Embodiments of the invention relate generally to anion exchange membranes and, more particularly, to anion exchange membranes comprising a styrene block copolymer and methods for their manufacture. In one embodiment, the invention provides a polymer according to formula IV, wherein x and y are mol %, QA is or each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is, independently, a linear alkyl chain or a cyclic alkyl chain, and Z is selected from a group consisting of: a linear alkyl chain, a cyclic alkyl chain, and an alkylene ether chain.

A core-shell nanocomposite is formed by co-assembly of an amphiphilic polymer and hydrophobically modified magnetic nanoparticles, with its core being a hydrophobically modified magnetic nanomaterial and its shell being the amphiphilic polymer, wherein hydrophilic segments in the amphiphilic polymer are located at an outermost layer of the shell. The above composite can be used as additives in the crystallization of conglomerates and obtain optically pure crystals of both enantiomers in a single process. The key thereof is that the composite is used to enrich molecules with the same configuration while inhibit the crystallization of the other enantiomer in a supersaturated solution of conglomerates, such that a non-magnetic crystal and a magnetic crystal (which are enantiomers of each other) are generated in a unit operation. Optically pure crystals of both enantiomers with over 90 ee % can be obtained by one-time crystallization, and the total yield can be as high as 40%.

A coated particle according to the present invention is a coated particle containing a conductive metal-coated particle having a metal film formed on a surface of a core material, the conductive metal-coated particle coated with an insulation layer containing a polymer, wherein the insulation layer has a phosphonium group. The insulation layer preferably contains an insulating fine particle and the fine particle has a phosphonium group on a surface thereof, or the insulation layer is preferably a film having a phosphonium group. In addition, the metal is preferably at least one selected from nickel, gold, nickel alloys, and gold alloys. The polymer constituting the insulation layer is preferably at least one polymerized product selected from styrenes, esters, and nitriles.

The invention relates to expandable polymer particles based on styrene polymers, to a process for the preparation thereof and to the use of the expandable polymer particles in a molded foam part. The polymer particles contain A) 87 to 99 wt. % of one or more styrene polymers (A), in relation to the total weight of (A), (B) and (C); B) 1 to 10 wt. % of one or more foaming agents (B); C) 0 to 3 wt. % of one or more nucleators or nucleating agents C); and optionally further additives (Z) in amounts which do not impair the domain formation and the foam structure resulting therefrom.

A block copolymer and a use thereof is provided. The block copolymer may have excellent self-assembly properties or phase separation characteristics and simultaneously have characteristics capable of changing the self-assembly structure formed once, or provide a block copolymer capable of forming a pattern of phase separation structures in a polymer membrane.

A polymer for liquid chromatography or solid phase extraction is provided. The polymer is prepared by polymerizing styrene and divinylbenzene to form a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer; soaking the styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer in a swelling agent to form nano-scale micropores; and soaking the microporous styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer in methanol. When packed in a chromatographic column, the polymer can be used to produce produce natural health or medicinal products from Cannabis species, for example, industrial hemp.

A modified copolymer is provided. The modified copolymer includes a random copolymer of a repeat unit of formula (I) and a repeat unit of formula (II) ##STR00001##
wherein M is derived from monomers with double bonds, R is a direct bond or an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 16 carbon atoms, an alkylcarbonyloxy group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, a carbonyl group, an ether group, an ester group, an amide group, an aromatic group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, or a divalent group having any of the above groups, wherein m and x are positive integers less than 50. The weight average molecular weight of the modified copolymer is between 3000 and 30000.

A bipolar membrane BP characterized in that particles 5 of a basic metal chloride are distributed in the interface between a cation-exchange membrane 1 and an anion-exchange membrane 3.

The invention relates to the co-use of a) a certain type of silica and b) a certain type of graphite, wherein the silica and the graphite are used in a weight ratio in a range of from 1:1 to 1:10, for decreasing the thermal conductivity of vinyl aromatic polymer foam.

A method of synthesizing cyclohexanone can include oxidation of cyclohexane to produce a mixture including cyclohexanone, cyclohexanol, and cyclohexane, and separating cyclohexanone from the mixture using a pervaporation method. The pervaporation method includes contacting the mixture with a first side of a poly(styrene-maleic anhydride-dihydropyrane) membrane and receiving the cyclohexanone from a second side of the poly(styrene-maleic anhydride-dihydropyrane) membrane as a low-pressure vapor. The method can be performed in a pervaporation unit including a reactant portion for receiving the cyclohexane, a permeate portion for receiving the cyclohexanone, and a poly(styrene-maleic anhydride-dihydropyrane) membrane separating the reactant portion from the permeate portion.