A polyolefin multilayer microporous membrane is disclosed. The polyolefin multilayer microporous membrane has a low air permeability value, maintains high porosity and mechanical strength even when formed into a thin film. The polyolefin multilayer microporous membrane also has excellent impedance characteristics. The polyolefin multilayer microporous membrane has excellent battery characteristics when used as a battery separator.

A heat insulating material includes an aerogel that has macro-pores and meso-pores. A method for manufacturing a heat insulating material, including: a sol preparation step of adding a gelling agent into sodium silicate such that a molar ratio of the gelling agent relative to NaO.sub.2 is 0.1 to 0.75, and adjusting a sol into which macro-pores are introduced by leaving unreacted Na and non-cross-linked oxygen in a siloxane skeleton; an impregnating and gelling step of impregnating a nonwoven fabric fiber structure with the sol to form a composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber; a hydrophobizating step of mixing the formed composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber with a silylating agent to modify a surface thereof; and a drying step of removing a liquid contained in the surface modified composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber by drying under a temperature and pressure lower than respective critical values.

Methods of making blended, isoporous, asymmetric (graded) films (e.g. ultrafiltration membranes) comprising two or more chemically distinct block copolymers and blended, isoporous, asymmetric (graded) films (e.g. ultrafiltration membranes) comprising two or more chemically distinct block copolymers. The generation of blended membranes by mixing two chemically distinct block copolymers in the casting solution demonstrates a pathway to advanced asymmetric block copolymer derived films, which can be used as ultrafiltration membranes, in which different pore surface chemistries and associated functionalities can be integrated into a single membrane via standard membrane fabrication, i.e. without requiring laborious post-fabrication modification steps. The block copolymers may be diblock, triblock and/or multiblock mixes and some block copolymers in the mix may be functionally modified. Triblock copolymers comprising a reactive group (e.g., sulfhydryl group) terminated block and films comprising the triblock copolymers.

A composite structure comprises a plurality of first layers each comprising graphene; and a plurality of second layers each comprising an aerogel, wherein the first and second layers alternate in the composite structure. A method for manufacturing a composite structure comprising first and second layers comprises providing a plurality of the second layers, each second layer comprising an aerogel, providing a plurality of first layers, each layer comprising graphene; and arranging the first and second layers so that the layers form a composite structure in which the plurality of first and second layers alternate.

A method of making a foam using a renewable resource and a foam thereof is disclosed. The foam is made using green polyethylene polymers made from renewable sugarcane ethanol. The use of these polymers to make foam has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide gas emissions by more than half. The foam can be used in a variety of applications and can also be made with blends of renewable LDPE and non-renewable LDPE.

Provided is a functional laminate including a porous intermediate layer having air permeability laminated between a porous surface layer and a resin foamed layer, the porous intermediate layer having an affinity to a foaming resin forming the resin foamed layer.

Provided is a graphene foam laminate for use as a sealing material, comprising: (a) a layer of graphene foam having a thickness from 100 nm to 10 cm and comprising pores and pore walls having a 3D network of interconnected graphene planes or graphene sheets; and (b) a permeation-resistant polymer layer disposed on a primary surface of the graphene foam to form a two-layer laminate or two permeation-resistant polymer layers disposed on the two primary surfaces of the graphene foam to form a three-layer sandwich laminate, wherein the permeation-resistant polymer layer has a thickness from 10 nm to 1 cm.

The present invention provides articles and methods related to insulation panels made from aerogels, and specifically polyimide based aerogels. Such insulation panels have a wide variety of applications, including specifically in aerospace applications.

The present invention provides articles and methods related to insulation panels made from aerogels, and specifically polyimide based aerogels. Such insulation panels have a wide variety of applications, including specifically in aerospace applications.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a composite for thermal insulation comprising at least layers (L1), (L2) and (LB), the process comprising the steps of providing layer (L1) containing from 25 to 95% by weight of aerogel and from 5 to 75% by weight of fibers and from 0 to 70% by weight of fillers and layer (L2) containing from 25 to 95% by weight of aerogel and from 5 to 75% by weight of fibers and from 0 to 70% by weight of fillers; applying a composition (C1) comprising an inorganic binder on one surface of the layer (L1) or layer (L2) or layer (L1) and (L2), and combining layer (L1) and layer (L2) in a manner that composition (C1) is located between layer (L1) and (L2), wherein composition (C1) is applied in the form of a, as well as a composite for thermal insulation comprising at least layers (L1), (L2) and layer (LB) which is located between layers (L1) and (L2) and the use of said composite for thermal insulation.