Abstract: Disclosed are a production process of a dye polymer having a dye content of from 1 to 50 wt %, and the dye polymer and its use. The production process includes subjecting an addition-polymerizable monomer to living radical polymerization by using, as a polymerization initiator, a dye having a polymerization initiating group enabling the living radical polymerization. The dye polymer and a composition of the dye polymer and a pigment are useful as good coloring agents for various products or articles. The colored products or articles are high in transparency, and are provided with high added value. The dye polymer can also be used as a dispersant for pigments, thereby making it possible to afford pigment dispersions excellent in dispersion properties and dispersion stability.

Abstract: This invention relates to a coating formulation for manufacturing an electrode plate, which contains a solution of a hydroxyalkylchitosan and an organic acid and/or its derivative in an aprotic polar solvent, and an active material added to the solution and kneaded with the solution, the electrode plate, a manufacturing process of the electrode plate, a battery, a capacitor, and an undercoating formulation. According to this invention, a coating formulation for manufacturing an electrode plate for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery or an electrode plate for an electric double layer capacitor having excellent adhesion and improved contact resistance between an active material layer and a collector, the electrode plate, its manufacturing process, the battery and the capacitor can be provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are an aqueous pigment dispersion containing at least a pigment, water, a high-molecular dispersant, and an alkali. The high-molecular dispersant is a diblock polymer having a formula (1) of A-B or a triblock polymer having a formula (2) of A-B-C. The diblock or triblock polymer is a diblock or triblock polymer obtained by polymerizing addition-polymerizable monomers with a radical generator while using an organic iodide as a polymerization initiating compound and an organic phosphorus compound, organic nitrogen compound or organic oxygen compound as a catalyst. Also disclosed are a production method and use of the aqueous pigment dispersion. With the high-molecular dispersant obtained by a simple living radical polymerization process free of the problems of conventional living radical polymerization and having a precisely-controlled molecular structure, the aqueous pigment dispersion can be obtained with the pigment dispersed in it.

Abstract: Provided are a self-crosslinking polysiloxane-modified polyhydroxy polyurethane resin derived from a reaction of a 5-membered cyclic carbonate polysiloxane compound represented by the following formula (1) and an amine compound and having polysiloxane segments and masked isocyanate groups in its structure: wherein A means and its production process. The present invention can provide a polyhydroxy polyurethane resin, the development of applications of which has not moved ahead in the prior art, as a novel self-crosslinking polyhydroxy polyurethane resin that enables to provide products excellent in lubricity, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, non-tackiness, heat resistance and the like, is useful from the viewpoint of the reduction of warming gas, and is responsive to the environment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coating formulation useful in forming a conductive coating film on a surface of a collector for constructing an electrode plate for an electricity storage device. The coating formulation contains (A) a polymeric acid, (B) a vinyl carboxylate copolymer represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of H, Na, organic groups derived from vinyl carboxylate monomers, and cations capable of forming electrolytes for the electricity storage device, R2 to R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Na, C1-C6 alkyl groups, and cations capable of forming electrolytes for the electricity storage device, and a ratio (m/n) of m to n is from 0.0001 to 1, (C) a conductive material, and (D) a polar solvent.

Abstract: Provided are a fine-particulate organic semiconductor material, a thin organic semiconductor film and an organic transistor. The fine-particulate organic semiconductor material is in a form of fine particles and is usable as an organic semiconductor material. The fine particles are fine thermotropic liquid crystal particles that undergo a phase transition into a liquid crystal state when heated to a temperature of from 50° C. to 350° C. The fine-particulate organic semiconductor material can easily and uniformly form the thin organic semiconductor film over a large area by a film printing process or a dispersion coating process. The thin organic semiconductor film has high electron mobility and high ON/OFF value.

Abstract: Provided are a self-crosslinking polyhydroxy polyurethane resin derived from a reaction of a 5-membered cyclic carbonate compound and an amine compound and having masked isocyanate groups in its structure; a process for producing the resin; an imitation leather composed of a base fabric and a resin composition composed of the resin as its principal component and impregnated in or laminated on the base fabric; as kin material made of a thermoplastic polyolefin resin, said skin material including a thermoplastic polyolefin resin sheet and a top coat layer formed directly or via a primer layer on the sheet, wherein the top coat layer has been formed with a resin composition composed of the resin as its principal component; and a weather strip material composed, as its principal components, of the resin and a specific diorganopolysiloxane and/or a silicone oil.

Abstract: An optical-path-switching apparatus according to the present invention includes a reducing optical system capable of guiding signal light and control light along the direction of gravity into a thermal-lens-forming optical element having an incidence plane positioned to be perpendicular to the direction of gravity in such a way as to differentiate respective convergence points in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. The apparatus further includes a light-receiving unit configured to converge or condense straight-traveling signal light in the absence of irradiation with the control light and signal light whose optical path has been switched due to irradiation with the control light using the same optical element. Further, the apparatus includes a wedge-type prism provided at a passing position of the optical-path-switched signal light to increase the distance between the optical axis of the optical-path-changed signal light and the optical axis of the straight-traveling signal light.

Abstract: Disclosed are a resin-treated pigment characterized in that the resin-treated pigment comprises a pigment and a polymer of an unsaturated bond-containing monomer, a weight ratio of the pigment to the polymer (pigment:polymer) is from 50 to 95 to from 5 to 50, and the polymer is a block copolymer comprising from 5 to 70 mass % of an addition-polymerizable monomer having a UV-absorbing group; a production process of the resin-treated pigment; and a pigment dispersion using the resin-treated pigment.

