A thermal-curable resin composition is provided. The thermal-curable resin composition comprises: (A) a thermal-curable resin component, which comprises: (a1) bismaleimide resin; (a2) cyanate ester resin; and (a3) epoxy resin, wherein the cyanate ester resin (a2) and the epoxy resin (a3) are respectively in an amount ranging from 50 parts by weight to 150 parts by weight and from 24 parts by weight to 51 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the bismaleimide resin (a1); and (B) a filler,
wherein the filler (B) is in an amount ranging from 40 parts by weight to 55 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the dry weight of the resin composition; and
wherein the resin composition has a dynamic viscosity of not higher than 800 Pa.Math.s after being brought into a semi-cured state (B-stage), and the resin composition has a dissipation factor (Df) of not higher than 0.006 at 10 GHz after being cured completely.

Methods for creating nanostructured surface features on polymers and polymer composites involve application of low pressure during curing of solid polymer material from a solvent solution. The resulting nanoscale surface features significantly decrease bacterial growth on the surface. Polymer materials having the nanoscale structuring can be used in implantable medical devices to inhibit bacterial growth and infection.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product includes polyisocyanurate foam produced from reacting an isocyanate and a polyol blend having a functionality of at least 2.2. The isocyanate and the polyol blend are reacted so that the polyisocyanurate foam has an isocyanate index equivalent with or greater than 300. The polyisocyanurate foam includes a fire retardant and includes between 0.02 and 0.45 weight percent of a zinc salt compound. The foam insulation board exhibits a flame spread of no greater than 25 and a smoke index of no greater than 50 when exposed to flame conditions in accordance with an ASTM E-84 test.

Disclosed herein is a prepreg including a woven fabric base and a semi-cured product of a resin composition impregnated into the woven fabric base. The resin composition contains a maleimide resin as Component (A), an acrylic resin as Component (B), and a phenol resin as Component (C). The Component (B) has a weight average molecular weight falling within the range from 200,000 to 850,000.

Disclosed are redox flow battery membranes, redox flow batteries incorporating the membranes, and methods of forming the membranes. The membranes include a densified polybenzimidazole gel membrane that is capable of incorporating a high liquid content without loss of structure that is formed according to a process that includes in situ hydrolysis of a polyphosphoric acid solvent followed by densification of the gel membrane. The densified membranes are then imbibed with a redox flow battery supporting electrolyte such as sulfuric acid and can operate at very high ionic conductivities of about 50 mS/cm or greater and with low permeability of redox couple ions, e.g. vanadium ions, of about 10.sup.7 cm.sup.2/s or less. Redox flow batteries incorporating the membranes can operate at current densities of about 50 mA/cm.sup.2 or greater.

A novel process for making PBI films starting from gel PBI membranes polymerized and casted in the PPA process wherein acid-imbibed gel PBIs are neutralized in a series of water baths and undergo controlled drying in association with a substrate material, yielding a PBI film without the use of organic solvents.

Disclosed are redox flow battery membranes, redox flow batteries incorporating the membranes, and methods of forming the membranes. The membranes include a polybenzimidazole gel membrane that is capable of incorporating a high liquid content without loss of structure that is formed according to a process that includes in situ hydrolysis of a polyphosphoric acid solvent. The membranes are imbibed with a redox flow battery supporting electrolyte such as sulfuric acid and can operate at very high ionic conductivities of about 100 mS/cm or greater. Redox flow batteries incorporating the PBI-based membranes can operate at high current densities of about 100 mA/cm.sup.2 or greater.

A composite high-temperature proton exchange membrane for a fuel cell is prepared using materials include PBI and composite A@B and phosphoric acid. A is nanoparticles with a free radical quenching function and B is C.sub.3N.sub.4 having a nanosheet structure. The mass fraction of composite A@B is 0.05-2 wt. % and the mass ratio of A to B in A@B is 1:1-1:20. Composite A@B is firstly prepared, and A@B is then ultrasonically dispersed with a strong polar aprotic solvent to obtain a dispersion S1. PBI solution S2 is obtained from PBI and a strong polar aprotic solvent. S1 and S2 are uniformly mixed and stirred to obtain a casting solution S3, which is cast on plate glass with a groove. The membrane is then soaked in phosphoric acid after dying to obtain a composite membrane for a high-temperature proton fuel cell.

A cyanate ester resin composition contains: a cyanate ester resin; a curing agent or a curing accelerator; silica microparticles; and core-shell rubber particles; in which the resin composition includes from 1 to 5 parts by mass of the silica microparticles and from 2 to 10 parts by mass of the core-shell rubber particles based on 100 parts by mass of the cyanate ester resin, and a mass ratio of the silica microparticles to the core-shell rubber particles is from 1/1 to 1/5.

An ion exchange polymer is provided. The ion exchange polymer is a reaction product of a reaction between a crosslinker monomer and a cationic monomer. The crosslinker monomer is a reaction product of a reaction between a first crosslinking monomer and a second crosslinking monomer. Further, the cationic monomer comprises a quaternary ammonium group. A method for making an ion exchange polymer is also provided. The method comprises a step of preparing a curable solution and a step of curing the curable solution. The step of preparing the curable solution comprises mixing a pair of crosslinking monomers, a cationic monomer that comprises a quaternary ammonium group and an acid. A membrane is also provided. The membrane comprises the ion exchange polymer made by the method provided.