Abstract: An interior member or indoor equipment provided on the surface with titanium oxide particles capable of excellent photocatalytic activity even by irradiation of a weak ultraviolet ray present in an interior room or the like. An interior member or indoor equipment with titanium oxide particles containing brookite-type crystal present on the surface thereof. The titanium oxide particles may also be bonded to the surface using an adhesive. The interior member or indoor equipment exhibits a photocatalytic function upon irradiation of a weak ultraviolet ray having irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm2 at 365 nm.

Abstract: An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece has first and second switches (121, 122) placed between an input terminal (22a) of a capacitor (22) and output terminals MG1 and MG2 of a generator (20), a third switch (130) placed between the output terminal MG1 and an input terminal (22b) of the capacitor (22), and a brake control circuit (55) enabled to control the switches independent of one another. Electric current is fed through the generator 20 by opening the switch (121) and closing the switches (122, 130). Thus, a rate measurement pulse is outputted therefrom. Consequently, rate measurement is easily achieved.

Abstract: An aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol comprising titanium oxide particles dispersed in water, said sol comprising chloride ions in an amount of 50 to 10,000 ppm by weight as the chlorine element. Titanium tetrachloride is hydrolyzed to form an aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol and the chloride ion concentration thereof is controlled. Another aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol comprising brookite-type titanium oxide particles dispersed in water, said titanium oxide particles having an average particle size of not more than 0.5 &mgr;m and a specific surface area of not less than 20 m2/g. Addition of titanium tetrachloride to hot water at 75 to 100° C. followed by hydrolysis at 75° C. to the boiling point of the mixture.

Abstract: An aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol comprising titanium oxide particles dispersed in water, said sol comprising chloride ions in an amount of 50 to 10,000 ppm by weight as the chlorine element. Titanium tetrachloride is hydrolyzed to form an aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol and the chloride ion concentration thereof is controlled. Another aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol comprising brookite-type titanium oxide particles dispersed in water, said titanium oxide particles having an average particle size of not more than 0.5 &mgr;m and a specific surface area of not less than 20 m2/g. Addition of titanium tetrachloride to hot water at 75 to 100° C. followed by hydrolysis at 75° C. to the boiling point of the mixture.

Abstract: An interior member or indoor equipment provided on the surface with titanium oxide particles capable of excellent photocatalytic activity even by irradiation of a weak ultraviolet ray present in an interior room or the like. An interior member or indoor equipment with titanium oxide particles containing brookite-type crystal present on the surface thereof. The titanium oxide particles may also be bonded to the surface using an adhesive. The interior member or indoor equipment exhibits a photocatalytic function upon irradiation of a weak ultraviolet ray having irradiation energy of from 0.001 to 0.2 mW/cm2 at 365 nm.

Abstract: A composition comprising metal oxide particles having photo-catalytic activity, a solvent-soluble zirconium compound and a solvent. Preferably, the metal oxide particles having photocatalytic activity are titanium oxide particles; the metal oxide particles have an average particle diameter of about 0.005 to 0.3 &mgr;m; and the amount of the zirconium compound is in the range of about 3-200 parts by weight, as ZrO2, per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide articles. A composite of a film having a photo-catalytic activity with a base material is made by coating the base material with the above composition to form a film, and curing the film on the base material.

Abstract: A timepiece includes a mechanical energy source, a generator, and a train wheel connecting the mechanical energy source and the generator. The mechanical energy source drives the train wheel to cause the generator to rotate thereby creating electrical power. A rotation controller coupled to the generator controls the rotation of the generator, and includes a rotation detector for detecting the rotation of the generator and generating a rotation signal corresponding to the rotation and a reference signal generator for generating a reference signal based on a signal from a time reference source. The brake controller counts the reference signal and produces a first count, counts the rotation signal and produces a second count, and brakes the rotation of the generator when the first count is less than the second count.

