Abstract: A method of producing hollow silica microparticles that suppress whitening of a transparent coating film and show excellent abrasion resistance and adhesiveness. The method includes preparation of an organosol in which hollow silica microparticles are dispersed with the silica concentration of 1 to 70 W % and addition of a silane compound and an alkali catalyst to the organosol at a temperature in the range from 30° C. to 300° C. to react the silane compound to the hollow silica microparticles under the condition where a quantity of water against the added silica (the hollow silica microparticles) is in the range from 0.1 to 50 W %.

Abstract: A catalytic composition for hydrotreating of hydrocarbons is made in which a metallic component for hydrogenation is carried on a carrier formed of zeolite Y with aluminum and titanium inserted therein and a porous inorganic oxide. The zeolite Y has: unit cell dimension in a range from 24.25 to 24.60 ?, crystallinity of 95% or more, specific surface area of 500 m2/g or more, total pore volume of a group of pores each having a diameter of 600 ? or below in a range from 0.45 to 0.70 ml/g, pore volume of a group of pores each having a diameter in a range from 100 to 600 ? in a range from 0.10 to 0.40 ml/g, and pore volume of a group of pores each having a diameter in a range from 35 to 50 ? in a range 0.03 to 0.15 ml/g.

Abstract: A novel nodular silica sol adapted to use as a polishing material for polishing, for instance, CMP. The nodular silica sol has a ratio of an average particle diameter (r) measured by the dynamic light scattering method versus a particle diameter (r?) converted to that of an equivalent sphere computed from an average specific surface area measured by means of the nitrogen absorption method (r/r?, referred to as “association ratio”) in a range from 1.2 to 10, the particle diameter (r?) in a range from 5 to 200 nm, and the specific surface area in a range from 13 to 550 m2/g. The nodular silica particles have heterogeneous forms, and contents of Ca and Mg contained in the nodular silica particles are below 1000 ppm against SiO2 respectively.

Abstract: The hard coat layer-forming composition of this invention includes (A) composite oxide fine particles with a mean particle diameter of 1 to 200 nm, containing titanium, tin and optionally silicon, and with a rutile-type crystal structure, (B) an organosilicon compound represented by the formula R1aR2bSi(OR3)4?(a+b) and/or a hydrolyzate thereof, and (C) a cyanamide derivative compound. A hard coat layer formed from the composition not only is excellent in transparency, scratch resistance, adhesion property, weathering resistance, impact resistance, etc. but also can enjoy no coloration or little coloration, particularly in bluing or yellowing, upon exposure to or irradiation with ultraviolet rays, even if an antireflection film is provided.

Abstract: This invention provides cosmetics containing a multi-functional composite powder having the properties of (a) an excellent adhesiveness, (b) an excellent extendability, (c) an appropriate glossy effect, (d) a homogeneous cosmetic film, (e) an appropriate covering capability, (f) a cosmetic film not causing a white masking, (g) a high compatibility between a color appearance of cosmetics and a color tone of the cosmetic film, (h) an excellent soft-focusing capability, (i) an excellent ultraviolet protective effect, and the like. The multi-functional composite powder is constituted by a scale-like base material, a group of particles comprising at least fine particles of titanium dioxide deposited on a surface of the scale-like base material, and a thin film of a composite oxide containing titanium and iron coated thereon.

Abstract: A catalytic composition for hydrotreating of hydrocarbons in which a metallic component for hydrogenation is carried on a carrier comprising zeolite Y with aluminum and titanium inserted therein and a porous inorganic oxide, the zeolite Y having the following characteristics: (a) unit cell dimension (UD) in a range from 24.25 to 24.60 ?, (b) crystallinity of 95% or more, (c) specific surface area (SA) of 500 m2/g or more, (d) total pore volume (PVt) of a group of pores each having a diameter of 600 ? or below in a range from 0.45 to 0.70 ml/g, (e) pore volume (PVm) of a group of pores each having a diameter in a range from 100 to 600 ? in a range from 0.10 to 0.40 ml/g, (f) pore volume (PVs) of a group of pores each having a diameter in a range from 35 to 50 ? in a range 0.03 to 0.15 ml/g, and (g) percentage of 4-coordinate aluminum atoms against total aluminum atoms in the zeolite of 60 atom % or more.

