Abstract: Provided is a thermal decomposition method that allows efficient thermal decomposition of an organic substance such as a plastic to produce gas and oil with high heating value and with which a large amount of the organic substance can be processed. The method includes mixing the organic substance with an organic substance decomposition catalyst, forming the mixture to produce a composite agglomerated material, and thermally decomposing the organic substance by placing the composite agglomerated material in a thermal decomposition furnace. The maximum catalytic effect can be obtained since the organic substance and the catalyst are close to each other in the composite agglomerated material. Since the catalyst has thermal conductivity higher than that of the organic substance, the temperature rising rate of the organic substance can be increased.

Abstract: A reforming method of a metallurgical furnace generated exhaust gas includes reforming a high temperature exhaust gas discharged from a metallurgical furnace by adding a reducing agent to the gas, wherein addition of the reducing agent is initiated when an oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is 1 vol % or less, and a reforming reaction is completed when a temperature of the exhaust gas is 800° C. or higher, and an apparatus thereof. The reducing agent is blown from a reducing agent blowing nozzle having a double pipe structure.

Abstract: This invention provides a coating agent, which can form a coating film over a wide area in a simple manner, is chemically and physically stable, and can form an ultrathin film, a coating film, a method for formation of coating film, and various products coated with the coating film. The coating agent contains thin sheet titanium oxide fine particles. The coating agent may comprise a solution containing a titania nanosheet and a sol of silicon oxide or titanium oxide. The coating film is formed by coating and then drying and heating the coating and has a microstructure in which thin sheet titanium oxide fine particles are stacked with a high level of orientation.

Abstract: A reforming method of a metallurgical furnace generated exhaust gas includes reforming a high temperature exhaust gas discharged from a metallurgical furnace by adding a reducing agent to the gas, wherein addition of the reducing agent is initiated when an oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is 1 vol % or less, and a reforming reaction is completed when a temperature of the exhaust gas is 800° C. or higher, and an apparatus thereof. The reducing agent is blown from a reducing agent blowing nozzle having a double pipe structure.

Abstract: This invention provides a coating agent, which can form a coating film over a wide area in a simple manner, is chemically and physically stable, and can form an ultrathin film, a coating film, a method for formation of coating film, and various products coated with the coating film. The coating agent contains thin sheet titanium oxide fine particles. The coating agent may comprise a solution containing a titania nanosheet and a sol of silicon oxide or titanium oxide. The coating film is formed by coating and then drying and heating the coating and has a microstructure in which thin sheet titanium oxide fine particles are stacked with a high level of orientation.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide a thermoelectric conversion material of &bgr;-iron disilicides that performs &bgr;-phase transformation in as a short time as just the industrially useful level. Moreover, the invention aims to provide a thermoelectric conversion material of &bgr;-iron disilicides having a low heat conductivity and a high thermoelectric conversion efficiency without changing Seebeck coefficient and resistivity, and a thermoelectric conversion element using the material. Specifically, a thermoelectric conversion material of &bgr;-iron disilicides containing dopant and at least one selected from at least Sn and Pb and a thermoelectric conversion element using the material are provided.

Abstract: Present invention provides ionic spiropyran compounds having a C10-C22 alkyl group or groups at the 1'- and/or 8-positions of 3',3'-dimethyl-6-nitrospiro?2H-1-benzopyran-2',2'-indoline! and a composite material made by conjugating the said ionic spiropyrans with clay mineral, the said composite material being capable of forming a transparent thin film which is photo-interconvertible between the said spiropyrans and the corresponding merocyanines.

Abstract: In a detachable electronic device with a device body which can be detached from a stationary portion and a control unit which can be detached from the device body, the device body is prevented from being released from the stationary portion when the control unit is detached from the device body.

Abstract: In an electronic device in which a control unit is detachable from an equipment body, the control unit is engaged and detachably secured to the equipment body by a locking member and a temporary retaining member. A lock release unit causes the locking member to disengage the control unit. When the locking member disengages the control unit, the temporary retaining member retains the control unit and causes the control unit to protrude from the front of the equipment body. Thus, the control unit is temporarily retained by the temporary retaining member in the protruding position and is not allowed to fall off the equipment body onto the ground or floor. In addition, since the operating member is moved to a position where it protrudes from the front of the equipment body, the control unit is easy to remove by hand.

Abstract: This invention provides polymerizable silica sols in which at least one monomer containing double bond is used as its dispersion medium, especially a silica sol in which the monomer containing double bond is a monomer containing double bond and OH group or is a monomer having an adamantane structure. This invention also provides compositions which comprise these silica sols as composing elements, cured resins that are obtained by polymerizing these silica sols alone or together with other copolymerizable components, and new adamantane derivatives for use in these silica sols.