To provide a curable fluorinated polymer excellent in solubility in an alcohol, a method for its production and a cured product of the fluorinated polymer. A fluorinated polymer comprising units represented by the following formula (1), wherein in at least some of the units represented by the formula (1), Z.sup.1 is NR.sup.1NR.sup.2H or NR.sup.3OR.sup.4:

##STR00001##

in the formula (1), X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, Q.sup.1 is a single bond or an etheric oxygen atom, R.sup.f1 is a fluoroalkylene group, or a fluoroalkylene group with at least 2 carbon atoms, having an etheric oxygen atom between carbon-carbon atoms, Z.sup.1 is NR.sup.1NR.sup.2H, NR.sup.3OR.sup.4 or OR.sup.5, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and R.sup.5 is an alkyl group.

A process for treating a surface coating of a bulk metal part, comprises the steps of placing, in a cavity, at least one what is called metal part including what is called a surface coating that is able to absorb microwaves at the frequency ?.sub.0, the cavity being surrounded by one or a plurality of first susceptors the dimensions, material and arrangement of which are configured to screen the microwaves at the frequency ?.sub.0, in the vicinity of each the metal part, and in emitting the microwaves at the frequency ?.sub.0 into the cavity.

Methods of forming graphene functionalized carbon nanotube polymer composites are provided. The methods can include functionalizing a plurality of carbon nanotubes using conducting functional molecules to form a composite nanofiller and embedding the composite nanofiller within a polymer material to form the graphene functionalized carbon nanotube polymer composite.

A separator for an electrochemical device comprising a porous polymer substrate, and a porous coating layer on at least one surface of the porous polymer substrate. The porous coating layer comprises inorganic particles and an ion conducting polymer. The ion conducting polymer comprises a fluorine-based copolymer comprising fluoroolefin-based segments with anionic functional groups present in side chains or terminals, and an electrochemical device comprising the same. It is possible to provide a separator with high ionic conductivity and an increased peel strength between the porous polymer substrate and the porous coating layer, and an electrochemical device with improved properties.

To provide methods for producing a liquid composition, a coating liquid for a catalyst layer and a membrane electrode assembly, capable of making cracking less likely to occur at the time of forming a solid polymer electrolyte membrane or a catalyst layer. A copolymer having a structural unit represented by [CF.sub.2CF{(OCF.sub.2CFX).sub.mO.sub.p(CF.sub.2).sub.nSO.sub.3H}] (wherein X: F or CF.sub.3, m: 1 to 3, p: 0 or 1, and n: an integer of 1 to 12) and a structural unit derived from tetrafluoroethylene, is dispersed in a medium containing water and a hydrocarbon-type alcohol (but not including a fluorinated solvent) to prepare a dispersion wherein the concentration of the copolymer is from 13 to 26 mass %, and the dispersion and a fluorinated solvent are mixed so that the sum of the concentration of the copolymer and the concentration of the fluorinated solvent becomes to be from 17 to 35 mass %, to prepare a liquid composition.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a composite material comprising a fluorinated polymeric matrix and a filler consisting in ion exchange inorganic particles comprising a step for in situ synthesis of said particles within the polymeric matrix, said matrix comprising at least one first copolymer comprising at least two types of fluorinated recurrent units, a type of which bears at least one pendant maleic anhydride group.

The present invention provides, among other aspects, stabilized chromophoric nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are rationally functionalized with a pre-determined number of functional groups. In certain embodiments, the stable chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are modified with a low density of functional groups. In yet other embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are conjugated to one or more molecules. Also provided herein are methods for making rationally functionalized chromophoric nanoparticles.

The present invention provides, among other aspects, stabilized chromophoric nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are rationally functionalized with a pre-determined number of functional groups. In certain embodiments, the stable chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are modified with a low density of functional groups. In yet other embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are conjugated to one or more molecules. Also provided herein are methods for making rationally functionalized chromophoric nanoparticles.

A multi-acid polymer has a multi-acid monomer with the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein R is one or more units of a non-SOF.sub.2 or non-SO.sub.2Cl portion of a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form. Another multi-acid polymer has a multi-acid monomer with the following formula:

##STR00002##

wherein R is one or more units of a non-SOF.sub.2 or non-SO.sub.2Cl portion of a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form.

A method of making a multi-acid polymer comprising: reacting a polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form with anhydrous ammonia to obtain a sulfonamide, wherein the polymer precursor in sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride form has a formula RSO.sub.2F or RSO.sub.2Cl, respectively, with R being one of more units of the polymer precursor without sulfonyl fluoride or sulfonyl chloride, and wherein the sulfonamide has a formula RSO.sub.2NH.sub.2; and reacting the sulfonamide with a compound of a formula COOHX-AGG under a mild base condition, wherein X is one of C.sub.6H.sub.3 or N(CH.sub.2).sub.3 and AGG is an acid giving group, to form the multi-acid polymer having an imide base and more than two proton conducting groups.