Abstract: A flat plate made of a cycloolefin polymer comprising at least 30% by weight, based on the cycloolefin polymer, of repeating units (A) having an alicyclic structure. The repeating units (A) comprises at least 30% by weight, based on the repeating units (A), of repeating units (A-i) having no norbornane structure. The cycloolefin polymer has a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 50,000. The flat plate is especially useful as a light guide plate.

Abstract: A rubber composition comprising (i) an incompatible polymer blend of at least two diene rubbers selected from rubbers containing a conjugated diene and, optionally, an aromatic vinyl monomer and forming two polymer phases (A) and (B), and (ii) 0.1 to 20 parts by weight, based upon 100 parts by weight of the total polymer component including the block copolymer, of a block copolymer having at least two mutually incompatible blocks (a) and (b), wherein the block (a) is compatible with the polymer phase (A) and incompatible with the polymer phase (B) and the block (b) is compatible with the polymer phase (B) and incompatible with the polymer phase (A), and composed of a conjugated diene and, optionally, an aromatic vinyl monomer, and wherein the molecular weights of the polymers forming the polymer phases (A) and (B) satisfy the specified equations (I) and (II) mentioned in the specification.

Abstract: A lighting equipment comprising a reflector having a substrate comprised of a thermoplastic resin containing an alicyclic structure on which is formed a reflecting layer having a reflectance of at least 70%. The reflecting layer of the reflector is preferably comprised of a metal. The reflecting layer preferably has a thickness of 5 to 10,000 nm. The amount of the repeating units containing polar groups in the thermoplastic resin containing an alicyclic structure is preferably not more than 50 wt %. The thermoplastic resin containing an alicyclic structure preferably has a melt flow rate of 4 to 100 g/10 min.

Abstract: A light guide plate of the present invention is characterized by being obtained by melt molding a thermoplastic resin having a melt flow rate of at least 50 [g/10 min.] under a load of 2.16 kgf at 280° C. The thermoplastic resin is preferably a thermoplastic resin containing an alicyclic structure, more preferably a norbornene-based polymer.

Abstract: A flat plate made of a cycloolefin polymer comprising at least 30% by weight, based on the cyclopolefin polymer, of repeating units (A) having an alicyclic structure. The repeating units (A) comprises at least 30% by weight, based on the repeating units (A), of repeating units (A-i) having no norbornane structure. The cycloolefin polymer has a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 50,000. The flat plate is especially useful as a light guide plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polymerization inhibitor comprising at least one compound (a) selected from the group consisting of a compound having an NO radical in its molecule and a precursor compound capable of forming an NO radical, and a phosphorus-containing compound (b), wherein a weight ratio of the compound (a) to the phosphorus-containing compound (b) is 1:10 to 100:1. Specifically, the invention provides a method for inhibiting the polymerization of at least one monomer (c) selected from the group consisting of a conjugated diene, an aromatic vinyl, an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile and an &agr;-olefin, comprising causing the polymerization inhibitor to coexist with the monomer (c), and a polymerization-inhibiting composition comprising the polymerization inhibitor and the monomer (c).

Abstract: A toner for development of electrostatic images which has a residual polymerizable monomer content lower than 70 ppm and is substantially spherical as demonstrated by the flowability of at least 55%, and a process for producing a toner reduced in residual polymerizable monomer content by subjecting a slurry containing polymer particles obtained by polymerization to a stripping treatment under reduced pressure.

Abstract: A polyimide resin composition comprising a polyimide resin (A) and at least one 1H-tetrazole (B) selected from the group consisting of 1H-tetrazole, 5,5′-bis-1H-tetrazole, and derivatives thereof, and having an excellent rust preventing effect on copper and copper alloys.

Abstract: A polyimide resin composition comprising a polyimide resin (A) and at least one 1H-tetrazole (B) selected from the group consisting of 1H-tetrazole, 5,5′-bis-1H-tetrazole, and derivatives thereof, and having an excellent rust preventing effect on copper and copper alloys.

Abstract: An alicyclic structure-containing resin composition comprising an alicyclic structure-containing resin (A) having a polar group in a proportion of 3 to 50 mol % based on the whole repeating unit in the resin, and a soft polymer (B), a varnish containing the resin composition, a sheet formed of the resin composition, and an insulating film formed of the resin composition.

