Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass compositions containing one or more polycycloolefinic monomers and at least one multifunctional olefinic monomer which when subjected to a suitable temperature undergoes mass polymerization to provide a three-dimensional insulating article which exhibits hitherto unattainable low dielectric constant and low-loss properties, and very high thermal properties. The compositions of this invention may additionally contain one or more organic or inorganic filler materials, which provide improved thermo-mechanical properties in addition to very low dielectric properties. The compositions are stable at room temperature and undergo mass polymerization only when subjected to suitable higher temperatures generally above 100° C. The compositions of this invention are useful in various applications, including as insulating materials in millimeter wave radar antennas, among others.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass compositions containing one or more polycycloolefinic monomers and at least one multifunctional olefinic monomer which when subjected to a suitable temperature undergoes mass polymerization to provide a three-dimensional insulating article which exhibits hitherto unattainable low dielectric constant and low-loss properties, and very high thermal properties. The compositions of this invention may additionally contain one or more organic or inorganic filler materials, which provide improved thermo-mechanical properties in addition to very low dielectric properties. The compositions are stable at room temperature and undergo mass polymerization only when subjected to suitable higher temperatures generally above 100° C. The compositions of this invention are useful in various applications, including as insulating materials in millimeter wave radar antennas, among others.

An object is to provide a cured product, for example, that is made with a curable resin composition containing a curable resin having a particular structure, a radical polymerization initiator, and a flame retardant and therefore is superior in flame retardancy, heat resistance (high glass transition temperature), and dielectric properties (low dielectric properties). Specifically, there are provided a curable resin represented by general formula (1) below and a curable resin composition containing this curable resin, a radical polymerization initiator (B), and a flame retardant (C). (In general formula (1) above, Y is a substituent represented by general formula (2) below, and the details of the substituents and the numbers of substituents presented in general formulae (1) and (2) above are as described in the text.)

##STR00001##

An object is to provide a cured product, for example, that is made with a curable resin composition containing a curable resin having a particular structure, a radical polymerization initiator, and a flame retardant and therefore is superior in flame retardancy, heat resistance (high glass transition temperature), and dielectric properties (low dielectric properties). Specifically, there are provided a curable resin represented by general formula (1) below and a curable resin composition containing this curable resin, a radical polymerization initiator (B), and a flame retardant (C). (In general formula (1) above, Y is a substituent represented by general formula (2) below, and the details of the substituents and the numbers of substituents presented in general formulae (1) and (2) above are as described in the text.)

##STR00001##

A method of producing a powder mass for a lithium battery, the method comprising: (a) providing a solution containing a sulfonated elastomer dissolved in a solvent or a precursor in a liquid form or dissolved in a solvent; (b) dispersing a plurality of particles of a cathode active material in the solution to form a slurry; and (c) dispensing the slurry and removing the solvent and/or polymerizing/curing the precursor to form the powder mass, wherein the powder mass comprises multiple particulates and at least a particulate comprises one or a plurality of particles of a cathode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of sulfonated elastomer having a thickness from 1 nm to 10 μm, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 800%, and a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.−7 S/cm to 5×10.sup.−2 S/cm at room temperature.

A method of producing a powder mass for a lithium battery, the method comprising: (a) providing a solution containing a sulfonated elastomer dissolved in a solvent or a precursor in a liquid form or dissolved in a solvent; (b) dispersing a plurality of particles of a cathode active material in the solution to form a slurry; and (c) dispensing the slurry and removing the solvent and/or polymerizing/curing the precursor to form the powder mass, wherein the powder mass comprises multiple particulates and at least a particulate comprises one or a plurality of particles of a cathode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of sulfonated elastomer having a thickness from 1 nm to 10 μm, a fully recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 800%, and a lithium ion conductivity from 10.sup.−7 S/cm to 5×10.sup.−2 S/cm at room temperature.

There is provided an anode binder materials that can be converted into an anode binder having heat resistance, chemical resistance, excellent binding force and durability, and the like, as prerequisites for improving the performances of lithium rechargeable batteries, wherein the anode binder material comprises a vulcanization accelerator comprising a metal-organic framework (MOF); a styrene-butadiene-based copolymer; and sulfur molecule (S.sub.8).

There is provided an anode binder materials that can be converted into an anode binder having heat resistance, chemical resistance, excellent binding force and durability, and the like, as prerequisites for improving the performances of lithium rechargeable batteries, wherein the anode binder material comprises a vulcanization accelerator comprising a metal-organic framework (MOF); a styrene-butadiene-based copolymer; and sulfur molecule (S.sub.8).

A surface treatment liquid which adhesiveness of a component that achieves a surface treatment effect is good, and a desired surface treatment effect is easily obtained, and a surface treatment method using the surface treatment liquid are provided.

A surface treatment liquid including a resin (A) and a solvent (S), in which the resin (A) includes a constituent unit (a1) derived form a compound having a hydrophilic group and an ethylenic double bond and a constituent unit (a2) derived from a compound a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, an ethylenic double bond, and a specific type of polar group is used.

A surface treatment liquid which adhesiveness of a component that achieves a surface treatment effect is good, and a desired surface treatment effect is easily obtained, and a surface treatment method using the surface treatment liquid are provided.

A surface treatment liquid including a resin (A) and a solvent (S), in which the resin (A) includes a constituent unit (a1) derived form a compound having a hydrophilic group and an ethylenic double bond and a constituent unit (a2) derived from a compound a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, an ethylenic double bond, and a specific type of polar group is used.