Abstract: An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece, which is an electronic device, is equipped with a generator 2 for converting the mechanical energy transmitted from a mainspring through the intermediary of a train wheel into electrical energy, and a rotation control unit for controlling the rotation cycle of the generator 2. The rotation control unit is equipped with a count-up/down counter 60 that compares a reference signal with a rotation detection signal of the generator 2 thereby to adjust a braking time for the generator 2, and a brake control signal generating circuit 81 that corrects the time set at the count-up/down counter 60 on the basis of the rotation cycle of the generator 2. If the rotation cycle of the generator 2 significantly deviates from a reference signal cycle, then the braking time is adjusted on the basis of the rotation cycle.

Abstract: An aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol comprising titanium oxide particles dispersed in water, said sol comprising chloride ions in an amount of 50 to 10,000 ppm by weight as the chlorine element. Titanium tetrachloride is hydrolyzed to form an aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol and the chloride ion concentration thereof is controlled. Another aqueous titanium oxide-dispersed sol comprising brookite-type titanium oxide particles dispersed in water, said titanium oxide particles having an average particle size of not more than 0.5 &mgr;m and a specific surface area of not less than 20 m2/g. Addition of titanium tetrachloride to hot water at 75 to 100° C. followed by hydrolysis at 75° C. to the boiling point of the mixture.

Abstract: A current measured value measured by sensor is indicated by a measured value pointer. A maximum or minimum value pointer is interlocked with the measured value pointer and moves only in an incremental or decremental direction to indicate the maximum or minimum measured value. Therefore, a current measured value and the maximum or minimum value can be indicated simultaneously by a single drive source.

Abstract: A fine silica tube composed of silica gel and having an outer diameter of 0.05 to 2 .mu.m wherein the cylindrical wall portion of the tube has a cross-section defined by a substantially square outer periphery and a substantially square vacant center, or by a circular outer periphery and a substantially square vacant center; and a fine silica tube composed of silica glass and having an outer diameter of 0.05 to 1.4 .mu.m wherein the cylindrical wall portion of the tube has a cross-section defined by a substantially square outer periphery and a substantially square vacant center. The fine silica gel tube is made by treating a tetraalkoxysilane with ammonia or aqueous ammonia in a water-soluble alcohol medium in the presence of tartaric acid, citric acid, a tartaric acid salt or a citric acid salt, whereby the tetraalkoxysilane is hydrolyzed. The fine silica glass tube is made by calcining the fine silica gel tube at 800.degree. to 1,400.degree. C.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-aqueous secondary battery having a positive electrode composed of a polymer of aniline or an aniline derivative and a negative electrode composed of (i) and alkali metal, (ii) an alkali metal alloy, (iii) an electroconductive polymer or (iv) an alkali metal or alkali metal alloy/electroconductive polymer composite, wherein the polymer of aniline or an aniline derivative is formed by converting a doped polymer obtained by oxidative polymerization to an undoped state.

Abstract: A battery having electrodes, at least one of which is made of a polymeric compound having conjugated double bonds in the main chain, is described. The organic solvent of an electrolytic solution in the battery is selected from nitrile compounds of the formulae (I) and (II):R--CN (I)wherein R is a C2-7 alkyl, a saturated alicyclic C3-7 hydrocarbon residue, CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.x --O--(CH.sub.2).sub.y or NC--CH.sub.2).sub.z (x, y and z are 0 or a positive integer of up to 5), and ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --CN, --O--(CH.sub.2).sub.q --CN or ##STR2## in which R.sub.3 is a C1-5 alkyl and p, q and r are 0 or a positive integer of up to 5, R.sub.2 is C1-5 alkyl, C1-5 alkoxy or --CH.sub.2).sub.l --CN in which l is 0 or a positive integer of up to 3, and m is a positive integer of up to 3, and n is 0 or a positive integer of up to 3.

Abstract: A second battery, the negative electrode of which or both the negative and positive electrodes of which are made of a polymeric compound having conjugated double bonds in the main chain, is described. The electrolyte used in the battery is an ammonium salt represented by the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 stand for an alkyl group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the case where all of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same groups is excluded, and X is an anion.