Abstract: An insulating material comprising a cycloolefin polymer, specifically, an interlayer insulating material for a high-density assembly board having interlayer-connecting via holes at most 200 &mgr;m in diameter, comprising a cycloolefin polymer containing at least 50 mol % of a repeating unit derived from a cycloolefin monomer; a dry film formed from a curable resin composition comprising a polymer having a number average molecular weight within a range of 1,000 to 1,000,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography, and a hardener; and a resin-attached metal foil obtained by forming a film of a cycloolefin polymer on one side of a metal foil. Laminates, multi-layer laminates and build-up multi-layer laminates making use of these materials, and production processes thereof.

Abstract: A container comprising a body made of a thermoplastic resin and a lid made of a thermoplastic resin, characterized in that at least one of the body and the lid is molded from a thermoplastic cyclic olefin resin. Said container hardly causes contamination of the content therein with water or organic substances permeating through the container from the outside or released from the container per se, and, besides, hardly causes contamination of the content with fine dust in handling.

Abstract: A balloon catheter of the present invention has an outer tube having a first lumen inside it. At the distal end of the outer tube is connected the proximal end of the balloon portion so that a balloon space is formed inside it, the distal end of the balloon portion is joined to a cylindrical front tip portion, and pressurized fluid is introduced into and released from the balloon space through the first lumen of the outer tube so as to make the balloon portion expand or contract. Inside the first lumen of the outer tube is arranged an inner tube having a second lumen freely slidable in the axial direction. The distal end of the inner tube projects out from the distal end of the outer tube and is detachably attached to the front tip portion. The balloon catheter of the present invention may have a guidewire detachably attached to the front tip portion rather than providing the inner tube.

Abstract: A polymer dispersion composition obtained by dispersing an electrode active material and a polymer having a gel content of 50% or more in an organic dispersion medium of which boiling point at 760 mmHg is 80° C. or above. The composition is successfully usable as, for instance, a binder composition for batteries, and the battery produced therefrom is high in initial capacity and small in the drop of capacity.

Abstract: A non-magnetic one-component developer comprising a substantially spherical polymerized toner which contains at least a binder resin and a colorant and has features that the volume average particle diameter is 5 to 10 &mgr;m, the proportion of particles having a particle diameter of at most 5 &mgr;m is at most 25% by number, the proportion of particles having a particle diameter of at least, 16 &mgr;m is at most 2% by volume, the standard deviation of the number particle diameter distribution is at most 1.8, and the spheroidicity represented by a ratio (dl/ds) of a length (dl) to a breadth (ds) in a particle is 1.0 to 1.3, and suitable for use in a cleaning system concurrent with development, and a developing method according to thee cleaning system concurrent with development making use of the non-magnetic one-component developer.

Abstract: An avian infectious recombinant herpesvirus is prepared by inserting a foreign gene, in particular a heterologous antigen gene, into an insertion site in an untranslated genetic region in the genome. A chicken vaccine comprising such a recombinant virus is also provided.

Abstract: A light guide plate which is made of a polymeric resin having an alicyclic structure and has recesses for reflection formed on a light reflecting surface, the recesses being so arranged that the density of the recesses increases with the distance from a light source. Each recess is preferably a V-shaped groove each having an angle of 70° to 150° and a depth of 1 &mgr;m to 1000 &mgr;m or a groove which is long and approximately perpendicular to the direction in which light is incident at any position on the light reflection surface.

Abstract: A binder for battery comprising composite polymer particles in which two or more polymers having different chemical structures form a heterogeneous phase structure. Preferably, said two or more polymers include two polymers having a glass transition temperature (Tg) different from each other by 5° C. or more. When a slurry prepared by mixing the binder with a liquid material and an active material is used for the production of an electrode for a secondary battery, especially, a lithium secondary battery, the resulting battery exhibits an improved performance because the slurry imparts a well-balanced binding power and a binding durability.

Abstract: A binder for an electrode of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a vinyl alcohol polymer having 30 to 95% by weight of recurring units expressed by the following formula (1): A slurry containing this binder, an active material and a liquid medium is used to produce an electrode. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having the electrode as a positive electrode and/or a negative electrode exhibits a minimized reduction in capacity at repeated charge-discharge cycles.

Abstract: A toner for development of electrostatic images, comprising at least a binder resin, a colorant and a charge control agent, wherein the charge control agent contains a positive charge control resin (A) composed of a polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000 and a functional group which brings positively charging ability, and a negative charge control resin (B) composed of a polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000 and a functional group which brings negatively charging ability. The toner is excellent in flowability, shelf stability and charge properties, and provides images excellent in image quality.