Abstract: The present invention provides acicular fine particles made up of iron and carbon, and these acicular metal iron fine particles can be prepared by contacting acicular iron carbide fine particles with a reducing agent containing no carbon atom. Further, the present invention provides a magnetic coating composition and magnetic recording medium containing the above acicular metal iron fine particles.

Abstract: A computer apparatus such as a lap-top type personal computer or the like having a disk device as an external storage device executes a power save process to reduce an electric power consumption on the basis of a power save designation command from an OS. The computer apparatus comprises a computer main body and an external storage device. The computer main body has a power source kind detecting section for generating a power source mode signal indicative of an external power source mode when the use of an external power source is detected and also indicative of an internal power source mode when the use of an internal power source by a battery provided in the apparatus is detected. A power save processing section is provided for the external storage device. When a power save command is received from the computer main body, a check is made to see if the power mode is the external power source mode or the internal power source mode on the basis of the power source mode signal sent from the computer main body.

Abstract: An acicular fine particulate material which is coated with a compound containing at least one element selected from among elements of Groups III and IV of the Periodic Table in Periods 5 and 6, the acicular fine particulate material being one of (i) an acicular fine particulate material containing iron carbide, (ii) an acicular fine particulate material containing iron carbide, metallic iron and carbon, and (iii) an acicular fine particulate metallic iron containing carbon, is prepared by a promoted reduction reaction while being effectively prevented from sintering and consequently affords magnetic recording media having a high recording density.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel acicular particles, processes for using the same, and magnetic materials prepared from such particles. In particular, the invention relates to an acicular particulate material containing iron carbide and having a high coercive force (Hc) an orientation property in a magnetic field.

Abstract: Fine iron carbide particles consisting essentially of iron carbide, which are characterized in that, in the step of the variation of the weight under the condition of combustion, the increase of the weight in the equilibrium after arrival at the maximum weight is 22% or less, on the basis of the weight before combustion.

Abstract: Iron carbide fine particles which have a coating layer of at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of copper compound and manganese compound.

Abstract: An improved track access control system for a magnetic disk apparatus connectable to a variety of host controllers without any change thereto, and capable of an offset correction. A control unit in the disk apparatus controlling a moving unit to access a magnetic head at a desired track on the magnetic disk in response to a seek command from a host controller and using an offset correction value which is previously obtained by accessing the magnetic head at a track storing the fine positioning information, and carrying out an offset correction, includes a timer to which a time to be offset-updated within a predetermined timing is set.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel acicular particles, processes for using the same, and magnetic materials prepared from such particles. In particular, the invention relates to an acicular particulate material containing iron carbide and having a high coercive force(Hc) an orientation property in a magnetic field.

Abstract: A process for producing acicular particles containing an iron carbide which comprises,(a) contacting or not contacting acicular oxyhydroxide or acicular iron oxide with a reducing agent containing no carbon atom and,(b) contacting the iron compound of the above (a) with a reducing-and-carbonizing agent containing carbon atom or a mixture thereof with a reducing agent containing no carbon atom,(provided that CO is excluded from the reducing-and-carbonizing agent of (b) when the contact in (a) is not conducted).

Abstract: A method for producing bread comprising the steps of kneading a dough containing wheat flour with an additive mixture consisting of a L-ascorbic acid; a reducing agent, and a thickner, fermenting the dough and baking same.