It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode capable of maintaining superior capacity retention without destruction of an electrode structure, even in the case of using an active material including silicon.

The present invention relates to a binder for a lithium cell, the binder comprising polyacrylic acid cross-linked by a cross-linking agent selected from the compounds described in the general formulae [1] to [13] and the polymer described in the general formula [14] (provided that the one which includes a functional group-containing vinylidene fluoride-based polymer is excluded); a composition for producing an electrode of a lithium cell, the composition comprising 1) an active material containing silicon, 2) a conductive assistant and 3) a cross-linked-type polyacrylic acid (provided that the one containing a functional group-containing vinylidene fluoride-based polymer is excluded); and an electrode for a lithium cell, the electrode comprising 1) an active material containing silicon, 2) a conductive assistant, 3) a cross-linked-type polyacrylic acid, and 4) a current collector (provided that the one containing a functional group-containing vinylidene fluoride-based polymer is excluded).

This invention is about a water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt. The molecular chain of the polyacrylate silver salt comprises sodium carboxylic group (COONa) and silver carboxylic group (COOAg). It is synthesized by dissolving an polyacrylate polymer comprising sodium carboxylic group (COONa) in water and then exchanging the sodium carboxylic group of the polyacrylate polymer to silver carboxylic group (COOAg) using silver salt in aqueous solution. Ultrafiltration membrane is used to remove the sodium salt generated from the metal ion exchanging procedure. An aqueous solution of water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt with very few impurity is obtained. The water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt is then obtain-ned from the aqueous solution. The molar ratio of COOAg to COONa of thus obtained water soluble antimicrobial polyacrylate silver salt can be as high as 66/34.

New ampholyte biomaterial compounds containing ampholyte moieties are synthesized and integrated into polymeric assemblies to provide hydrophilic polymers exhibiting improved biocompatibility, haemocompatibility, hydrophilicity non-thrombogenicity, anti-bacterial ability, and mechanical strength, as well as suitability as a drug delivery platform.

In one aspect, the present invention encompasses safe and efficient methods for providing highly pure acrylic acid. In certain embodiments, the inventive methods include the step of producing polypropiolactone from ethylene oxide at a first location, transporting the polymer to a second location and pyrolyzing the polypropiolactone to provide glacial acrylic acid. In certain embodiments, the step of pyrolyzing the polymer is performed continuously in conjunction with a polymerization process to make SAPs.

New ampholyte biomaterial compounds containing ampholyte moieties are synthesized and integrated into polymeric assemblies to provide hydrophilic polymers exhibiting improved biocompatibility, haemocompatibility, hydrophilicity non-thrombogenicity, anti-bacterial ability, and mechanical strength, as well as suitability as a drug delivery platform.