Abstract: A lithium secondary battery contains a negative electrode binder containing a polyimide resin having a structure represented by the following chemical formula (1), and the polyimide resin having a molecular weight distribution such that the weight ratio of a polyimide resin having a molecular weight of less than 100,000 and a polyimide resin having a molecular weight from 100,000 to less than 200,000 is from 50:50 to 90:10: where n is an integer equal to or greater than 1, and R is a functional group represented by the following chemical formula (2) or (3):

Abstract: The invention provides flaky titanic acid having polymerizable functional groups, a suspension of the same, titanic acid coating films excellent in tight adhesion, and resin bases with titanic acid coating films, namely, flaky titanic acid obtained by treating a layered titanate with an acid and then making an organic basic compound act on the obtained product to conduct interlaminar swelling or delamination, characterized in that at least part of the organic basic compound is one having a polymerizable functional group such as acryl or methacryl and, preferably, in that the layered titanate is one represented by the general formula: AxMy?zTi2-(y+z)O4 [wherein A and M are different from each other and are each a mono- to tri-valent metal; ? represents a Ti-defective site; x is a positive real number satisfying the relationship: 0<x<1; and y and z are 0 or positive real numbers satisfying the relationship: 0<y+z<1].

Abstract: The present invention provides a precursor for producing a tissue regenerating instrument that regenerates a tissue, including: a tube made of a biodegradable material provided with a lumen in a longitudinal direction; a rod made of a biodegradable material swellable with a softening solvent, fixed to an inner wall of the tube substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tube; and an adhesive that fixes the rod to the inner wall of the tube, in which the rod in a non-swelled state has an occupied cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the lumen of the tube, and the occupied cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rod in a saturated swelled state with the softening solvent is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the lumen of the tube.

Abstract: An automatic vessel position holding control method for holding a vessel position and a vessel heading of a vessel on the ocean in order to reduce a positional deviation and a heading deviation sharply as compared with the conventional automatic vessel position holding control by performing feedforward control for estimating and then compensating for at least one of a wave drifting force and a wave drifting moment that act on the vessel, wherein a vessel position holding control is performed that includes such controls as estimating waves entering the vessel from motion thereof, calculating at least one of the wave drifting force and the wave drifting moment from the estimated waves and performing feedforward control for at least one of the calculated wave drifting force and the calculated wave drifting moment.

Abstract: A battery module has a plurality of prismatic batteries (2) stacked in a thickness direction. Two plates (3, 4) are provided between each of the batteries (2), and each of the batteries (2) is compressed by shifting the two plates (3, 4) in directions away from each other. A pair of frame members (10, 20) having opposing surfaces (11, 21) extending along the stacking direction of the batteries (2) are disposed face to face so as to sandwich the batteries (2) in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the batteries. Wedge-shaped spacers (12, 22) inserted between the two plates (3, 4) are provided respectively on the opposing surfaces. By narrowing the gap between the pair of frame members (10, 20), the spacers (12, 22) are allowed to advance inwardly between the two plates (3, 4) so that the two plates are shifted in directions away from each other, whereby the batteries are compressed.

Abstract: A gas hydrate production apparatus capable of reacting a raw gas with a raw water to thereby form a slurry gas hydrate and capable of removing water from the slurry gas hydrate by means of a gravitational dewatering unit. The gravitational dewatering unit is one including a cylindrical first tower body; a cylindrical dewatering part disposed on top of the first tower body; a water receiving part disposed outside the dewatering part; and a cylindrical second tower body disposed on top of the dewatering part, wherein the cross-sectional area of the second tower body is continuously or intermittently increased upward from the bottom.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a positive electrode (1), a negative electrode (2), a separator (3) interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution in which a solute is dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent. The negative electrode contains a negative electrode active material capable of alloying with lithium and the non-aqueous solvent of the non-aqueous electrolyte solution contains one ore more fluorinated cyclic carbonates and a carboxylic ester. In addition, the non-aqueous electrolyte solution contains a nitrile compound having a chain saturated hydrocarbon group having two or more carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, including a step of differentiating the glossiness of a front surface from that of a rear surface of the wafer by holding the semiconductor wafer in a wafer holding hole formed in a carrier plate, and simultaneously polishing a front and back surface of said semiconductor wafer by driving said carrier plate to make a circular motion associated with no rotation on its own axis within a plane parallel with a surface of said carrier plate between a pair of polishing members disposed to face to each other, by using an abrasive body with a semiconductor wafer sink rate different in polishing from that of an abrasive body for one of a polishing member on an upper surface plate and a polishing member on a lower surface plate so as to simultaneously polish both the front and rear surfaces of the semiconductor wafer, or differentiating by differentiating the rotating speed of the upper surface plate from that of the lower surface plate.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which has a positive electrode containing lithium cobalt oxide as a positive active material, a negative electrode containing a graphite material and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing ethylene carbonate as a solvent and which is charged with an end-of-charge voltage of at least 4.3 V. Characteristically, the battery uses, as the positive active material, lithium cobalt oxide obtained by firing a mixture of a lithium salt, tricobalt tetraoxide (Co3O4) and a zirconium compound and having particle surfaces onto which the zirconium compound adheres.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a positive electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided. The positive electrode has a current collector and an active material layer formed on the current collector. The method includes: coating a slurry onto the current collector, the slurry having a pH of from 5 to 9 and containing a positive electrode active material, water as a dispersion medium, carboxymethylcellulose, and a pH adjuster; and drying the coated slurry to form the active material layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a compatibilizing agent for a polymer alloy, which can increase the compatibility with a variety of polymers; a polymer alloy using the compatibilizing agent; and master batch for a polymer alloy. Specifically disclosed is a compatibilizing agent which is used for the preparation of a polymer alloy by blending at least one polymer (A) selected from the group consisting of a polyphenylene sulfide, a polyphenylene ether and a polyamide with a polymer (B) of a different type from the polymer (A) at such a ratio that the amount of the polymer (A) blended is the same as or more than that of the polymer (B). The compatibilizing agent comprises a nanosheet-shaped layered titanic acid which is produced by intercalate an organic basic compound between the layers of a layered titanic acid.

