A cleaning implement for cleaning a target surface is provided that includes an erodible foam adapted to contact a surface to be cleaned and a rheological solid composition comprising a crystallizing agent and an aqueous phase.

A cleaning implement for cleaning a target surface is provided that includes an erodible foam adapted to contact a surface to be cleaned and a rheological solid composition comprising a crystallizing agent and an aqueous phase.

Highly transparent (up to 92% light transmittance) wood composites have been developed. The process of fabricating the transparent wood composites includes lignin removal followed by index-matching polymer infiltration resulted in fabrication of the transparent wood composites with preserved naturally aligned nanoscale fibers. The thickness of the transparent wood composite can be tailored by controlling the thickness of the initial wood substrate. The optical transmittance can be tailored by selecting infiltrating polymers with different refractive indices. The transparent wood composites have a range of applications in biodegradable electronics, optoelectronics, as well as structural and energy efficient building materials. By coating the transparent wood composite layer on the surface of GaAs thin film solar cell, an 18% enhancement in the overall energy conversion efficiency has been attained.

Highly transparent (up to 92% light transmittance) wood composites have been developed. The process of fabricating the transparent wood composites includes lignin removal followed by index-matching polymer infiltration resulted in fabrication of the transparent wood composites with preserved naturally aligned nanoscale fibers. The thickness of the transparent wood composite can be tailored by controlling the thickness of the initial wood substrate. The optical transmittance can be tailored by selecting infiltrating polymers with different refractive indices. The transparent wood composites have a range of applications in biodegradable electronics, optoelectronics, as well as structural and energy efficient building materials. By coating the transparent wood composite layer on the surface of GaAs thin film solar cell, an 18% enhancement in the overall energy conversion efficiency has been attained.

A method for manufacturing a foamed profile including one or more longitudinal hollow chambers having a closed section, including (a) extruding a first polymer composition, in the presence of one or more first foaming agents, into a foamed base profile having a polygonal section, preferably a rectangular section, the first polymer composition including one or more (co)polyesters, (b) cooling the foamed base profile, (c) creating a trench along the length of the foamed base profile by removing material, preferably by means of milling, cutting, laser or thermofusion, the trench forming two parallel branches in the foamed base profile, each of the branches including an outer surface opposite the trench and an inner surface facing the trench, and (d) extruding, inside the trench, a second polymer composition which may or may not be identical to the first polymer composition, preferably in the presence of one or more second foaming agents, into a spacer at at least one location between the two inner surfaces of the two branches of the trench, so as to form at least one closed hollow chamber inside the trench. The disclosure also related to foamed profiles including one or more longitudinal hollow chambers having a closed section, in particular insulators for reducing the thermal bridge effect between two connected building elements.

A method for manufacturing a foamed profile including one or more longitudinal hollow chambers having a closed section, including (a) extruding a first polymer composition, in the presence of one or more first foaming agents, into a foamed base profile having a polygonal section, preferably a rectangular section, the first polymer composition including one or more (co)polyesters, (b) cooling the foamed base profile, (c) creating a trench along the length of the foamed base profile by removing material, preferably by means of milling, cutting, laser or thermofusion, the trench forming two parallel branches in the foamed base profile, each of the branches including an outer surface opposite the trench and an inner surface facing the trench, and (d) extruding, inside the trench, a second polymer composition which may or may not be identical to the first polymer composition, preferably in the presence of one or more second foaming agents, into a spacer at at least one location between the two inner surfaces of the two branches of the trench, so as to form at least one closed hollow chamber inside the trench. The disclosure also related to foamed profiles including one or more longitudinal hollow chambers having a closed section, in particular insulators for reducing the thermal bridge effect between two connected building elements.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a conductive urethane foam capable of curbing changes in hardness and impact resilience thereof between prior to and after being impregnated with a binder resin, while keeping a stable charge-imparting effect thereof. To achieve the object, the present disclosure proposes a conductive urethane foam including an urethane foam substrate material having a surface layer impregnated with a binder resin containing a conducting agent: wherein the binder resin contains a silicone resin.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a conductive urethane foam capable of curbing changes in hardness and impact resilience thereof between prior to and after being impregnated with a binder resin, while keeping a stable charge-imparting effect thereof. To achieve the object, the present disclosure proposes a conductive urethane foam including an urethane foam substrate material having a surface layer impregnated with a binder resin containing a conducting agent: wherein the binder resin contains a silicone resin.

Disclosed are a polymer electrolyte membrane, a method of manufacturing the membrane, and a membrane-electrode assembly including the membrane. The polymer electrolyte membrane contains a porous support having a plurality of pores, a first layer including a first ion conductor that fills the pores adjoining one surface of the porous support, and a second layer including a second ion conductor that fills the pores adjoining the other surface of the porous support, wherein the first ion conductor and the second ion conductor are different from each other, and one selected from the group consisting of the first layer, the second layer, and a combination thereof includes an organic-based antioxidant.

Disclosed are a polymer electrolyte membrane, a method of manufacturing the membrane, and a membrane-electrode assembly including the membrane. The polymer electrolyte membrane contains a porous support having a plurality of pores, a first layer including a first ion conductor that fills the pores adjoining one surface of the porous support, and a second layer including a second ion conductor that fills the pores adjoining the other surface of the porous support, wherein the first ion conductor and the second ion conductor are different from each other, and one selected from the group consisting of the first layer, the second layer, and a combination thereof includes an organic-based antioxidant.