The use of a sulfonated polyaryl ether ketone or of a sulfonated non-polymeric aryl ether ketone as a dispersant for a polyaryl ether ketone resin powder in an aqueous solution, and also to a corresponding composition, and to a process for preparing a semifinished product comprising a polyaryl ether ketone resin and reinforcing fibers.

In an epoxy resin composition, per 100 parts by mass of an epoxy resin component containing from 60 to 85 parts by mass of N,N,N′,N′-tetraglycidyldiaminodiphenylmethane resin (A) having a viscosity at 50° C. of 6000 mPa.Math.s or less and from 15 to 40 parts by mass of a liquid bisphenol A epoxy resin (B) having a viscosity at 25° C. of 20000 mPa.Math.s or less, from 8 to 15 parts by mass of a thermoplastic resin (C), from 2 to 10 parts by mass of elastomer microparticles (D) having an average particle diameter of 1000 nm or less, and from 0.5 to 2.5 parts by mass of silica microparticles (E) having an average particle diameter of 1000 nm or less are blended.

The invention relates to:—anion exchange blend membranes consisting the following blend components:—a halomethylated polymer (a polymer with —(CH2)x—CH2—Hal groups, Hal=F, CI, Br, I; x=0-12), which is quaternised with a tertiary or a n-alkylated/n-arylated imidazole, an N-alkylated/N-arylated benzimidazole or an N-alkylated/N-arylated pyrazol to form an anion exchanger polymer. - an inert matrix polymer in which the anion exchange polymer is embedded and which is optionally covalently crosslinked with the halomethylated precursor of the anion exchanger polymer,—a polyethyleneglycol with epoxide or halomethyl terminal groups which are anchored by reacting with N—H-groups of the base matrix polymer using convalent cross-linking—optionally an acidic polymer which forms with the anion-exchanger polymer an ionic cross-linking (negative bound ions of the acidic polymer forming ionic cross-linking positions relative to the positive cations of the anion-exchanger polymer)—optionally a sulphonated polymer (polymer with sulphate groups —SO2Me, Me=any cation), which forms with the halomethyl groups of the halomethylated polymer convalent crosslinking bridges with sulfinate S-alkylation. The invention also relates to a method for producing said membranes, to the use of said membranes in electrochemical energy conversion processes (e.g. Redox-flow batteries and other flow batteries, PEM-electrolyses, membrane fuel cells), and in other membrane methods (e.g. electrodialysis, diffusion dialysis).

A prepreg contains components [A] to [E], wherein 85% by mass or more of the component [E] is present in a range within 9% of the average thickness of the prepreg from each surface of the prepreg, and a range within 7% of the average thickness of the prepreg from each surface of the prepreg is composed of a first resin composition containing components [B] to [E]. [A] a carbon fiber, [B] an epoxy resin having two or more glycidyl groups in one molecule, [C] an aromatic amine compound, [D] a thermoplastic resin having a polyarylether skeleton, and [E] particles having a number average primary particle size of 5 to 50 μm, having a content ratio (% by mass) of thermoplastic resin and thermosetting resin of 95:5 to 70:30.

The problem is solved by the present invention, which aims to provide a prepreg that allows continuous laying-up of prepreg layers while preventing the reinforcing fibers or the matrix resin from being partly deposited on the automated lay-up device, when such a device is used with the aim of producing a fiber-reinforced composite material having a high toughness and impact resistance.

A prepreg comprising the components [A] to [E] given below, meeting the requirements (i) to (iii) given below, and serving to produce a cured product having a reinforcing fiber layer defined as the region ranging from 8% to 92% depth from the surface in the thickness direction that contains a first epoxy resin composition in which 90 mass % or more of the component [A] exists, and two surface resin layers each defined as the region ranging from either surface to a depth of 8% exclusive in the thickness direction that contain a second epoxy resin composition in which 85 mass % or more of the component [E] exists, (i) the second epoxy resin composition includes the components [B] to [E] of which the component [C] accounts for 8 to 24 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the second epoxy resin composition, (ii) the second epoxy resin composition has a storage elastic modulus G′ in the range of 1.0×10.sup.4 to 3.0×10.sup.6 Pa when measured at 25° C. and an angular frequency of 3.14 rad/s, and (iii) plies of the prepreg laid up after being left to stand for 24 hours at room temperature show a peel strength of 0.1 N/mm or more at 35° C., [A] a carbon fiber, [B] an epoxy resin containing the components [b1] and [b2] specified below, [b1] a di- or less-functional epoxy resin containing, in a molecule, at least one ring structure having four- or more-membered ring and a glycidyl amine group bonded to a ring structure, [b2] a tri- or more-functional epoxy resin, [C] a thermoplastic resin with a weight-average molecular weight of 2,000 to 30,000 g/mol, [D] diaminodiphenyl sulfone, [E] particles having a volume-average particle size of 5 to 50 μm and insoluble in the component [B].