Abstract: In a method of producing scale-like composite particles, a dispersion liquid is prepared to include scale-like inorganic particles coated with resin and spherical fine particles having an average particle diameter in a range from 0.1 to 3.0 ?m. The scale-like inorganic particles coated with the resin and the spherical fine particles is dispersed in water, alcohol, or a mixture dispersant of the water and the alcohol. Then, the dispersion liquid is sprayed in a heated air stream for drying so that the spherical fine particles are adhered on the scale-like inorganic particles coated with resin by an electrostatic force generated by contact between the particles.

Abstract: A composite polymer is obtained by reacting (a) an elastomer having a carboxyl group with (b) metal oxide fine particles each having an epoxy ring-containing group on the particle surface. A thermally cured product of the composite polymer is a material favorable for forming a primer layer which has not only high transparency but also excellent adhesion to a hard coat layer and is excellent also in scratch resistance, heat resistance, weathering resistance, dyeing property, impact resistance and the like. An article such as an optical article whose primer layer comprises the thermally cured product of the composite polymer has high transparency and is excellent also in heat resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a plastic lens which exhibits outstanding weather resistance and light resistance with a minimum of deteriorating effect on the organic antireflection thin film formed thereon. The plastic lens is composed of a plastic lens base material, a hard coating layer formed on the plastic lens base material, and an antireflection film formed on the hard coating layer, wherein the hard coating layer is one which is formed from a coating composition comprising inorganic oxide fine particles containing titanium oxide with a rutile-type crystallite and an organosilicon compound as a binder.

Abstract: A hard coat or a transparent film having excellent adhesion to a polycarbonate substrate is provided. The transparent film-forming coating liquid of the present invention comprises the following components (A) to (D): (A) an organosilicon compound and/or a hydrolyzate of the organosilicon compound, (B) metal oxide fine particles each of which comprises a metal oxide core particle and a coating layer composed of antimony oxide, (C) one or more curing agents (curing agent (A)) selected from the group consisting of a polythiol compound, an organic polycarboxylic acid and an acetylacetone metal complex, and (D) a curing agent (curing agent B) comprising a compound containing basic nitrogen. The metal oxide particles (B) have been surface-modified with an organosilicon compound or an amine compound.

Abstract: A catalyst for oxychlorination according to the present invention contains alumina and copper, and a content of copper is in the range from 5 to 20% by weight calculated as that of CuO, while a content of halogen is not more than 5% by weight. The catalyst is produced by the following steps (a) to (c): (a) preparing a slurry for spray-drying by adding an acid and an aqueous solution of cupric nitrate in a pseudo-boehmite alumina slurry; (b) spray-drying the slurry; and (c) burning the particles obtained in step (b).

Abstract: The process for preparing tubular titanium oxide particles comprises subjecting a water dispersion sol, which is obtained by dispersing (i) titanium oxide particles and/or (ii) titanium oxide type composite oxide particles comprising titanium oxide and an oxide other than titanium oxide in water, said particles having an average particle diameter of 2 to 100 nm, to hydrothermal treatment in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide. After the hydrothermal treatment, reduction treatment (including nitriding treatment) may be carried out. The tubular titanium oxide particles obtained in this process are useful as catalysts, catalyst carriers, adsorbents, photocatalysts, decorative materials, optical materials and photoelectric conversion materials. Especially when the particles are used for semiconductor films for photovoltaic cells or photocatalysts, prominently excellent effects are exhibited.