Abstract: The invention relates to lubricating grease compositions having a base oil mixture based on oils having viscosities (ISO VG 2 to ISO VG 1500) that are standard for industrial lubricants, an ionic liquid, a thickening agent, e.g., based on a polyurea compound and conventional additives that can be used at current service temperatures that are higher than 120° C. to 260° C., in particular at a service temperature in the region of high service temperatures that are higher than 180° C. to 260° C. and also at low temperatures as low as ?60° C. The invention also relates to a method for producing said type of lubricating grease compositions.

Abstract: Capacity degradation due to charge/discharge cycles is suppressed in either a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell provided with a positive electrode including, as a positive electrode active material, a lithium-transition metal complex oxide having a layered structure and containing at least Ni and Mn as transition metals, and a negative electrode containing a carbon material as a negative electrode active material and having a higher initial charge-discharge efficiency than that of the positive electrode, or an assembled battery having a plurality of cells each of which is the secondary cell. A control circuit incorporated in the secondary cell or the assembled battery, or in an apparatus using the secondary cell or the assembled battery, monitors the voltage of the secondary cell or each of the cells in the assembled battery so that the end-of-discharge voltage of each cell is 2.9 V or higher.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flavor composition or fragrance composition which can satisfy diversified requirements for flavored products, as well as to a flavor-improving agent which can improve the quality and release of aroma of a beverage or food. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flavor composition or fragrance composition which comprises an optically active S-alkyl 2-methylbutanethioate as an active ingredient, a flavor- or fragrance-added product, a flavor-improving agent which comprises an optically active S-alkyl 2-methylbutanethioate as an active ingredient, and a beverage or food having an improved flavor. The optically active S-alkyl 2-methylbutanethioate includes S-alkyl(R)-2-methylbutanethioate and S-alkyl(S)-2-methylbutanethioate.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for manufacturing a crank for a bicycle by bonding structural members to each other with an adhesive comprising; a step for applying the adhesive in a line-like or dot-like form in correspondence with an intervention region of the adhesive; a step for disposing a fabric in correspondence with the intervention region of the adhesive; a step for expanding the adhesive applied in a line-like or dot-like form in the fabric; and a step for bonding the structural members to each other with the adhesive expanded in the fabric, and a crank for a bicycle manufactured by the method. When the crank for a bicycle is manufactured by bonding the structural members to each other with the adhesive, the adhesive can be applied easily at a high accuracy and a good repeatability, variations of application condition and amount of used adhesive can be suppressed, and variation in quality can be suppressed.

Abstract: A potassium titanate, method for manufacturing the potassium titanate, a friction material using the potassium titanate and a resin composition using the potassium titanate are disclosed. The potassium titanate is represented by K2TinO(2n+1) (n=4.0-11.0) and has the highest X-ray diffraction intensity peak (2?) in the range of 11.0°-13.5° with its half width being not less than 0.5°.

Abstract: The present invention provides a producing method of powder particles having an average particle diameter on the order of submicrons. Specifically, the producing method is a producing method of powder particles obtained by grinding a product to be ground by using plural grinding media, wherein the grinding media including at least one kind (grinding medium A) having an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 5 times and at least one kind (grinding medium B) having an average particle diameter of 10 to 450 times, with respect to the average particle diameter of the product to be ground before being ground, are used.

Abstract: Pellet damaging is prevented at the time of pellet charging into a storage tank. There is provided a method of storing a gas hydrate in which pellets obtained by compression molding of powdery gas hydrate are conveyed into a storage tank by the use of a slurry liquor, which method includes pouring a liquid for impact absorption in advance into the storage tank so that the impact on the pellets charged in the storage tank is absorbed by the liquid for impact absorption.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode active material includes a lithium-nickel-manganese composite oxide having a hexagonal layered rock-salt structure that belongs to the space group R-3m, and contains lithium in 3b sites that contain transition metals. The lithium-nickel-manganese composite oxide is represented by the molecular formula Li[LixNiyMnzMb]O2-a where: 0<x<0.4, 0.12<y<0.5, 0.3<z<0.62, and 0?a<0.5; M is at least one metal element having a valency of from 2 to 6; and the variables x, y, z, and b satisfy the expressions x>(1?2y)/3, 1/4?y/z?1.0, 0<b/(y+z)?0.1, and 1.0?x+y+z+b?1.1.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a lithium secondary cell having a collector composed of an electroconductive metal foil and, provided on the surface thereof, an active material layer containing active material particles containing silicon and/or a silicon alloy and a binder, characterized in that the binder has mechanical characteristics of a tensile strength of 50 N/mm2 or more, an elongation at break of 10% or more, a strain energy density of 2.5×10?3 J/mm3 or more and a coefficient of elasticity of 10000 N/mm2 or less, and preferably characterized in that the collector has mechanical characteristics of a tensile strength of 80 N/mm2 or more, a proportional limit 30 N/mm2 or more, an elongation at break of 1.0% or more and an elastic elongation limit of 0.03% or more.