Abstract: A separator for an electrochemical cell, comprising (A) a flexible perforate support, and (B) a porous ceramic material which fills the perforations in the support and is suitable for receiving an ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein the porous ceramic material comprises a first porous layer which is characterized by an average pore size and also at least one second porous layer for contacting with an electrode, the second porous layer having an average pore size which is smaller than the average pore size of the first porous layer.

Abstract: A separator for an electrochemical cell, comprising (A) a flexible perforate support, (B) a porous first ceramic material which fills the perforations in the support and which (i) has a pore structure which is characterized by an average pore size, and (ii) is suitable for receiving an ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein (C) the electrolyte-contactable pore surface of the first porous ceramic material is covered with fine particles of a further material to extend the use life, the average size of the fine particles being in the range from 0.5 to 30% and preferably in the range from 1 to 15% of the average pore size of the ceramic material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical separators, especially for use in lithium high energy batteries, and to a process for making them. Separators for use in lithium high energy batteries have to have a very low weight and a very low thickness. It has been found that, surprisingly, such separators having a weight of less than 50 g/m2 and a thickness of less than 35 ?m are preparable by applying a ceramic coating to a polymeric web less than 30 ?m in thickness, these separators being very useful in lithium high energy batteries when pyrogenic oxides of the elements Al, Si and/or Zr are used as a particulate pore-forming component.

Abstract: A pyrogenic oxidic powder composed of particles, comprising (i) atoms of an element of groups 3A, 4A, 3B or 4B of the periodic table of the elements, and (ii) oxygen atoms, said particles being characterized by lithium atoms attached to said atoms via an oxygen bridge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical separators and to a process for producing them. An electrical separator is a separator used in batteries and other arrangements in which electrodes have to be separated from each other while maintaining ion conductivity for example. The separator is preferably a thin porous insulating material possessing high ion perviousness, good mechanical strength and long-term stability to the chemicals and solvents used in the system, for example in the electrolyte of the battery. In batteries, the separator shall fully electrically insulate the cathode from the anode. Moreover, the separator shall be permanently elastic and follow movements in the system, for example in the electrode pack in the course of charging and discharging.

Abstract: The present invention relates to separator-electrode units for lithium batteries and also to a process for their production. The separator-electrode units comprise a porous electrode which is useful as a positive electrode (cathode) or negative electrode (anode) in a lithium battery and a separator layer applied to this electrode and are characterized in that the separator-electrode units comprise a purely inorganic separator layer which comprises at least two fractions of metal oxide particles which differ from each other in their average particle size and/or in the metal. More particularly, the separator layer comprises metal oxide particles having an average particle size (Dg) which is greater than the average pore size (d) of the pores of the porous positive electrode that are bonded together by metal oxide particles having a particle size (Dk) which is smaller than the pores of the porous electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical separators for batteries, especially lithium batteries, having a shutdown mechanism and also a process for their production. An electrical separator is a separator which is used in batteries and other systems in which electrodes have to be separated from each other while maintaining ion conductivity for example. Safety is very important in lithium batteries, since in contrast to other types of battery (Pb, NiCd, NiMeH) the solvent for the electrolyte is not water but a combustible solvent, for example organic carbonates. This is why it is absolutely necessary for a separator for lithium cells to possess a suitable shutdown mechanism and at the same time for it not to be able to melt down. This object is achieved by an electrical separator according to the invention that comprises a shutdown layer which consists of particles which melt at a desired temperature, close the pores of the separator and so stop ion flow.

Abstract: A description is given of a hybrid membrane which combines the advantages of the inorganic membranes, such as solvent resistance and stability, with the advantages of the organic membrane materials. The hybrid membrane described is composed of a ceramic support layer which is applied on a support comprising polymer fibers, and an organic, selective layer. The separating properties of the membranes can be tailored by varying the polymers and/or the way in which the polymer materials are treated and/or the conditions under which the polymeric selective separating layer is produced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical separators and to a process for making them. An electrical separator is a separator used in batteries and other arrangements in which electrodes have to be separated from each other while maintaining ion conductivity for example. The separator is preferably a thin porous insulating material possessing high ion permeability, good mechanical strength and long-term stability to the chemicals and solvents used in the system, for example in the electrolyte of the battery. In batteries, the separator should fully electrically insulate the cathode from the anode. Moreover, the separator has to be permanently elastic and to follow movements in the system, for example in the electrode pack in the course of charging and discharging.

