that the molar ratio x of acrylic acid to phosphorus-bound hydrogen [AA]/[P—H] over a time period

Abstract: Fusing nanowire inks are described that can also comprise a hydrophilic polymer binder, such as a cellulose based binder. The fusing nanowire inks can be deposited onto a substrate surface and dried to drive the fusing process. Transparent conductive films can be formed with desirable properties.

Abstract: A composition that is easily applied, clear, well-bonded, and superhydrophobic is disclosed. In one aspect, the composition includes a hydrophobic fluorinated solvent, a binder comprising a hydrophobic fluorinated polymer, and hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a structure including a substrate coated with the composition, as well as a method for making the composition and a method of coating a substrate with the composition.

Abstract: An ion exchange membrane includes: a membrane main body including a fluorine-containing polymer having an ion exchange group; and a coating layer arranged on at least one face of the membrane main body; wherein the coating layer includes inorganic particles and a binder, a mass ratio of the binder to the total mass of the inorganic particles and the binder in the coating layer is more than 0.3 and 0.9 or less, and a surface roughness of the coating layer is 1.20 ?m or more.

Abstract: Disclosed are composite materials and methods of making them. The composite materials comprise a support member and a cross-linked gel, wherein the cross-linked gel is a polymer synthesized by thiol-ene or thiol-yne polymerization and cross-linking. The cross-linked gel may be functionalized by a thiol-ene or thiol-yne grafting reaction, either simultaneously with the polymerization or as the second step in a two-step procedure. The composite materials are useful as chromatographic separation media.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing an ultra-high thermally conductive graphene curing bladder includes the following steps: (1) pre-mixing an ultra-high thermally conductive graphene with rubber to obtain a pre-dispersed graphene master batch, performing a granulation process or a cutting process on the pre-dispersed graphene master batch to obtain a granular solid or a sheet solid, mixing the solid in a rubber mixing mill to obtain an ultra-high thermally conductive graphene rubber compound; (2) extruding, by an extruding machine, the ultra-high thermally conductive graphene rubber compound into a rubber strip of a desirable size; weighing and fixed-length processing the rubber strip of the ultra-high thermally conductive graphene rubber compound to obtain a rubber blank, placing the rubber blank into a pressing type curing bladder mold, closing the mold, pressurizing, heating and curing to obtain a finished product of the ultra-high thermally conductive graphene curing bladder.

Abstract: A biodegradable textile yarn made from recycled materials is disclosed, comprising a biodegradable, recycled polyethylene terephthalate (bio-rPET) fiber blended with a recycled natural fiber. The bio-rPET fiber is made from a recycled PET (rPET) and a biodegradable PET additive to make the rPET biodegradable. The biodegradable PET additive is between 0.5 and 3 weight % of a total weight of the biodegradable PET fiber. The bio-rPET fiber is more than 1 weight % inclusive of a total weight of the biodegradable textile yarn. Further disclosed are a biodegradable textile made from the biodegradable textile yarn, and systems and methods for making the biodegradable textile yarn. Also disclosed are benefits of the new biodegradable textile yarns, and alternative embodiments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cross-linked porous membrane from hydrolysis of ester-containing side chain and a preparation method thereof. Firstly, membrane material is obtained through copolymerization of four monomers including butyl methacrylate, styrene, sodium sulfonated styrene and vinylbenzyl chloride. In membrane formation, a small amount of lithium chloride micromolecule porogen is added and cross-linked by using tetramethyl hexamethylene diamine to prepare a nanoscale dense membrane through hydrolysis under the alkaline condition. Through the characteristic of hydrolysis of a butyl ester side chain in the polymer under the alkaline condition, the space originally occupied by the butyl ester in the hydrolyzed membrane is vacated; and after hydrolysis, with the appearance of carboxylic acid ionic conduction groups, a large quantity of ester bonds is hydrolyzed, so that the patency of ion transfer channels in the membrane is enhanced. Thus, ionic conductivity of the membrane is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Apparatuses and processes that produce multimodal polyolefins, and in particular, polyethylene resins, are disclosed herein. This is accomplished by using two reactors in series, where one of the reactors is a multi-zone circulating reactor that can circulate polyolefin particles through two polymerization zones optionally having two different flow regimes so that the final multimodal polyolefin has improved product properties and improved product homogeneity.

