Abstract: 2,3,5-Trimethyl-p-benzoquinone is prepared advantageously by the catalytic oxidation of 2,3,5- or 2,3,6-trimethylphenol with hydrogen peroxide in an organic solvent, which is preferably acetic acid, in the presence of a catalyst which is a heteropolyacid of silicon or phosphorus as the center atom selected from phosphomolybdic acid, silicomolybdic acid, phosphotungstic acid and silicotungstic acid. The reaction proceeds rapidly even at room temperature to give the product in a high yield so that the method is industrially advantageous in addition to the advantages in respect of the inexpensiveness of the reactants and catalyst and absence of any noxious byproducts which may cause environmental pollution.

Abstract: Surface characteristics of a molded article formed by a composition comprising at least two kinds of engineering plastics and a functionalized polyolefin resin or a composition comprising the said composition and an inorganic filler or a rubbery substance incorporated therein can be improved without deteriorating such characteristics as rigidity, impact resistance, heat resistance, dimensional stability and moldability, by radiating an ultraviolet light not longer than 300 nm in wavelength to the molded article, the said functionalized polyolefin resin containing at least one member selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid group-, carboxylic ester group- or acid anhydride group-containing monomers, epoxy group-containing monomers, hydroxyl group-containing monomers, amino group-containing monomers, alkenyl cyclic iminoether derivatives and polyfunctional monomers.

Abstract: A novel and efficient electrochemical method is disclosed for the recovery of lithium value from an aqueous solution containing lithium ions in a relatively low concentration together with ions of various kinds of other metallic impurity elements. The method comprises electrochemical selective adsorption of lithium ions from the aqueous solution on to a specific working electrode by applying a DC voltage of a relatively low DC voltage of 0.1-0.4 volt versus a saturated calomel electrode to the working electrode as the cathode opposed to a counterelectrode as the anode and then desorption of the lithium ions therefrom by applying a DC voltage of 0.7-1.2 volts versus a saturated calomel electrode to the lithium-bearing working electrode as the anode opposed to a counterelectrode as the cathode in an aqueous desorption medium containing an electrolyte such as a lithium salt.

Abstract: An improved method is proposed for the image information of a body by ultrasonic scanning in which the resolution of the image can be greatly improved without sacrifice in the penetrability of the ultrasonic waves, i.e. without increasing the ultrasonic frequency, into the body under inspection.The improvement comprises:attaching a central ultrasonic absorber to the ultrasonic objective lens of the ultrasonic probe; andinserting an auxiliary concave lens between the ultrasonic probe and the body under inspection.

Abstract: An inorganic thermochromic substance is proposed which is a composite oxide of strontium and manganese in a specified molar ratio as prepared by the calcination of a powder blend of strontium carbonate and manganese dioxide, instead of conventional manganese carbonate, at a specified temperature for a specified length of time. The temperature of the thermochromic color change is about -130.degree. C., much lower than the color-change point of most of conventional thermochromic substances. The color of the composite oxide is grey or pale green at room temperature but reversibly changes to pale red when it is chilled to -130.degree. C. or lower.

Abstract: A particle-size distribution analyzer in a vent gas or flue gas which can be in a gas carrying line of a dust- and/or mist-producing process is provided. The analyzer comprises: a series of particle-size classifying units each consisting of a gas-ejection nozzle of an opening having a diameter different from the others and an impaction plate mounted on a revolvable turret in such a fashion that the series of the units can communicate with a suction nozzle in the gas flow line one by one successively in a decreasing order of the nozzle opening diameter; and a light-scattering particle-concentration detecting system which gives the concentration data after particle-size classification as a function of the cut-off size of the particles contained in the gas.

Abstract: A novel fluorine-containing polymeric compound represented by the general formula--CH.sub.2 --CH[(CH.sub.2).sub.a --NH.sub.2 ]--CH.sub.2 --CH[(CH.sub.2).sub.a --NH--CO--NH--CH.sub.2).sub.a Rf]).sub.n,in which Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, m is a positive integer in the range from 10 to 1500, n is a positive integer smaller than 0.7 m and a is 0 or 1, is prepared by the reaction of, when a is 0, a polyvinylamine of the formula --CH.sub.2 --CHNH.sub.2 ].sub.m, with an alkyl perfluoroalkanoate of the formula Rf--CO--OR, in which R is an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or, when a is 1, a polyallylamine of the formula [CH.sub.2 --CH(CH.sub.2 --NH.sub.2)].sub.m, with a perfluoroalkylmethyl isocyanate of the formula RfCH.sub.2 --NCO. Despite the high fluorine content, the polymer is soluble in at least one kind of organic solvents so that Langmuir-Blodgett's films can be prepared from a solution of the polymer.

Abstract: Ultra-fine hollow glass spheres suitable as a filler in light-weight composite materials for building use and the like can be prepared from a fine powder of volcanic glass even when the starting powder has a particle size as fine as 20 .mu.m or smaller. The inventive method comprises an acid-leaching treatment of the starting powder using hydrochloric or sulfuric acid under hydrothermal conditions at 150.degree.-200.degree. C. to modify the chemical composition in the surface layer of the particles and a subsequent heat treatment of the acid-treated particles at a specified high temperature to effect expansion by the water vapor produced from the structural water in the softened particles. By virtue of the modified composition in the surface layer and in contrast to the prior art method without the acid treatment, a good balance can be obtained between the rate of water vapor release and softening of the particles even when the particle size is extremely small to facilitate expansion of the particles.