A porous composite ultrafiltration membrane including a block copolymer layer having (a) one or more soft block polymer(s) having an elongation at break of greater than about 50%, as measured by ASTM D638 and an elastic modulus of between 10 MPa to 3 GPa as measured by the ASTM D638 tensile test; and (b) one or more hard block polymer(s) having an elongation at break of less than about 65%, as measured by ASTM D638, and an elastic modulus of higher than 1 GPa as measured by the ASTM D638 tensile test, and a macroporous support layer having a pore size larger than a pore size of the block copolymer layer. Also described is a method for making the porous composite membrane.

The invention relates to: —anion exchange blend membranes consisting the following blend components: —a halomethylated polymer (a polymer with —(CH.sub.2).sub.x—CH.sub.2—Hal groups, Hal=F, Cl, Br, I; x=0-12), which is quaternised with a tertiary or a n-alkylated/n-arylated imidazole, an N-alkylated/N-arylated benzimidazole or an N-alkylated/N-arylated pyrazol to form an anion exchanger polymer. —an inert matrix polymer in which the anion exchange polymer is embedded and which is optionally covalently crosslinked with the halomethylated precursor of the anion exchanger polymer, —a polyethyleneglycol with epoxide or halomethyl terminal groups which are anchored by reacting with N—H-groups of the base matrix polymer using covalent cross-linking—optionally an acidic polymer which forms with the anion-exchanger polymer an ionic cross-linking (negative bound ions of the acidic polymer forming ionic cross-linking positions relative to the positive cations of the anion-exchanger polymer)—optionally a sulphonated polymer (polymer with sulphate groups —SO.sub.2Me, Me=any cation), which forms with the halomethyl groups of the halomethylated polymer covalent crosslinking bridges with sulfinate S-alkylation. The invention also relates to a method for producing said membranes, to the use of said membranes in electrochemical energy conversion processes (e.g. Redox-flow batteries and other flow batteries, PEM-electrolyses, membrane fuel cells), and in other membrane methods (e.g. electrodialysis, diffusion dialysis).

An aromatic polysulfone resin produced by the polycondensation of 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone represented by chemical formula (S1) shown below and 2-(4-(4-hydroxyphenylsuIfonyl)phenoxy)-5-(4-hydroxyphenylsulfonyl)phenol represented by chemical formula (S2) shown below with 4,4′-dichlorodiphenylsulfone represented by chemical formula (S3) shown below.

##STR00001##

wherein hydrogen atoms in phenylene groups in formula (S1), formula (S2) and formula (S3) may be each independently substituted with an alkyl group, an aryl group or a halogen atom.

A process for the production of expanded material based on sulfone polymers includes an extrusion step in an extruder of virgin sulfone polymer with the injection of at least one expanding agent and in the presence of at least one nucleating agent, and a recycling step of part of the expanded material, which provides a recycled product used as raw material fed to the extruder in combination with the virgin sulfone polymer.

A prepreg which is suitable for producing a fiber-reinforced composite material in a short period of time without using an autoclave, can produce a fiber-reinforced composite material in which the occurrence of voids is suppressed and excellent impact resistance is achieved, and has excellent handling properties; and a fiber-reinforced composite material using the prepreg. This prepreg is a prepreg in which a reinforcing fiber [A] arranged in layers is partially impregnated with an epoxy resin composition containing an epoxy resin [B] and a curing agent [C], wherein the impregnation rate φ is 30-95%, and a thermoplastic resin [D] insoluble in the epoxy resin [B] is unevenly distributed on both surfaces of the prepreg. In addition, in the layers of the reinforcing fiber [A], epoxy resin composition-unimpregnated portions are localized on one surface of the prepreg, and the localization parameter a, which defines the degree of localization, is in the range of 0.10<σ<0.45.