Abstract: The present invention relates to membranes and to a process for making them. The membranes according to the invention comprise a sheetlike flexible substrate having a multiplicity of openings and having a coating on and in said substrate, the material of said substrate being selected from nonwovens of polymeric fibers, said nonwovens having a porosity of more than 50% and said coating being a porous ceramic coating, said substrate preferably being from 10 to 200 ?m in thickness. Such membranes provide a distinctly higher flux than conventional membranes. The membranes are useful as separators for batteries or as a microfiltration membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical separators and to a process for making them. An electrical separator is a separator used in batteries and other arrangements in which electrodes have to be separated from each other while maintaining ion conductivity for example. The separator is preferably a thin porous insulating material possessing high ion permeability, good mechanical strength and long-term stability to the chemicals and solvents used in the system, for example in the electrolyte of the battery. In batteries, the separator should fully electronically insulate the cathode from the anode. Moreover, the separator has to be permanently elastic and to follow movements in the system, for example in the electrode pack in the course of charging and discharging.

Abstract: A method and device for carrying out electrofiltration. Electrofiltration is a commonly known method, which is frequently used in industry for purifying suspensions, such as wastewater resulting from manufacturing processes. Conventional devices used for carrying out electrofiltration have the drawback that large amounts of expensive metals such as titanium, gold, iridium, platinum, and the like have to be used as counter-electrodes to the membrane electrodes. The method and device improve the filtration results compared to those of conventional filtration methods and modules without requiring the use of large amounts of expensive metals for the counter-electrodes. To this end, in the method the membrane electrodes are displaced, and a device carries out the method. The method and device can be used for separating substances.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cation- and/or proton-conducting membrane, to a process for producing it, and to its use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cation- and/or proton-conducting membrane, to a process for producing it, and to its use.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion-conducting composite which is permeable to matter, to a method for producing an ion-conducing composite which is permeable to matter, and to the use of this composite in various processes. Membranes or ion-conducting materials are used for various chemical and physical process, e.g., electrolysis, electrodialysis. The membranes used are often polymer-based. These polymers are relatively non-resistant to solvents and high temperatures. Therefore, the aim of the invention is to provide an ion-conducting composite. The inventive composite consists of inorganic constituents or at least mainly of inorganic constituents, and is characterised in that is very stable in relation to acids and high temperatures. According to the invention, ion-conducting materials or materials which will be ion-conducting after an additional treatment are added to a composite which is permeable to matter during production. Alternatively, the finished composite is treated with said materials.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrophobic permeable composite, to a method for producing a hydrophobic permeable composite and to the use of said composite in various processes. Hydrophobic, permeable materials have been known for some time. Plastic materials especially, for example Gore-Tex®, but also materials consisting of other organic polymers are used whenever a material is required to be gas- and steam-permeable but not liquid-permeable. These materials have the disadvantage that they can only be used within a certain temperature range. The inventive composite is characterised by a higher temperature resistance since it consists mainly of inorganic materials. It is also relatively easy to produce since it can be obtained using the sol-gel technique. The inventive composite can be used as a membrane in the oxidation of aromatics, for example in the direct oxidation of benzene to phenol.

Abstract: Polyelectrolyte coated permeable composite materials are prepared by coating a polyelectrolyte onto a composite material comprising an inorganic component composed of at least one compound of a metal, semimetal or mixed metal with at least one element from main groups 3 to 7, disposed on at least one side and on inner surfaces of a permeable support. The surface of the composite material is charged, and at least one, or a plurality of polyelectrolyte layers are deposited on the composite material to provide a polyelectrolyte coated permeable composite material.

Abstract: A tire tread made for polydiene rubber crosslinked with 1,2-bis(N,N-dibenzylthiocarbamoyldisulfido)ethane and method of producing the same.

Abstract: Polysulfide derivatives, having the general formula (A--S--S--).sub.2 X--S--S--A processes for their production and their use for crosslinking of reversion-stable rubber vulcanizates are provided. Crosslinking with reduced reversion and loss of elastomeric properties with age is achieved by the crosslinking system provided by the invention.

Abstract: Aromatic hydroxydithiocarboxylic acid vulcanization accelerators for aqueous dispersions of unsaturated polymers are provided which eliminate the formation of health-threatening nitrosamines and do not adversely affect the vulcanization properties.