Abstract: Disclosed are an alkoxysilyl-containing A-B block copolymer formed from (meth)acrylate monomers as constituent monomers, characterized in that a polymer block of A chain has a number average molecular weight (Mn) of from 1,000 to 50,000 and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of not greater than 1.6, a polymer block of B chain comprises alkoxysilyl-containing (meth)acrylate units as constituent monomer units, and the A-B block copolymer as a whole has a molecular weight distribution of not greater than 1.6, a process for the production of the block copolymer, a resin-treated pigment, and a pigment dispersion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pearlescent pigment, which is composed of flaky alumina substrate particles produced by a hydrothermal process and coat layers formed on the flaky substrate particles and composed of at least one metal oxide including at least a titanium oxide. The metal oxide has an average particle size of from 1 to 500 nm. According to this invention, it is possible to provide a pearlescent pigment, which has wholly uniform photoluminescence and an elegant and silky feel in combination and can fully satisfy artistry as desired.

Abstract: Disclosed are a polysiloxane-modified polyhydroxy polyurethane resin derived from a reaction between a 5-membered cyclic carbonate compound and an amine-modified polysiloxane compound, and its production process; and a resin composition, thermal recording medium, imitation leather, thermoplastic polyolefin resin skin material, weather strip material, and weather strip, all of which make use of the resin.

Abstract: Disclosed are a polysiloxane-modified polyhydroxy polyurethane resin characterized by being derived from a reaction between a 5-membered cyclic carbonate polysiloxane compound represented by the below-described formula (1) and an amine compound, and its production process; and a resin composition, thermal recording medium, imitation leather, thermoplastic polyolefin resin skin material, weather strip material, and weather strip, all of which make use of the resin.

Abstract: A 5-membered cyclic carbonate polysiloxane compound is represented by the below-described formula (1), and is produced by a process that reacts an epoxy-modified polysiloxane compound with carbon dioxide. wherein A means in which R1 means an alkylene group which has from 1 to 12 carbon atoms and may be linked via an element of O, S or N and/or —(C2H4O)b—, R2 means a direct bond or an alkylene group having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, R2 may be linked to an alicyclic group or aromatic group, b stands for a number of from 1 to 300, and a stands for a number of from 1 to 300.

Abstract: Provided are an organic semiconductor material, organic semiconductor thin film and organic thin-film transistor, which contain a perylene tetracarboxylic diimide derivative represented by the following formula (1): In the formula (1), R1 means a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R2 means a linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, R3 means a linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, X1 and X2 each mean a heteroatom selected from an oxygen atom, sulfur atom or selenium atom, Y means a halogen atom or cyano group, m stands for a number of from 0 to 4, and n stands for a number of from 0 to 2. Further, the alkyl groups represented by R1 and R2 may each be substituted with one or more fluorine atoms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a moisture-absorbing resin composition comprising resin (A) in an amount of 100 parts by mass, and zeolite in an amount of 40 to 300 parts by mass, wherein resin (A) contains at least one polymer selected from among ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer, copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate and acrylonitrile-styrene, and copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate, maleic anhydride, and acrylonitrile-styrene, and a molded product produced through molding of the moisture-absorbing resin composition. The moisture-absorbing resin composition exhibits high moisture absorbency, high moisture absorption rate, and adhesion, and the molded product is produced from the composition.

Abstract: A carbon filler dispersant for dispersing a carbon filler in a liquid medium comprised of an aqueous solvent or nonaqueous solvent contains, as a principal component, a hydroxylalkyl chitosan, specifically at least one hydroxyalkyl chitosan selected from the group consisting of glycerylated chitosan, hydroxyethyl chitosan, hydroxypropyl chitosan, hydroxybutyl chitosan, and hydroxybutyl hydroxypropyl chitosan.

Abstract: An optical deflection apparatus includes a signal light source configured to emit signal light having one or more wavelengths, a control light source configured to emit control light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light, a thermal lens forming optical element including a light absorption layer configured to transmit the signal light and selectively absorb the control light, and a beam-condensing unit configured to cause beam-condensation of the control light and the signal light at different convergence points in the light absorption layer.

Abstract: A water-based, carbon filler-dispersed coating formulation for forming a conductive coating film contains (1) a hydroxyalkyl chitosan as a resin binder, (2) a conductive carbon filler, and (3) a polybasic acid or its derivative in a water-based medium containing at least water as a polar solvent. In 100 parts by mass of the coating formulation, the hydroxyalkyl chitosan (1) is contained in a range of from 0.1 to 20 parts by mass, and the conductive carbon filler (2) is contained in a range of from 1 to 30 parts by mass. An electricity-imparting material, an electrode plate for an electricity storage device, a process for producing the electrode plate, and the electricity storage device are also disclosed.

Abstract: A water-based slurry composition contains (1) a water-based medium containing at least water as a polar solvent, (2) at least one polymer selected from cellulose derivatives, alginic acid derivatives, starch derivatives, chitin derivatives, chitosan derivatives, polyallylamine and polyvinylamine, (3) a hydrophobic filler, and (4) a polybasic acid or a derivative thereof. The composition has a water content of 30 mass % or higher. An electrode plate for an electricity storage device, and the electricity storage device are also disclosed.