Described herein are water desalination membranes and methods of desalinating water. Sulfonated poly(arylene ether) polymers are also disclosed, including those comprising one or more sulfonate groups at various points along the polymer chain. The polymers may be used as at least a portion of a water desalination membrane. The polymers described herein are useful for preventing transport of aqueous ionic species (e.g., Na.sup.+ and Cl.sup.−) across a membrane made from the polymers while allowing water to pass. Chlorine-stable polymers are described, as well as polymers exhibiting good performance for rejecting monovalent cations in the presence of polyvalent cations.

An alkali-resistant water repellent member according to the present invention has: a silica layer on at least one surface of a base material, said silica layer having a film thickness of from 1 nm to 5 μm, while containing 50% by mass or more of silica nanoparticles and 1% by mass or more of an organosilicon compound that has a plurality of silanol groups in each molecule; and a water repellent oil repellent layer on the outer surface of the silica layer, said water repellent oil repellent layer having a film thickness of from 0.5 nm to 30 nm, while being mainly composed of a cured product of a hydrolyzable fluorine-containing organosilicon compound. This alkali-resistant water repellent member is able to easily provide various base materials with a water repellent oil repellent coating film in a stable manner, said coating film having excellent alkali resistance and wet wear resistance.

A surface coating material includes a first material and a second material having a different structure. The first material includes a linking group represented by *—(CF.sub.2).sub.nO—* between two terminal ends, where one terminal end is a trifluoroalkoxy group and another terminal end is a silane group. The second material includes an oxyalkylene group or a *—NH—* linking group between two terminal ends, where one terminal end is an alkoxy group or an amino group, and another terminal end is a silane group. The first material is included in the surface coating material in an amount of less than or equal to about 5 mol % relative to a total amount (100 mol %) of the first material and the second material in the surface coating material.

A fire protection composition contains a binder on the basis of an alkoxysilane-functionalized polymer and a liquid carbon supplier. The fire protection composition allows application in a simple and rapid manner of coatings having the layer thickness required for the particular fire resistance time, the layer thickness being reduced to a minimum while achieving a good fireproofing effect. The fire-protection composition is formulated as a multi-component system. The fire-protection composition is particularly suitable for fire protection, especially as a coating of construction elements such as steel carriers.

A fire protection composition contains a binder on the basis of an alkoxysilane-functionalized polymer and a liquid carbon supplier. The fire protection composition allows application in a simple and rapid manner of coatings having the layer thickness required for the particular fire resistance time, the layer thickness being reduced to a minimum while achieving a good fireproofing effect. The fire-protection composition is formulated as a multi-component system. The fire-protection composition is particularly suitable for fire protection, especially as a coating of construction elements such as steel carriers.

To provide a water/oil repellent article which presents little burden on the environment, while being excellent in water/oil repellency, washing durability of the water repellency and friction durability of the water repellency; a method for producing such a water/oil repellent article; and a water/oil repellent composition and a water/oil repellent kit to be used for producing such a water/oil repellent article. A water/oil repellent article that comprises a substrate and, as adhered to the surface of the substrate, a fluorinated polymer having structural units based on monomer (a) having a C.sub.1-6 perfluoroalkyl group, and a specific fluorinated ether compound; a method for producing the water/oil repellent article, which comprises letting the fluorinated polymer and fluorinated ether compound be adhered to the substrate; a water/oil repellent composition which comprises the fluorinated polymer and fluorinated ether compound; and a water/oil repellent kit which comprises a first container accommodating a first liquid containing the fluorinated polymer and a second container accommodating a second liquid containing the fluorinated ether compound.

To provide a water/oil repellent article which presents little burden on the environment, while being excellent in water/oil repellency, washing durability of the water repellency and friction durability of the water repellency; a method for producing such a water/oil repellent article; and a water/oil repellent composition and a water/oil repellent kit to be used for producing such a water/oil repellent article. A water/oil repellent article that comprises a substrate and, as adhered to the surface of the substrate, a fluorinated polymer having structural units based on monomer (a) having a C.sub.1-6 perfluoroalkyl group, and a specific fluorinated ether compound; a method for producing the water/oil repellent article, which comprises letting the fluorinated polymer and fluorinated ether compound be adhered to the substrate; a water/oil repellent composition which comprises the fluorinated polymer and fluorinated ether compound; and a water/oil repellent kit which comprises a first container accommodating a first liquid containing the fluorinated polymer and a second container accommodating a second liquid containing the fluorinated ether compound.

The present disclosure provides compositions including a carbon fiber material comprising one or more of dibromocyclopropyl or polysilazane disposed thereon; and a thermosetting polymer or a thermoplastic polymer. The present disclosure further provides metal substrates including a composition of the present disclosure disposed thereon. The present disclosure further provides vehicle components including a metal substrate of the present disclosure. The present disclosure further provides methods for manufacturing a vehicle component, including contacting a carbon fiber material with a polysilazane or a dibromocarbene to form a coated carbon fiber material; and mixing the coated carbon fiber material with a thermosetting polymer or a thermoplastic polymer to form a composition. Methods can further include depositing a composition of the present disclosure onto a metal substrate.

The present disclosure provides compositions including a carbon fiber material comprising one or more of dibromocyclopropyl or polysilazane disposed thereon; and a thermosetting polymer or a thermoplastic polymer. The present disclosure further provides metal substrates including a composition of the present disclosure disposed thereon. The present disclosure further provides vehicle components including a metal substrate of the present disclosure. The present disclosure further provides methods for manufacturing a vehicle component, including contacting a carbon fiber material with a polysilazane or a dibromocarbene to form a coated carbon fiber material; and mixing the coated carbon fiber material with a thermosetting polymer or a thermoplastic polymer to form a composition. Methods can further include depositing a composition of the present disclosure onto a metal substrate.

There is provided a fluorine-containing ether compound represented by the following formula. R.sup.1—R.sup.2—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2O—CH.sub.2—R.sup.3—CH.sub.2—R.sup.4—R.sup.5 (in the formula. R.sup.3 represents a perfluoropolyether chain; R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 represent a divalent linking group having a polar group; R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 represent a terminal group bonded to an oxygen atom of R.sup.2 or R.sup.4; and at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.5 is any one selected from the group consisting of an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aromatic hydrocarbon-containing group, and an aromatic heterocycle-containing group).