Novel or improved microporous single or multilayer battery separator membranes, separators, batteries including such membranes or separators, methods of making such membranes, separators, and/or batteries, and/or methods of using such membranes, separators and/or batteries are provided. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, a multilayer dry process polyethylene/polypropylene/polyethylene microporous separator which is manufactured using the inventive process which includes machine direction stretching followed by transverse direction stretching and a subsequent calendering step as a means to reduce the thickness of the multilayer microporous membrane, to reduce the percent porosity of the multilayer microporous membrane in a controlled manner and/or to improve transverse direction tensile strength. In a very particular embodiment, the inventive process produces a thin multilayer microporous membrane that is easily coated with polymeric-ceramic coatings, has excellent mechanical strength properties due to its polypropylene layer or layers and a thermal shutdown function due to its polyethylene layer or layers. The ratio of the thickness of the polypropylene and polyethylene layers in the inventive multilayer microporous membrane can be tailored to balance mechanical strength and thermal shutdown properties.

A crane mat is disclosed having a plurality of panels of lumber positioned in alternating transverse directions with respect to one another, where the top and bottom panels are oriented parallel to the direction of vehicular traffic. The top and bottom panels may include a plurality of spaced apart grooves extending longitudinally from a first longitudinal end of the crane mat to a second longitudinal end of the crane mat for enhancing traction of a vehicle when traversing across the crane mat by transporting rain or moisture off the mat, or for receiving mud or other debris. The crane mat may include a plurality of edge protectors positioned on respective sides of the crane mat to protect the crane mat from handling damage. In various embodiments, the crane mat may be manufactured using either softwood, hardwood, or any combination of softwood and hardwood.

A product for displaying an image or object (e.g., printed photo or a print, etc.) according to at least one implementation includes a first sheet having a front face and a rear face. An image or object is formed along the rear face. The product also includes an adhesive coated substrate, such as a ferrous metal substrate, to which the first sheet is adhesively affixed.

A grid and skin assembly for use in a composite laminate structure is described. The assembly includes a metallic grid having a plurality of intersecting ribs oriented in at least two distinct rib directions offset at a grid angle relative to one another and defining respective intersection points; and a composite laminate skin having a plurality of ply layers comprising a plurality of tapes oriented in at least two distinct tape directions offset at a ply angle relative to one another. The grid angle is at least 25 degrees, the intersection points define glueless joints of the metallic grid, and the grid is a non-aluminum-based material. A grid and method of manufacturing the grid and skin assembly is also described. The method includes a water jet cutting procedure and glueless joint formation due to differing thermal expansion characteristics of the grid and skin.

A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite component includes placing a first impregnated fiber layer on a surface, aligning a second impregnated fiber layer with the first impregnated fiber layer, and joining the first impregnated fiber layer with the second impregnated fiber layer at a plurality of discrete joining regions. The joining of the first and second impregnated fiber layers comprises transferring energy from at least one tool into the first and second impregnated fiber layers at the plurality of discrete joining regions.

A method of fabricating a panel includes laying up a first laminate on a tooling surface, laying a first layer of thermoplastic on an inner surface of the first laminate, laying a large cell carbon core on the first layer of thermoplastic, laying a second layer of thermoplastic across the large cell carbon core, laying a second laminate on the second layer of thermoplastic, creating a sealed core pocket by bonding the edges of the first and second layers of the thermoplastic surrounding a perimeter of the core, increasing pressure within the core pocket, increasing pressure on the outer surface of the second laminate, heating the panel to a desired curing temperature, and maintaining the increased pressures and temperature for a desired curing duration.

A fiber reinforced resin hollow molded body 30 in which a resin-integrated fiber sheet is used. The resin-integrated fiber sheet includes unidirectional continuous fibers that are spread fibers of a continuous fiber group and arrayed unidirectionally in parallel, and thermoplastic resin that is present at least on a surface of the unidirectional continuous fibers. In the hollow molded body, in a state where the resin-integrated fiber sheet or a plurality of the resin-integrated fiber sheets 30 are stacked, the resin-integrated fiber sheet or the plurality of resin-integrated fiber sheets are wound to produce a wound body having an overlapping portion. The thermoplastic resin is impregnated in the unidirectional continuous fibers. The resin-integrated fiber sheet or the plurality of resin-integrated fiber sheets are consolidated.

The peel-off sheet according to the present disclosure includes a first substrate and a peel-off layer, wherein the peel-off layer contains a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer and a crystalline polyester, or the peel-off sheet includes a structural component containing particles, wherein the particle size distribution of the particles contained in the structural component which is determined with a laser diffraction scattering particle size distribution analyzer has a maximum peak at a position of more than 0.2 μm and 5 μm or less.

High-performance metal matrix composites of copper, aluminum, and/or titanium are produced by embedding nanocarbon reinforcement into metal foil or sheet which is concurrently laminated into a multilayer structure to produce high- performance materials for thermal management, enhanced electrical conductivity, armor products and high-strength composite structures.

A light-translucent artificial leatherette (e.g., for use in an automotive interior) consists of a surface treating agent layer and a multilayer polymer material construction. The multilayer polymer material construction is comprised of at least an epidermal layer, which is a pigmented layer, and a surface treating agent layer, which is affixed to the epidermal layer. The light-translucent artificial leatherette is further comprised of a light-shielding layer, within which an inverse mask or light-transparent patterned structure is incorporated. The light-shielding layer is positioned between two laminates of the multilayer polymer construction adjacent thereto. The light-shielding layer is positioned directly between two laminates of the multilayer polymer construction adjacent thereto, and an inverse mask pattern is embedded into the light-shielding layer. A light source can illuminate the inverse mask structure and thereby display an inverse mask pattern on the light-translucent artificial leatherette surface.