A microporous membrane has average membrane thickness of 15 μm or less, and relative impedance A after a heat compression treatment under a pressure of 4.0 MPa at 80° C. for 10 minutes of 140% or less, the relative impedance A being obtained by the equation below: Relative impedance A=(impedance measured at 80° C. after the heat compression treatment)/(impedance measured at room temperature prior to the heat compression treatment)×100.

Methods and devices for rapidly separating pathogen from a test sample, such as a food sample, for efficient detection of pathogen are disclosed. A simultaneous microfiltration and elutriation approach was used to separate pathogen, such as bacterial cells, from a test sample, such a food sample.

A microporous structure includes an array of nano wires and a coating about the nano wires of the array. The coating defines pores between the nano wires.

A filter including a porous support defining one or more channels therethrough, and a porous ceramic membrane layer on a surface of the porous support defining at least one of the one or more channels. The ceramic membrane layer includes an inorganic ceramic composition having the formula SiM.sup.p.sub.xpC.sub.yN.sub.zO.sub.mH.sub.n, where each M.sup.p present is independently selected from a p-block element or a d-block element; p is an integer from 1 to 5; for each M.sup.p present, xp is independently from about 0 to about 60; y is from about 0 to about 60; z is from about 0 to about 60; m is from about 0 to about 40; and n is zero or nonzero. At least one of y and z is nonzero when p is zero, and p is nonzero when y and z are both zero.

The present invention provides a porous membrane for water treatment, comprising: a high molecular weight polyethylene, a water-soluble polymer and an antioxidant, the high molecular weight polyethylene having an average molecular weight of 1.0×10.sup.5 to 10.0×10.sup.6 and a density of 0.940 to 0.976 g/cm.sup.3; wherein, the weight of the water-soluble polymer is 5 to 50 parts, the weight of the antioxidant is 0.1 to 10 parts, based on 100 parts of the weight of the high molecular weight polyethylene. The porous membrane for water treatment prepared by the present invention has a thickness of 5 to 30 μm, a pore size of 10 to 100 nm, a porosity of 20 to 60%, and a surface contact angle of 30° to 95°. The porous membrane according to the present invention has good durability, simple preparation process, and relatively thin thickness, a uniform pore size distribution and small pore size, good hydrophilicity, as well as good filtration and adsorption effect.

In at least one embodiment, a separator is provided with a fibrous mat for retaining the active material on an electrode of a lead-acid battery. New or improved mats, separators, batteries, methods, and/or systems are also disclosed, shown, claimed, and/or provided. For example, in at least one possibly preferred embodiment, a composite separator is provided with a fibrous mat for retaining the active material on an electrode of a lead-acid battery. In at least one possibly particularly preferred embodiment, a PE membrane separator is provided with at least one fibrous mat for retaining the active material on an electrode of a lead-acid battery. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, aspects and/or objects, the present invention, application, or disclosure may provide solutions, new products, improved products, new methods, and/or improved methods, and/or may address issues, needs, and/or problems of PAM shedding, NAM shedding, electrode distortion, active material shedding, active material loss, and/or physical separation, electrode effectiveness, battery performance, battery life, and/or cycle life, and/or may provide new battery separators, new battery technology, and/or new battery methods and/or systems that address the challenges arising from current lead acid batteries or battery systems, especially new battery separators, new battery technology, and/or new battery methods and/or systems adapted to prevent or impede the shedding of active material from the electrodes, preferably or particularly in enhanced flooded lead acid batteries, PSoC batteries, ISS batteries, ESS batteries, and/or the like.

The present disclosure provides a substrate for a liquid filter, including: a polyolefin microporous membrane, in which a mean flow pore size in a pore size distribution of the polyolefin microporous membrane measured by a half dry method according to gas-liquid phase substitution is from 1 nm to 50 nm, a calcium content in the polyolefin microporous membrane is 2,000 ppb or less, and a ratio of a tensile elongation in a longitudinal direction (MD) to a tensile elongation in a width direction (TD) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (MD/TD tensile elongation ratio) of the polyolefin microporous membrane is from 0.47 to less than 0.96 or from more than 1.25 to 7.

In at least one embodiment, a separator is provided with a fibrous mat for retaining the active material on an electrode of a lead-acid battery. New or improved mats, separators, batteries, methods, and/or systems are also disclosed, shown, claimed, and/or provided. For example, in at least one possibly preferred embodiment, a composite separator is provided with a fibrous mat for retaining the active material on an electrode of a lead-acid battery. In at least one possibly particularly preferred embodiment, a PE membrane separator is provided with at least one fibrous mat for retaining the active material on an electrode of a lead-acid battery. In accordance with at least certain embodiments, aspects and/or objects, the present invention, application, or disclosure may provide solutions, new products, improved products, new methods, and/or improved methods, and/or may address issues, needs, and/or problems of PAM shedding. NAM shedding, electrode distortion, active material shedding, active material loss, and/or physical separation, electrode effectiveness, battery performance, battery life, and/or cycle life, and/or may provide new battery separators, new battery technology, and/or new battery methods and/or systems that address the challenges arising from current lead acid batteries or battery systems, especially new battery separators, new battery technology, and/or new battery methods and/or systems adapted to prevent or impede the shedding of active material from the electrodes, preferably or particularly in enhanced flooded lead acid batteries, PSoC batteries, ISS batteries, ESS batteries, and/or the like.

A monolayer membrane containing gelling polymer particles having at least one of a basic functional group and an acidic functional group, and having a thickness of less than 5 μm. A composite having a porous carrier and gelling polymer particles having at least any one of a basic functional group and an acidic functional group and filling up the surface pores of the porous carrier. The invention can provide a novel material capable of efficiently separating an acid gas from a mixed gas.

A process for the preparation of ultrafiltration and microfiltration polymeric flat sheet separation membranes is disclosed, the process comprising a unidirectional cooling step. Membranes prepared according to the process exhibit numerous advantages over ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes prepared via conventional processes. In particular, the membranes prepared by the present process exhibit remarkable pure water flux, superior mechanical properties and increased anti-fouling characteristics. Also disclosed are particular PVDF ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes having improved flux, mechanical and anti-fouling properties.