A leaflet for a prosthetic valve formed of at least one layer that includes a composite material containing at least one expanded fluoropolymer membrane having serpentine fibrils and an elastomer is provided. The fluoropolymer may be polytetrafluoroethylene. In at least one embodiment, the elastic properties are present in an axial direction the leaflet. The leaflets may be single layered or multi-layered. The leaflets may be coupled to a support structure and movable between open and closed configurations relative to the support structure to form a heart valve. The elasticity within the leaflets permits, among other things, the leaflets to bend with a reduced occurrence of wrinkles as the valve opens and closes. The elastic properties of the leaflet also, among other things, improve bending properties and reduce closure stresses, thereby extending the life of the leaflet.

A polymeric material having a multimodal pore size distribution is provided. The material is formed by applying a stress to a thermoplastic composition that contains first and second inclusion additives dispersed within a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer. Through the use of particular types of inclusion additives and careful control over the manner in which such additives are dispersed within the polymer matrix, the present inventors have discovered that a unique, multimodal porous structure can be achieved.

A method for making low shrink polyester films wherein the films are arranged in stacks, tentered, heat treated, and relaxed in unison. Also, polyester films produced by such method.

Provided is an ultra large-width coating device applied to a consecutive process. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coating device capable of maximizing productivity by consecutively manufacturing a large-width film without reducing physical properties of the manufactured film by overcoming a problem in that a coating width is limited during a coating process using the existing contact type coating roller, and a method for manufacturing an ultra large-width membrane using the same.

A method for preparing a lithium-ion battery separator is disclosed. The method comprises: cooling and shaping a liquid-phase stabilization system containing polyethylene, stretching to enlarge pores, extracting with a solvent, and heat-setting to obtain a lithium-ion battery separator, wherein the stretching includes pre-stretching and synchronous bidirectional stretching, and the pre-stretching is completed before the synchronous bidirectional stretching.

The present teaching relates to a recyclable, easily tearable packaging laminate having a good barrier effect, including a first laminate layer and a second laminate layer. The first laminate layer is a co-extruded and bidirectionally stretched composite consisting of a substrate layer having an HDPE content of at least 60 vol. %, a connecting layer and a barrier layer consisting of a barrier polymer, preferably polyamide or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, having a thickness of maximum 20% of the total thickness of the first laminate layer. The connecting layer is arranged between the substrate layer and the barrier layer, and the first laminate layer is connected, at its barrier layer, to the second laminate layer.

A heat shrinkable film shows a heat shrinkage rate in the direction perpendicular to the main shrinkage direction that is not high even at high temperature and is printable thereon. The heat shrinkable film includes a polyester resin, wherein the heat shrinkage characteristics in the direction perpendicular to the main shrinkage direction satisfy the following Relationships 1 and 2:

−15≤ΔT.sub.70-65≤0  Relationship 1

0≤ΔT.sub.100-95≤5  Relationship 2 wherein ΔT.sub.X-Y is a value obtained by subtracting heat shrinkage rate of the heat shrinkable film in the direction perpendicular to the main shrinkage direction after the heat shrinkable film is immersed in water bath for 10 seconds at Y° C. from heat shrinkage rate of the heat shrinkable film in the direction perpendicular to the main shrinkage direction after the heat shrinkable film is immersed in water bath for 10 seconds at X° C.

The tube is stretchable. The tube is stretched by applying tension in a longitudinal direction. The tube returns to its short state by releasing the above-described tension applied in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of protrusions are formed on an inner surface of the tube. Each of the plurality of protrusions extends in a circumferential direction. The plurality of protrusions are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the tube. A pitch of the protrusions is less than or equal to 1.5 μm.

A method of manufacturing an activated composite web includes laminating a film layer to a nonwoven web to form a composite web, forming a plurality of apertured protuberances in the film layer, and passing the composite web through intermeshing elements to form an activated composite web. The intermeshing elements form a plurality of first lanes, with first widths, substantially unaffected by activation, and a plurality of second lanes, with second widths. The second widths are less than the first widths. Portions of the plurality of apertured protuberances define first apertures in the first lanes and second apertures in the second lanes. The cross-sections of the second apertures are larger than the first apertures. The first apertures have their major axes substantially aligned in the first direction while the second apertures have their major axis substantially aligned in the second direction. An activated composite web also is provided.

Patterned substrates having a first substrate region that is incrementally mechanically stretched with corrugations and a second substrate region having a plurality of discrete unstretched portions completely surrounded by the first substrate region.