The present specification relates to a compound including an aromatic ring, a polymer electrolyte membrane including the same, a membrane-electrode assembly including the polymer electrolyte membrane, a fuel cell including the membrane-electrode assembly, and a redox flow battery including the polymer electrolyte membrane.

Disclosed are self-assembling diblock copolymers of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing self-assembled structures and porous membranes. Embodiments of the self-assembled structures contain the diblock copolymer in a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such copolymers.

A method of forming a void, channel and/or vascular network in a polymeric matrix comprises providing a pre-vascularized structure that includes a matrix material and a sacrificial material embedded in the matrix material in a predetermined pattern, where the matrix material comprises a monomer and the sacrificial material comprises a polymer. A region of the matrix material is activated to initiate an exothermic polymerization reaction and generate a self-propagating polymerization front. As the polymerization front propagates through the matrix material and polymerizes the monomer, heat from the exothermic reaction simultaneously degrades the sacrificial material into a gas-phase and/or liquid-phase byproduct. Thus, one or more voids or channels having the predetermined pattern are rapidly formed in the matrix material.

The present disclosure provides alkaline-stable m-terphenyl benzimidazolium hydroxide compounds, in which the C2-position is attached to a phenyl group having various substituents at the ortho positions. Polymers incorporating m-terphenylene repeating groups derived from these alkaline-stable benzimidazolium hydroxide compounds are also presented, along with their inclusion in ionic membranes and in electrochemical devices.

A method of forming a void, channel and/or vascular network in a polymeric matrix comprises providing a pre-vascularized structure that includes a matrix material and a sacrificial material embedded in the matrix material in a predetermined pattern, where the matrix material comprises a monomer and the sacrificial material comprises a polymer. A region of the matrix material is activated to initiate an exothermic polymerization reaction and generate a self-propagating polymerization front. As the polymerization front propagates through the matrix material and polymerizes the monomer, heat from the exothermic reaction simultaneously degrades the sacrificial material into a gas-phase and/or liquid-phase byproduct. Thus, one or more voids or channels having the predetermined pattern are rapidly formed in the matrix material.

The described invention relates to the use of parylene and composites of parylene as a flexible, sealable, and near hermetic barrier packaging material for nonaqueous electrochemical cells. Additionally, the invention relates to the technique of sealing of battery packaging material through the use of ultrasonic energy, and to the use of a low melting temperature inorganic barrier, which is predisposed between higher melting temperature polymer layers, that can be sealed to form a truly hermetic barrier at the interface.

Certain embodiments are directed to resins comprising norbornene derivatives for use in structures such as radomes. In some examples, the radome comprises a dielectric constant of less than 2.7, a loss tangent of less than 0.003 and a moisture absorption of less than 1.5%.

The present disclosure provides alkaline-stable m-terphenyl benzimidazolium hydroxide compounds, in which the C2-position is attached to a phenyl group having various substituents at the ortho positions. Polymers incorporating m-terphenylene repeating groups derived from these alkaline-stable benzimidazolium hydroxide compounds are also presented, along with their inclusion in ionic membranes and in electrochemical devices.

Disclosed are self-assembled structures formed from self-assembling block copolymers, for example, a diblock copolymer of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing nanoporous membranes. In an embodiment, the block copolymer self-assembles into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such membrane which involves spin coating a polymer solution containing the block copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by solvent annealing of the film. Further disclosed is a method of preparing porous membranes from the self-assembled structures.

Disclosed are self-assembled structures formed from a self-assembling diblock copolymer of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing porous membranes. In an embodiment, the diblock copolymer is present in the self-assembled structures in a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a self-assembled structure, which involves spin coating a polymer solution containing the diblock copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by solvent annealing of the film.