Provided is a separator including a first layer which consists of a porous polyolefin and a secondary battery utilizing the separator. A first layer exhibits a minimum height equal to or more than 50 cm and equal to or less than 150 cm when a ball having a diameter of 14.3 mm and a weight of 11.9 g located over the first layer is allowed to free fall causing a split in the first layer. A tearing strength of the first layer in a width direction, measured with an Elmendorf tearing method, is equal to or more than 1.5 mN/m. A tensile elongation of the first layer is equal to or longer than 0.5 mm until a load decreases to 25% of a maximum load in a load-elongation curve in machine direction measured by a rectangular tearing method.

Provided is a separator including a separator which consists of a porous polyolefin of 95 wt % or more and an organic additive. A temperature-increase convergence time of the first layer is equal to or longer than 2.9 s.Math.m.sup.2/g and equal to or shorter than 5.7 s.Math.m.sup.2/g when the first layer is irradiated with a microwave having a frequency of 2455 MHz and an output power of 1800 W after dipping the first layer in N-methylpyrrolidone containing 3 wt % of water, whereas a white index is equal to or more than 86 and equal to or less than 98.

Provided is a separator capable of suppressing an increase in internal resistance and a decrease in a battery performance. A separator having a first layer consisting of a porous polyolefin and an organic antioxidant and a secondary battery including the separator are provided. The first layer has a parameter X, defined by the following equation, equal to or more than 0 and equal to or less than 20,

[00001]$X=100.Math..Math.\frac{\frac{.Math.\mathrm{MD}.Math..Math.\tan .Math..Math.-\mathrm{TD}.Math..Math.\tan .Math..Math..Math.}{.Math.\mathrm{MD}.Math..Math.\tan .Math..Math.+\mathrm{TD}.Math..Math.\tan .Math..Math..Math.}}{2}$

where MD tan and TD tan are respectively a loss tangent in a flow direction and a loss tangent in a width direction which are obtained by a viscoelasticity measurement of the first layer at a temperature of 90 C. and a frequency of 10 Hz. A white index of the first layer is equal to or more than 85 and equal to or less than 98.

A method for producing a coagulate includes: incorporating, into an aqueous urethane resin composition containing an aqueous urethane resin having an acid value of 0.01 mg KOH/g or more, a thickening agent having an oxyethylene group content of 210.sup.2 mol/g or less in an amount in the range of from 0.01 to 30 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the aqueous urethane resin, to thicken the composition; and then coagulating the thickened composition using a coagulant containing a metal salt). A porous structure can be formed from an aqueous urethane resin composition without subjecting the composition to heating or foaming step, and therefore a coagulate having a porous structure can be stably obtained with ease.

The present invention provides for concentrated aqueous silk fibroin solutions and an all-aqueous mode for preparation of concentrated aqueous fibroin solutions that avoids the use of organic solvents, direct additives, or harsh chemicals. The invention further provides for the use of these solutions in production of materials, e.g., fibers, films, foams, meshes, scaffolds and hydrogels.

A method for forming a thermoplastic body having regions with varied material composition and/or porosity. Powder blends comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a sacrificial porogen and an inorganic reinforcement or filler are molded to form complementary parts with closely toleranced mating surfaces. The parts are formed discretely, assembled and compression molded to provide a unitary article that is free from discernible boundaries between the assembled parts. Each part in the assembly has differences in composition and/or porosity, and the assembly has accurate physical features throughout the sections of the formed article, without distortion and nonuniformities caused by variable compaction and densification rates in methods that involve compression molding powder blends in a single step.

A method of manufacturing a flexible intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite controlling for an effective pore size using removable pore-forming substances and physically incorporated, non-leaching antimicrobials. A flexible intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite controlled for an effective pore size composited physically incorporated, high-surface area, non-leaching antimicrobials, optionally in which the physically incorporated non-leaching antimicrobial exposes nanopillars on its surface to enhance antimicrobial activity. A kit that enhances the effectiveness of the intrinsically antimicrobial absorbent porosic composite by storing the composite within an antimicrobial container.

Star block copolymers having 3 to 8 arms are formed as a 3D foam scaffold having tailor-made pore sizes that mimic an actual cell size of a specific animal and/or human tissue and/or organs. The pore sizes are made within the elastomeric foams via a salt leaching process wherein a salt of a specific particle size is blended within the star block copolymers and crosslinked as by polyisocyanate compounds. Water or other suitable solvent are utilized to dissolve and leach out the salt leaving an open pore system. Animal and/or human cells are then injected into the 3D elastomeric foam scaffold that contains pendant liquid crystals on the star block copolymer whereby with the aid of nutrients, cells are formed within the pore system that are viable for at least three months. The size of the pore is predetermined to produce a desired cultured cell having a desired size. The tissue and/or cells within the elastomeric scaffold can be applied to animal and/or human tissue and/or organs whereupon they grow and reconstruct the damaged, injured, diseased, etc., area and result in a healthy, repaired, and viable tissue or organ. The elastomeric liquid crystal containing foam scaffold will degrade naturally and/or also be consumed by the growing cells so that it no longer exists. In other words, a specific type of animal or human cell can be culturally produced having a predetermined average cell diameter that is substantially or essentially the same diameter of a natural cell.

A polyamide aerogel and method of making the same is disclosed. The aerogel includes para-substituted monomers without a cross-linking agent.

This disclosure provides for synthetic routes of acrylic acid and other ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acids and their salts, including catalytic methods. For example, there is provided a process for producing an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid or its salt, comprising: (1) contacting in any order, a group 8-11 transition metal precursor, an olefin, carbon dioxide, a diluent, and a porous crosslinked polyphenoxide resin comprising associated metal cations to provide a mixture; and (2) applying reaction conditions to the mixture suitable to produce the ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid or a salt thereof. Methods of regenerating the polyphenoxide resin comprising associated metal cations are described.