Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading a substrate is applied to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a substrate is carried in a vacuum-processing chamber, and loaded on a heated processing table, and further is applied with predetermined processing in a cold-wall processing mode. In the method, for example, the substrate is temporarily stopped before being loaded on the processing table. By the temporal stop, the temperature difference between the substrate and the processing table becomes smaller. When the temperature difference becomes smaller, even if the substrate expands due to heat from the processing table, the degree of the change becomes smaller and therefore it is possible to reduce peeling of films deposited on the substrate-loading surface of the processing table.

Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition for a liquid crystal display device of supertwisted nematic mode characterized in that it comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of condensed heterocyclic compounds, aromatic amine compounds, aliphatic amine compounds and aromatic hydroxy compounds. Liquid crystal display devices having high quality such that no irregular display caused by dust and fusion phenomena are observed can be provided by using the liquid crystal compositions by controlling to scarcely lower the specific resistance value and to lower the voltage-holding ratio.

Abstract: A container has a valve (2) and a lid (3) which covers the valve (2) from the outside. The valve (3) includes a slit (23) which opens due to outward deformation of the valve (3) when the internal pressure of the body (1) is higher than atmospheric pressure, and which closes due to elasticity of the valve (3) when the internal pressure is approximately equal to atmospheric pressure. The container of the present invention further comprises a pushing structure (4) formed on the inside of the lid (3), this pushing structure (4) being shaped so as to come into contact with the valve (2) when the lid (3) is shut, thereby pushing the valve (2) slightly inwards to open the slit (23).

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition for a liquid crystal display device of supertwisted nematic mode characterized in that it comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of condensed heterocyclic compounds, aromatic amine compounds, aliphatic amine compounds and aromatic hydroxy compounds. Liquid crystal display devices having high quality such that no irregular display caused by dust and fusion phenomena are observed can be provided by using the liquid crystal compositions by controlling to scarcely lower the specific resistance value and to lower the voltage-holding ratio.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for operating blast furnace, wherein, when charging coke and ore alternately from the furnace top to form alternate coke and ore layers for operation of a blast furnace, a coke layer is formed by charging coke of properties especially suitable for improvement of gas and liquid permeability of the coke layer to the central part thereof or an ore layer is formed by charging ordinary versatile type coke to the central part of the ore layer prior to formation thereof. The centrally charged coke forms a major part of the dead coke layer which is sequentially renewed under the cohesive zone of the blast furnace to maintain appropriate gas and liquid permeability of the dead coke layer, thereby enhancing the production efficiency and stability of the blast furnace operation while suppressing erosive wear of refractory walls of the furnace.

Abstract: A process for producing a tetraalkoxysilane by subjecting silicon and a lower alkyl alcohol to catalytic reaction in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide catalyst is provided, which process comprises carrying out the catalytic reaction at 50.degree.-400.degree. C., adding a specified ether compound, and which process affords such advantages that the alkali metal alkoxide catalyst well dissolves in the reaction mixture to make it possible to easily carry out the reaction; whether Si-containing particles as raw material for Si are fine or coarse, the reaction can be carried at an increased reaction rate; and the yield of the tetraalkoxysilane per hour per unit weights of raw materials is high.

Abstract: A method for estimating the geographical distribution of a cohesive zone in a blast furnace which is intermittently charged with an iron ore material to produce molten iron substantially in a continuous manner is disclosed. The method comprises altering the whole or part of the composition of the charging iron ore material at a certain time point, measuring variations in the composition of produced molten iron ore slag over a given time period, and estimating the shape of the cohesive zone in the furnace on the basis of a pattern of variation of one selected component and the speed of gravitational descent of the charged material through the furnace.