A method is disclosed for manufacturing a structured polymeric material. In the method, a body is provided comprising a substantially homogenous precursor polymeric material. An interference pattern of electromagnetic radiation is set up within the body to form a partially cross-linked polymeric material, the interference pattern comprising maxima and minima of intensity of the electromagnetic radiation, the interference pattern thereby causing spatially differential cross linking of the precursor polymeric material to form crosslinked regions having relatively high cross linking density and non-crosslinked regions having relatively low cross linking density, the crosslinked regions and non-crosslinked regions corresponding to the maxima and minima of intensity of the electromagnetic radiation, respectively. The partially cross-linked polymeric material is then contacted with a solvent to cause expansion and crazing of at least some of the non-crosslinked regions to form a structured polymeric material containing pores.

The present disclosure relates to a technique for manufacturing a humidifying membrane including a hydrophobic thin film-coating layer having a nano-sized crack morphology pattern on the surface of an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer ion exchange membrane and applying the membrane to a reverse electrodialysis process. The humidifying membrane including a hydrophobic thin film-coating layer having a nano-sized crack morphology pattern on the surface of an aromatic hydrocarbon-based polymer ion exchange membrane, manufactured according to the present disclosure, embodies a low bulk resistance of the ion exchange membrane and significantly improves ion selectivity, thereby overcoming the trade-off relationship between membrane resistance and ion selectivity, and thus may be commercially available as an anion and cation exchange membrane of a reverse electrodialysis device.

A composition is used for producing novel types of foam in that they combine specifically good flame-retardant properties with a good elongation at break. These novel types of foam are produced from a blend of polyether sulphone (PES) and polyphenylene sulphone (PPSU).

Methods for producing 3D printing composite polymer materials for use in additive manufacturing processes are provided. The methods result in enhancing the material properties of the printing material by providing a uniform and smooth surface finish of the printing material and the nozzle extrudate for additive manufacturing processes, such as Fused Filament Fabrication. The method includes implementing impregnation techniques for combining carbon nanotubes or other nano-fillers, a polymer resin and a fiber material to produce a polymer material that can be processed into a printing material. Further, the method may include combining the carbon nanotubes or other nano-fillers and the polymer resin to form a masterbatch that may be further combined with the fiber material through an extrusion process. The method results in a printing material with enhanced material properties and smooth surface finish for the printing material and resulting nozzle extrudate for Fused Filament Fabrication.

Methods for producing 3D printing composite polymer materials for use in additive manufacturing processes are provided. The methods result in enhancing the material properties of the printing material by providing a uniform and smooth surface finish of the printing material and the nozzle extrudate for additive manufacturing processes, such as Fused Filament Fabrication. The method includes implementing impregnation techniques for combining carbon nanotubes or other nano-fillers, a polymer resin and a fiber material to produce a polymer material that can be processed into a printing material. Further, the method may include combining the carbon nanotubes or other nano-fillers and the polymer resin to form a masterbatch that may be further combined with the fiber material through an extrusion process. The method results in a printing material with enhanced material properties and smooth surface finish for the printing material and resulting nozzle extrudate for Fused Filament Fabrication.

To provide a method for manufacturing a polyimide and/or a polyamide imide porous membrane with which it is possible to prepare a varnish in which microparticles are satisfactorily dispersed, even when minute microparticles are used, and to manufacture a porous membrane using the varnish. The method for manufacturing a polyimide and/or a polyamide imide porous membrane comprises a step for preparing a porous membrane manufacturing composition containing microparticles and at least one resin component selected from the group consisting of polyamic acids, polyimides, polyamide imide precursors, polyamide imides, and polyethersulfones, the preparation step including a dispersion step for causing a slurry containing the microparticles to disperse by shear and compression or shock.

A thermoplastic aromatic polysulfone is obtained by polymerizing a dihalogeno compound (A) and a dihydric phenol (B). The ratio (Mw/Mn) between a number average molecular weight (Mn) and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) is at least 1.80 and less than 1.90, and the number average molecular weight (Mn) is at least 6,000 and less than 14,000. ##STR00001##
In (A) and (B), each of X and X independently represents a halogen atom; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; each of n.sub.1, n.sub.2, n.sub.3 and n.sub.4 independently represents an integer of 0 to 4; and when n.sub.1, n.sub.2, n.sub.3 or n.sub.4 is an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 groups may be the same or different from each other.

The present invention relates to an ion conductor, a method for producing the same, and an ion exchange membrane, a polymer electrolyte membrane and a fuel cell including the same. The ion conductor includes a repeat unit represented by the following Formula 1, and a repeat unit represented by the following Formula 2 or a repeat unit represented by the following Formula 5. Formulae 1, 2 and 3 are described as in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The ion conductor contains a hydrocarbon-based block copolymer which has an easily changeable structure because it includes a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region, wherein characteristics of the block copolymer and the ion conductor can be easily regulated through control over the structure of the hydrophilic region and the hydrophobic region, and ion conductivity and durability of the ion conductor are improved within the whole humidity range through micro-phase separation between the hydrophilic region and the hydrophobic region which are structurally controlled.

A resin infusion method that includes: (a) heating a mixture of solid amine compounds until all amine compounds are melted; (b) cooling the mixture of melted amine compounds to a temperature of 35 C. or lower to form an amine blend (A); (c) combining the amine blend (A) with a thermosettable resin (B), which includess one or more epoxy monomers, at a temperature effective for forming a liquid resin composition; and (d) infusing a fibrous preform with the liquid resin composition. The amine blend (A) contains an aromatic diamine represented by Structure 1 or 2:

##STR00001##

The present invention concerns a composition comprising at least one polymer, wherein the polymer is in the form of polymer particles, and wherein the composition contains at least one additive, wherein the additive is in a proportion of at most 2% by weight of the composition. Furthermore, the present invention concerns a method for the production of the composition in accordance with the invention, as well as a method for the production of an article comprising the composition in accordance with the invention. Finally, the present invention concerns the use of the composition in accordance with the invention.