A composition, a mixed powder and a material for molding have polytetrafluoroethylene as a main component. Each includes polytetrafluoroethylene that can be fibrillated, a non-hot melt processable component that is not fibrillated, and a hot melt processable component with a melting point of lower than 320 C. that is not fibrillated. The hot melt processable component is contained at equal to or more than 0.1% by weight but less than 20% by weight of a total weight. A filtering medium for an air filter includes a porous membrane made of these components, and an air permeable support. The porous membrane is manufactured, by mixing these components, extruding the mixture, rolling and drawing.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a hollow fiber membrane sheet comprising: accepting a hollow fiber membrane bundle, which is in a sheet state, of a length set in advance in which a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are aligned using one or more accepting means containing a drive roll; forming fixing parts at which the hollow fiber membranes are fixed in a widthwise direction of the hollow fiber membrane bundle using a fixing means after accepting the hollow fiber membrane bundle of the length set in advance; and cutting the hollow fiber membrane bundle at the fixing parts or on the vicinity thereof.

A polyolefin microporous membrane includes a polyethylene composition, and 0.5% or more but less than 5% by mass of polypropylene, wherein the polyethylene composition includes polyethylene having a mass average molecular weight of 2.510.sup.5 to 510.sup.5 and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having a mass average molecular weight of 110.sup.6 to 310.sup.6 in an amount of more than 5% by mass and not more than 50% by mass based on 100% by mass of polyethylene composition and has a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of 5.0 to 300, and the polyolefin microporous membrane has an injection of electrolyte of 20 seconds or less and a uniform polypropylene distribution in at least one plane perpendicular to the thickness direction.

The present disclosure is directed to embodiments of microstructured membranes, methods of fabricating microstructured membranes, bioreactors housing microstructured membranes, and methods of using bioreactors and microstructured membranes. In some embodiments, the present disclosure allows culturing of cellular tissues in an environment which more accurately resembles a native environment. In some more specific embodiments, the present disclosure allows culturing of tumor cells on a membrane having a microfabricated pattern which mimics a native vasculature system.

A polyolefin microporous membrane is produced by forming a gel-like molding using a polyolefin resin containing polypropylene, and stretching the molding in at least one direction, followed by washing, the polyolefin microporous membrane having an injection of electrolyte of 20 seconds or less and a uniform polypropylene distribution in at least one plane perpendicular to the thickness direction.

Provided are a multilayer separator capable of improving interlayer peel strength and exhibiting excellent permeability due to a high degree of alignment, and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing a multilayer separator includes: manufacturing a precursor film by co-extruding and molding a polypropylene based resin melt having a melt index (2.16 kg, 230 C.) of 0.3 to 5 g/10 min and a polyethylene based resin melt having a melt index (2.16 kg, 190 C.) of 0.1 to 1.5 g/10 min so as to be alternately laminated; and heat-treating and stretching the manufactured film, wherein a melt index ratio (A/B) of the polypropylene based resin melt (A) and polyethylene based resin melt (B) is 2 to 10.

Improved battery separators, base films or membranes, batteries, cells, devices, systems, vehicles, and/or methods of making and/or using such separators, films or membranes, batteries, cells, devices, systems, vehicles, and/or methods of enhancing battery or cell charge rates, charge capacity, and/or discharge rates, and/or methods of improving batteries, systems including such batteries, vehicles including such batteries and/or systems, and/or the like; biaxially oriented porous membranes, composites including biaxially oriented porous membranes, biaxially oriented microporous membranes, biaxially oriented macroporous membranes, battery separators with improved charge capacities and the related methods and methods of manufacture, methods of use, and the like; flat sheet membranes, liquid retention media; dry process separators; biaxially stretched separators; dry process biaxially stretched separators having a thickness range between about 5 m and 50 m, preferably between about 10 m and 25 m, having improved strength, high porosity, and unexpectedly and/or surprisingly high charge capacity, such as, for example, high 10C rate charge capacity; separators or membranes with high charge capacity and high porosity, excellent charge rate and/or charge capacity performance in a rechargeable and/or secondary lithium battery, such as a lithium ion battery, for high power and/or high energy applications, cells, devices, systems, and/or vehicles, and/or the like; single or multiple ply or layer separators, monolayer separators, trilayer separators, composite separators, laminated separators, co-extruded separators, coated separators, 1 C or higher separators, at least 1 C separators, batteries, cells, systems, devices, vehicles, and/or the like; improved microporous battery separators for secondary lithium batteries, improved microporous battery separators with enhanced or high charge (C) rates, discharge (C) rates, and/or enhanced or high charge capacities in or for secondary lithium batteries, and/or related methods of manufacture, use, and/or the like, and/or combinations thereof are disclosed or provided.

A low cost transdermal patch comprises water soluble microneedles and has good performance. A transdermal patch comprises a microneedle sheet, which comprises a plurality of water soluble microneedles, moisture permeable sheet, wherethrough water vapor passes, and a reinforcing film. The reinforcing film is adhered, by an adhesive layer having an adhesive strength less than that of an adhesive layer, onto an outer surface of the moisture permeable sheet, which is the side opposite the skin opposing surface. The reinforcing film includes a water vapor barrier sheet, which blocks the passage of water vapor through at least a first area, and a removable portion around the water vapor barrier sheet. The removable portion is configured such that it can be separated from and peeled off the water vapor barrier sheet.

A piece of substrate material is formed under heat and pressure against a cavity into a shaped substrate sheet having one or more depressions. Two substrate sheets are bonded together to form a substrate wherein the one or more depressions form one or more interior channels. The substrate, if not formed with pre-coated substrate material, is coated with a dope and quenched to form a filtering membrane. A plurality of membranes may be placed side by side to form a bundle with permeating ends of the membrane, which are open to the one or more interior channels, separated by gaps or spacers. The bundle is connected to a header to produce a module. The module can be assembled into a cassette.

An organic/inorganic composite membrane may include hydrophilic inorganic particles dispersed in an organic polymer matrix having finger-like pores. The hydrophilic inorganic particles may be present at a higher concentration near one surface of the membrane having a higher density than the other surface of the membrane having a lower density.