A tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) copolymer film having a first endotherm between about 50 C. and about 300 C., a second endotherm between about 320 C. and about 350 C., and a third endotherm between about 350 C. and about 400 C. is provided. In exemplary embodiments, the third endotherm is approximately 380 C. In some embodiments, the second endotherm is between about 320 C. and about 330 C. or between about 330 C. and about 350 C. TFE copolymer films have a methane permeability less than about 20 g*micron/cm.sup.2/min. In addition, the dense articles have a void volume of less than about 20%. Methods for dense articles from core shell tetrafluoroethylene copolymers are also provided. The dense articles exhibit improved physical and mechanical properties such as adhesion and barrier properties.

There is provided a method of producing a copper clad laminate having a copper foil and a resin bonded at high adhesive force despite the use of a thermoplastic resin having a low dielectric constant. This method includes the steps of: providing a roughened copper foil having at least one roughened surface having fine irregularities composed of acicular crystals containing cupric oxide and cuprous oxide; and bonding a sheet-shaped thermoplastic resin to the roughened surface of the roughened copper foil to provide a copper clad laminate. The roughened surface has a cupric oxide thickness of 1 to 20 nm and a cuprous oxide thickness of 15 to 70 nm, both determined by sequential electrochemical reduction analysis (SERA) at the time of bonding the thermoplastic resin.

An elastic composite film provided with a sintered ePTFE film and an elastomeric resin layer, produced by continuously forming the elastomeric resin layer on at least one side of the sintered ePTFE film, continuously elongating the resulting multilayer film at less than the yield point of the expanded, sintered, porous film and at an elongation factor of 1.3 times or more in the biaxial directions, or in the uniaxial direction without contracting in the direction perpendicular to the direction of elongation, and relaxing the resulting elongated multilayer film, wherein when the composite film is elongated by 10% in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction, the tensile stress of the composite film is 2.5 N/15 mm or less, and/or the elongation percentage of the composite film in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction is 30% or more and the elongation recovery rate is 70% or more.

The present disclosure provides composite ion exchange membranes and methods of making the same. The composite ion exchange membranes of the present disclosure include a first layer comprising a first ion-conducting membrane; a second layer comprising a gas-blocking membrane; and a third layer comprising a second ion-conducting membrane.

A method for nano-depth surface activation of a PTFE-based membrane and relates to the technical field of polymer composites is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: covering a functional surface of a PTFE-based nano functional composite membrane, performing surface activation treatment on a single surface of the membrane to which a bonding adhesive is applied, and migrating and complexing a high-toughness cold bonding adhesive tape on the membrane surface, with an activated structure layer, of the PTFE-based nano functional composite membrane through a mechanical adhesive applying device to form an adhesive-membrane complex. An extremely strong affinity and a high-strength bonding performance are generated between the membrane and the adhesive, and the adhesive-membrane complex is formed. Integration of membrane/adhesive bonding complexing, membrane/membrane bonding complexing and membrane/adhesive layer bonding is realized.

A method of forming a gas diffusion layer includes causing, at least in part, a stack of layers to be arranged between compressing surfaces of a press, the stack of layers including a plurality of gas diffusion layers. The method also includes causing, at least in part, the press to apply one or more compression cycles to the stack of layers to reduce a combined, uncompressed thickness of the plurality of gas diffusion layers between about 2% and about 30%.

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a fuel cell membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) having an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a membrane disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, includes fabricating each of the anode electrode, the cathode electrode, and the membrane separately by electrospinning; and placing the membrane between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and pressing then together to form the fuel cell MEA.

A process for fabricating a three-dimensional, multi-layered fabric product with a moisture barrier is provided. A partially seamed inner lining fabric assembly having at least a two-dimensional shape is laminated with a membrane barrier film having flaps left un-laminated to cover at least one seam. The inner lining fabric assembly is further seamed and flaps of the of the membrane barrier film overlapped into contact with each other and sealed to provide a continuous moisture barrier. A process for fabricating a stretchable section of a garment with a moisture barrier is also provided. At least a section of a garment is formed from fibers arranged in a pattern having a direction of stretch in one direction and a three-dimensional surface texture such that a portion of the fibers protrude above another portion of the fibers. The stretchable section is stretched in the direction of stretch. Segments of a membrane barrier film are adhered to an outer edge of the protruding portion of the fibers while the section is stretched in the direction of stretch, leaving intermediate segments of the barrier film free from adherence to the section. In this way, the intermediate segments of the membrane barrier film include slack that folds up to form ruches when the section is in a relaxed state.

A preparation method of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-based membrane for preventing and removing ices covering wind turbine blades is provided and the method comprises: preparing a membrane into a PTFE rod material with polymerized monomers by using monomer polymerization methods such as blending, pre-compressing and pushing; making the membrane into a PTFE-based homogeneous membrane with micropores and nano and micron scale concave-convex geometrical ultra-structure morphologies under the condition that the membrane is cracked to generate a laminar exfoliated fabric-like structure in the hot calendaring process of the PTFE rod material by using a hot calendaring and fusion polymerization method; and applying the PTFE-based homogeneous membrane to blades of a large wind turbine in operation.

A multi-layer fabric construction for protection from airborne toxic chemical agents comprises an optional inner comfort layer, a carbon layer, an adsorbent adhesive layer comprising a metal organic framework material, a vapor permeable layer, and an outer layer. The multi-layer fabric construction is substantially free of air pockets to reduce the thermal burden on an individual wearing a garment fabricated from the multi-layer fabric construction. The MOF can be a zirconium MOF. Also disclosed is a method of making the multi-layer fabric construction.