Abstract: Apparatuses and processes that produce multimodal polyolefins, and in particular, polyethylene resins, are disclosed herein. This is accomplished by using two reactors in series, where one of the reactors is a multi-zone circulating reactor that can circulate polyolefin particles through two polymerization zones optionally having two different flow regimes so that the final multimodal polyolefin has improved product properties and improved product homogeneity.

Abstract: A power transmission belt is at least partially formed of a rubber composition. The rubber composition contains a rubber component, cellulose nanofibers, and carbon black. The amount of the cellulose nanofibers to be added is from 0.1 parts by mass to 20 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. The amount of the carbon black to be added is from 5 parts by mass to 80 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. The sum of the amount of the carbon black to be added and three times the amount of the cellulose nanofibers to be added is from 15 to 90.

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure pertain to a coating material comprising silicon and/or aluminum, hydrogen and any two or more of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and fluorine. The coating material exhibits a hardness of about 17 GPa or greater and an optical band gap of about 3.5 eV or greater. In some embodiments, the coating material includes, in atomic %, silicon and/or aluminum in an amount of about 40 or greater, hydrogen in an amount in the range from about 1 to about 25, nitrogen in an amount of about 30 or greater, oxygen in an amount in the range from about 0 to about 7.5, and carbon in an amount in the range from about 0 to about 10. The coating material may optionally include fluorine and/or boron. Articles including the coating material are also described and exhibit an average transmittance of about 85% or greater over an optical wavelength regime in the range from about 380 nm to about 720 nm and colorlessness.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions, methods, and methods of making and using a polymer-encased nanodisc comprising: one or more integral membrane proteins in a lipid layer; and a polymer comprising zwitterionic styrene-maleic acid derivative repeating units that carry zero or nearly zero negative charge, and the polymer-encased nanodiscs.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for the production of polyacrylic acid and superabsorbent polymers from ethylene oxidation to form ethylene oxide. Reacting the ethylene oxide with carbon monoxide to form to beta propiolactone (BPL) or polypropiolactone (PPL), or a combination thereof. An outlet configured to provide a carbonylation stream comprising the BPL or PPL, or a combination thereof and using one or more reactors to convert BPL to acrylic acid or to convert at least some of the BPL to PPL, and then to convert PPL to acrylic acid. An outlet configured to provide a PPL stream to a second reactor tm to convert at least some of the PPL to AA or a third reactor to convert at least some of the PPL to AA. The outlet configured to provide an AA stream to a fourth reactor to convert the AA to polyacrylic acid.

Abstract: An ion exchange resin comprises a crosslinked resin and a salt covalently bonded to a carbon of the resin, wherein the salt comprises a first non-metallic cation and a first counteranion, wherein the first counteranion comprises a second non-metallic cation and a thiosulfate counteranion, and wherein the ion exchange resin is essentially free of metals. The ion exchange resin finds particular use in the removal of impurities from solutions that are useful in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A composite polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell may be manufactured by the following method: partially or totally filling the inside of a pore of a porous support with a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte solution by performing a solution impregnation process; and drying the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte solution while completely filling the inside of the pore with the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte solution by performing a spin dry process on the porous support of which the inside of the pore is partially or totally filled with the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte solution.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method to produce a coating layer, including applying a coating composition on a surface of a carrier, curing the coating composition to a coating layer, and subsequently applying pressure to the coating layer. The disclosure further relates to a method to produce a building panel, and such a building panel, and to a method to produce a coated foil, and such a coated foil.

Abstract: A process for producing an in-situ foam comprising the following mixing components: one or more inorganic fillers A) at from 50 to 98 wt %, one or more cationic or amphoteric polymers B) at from 1 to 48 wt %, one or more surfactants C) at from 0.5 to 48 wt %, one or more crosslinkers D) capable of reacting with said polymers B) at from 0.01 to 5 wt %, one or more cell regulators E), selected from silicones, siliconates and carbon, at from 0.5 to 10 wt %, one or more additives F) at from 0 to 20 wt %, wherein the weight percentages of said components A) to F) are based on the nonaqueous fractions and the sum total of A) to F) adds up to 100 wt %.