Abstract: A solution of a chromium compound is impregnated into a silica-alumina carrier made of alumina and containing 1 to 5 weight % of silica relative to the weight of the carrier, thereby to obtain a decomposing catalyst carrying 10 to 15 weight % of chromium oxide relative to the weight of the catalyst in terms of Cr2O3. By contacting mixed gas obtained through partial oxidation of heavy oil and/or coal with the decomposing catalyst, COS and HCN contained in the mixed gas are decomposed/removed. In this case, transition of alumina into boehmite can be suppressed owing to coexistence of silica and chromium oxide, so that COS and HCN can be decomposed by highly active catalytic reactions over a long time.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell includes a substrate having an electrode layer on the surface and having a porous metal oxide semiconductor film which is formed on the electrode layer and on which a photosensitizer is adsorbed, a substrate having an electrode layer on the surface, both of said substrates being arranged in such a manner that the electrode layer and the electrode layer face each other, and an electrolyte layer provided between the semiconductor film and the electrode layer, wherein the semiconductor film contains an inhibitor of back current, and at least one pair of substrate and electrode layer thereon have transparency. The photovoltaic cell is capable of inhibiting back current and decomposition of a spectrosensitizing dye caused by the ultraviolet rays, has high photoelectric conversion efficiency and is capable of generating high electromotive force.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing porous silica-based particles with the relatively larger average diameter of 1 micron or more and also having a low particle density. The method comprises the steps of (a) preparing two-layer separated liquid consisting of an organic silicon compound layer and a water layer, then adding an organic solvent, an alkali, and a surfactant into the water layer while agitating at least the water layer so that the organic silicon compound layer and the water layer are not completely mixed with each other, further hydrolyzing and/or partial hydrolyzing the organic silicon compound in the mixed aqueous solution to prepare silica-based particle precursors, (b) adding sodium aluminate into the mixed aqueous solution containing the silica-based particle precursors and then preparing silica-based particles having pores, cavities or voids inside the particles, and (c) washing and drying the silica-based particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sol of spinous inorganic oxide particles not containing coarse particles, in which particles having extremely homogeneous particles are dispersed in a solvent. An acidic silicic acid is added to a dispersion liquid of core particles to grow core particles, and then again the acidic silicic acid is added at the addition rate 1.2 to 1.8 higher than that in the previous step to prepare a sol of spinous inorganic oxide particles. Then the sol is subjected to centrifugation to remove coarse particles having the diameter of 800 nm or more, thus spinous inorganic oxide particles having peculiar form such as a spinous one being obtained.

Abstract: Hollow silica-based particles having cavities inside the outer shell having a low refractive index. The method of producing the silica-based particles comprises the following steps (a) and (b): (a) a step in which, when an aqueous silicate solution and/or an acidic silicic acid solution and an aqueous solution of an alkali-soluble inorganic compound are simultaneously added in an alkali aqueous solution to prepare a dispersion liquid of composite oxide particles, an electrolytic salt is added at the molar ratio of a mole number of the electrolytic salt (ME) versus that of SiO2 (MS) [(ME)/(MS)] in the range from 0.1 to 10, and (b) a step of furthermore adding an electrolytic salt, if necessary, to the dispersion liquid of composite oxide particles and then removing at least a portion of elements constituting the composite oxide other than silicon by adding an acid to prepare a dispersion liquid of silica-based particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sol of spinous silica-based particles in which silica-based particles having peculiar forms, spinous forms are dispersed in a solvent. The spinous silica-based particles have verrucous projections formed on surfaces of spherical silica-based particles. In the spinous particles, a value of the surface roughness (SA1/SA2, SA1 indicating a specific surface area measured by the BET method or the Sears method and SA2 indicating a specific surface area converted from an average particle diameter (D2) measured by the image analysis method) is in the range from 1.7 to 10. Furthermore the average diameter (D2) measured by the image analysis method is in the range from 7 to 150 nm.

Abstract: Silica-based particles coated with antimony oxide with a low refractive index and having conductivity are provided. The silica-based particles coated with antimony oxide comprise porous or hollow silica-based particles with antimony oxide coated thereon. A refractive index of the silica-based particles coated with antimony oxide is in the range from 1.35 to 1.60 with the volume resistivity value in the range from 10 to 5000 ?/cm and the average particle diameter in the range from 5 to 300 nm, and the thickness of the antimony oxide coating layer is in the range from 0.5 to 30 nm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coating liquid for forming an amorphous silica-based coating film having a low dielectric constant of 3.0 or below and low leakage current, and a method for preparing the coating liquid. The coating liquid is a liquid composition comprising (a) silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing tetraalkyl orthosilicate (TAOS) and alkoxysilane (AS) in the presence of tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide (TAAOH) and water, or a silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing or partially hydrolyzing tetraalkyl orthosilicate (TAOS) in the presence of tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide (TAAOH) and water, mixing the hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed product with alkoxysilane (AS) or a hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed product thereof, and hydrolyzing all or a portion of the mixture, (b) an organic solvent, and (c) water. The coating liquid is characterized in that a quantity of water contained in the liquid composition is in the range from 30 to 60% by weight.