Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Japan Gore-tex Inc.

Toshihiro Ichino

Shiro Nishi

Shigekuni Sasaki

Fumio Yamamoto

Morihiko Matsumoto

Hiroshi Kato

Shinji Ando

Fusao Shimokawa

Yoshinori Hasuda

Takayuki Wani

Toru Matsuura

Naofumi Mushiake

Shinji Koike

Yukitoshi Takeshita

A composite polymer electrolyte membrane which includes an ion-conductive polymer gel contained and supported by a matrix material formed of a porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. The porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane has an internal structure which defines a three-dimensional network of interconnected passages and pathways throughout the membrane. The composite polymer electrolyte membrane has a tensile break strength of at least 10 MPa in at least two orthogonal planar directions, ion conductivity of at least 1 mS/cm, and is useful as a separator between electrodes of a lithium secondary cell.

Composite polymer electrolyte membrane

The present invention presents a solid polymer electrolyte consisting of a multiphase polymer matrix and an electrolyte solution. The polymer matrix consists of a highly polar polymeric (HPP) phase impregnated with the electrolyte solution to form ion conducting channels, and a less polar polymeric (LPP) phase, constituting the support structure. Further, the invented solid polymer electrolyte may also include a second ion conducting channels, forming a multiphase microstructure in which the electrolyte solution is present around the LPP particles as a fine mesh-like network. The invention also presents two kinds of method for making such a solid polymer electrolyte. The first includes the steps of: making a multiphase polymer matrix; and impregnating the polymer matrix with an electrolyte solution. The second includes the steps of: making a multiphase polymer matrix containing an electrolyte in advance; and impregnating the multiphase polymer matrix containing the electrolyte with a solvent to dissolve the electrolyte or electrolyte solution in the polymer matrix.

Solid polymer electrolyte and method of manufacture thereof

An optical waveguide which has properties including low optical losses, facile fabrication, controllable core-cladding refractive index ratio, and a high heat resistance is provided. The optical waveguide for light transmission therethrough has a core made of a polyimide obtained from at least one tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride and at least one diamine. The polyimide is (a) a polyimide homopolymer derived from a diamine represented by formula [I] as follows: ##STR1## (b) a polyimide copolymer derived from at least one diamine including the diamine represented by the formula [I]; or (c) a mixture of the polyimide homopolymers.

Polyimide optical waveguide

A flexible optical solar reflector (FOSR) which may be also used as an outermost layer of a multilayer thermal insulator comprising:

Flexible optical solar reflector

Growing community of inventors

Hoya, Japan

Toshihiro Ichino