A crosslinked polyolefin separator having an average value of light transmittance of 30% or more in a region of 380 nm to 700 nm, after four sides of the separator are fixed and allowed to stand at 130 C. for 30 minutes. A method for manufacturing the crosslinked polyolefin separator is also provided. The crosslinked polyolefin separator has a low shutdown temperature to provide improved safety. The crosslinked polyolefin separator also has a high meltdown temperature and is inhibited from die-drooling.

A crosslinked polyolefin separator having an average value of light transmittance of 30% or more in a region of 380 nm to 700 nm, after four sides of the separator are fixed and allowed to stand at 130? C. for 30 minutes. A method for manufacturing the crosslinked polyolefin separator is also provided. The crosslinked polyolefin separator has a low shutdown temperature to provide improved safety. The crosslinked polyolefin separator also has a high meltdown temperature and is inhibited from die-drooling.

A liquid-repellent surface is provided where the repellency arises solely from the re-entrant surface structure. The liquid repellent surface is a porous membrane that contains hexagonally packed microcavities, each of which has a narrow opening located on its top. The surface is mechanically robust because the microstructures are interconnected in a continuous manner. A method of preparing the liquid repellent surface is also provided, which involves producing a uniform emulsion containing monodisperse micro-droplets, depositing the emulsion onto a substrate, and solidifying the emulsion-deposit by evaporating the solvent in the continuous phase fluid.

A photothermal distillation membrane including a polydopamine (PDA) coated, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane is disclosed, as well as a process for synthesizing same. A photothermal aerogel membrane including a polydopamine (PDA)-containing bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is also disclosed, as well as a process for synthesizing same.

The present invention relates to a layered semipermeable membrane satisfying the conditions below. (A) The maximum peak intensity between 3700 and 2900 cm.sup.?1 is 0.08 or greater in the difference spectrum between an IR spectrum measured at 25? C. and 97% relative humidity and an IR spectrum measured at 25? C. and 3% relative humidity. (B) The peak top wavenumber between 3700 and 2900 cm.sup.?1 of the aforementioned difference spectrum is 3400 cm.sup.?1 to 3550 cm.sup.?1. (C) The N1s peak has a maximum value at 401 eV or greater in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in which X-rays are radiated to a coat layer.

Thermally responsive materials, porous membranes comprising the thermally responsive materials, and batteries incorporating the porous membranes as thermally responsive separation membranes are provided. Also provided are methods of making the thermally responsive materials. The thermally responsive materials comprise upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers covalently bound to a support substrate.

A fluid filtration apparatus, which includes a plurality of optical fibers each having a length, wherein one or more of the plurality of optical fibers exhibits frustrated total internal reflection, thereby emitting light along the length of one or more of the optical fibers, in combination with a photocatalyst disposed on the plurality of optical fibers and a light source interconnected to the plurality of optical fibers.

A fluid filtration apparatus, which includes a plurality of optical fibers each having a length, wherein one or more of the plurality of optical fibers exhibits frustrated total internal reflection, thereby emitting light along the length of one or more of the optical fibers, in combination with a photocatalyst disposed on the plurality of optical fibers and a light source interconnected to the plurality of optical fibers.

A fluid filtration apparatus, which includes a plurality of optical fibers each having a length, wherein one or more of the plurality of optical fibers exhibits frustrated total internal reflection, thereby emitting light along the length of one or more of the optical fibers, in combination with a photocatalyst disposed on the plurality of optical fibers and a light source interconnected to the plurality of optical fibers.

A composite semipermeable membrane, including: a microporous support layer; and a separation functional layer provided on the microporous support layer, in which the separation functional layer includes a crosslinked wholly aromatic polyamide which is a polycondensation product of a polyfunctional aromatic amine and a polyfunctional aromatic acid chloride and contains amino groups and carboxyl groups, and in positive secondary ions measured on a surface of the separation functional layer by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, when (count number of m/z=104.03)/(count number of m/z=108.06) is denoted by a, and a molar ratio (carboxyl group/amino group) of the carboxyl group to the amino group, which is obtained by analyzing the entire separation functional layer by .sup.13C solid state NMR, is denoted by b, the following formulae (1) and (2) are satisfied: a5.0 (1); and a/b4.3 (2).