A process for forming a nonwoven composite begins with forming a first nonwoven from a plurality of primary fibers and optionally binder fibers. A second nonwoven layer is formed from a plurality of bulking fibers and binder fibers. A thermoplastic elastomeric film is placed between the two nonwoven layers, the film containing a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer having an elongation at break greater than 300% and a max softening point (thermomechanical analysis end point) between 150 C. and 200 C. as tested according to ASTM E2347-04. The layers are needled together creating a plurality of holes in the thermoplastic elastomeric layer and moving a portion of the primary fibers from the first nonwoven layer into the second nonwoven layer. The needled stacked layers are heated to alter the median size of the holes in the thermoplastic elastomeric film forming the nonwoven composite.

Insulators and polymer-coated insulators are provided. The insulators can include thermally-insulating nanoparticles and a binder configured to volatilize at a volatilization temperature. Insulators can also include an inorganic thermally-insulating material forming a porous structure. The porous structure can be configured to reduce the mean free path of gases in the insulator as compared to gases outside the porous structure. Polymer-coated insulators including an inorganic thermally-insulating material and a polymer coating disposed on the surface of the inorganic thermally-insulating material are also provided. Insulators can also include thermally-insulating nanoparticles and an opacifier. The opacifier can include a carbonaceous material coated with a refractory material that inhibits oxidation of the carbonaceous material at a carbon oxidation temperature. The insulators or polymer-coated insulators can be disposed between battery cells or battery cell blocks in an apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas barrier film which can prevent the damage of an inorganic layer even in a case where the gas barrier film is used in a product which undergoes a step of applying pressure, heat, and the like, a solar cell using the gas barrier film, and a manufacturing method of the gas barrier film. The object is achieved by a gas barrier film having a support and an inorganic layer and a protective organic layer on one surface of the support, in which the protective organic layer has a polymerized substance of a graft copolymer having an acryl polymer as a main chain and having, as a side chain, at least either an acryloyl group-terminated urethane polymer or an acryloyl group-terminated urethane oligomer, a polymerized substance of a (meth)acrylate monomer having three or more functional groups, a polymerized substance of the graft copolymer and the (meth)acrylate monomer having three or more functional groups, a (meth)acrylate polymer, and a silane coupling agent having a (meth)acryloyl group.

In one embodiment, a film is described comprising a mixture of semicrystalline polylactic acid polymer; polyvinyl acetate polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) midpoint as measured by differential scanning calorimetry of at least 25 C.; and plasticizer; wherein the film is oriented. In another embodiment, a film is described comprising a mixture comprising semicrystalline polylactic acid polymer, polymer having a midpoint Tg as measured by differential scanning calorimetry of at least 25 C., and plasticizer; wherein the mixture exhibits a single midpoint Tg and the single midpoint Tg ranges from 40 C. to 65 C.; and wherein the film is oriented and the oriented film exhibits a higher midpoint Tg ranging from 40 C. to 65 C. and a lower midpoint Tg ranging from 5 to 25 C.

Insulators and polymer-coated insulators are provided. The insulators can include thermally-insulating nanoparticles and a binder configured to volatilize at a volatilization temperature. Insulators can also include an inorganic thermally-insulating material forming a porous structure. The porous structure can be configured to reduce the mean free path of gases in the insulator as compared to gases outside the porous structure. Polymer-coated insulators including an inorganic thermally-insulating material and a polymer coating disposed on the surface of the inorganic thermally-insulating material are also provided. Insulators can also include thermally-insulating nanoparticles and an opacifier. The opacifier can include a carbonaceous material coated with a refractory material that inhibits oxidation of the carbonaceous material at a carbon oxidation temperature. The insulators or polymer-coated insulators can be disposed between battery cells or battery cell blocks in an apparatus.

An optical reflective film including refractive index layers containing a water-soluble resin is provided, wherein the film has a small color tone variation and less occurrence of cracks even after a prolonged use. An optical reflective film, including: a substrate; and a dielectric multilayer film formed by alternately laminating a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer, disposed on one surface of the substrate, wherein at least one layer of the low refractive index layer and the high refractive index layer is a water-dispersible cationic urethane resin-containing layer, containing: a water-soluble resin; a refractive index adjusting agent; a water-dispersible cationic urethane resin; and a cationic polymer having a tertiary amino group or a cation (salt) thereof or a quaternary ammonium group.

The instant disclosure provides a thermal-curable adhesive composition and adhesive sheet. The thermal-curable adhesive composition has a rate of change of adhesion ranging from 80% to 98% and defined by the following equation: V=[(V0V1)/V0]100, wherein V is the rate of change of adhesion of the thermal-curable adhesive composition, V0 is the adhesion of the thermal-curable adhesive composition under room temperature, and V1 is the adhesion of the thermal-curable adhesive composition after being heated to a predetermined temperature then cooled to the room temperature.

There is provided a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a predetermined wavelength conversion function and having excellent durability. A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape according to the present invention includes: a base material; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a wavelength conversion function. The base material has a water vapor transmission rate of 1 g/(m.sup.2.Math.day) or less. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer contains a rubber-based polymer selected from a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, an isobutylene-based polymer, and a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer contains at least two wavelength conversion materials including a first wavelength conversion material and a second wavelength conversion material, and the first wavelength conversion material has a center emission wavelength in a wavelength band ranging from 515 nm to 550 nm, and the second wavelength conversion material has a center emission wavelength in a wavelength band ranging from 605 nm to 650 nm.

Provided is a pressure sensitive adhesive sheet including a resin layer on a substrate or a release material, at least a surface () of the resin layer on the side opposite to the side thereof on which the substrate or the release material is provided having pressure sensitive adhesiveness, wherein a concave portion and plural flat faces having an irregular shape exist in a region (Dc) surrounded by an arbitrarily predetermined circle on the surface () of the resin layer; and with respect to one or more flat faces (S) among the plural flat faces, the one or more flat faces (S) excluding flat faces having a cumulative relative frequency of 30% or less determined by adding the relative frequency from the respective flat faces with a smaller area, an r.sub.MAX value of the flat faces (S) calculated from specified operations is 0.60 or less

Provided is a curable silicone composition for a release agent which can form a release film having a silicone adhesive with a low release force even when thin and which does not reduce the adhesive strength of the silicone adhesive to other substrates upon releasing the release film. Also provided is a release film, laminate, and method of manufacture. The curable silicone composition comprises: (A) a fluorine-containing organopolysiloxane mixture obtained by mixing the following components (A1) and (A2) at a mass ratio of 1/99 to 99/1; (A1) a fluoro(poly)ether modified organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups per molecule along with a fluoro(poly)ether-containing organic group; (A2) a fluoroalkyl group-containing organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups per molecule along with a fluoroalkyl group represented by C.sub.4F.sub.9CH.sub.2CH.sub.2; (B) an organopolysiloxane having at least three silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule; (C) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst; and (D) an organic solvent.