A polymer composition for producing gel extruded articles is described. The polymer composition contains polyethylene particles combined with a plasticizer and one or more surface tension reducing techniques. In one aspect, the surface tension reducing technique includes adding a filler or chemical component to the polyethylene polymer for increasing wettability. Alternatively, the surface tension reducing technique can be a surface treatment, such as a plasma treatment. Polymer articles made in accordance with the present disclosure can have dramatically increased wettability properties. In one embodiment, the polymer composition is used to form a porous membrane for use as a separator in electronic devices.

The invention relates to novel linear, semi-crystalline, functional fluoropolymers that have been obtained by copolymerizing a fluorinated vinylic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer chosen from vinyl alkyl acids, vinyl phosphonates, functional acrylamides, carbonates, vinyl ethers, alkoxy compounds, and double hydrophilic group monomers.

This application relates to a separator for a rechargeable battery. The separator includes a porous substrate and a coating layer on at least one surface of the porous substrate. The coating layer includes a binder including a fluorine-based binder and a (meth)acryl-based binder, and a filler. The fluorine-based binder includes a first structural unit derived from vinylidene fluoride and a second structural unit derived from at least one monomer of hexafluoropropylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, trifluoroethylene, ethylene tetrafluoride, and ethylene monomers, and the second structural unit is included in an amount of 10 wt % or less with respect to the fluorine-based binder. The fluorine-based binder includes a first fluorine-based binder having a weight average molecular weight of 800,000 to 1,500,000 and a second fluorine-based binder having a weight average molecular weight of less than or equal to 600,000. The (meth)acryl-based binder has pencil hardness of 5H or higher.

The present invention provides a gel having an interpenetrating network formed from a first network structure and a second network structure, the first network structure being composed of a first crosslinked polymer formed from at least one noncrosslinkable compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (I) and a compound represented by the following formula (II), and at least one crosslinkable compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (III) and a compound represented by the following formula (IV), and the second network structure being composed of a second crosslinked polymer having at least one selected from the group consisting of an acidic dissociative group, an acidic dissociative group in a salt form, and a derivative group of an acidic dissociative group:

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wherein the groups are as defined in the DESCRIPTION.

The present invention provides a gel containing a crosslinked polymer having at least one selected from the group consisting of an acidic dissociative group, an acidic dissociative group in a salt form, and a derivative group of an acidic dissociative group, and a condensate of a compound represented by the following formula (I): Si{R.sup.1N(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)}(OR.sup.4)(OR.sup.5)(R.sup.6) (wherein each group is as defined in the DESCRIPTION).

Provided is a scale inhibitor for RO membranes which effectively inhibits the precipitation of calcium carbonate in an RO membrane treatment without increasing the phosphorus concentration in effluent and which can be used even in the RO membrane treatment of feed in which high-M-alkalinity concentrate having a calcium hardness level of 100 to 600 mg/L-CaCO.sub.3 and an M alkalinity of 1000 to 16000 mg-CaCO.sub.3/L is produced. A scale inhibitor for reverse osmosis membranes which inhibits the formation of calcium carbonate scale in an RO membrane treatment, the scale inhibitor including components (A) and (B) below. An RO membrane treatment method including adding the scale inhibitor for RO membranes to RO feed. Component (A): Terpolymer of maleic acid, an acrylic acid alkyl ester, and vinyl acetate, Component (B): Homopolymer of carboxylic acid

A graphene-based membrane and a method of producing the same are disclosed. The graphene-based membrane may include a graphene-polymer composite, wherein the graphene-polymer composite may consist of an amine functionalized graphene and a polymer containing an anhydride group as a linker for linking the amine functionalized graphene to the polymer. The graphene-based membrane may be constructed of a single-layer. A method may include reacting a polymer containing an anhydride with an amine functionalized graphene in presence of a solvent to form an intermediate product; and thermal imidizing the intermediate product to form a graphene grafted polymer composite for use in fabricating a graphene-based membrane.

A graphene-based membrane and a method of producing the same are disclosed. The graphene-based membrane may include a graphene-polymer composite, wherein the graphene-polymer composite may consist of an amine functionalized graphene and a polymer containing an anhydride group as a linker for linking the amine functionalized graphene to the polymer. The graphene-based membrane may be constructed of a single-layer. A method may include reacting a polymer containing an anhydride with an amine functionalized graphene in presence of a solvent to form an intermediate product; and thermal imidizing the intermediate product to form a graphene grafted polymer composite for use in fabricating a graphene-based membrane.

The present invention provides a gel containing a crosslinked polymer having at least one selected from the group consisting of an acidic dissociative group, an acidic dissociative group in a salt form, and a derivative group of an acidic dissociative group, and a condensate of a compound represented by the following formula (I): Si{R.sup.1N(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)}(OR.sup.4)(OR.sup.5)(R.sup.6) (wherein each group is as defined in the DESCRIPTION).

A composite ion exchange membrane comprising a cationically-charged membrane and an oppositely charged compound covalently bound thereto, the composite ion exchange membrane having: (i) a zeta-potential lower than 8 mV; and (ii) an effective charge lower than 20 mol/m.sup.2.