The anion exchange membranes exhibit enhanced chemical stability and ion conductivity when compared with traditional styrene-based alkaline anion exchange membranes. A copolymer backbone is polymerized from a reaction medium that includes a diphenylalkylene and an alkadiene. The copolymer includes a plurality of pendant phenyl groups. The diphenyl groups on the polymer backbone are functionalized with one or more haloalkylated precursor substrates. The terminal halide from the precursor substrate can then be substituted with a desired ionic group. The diphenylethylene-based alkaline anion exchange membranes lack the α-hydrogens sharing tertiary carbons with phenyl groups from polystyrene or styrene-based precursor polymers, resulting in higher chemical stability. The ionic groups are also apart from each other by about 3 to 6 carbons in the polymer backbone, enhancing ion conductivity. These membrane are advantageous for use in fuel cells, electrolyzers employing hydrogen, ion separations, etc.

An anion exchange membrane is provided by converting carbon-carbon double bonds in the backbone of polystyrene-block-polybutadiene-block-polystyrene (SBS) into epoxide groups. Unmodified SBS is first partially hydrogenated to remove about 65% to about 90% of carbon-carbon double bonds. The remaining double bonds are then converted to epoxide groups to form an epoxidized SBS. UV-initiated ring opening reactions between the epoxidized SBS and haloalkyloxiranes are then employed to simultaneously functionalize and crosslink the epoxidized SBS. The halide groups in the crosslinked polymer network can be replaced via nucleophilic substitution to offer anion conductivity, e.g., via reaction with trimethylamine. Further ion exchange reactions can then be performed to make the membrane hydroxide conductive. The crosslinked membranes described herein exhibit a mechanical strength improvement of 200% compared to unmodified SBS, while maintaining high hydroxide conductivity. This synthetic platform is advantageous to provide mechanically robust anion exchange membranes for fuel cell applications.

This disclosure discloses a preparing method of transforming commercial base thermoplastics into germ-repellent resins or functional masterbatch through plasma and (melt)mixing assisted grafting process. The resins or masterbatch concentrate composition enable a number of product reforming processes, including but not limited to thermoforming, profile extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, blow filming, film casting, and spinning into articles of different shapes and geometries or overmolding on plastic substrates that can resist surface adsorption of microbes after solidification.

A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for separators in electrochemical devices and methods for making same are disclosed herein. AEMs include chloromethylated SEBS triblock copolymer functionalized with TRIS cations and chloromethylated QPEK-C functionalized with TMA cations. Composite AEMs further include metal oxide fillers. Reinforced AEMs and reinforced composite AEMs further include a reinforcement material base.

An optical layered film includes at least one A layer including a thermoplastic resin [A] and a B layer formed of a thermoplastic resin [B], wherein the at least one A layer is provided on at least one of surfaces of the B layer, a thickness-direction retardation Rthb of the B layer satisfies the following formula (1), and a tensile elongation at break Sa of a 1.5 mm-thick film (a1) formed of the thermoplastic resin [A] satisfies the following formula (2): (1) |Rthb|≤40 nm, and (2) Sa≥100%.

A block copolymer composition containing at least one type of block copolymer component obtained by using a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene, wherein the block copolymer composition satisfies the conditions (1) to (3) indicated below. (1) The weight-average molecular weight is at least 100000 and at most 300000, and the conjugated diene content is at least 18 mass % and at most 35 mass %. (2) The vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block percentage is at least 80% and at most 100% relative to the total amount of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon. (3) At least 30 mass % and at most 60 mass % of block copolymer components having a conjugated diene content of at least 30 mass % are included.

Hollow beads having a skin of thermoplastic elastomer and a gas-filled cell are useful in the manufacture of shaped porous articles by thermally bonding or adhering the hollow beads together.

The present invention relates to a polymer composition comprising at least one block copolymer and a specific amount of at least one oil component. The block copolymer, which is the polymeric matrix of the inventive composition, is built up from at least one vinyl aromatic monomer M.sub.A and at least one conjugated diene monomer M.sub.B, in particular the block copolymer is a styrene butadiene block copolymer (SBC).

Novel ultra-thin unidirectional pre-preg tapes are disclosed. They can be used to produce ultra-thin woven, bias, multiaxial, chopped-oriented etc. types of pre-pregs. These ultra-thin pre-pregs enable production of composite material products with well-controlled dimensional tolerances and smooth/even surfaces. Further, they render the production of composite material products relatively simpler, tidier, quicker, and economical. The obtained composite material products are relatively thinner, lighter, and mechanically higher-performing.