The present invention includes compositions, methods, and methods of making and using a nanoscale discoidal membrane comprising: an amphiphilic membrane patch comprising self-assembled molecular amphiphiles capable of supporting one or more membrane proteins in the amphiphilic membrane patch; and one or more amphipathic scaffold macromolecules that encase the nanoscale discoidal membrane.

The present invention includes compositions, methods, and methods of making and using a nanoscale discoidal membrane comprising: an amphiphilic membrane patch comprising self-assembled molecular amphiphiles capable of supporting one or more membrane proteins in the amphiphilic membrane patch; and one or more amphipathic scaffold macromolecules that encase the nanoscale discoidal membrane.

There is provided a composite comprising a) a short chain sulfur; and b) a carbon-supported conductive polymer such as polyacrylonitrile, wherein sulfur atoms of said short chain sulfur are covalently linked to the conductive polymer of said carbon-supported conductive polymer via a C—S bond. A method of preparing said composite comprising polymerizing a plurality of monomers in the presence of a carbon scaffold, mixing elemental sulfur and heating the mixture to obtain said composite is also disclosed. An electrochemical cell comprising said composite as cathode, a sodium anode and a liquid electrolyte such as sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate dissolved in a mixture of solvents is disclosed.

There is provided a composite comprising a) a short chain sulfur; and b) a carbon-supported conductive polymer such as polyacrylonitrile, wherein sulfur atoms of said short chain sulfur are covalently linked to the conductive polymer of said carbon-supported conductive polymer via a C—S bond. A method of preparing said composite comprising polymerizing a plurality of monomers in the presence of a carbon scaffold, mixing elemental sulfur and heating the mixture to obtain said composite is also disclosed. An electrochemical cell comprising said composite as cathode, a sodium anode and a liquid electrolyte such as sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate dissolved in a mixture of solvents is disclosed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a production method of a diene-based polymer that can control the crosslinking morphology. The present invention provides a method for producing a modified diene-based polymer having a structure represented by the formula (1), comprising a first step of mixing a diene-based polymer and a dithioester compound to prepare a mixture; and a second step of irradiating a ray to the mixture under an inert atmosphere.

##STR00001##

[In the formula (1), R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent an alkyl group having 1 or more carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 or more carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 6 or more carbon atoms, a hydrogen atom, or a halogen atom; and Z is an organic group, an organic group where a part of hydrogen atom of the above organic group is substituted, a hydrogen atom, or a halogen atom.]

An object of the present invention is to provide a production method of a diene-based polymer that can control the crosslinking morphology. The present invention provides a method for producing a modified diene-based polymer having a structure represented by the formula (1), comprising a first step of mixing a diene-based polymer and a dithioester compound to prepare a mixture; and a second step of irradiating a ray to the mixture under an inert atmosphere.

##STR00001##

[In the formula (1), R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent an alkyl group having 1 or more carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 or more carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 6 or more carbon atoms, a hydrogen atom, or a halogen atom; and Z is an organic group, an organic group where a part of hydrogen atom of the above organic group is substituted, a hydrogen atom, or a halogen atom.]

Provided is a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer latex, and more particularly, provided are a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer latex which includes a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer including a monomer-derived repeating unit; and a repeating unit derived from a monomer represented by Chemical Formula 1 below, the monomer-derived repeating unit including a conjugated diene-based monomer-derived repeating unit, an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile-based monomer-derived repeating unit, and an ethylenically unsaturated acid monomer-derived repeating unit (see description of the present invention), a method for preparing a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer latex, a latex composition for dip-forming including the copolymer latex, and an article formed by the composition.

Provided is a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer latex, and more particularly, provided are a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer latex which includes a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer including a monomer-derived repeating unit; and a repeating unit derived from a monomer represented by Chemical Formula 1 below, the monomer-derived repeating unit including a conjugated diene-based monomer-derived repeating unit, an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile-based monomer-derived repeating unit, and an ethylenically unsaturated acid monomer-derived repeating unit (see description of the present invention), a method for preparing a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile-based copolymer latex, a latex composition for dip-forming including the copolymer latex, and an article formed by the composition.

A method for producing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; and polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles. A method for functionalizing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles; and functionalizing the click-active Janus particles using one or more click chemistry reactions.

A method for producing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; and polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles. A method for functionalizing a click-active Janus particle includes combining seed particles with a monomer emulsion to obtain monomer-swollen seed particles; polymerizing the monomer-swollen seed particles to obtain click-active Janus particles; and functionalizing the click-active Janus particles using one or more click chemistry reactions.