Abstract: A novel fluorine-containing polymeric compound represented by the general formula--CH.sub.2 --CH(CH.sub.2 --NH.sub.2)].sub.m-n --CH.sub.2 --CH(CH.sub.2 --NH--CS--NH--Pn--OCH.sub.2 Rf)].sub.n,in which Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, Pn is a 1,2- or 1,4-phenylene group, m is a positive integer in the range from 10 to 1500, n is a positive integer not exceeding m, is prepared by the reaction of one mole of a polyallylamine of the formula--CH.sub.2 --CH(CH.sub.2 --NH.sub.2)].sub.m,in which m has the same meaning as defined above, with n moles of a 2- or 4-(perfluoroalkylmethoxy)phenyl isothiocyanate represented by the general formulaRfCH.sub.2 O--Pn--NCS,in which Rf and Pn each have the same meaning as defined above. Despite the high fluorine content, the polymer is soluble in at least one kind of organic solvents so that Langmuir-Blodgett's films can be prepared from a solution of the polymer.

Abstract: An efficient method is proposed for the recovery of a trace amount of a gallium value from an aqueous solution containing a large amount of an aluminum salt as the principal solute as in the solution which is prepared by dissolving the precipitates obtained by neutralizing a Bayer's solution with carbon dioxide in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. The method comprises admixing the aqueous solution with a water-soluble ferrocyanide compound, e.g., sodium ferrocyanide, as a precipitant of gallium ferrocyanide in such a controlled small amount as not to exceed 2.5 times by moles of the gallium ions in the starting solution so that coprecipitation of aluminum ferrocyanide is minimized.

Abstract: A highly sensitive and reliable electrochemical method is proposed for the determination of the lithium ion concentration in an aqueous medium, e.g., blood of a patient suffering depression and administrated with a lithium-containing medicament, by measuring the electromotive force between the medium and a powdery non-selective electrode, which is a non-stoichiometric composite oxide of lithium and manganese of the formula Li.sub.x Mn.sub.2 O.sub.4, x being a positive number smaller than 1, prepared by partially leaching lithium ions out of a spinel-type lithium manganate LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4 with an acid, dipped in the medium. The ion-selective electrode can be in the form of a thin film or coating layer on an electrode element. This film or layer can be formed of a polymeric resin as a binder for the powdery composite oxide.

Abstract: A membrane of an ionic pendant-containing, water-insoluble copolymeric poly(amino acid) composed of a first moiety derived from a first amino acid which gives a water-soluble poly (amino acid) with ionic groups of carboxyl and/or amino groups as the pendants to the molecule, e.g., glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine and ornithine, and a second moiety derived from a second amino acid which gives a water-insoluble poly (amino acid), e.g., leucine, alanine and methionine, in a specified molar proportion serves as a functional element of an electronic device such as a non-linear resistor capable of working in an aqueous medium and exhibiting a non-linear voltage-current relationship or a phenomenon of hysteresis in the voltage/current scanning.

Abstract: A light transmitting rod (22) on an end surface of which is disposed a reflecting mirror (26) and on the other end surface of which is mounted a lamp (44) as a light source for emitting light into the light transmitting rod (22) is attached to a base (12), and a diffusion stripe (24) is formed by applying fine powder having a high refractive index to the outer circumferential surface of the light transmitting rod (22) in a rectilinearly pin-striped manner along the axial direction thereof, whereby an even linear light profile of high luminous energy level and having uniform luminous energy as well as no polarization which is also irradiation light having a small light distribution beam angle and being substantially parallel rays can be obtained. As a result, it is possible to provide a light source unit used suitably in business and office machines such as an image scanner, an optical printer, a monochromatic copying machine, a color copying machine, a facsimile machine and the like.

Abstract: A high modulus polyester molded article is obtained by molding an aromatic polyester which comprises at least one structural unit selected from the following structural units (I) to (III), the structural units (II)+(III) being less than 10 mol % of the structural units (I)+(II)+(III), and which is capable of forming anisotropic melt: ##STR1## wherein X represents at least one group selected from ##STR2## Y represents at least one group selected from ##STR3## and Z represents at least one group selected from ##STR4##

Abstract: A shaped body of a refractory or other functional inorganic compound of a metal, e.g., borides, carbides, silicides, etc. of titanium, zirconium, niobium and the like in a plate-like form can be prepared by an in situ reactive sintering method in which a metal-made flat reaction capsule is filled with a mixture of the reactant powders to form a powder compact which is ignited at a periphery while the capsule is under hydraulic compression so that the exothermic reaction is efficiently and almost instantaneously propagated within the plane of the plate-like powder compact. The liquid compression medium communicates to an accumulator filled with a compressed gas so that the otherwise unavoidable sudden pressure decrease due to the shrinkage of the powder compact can be compensated by the expansion of the compressed gas to keep constancy of the pressure.

Abstract: Polykis-azobenzenes as an important coloring material can be prepared by irradiating diazidobenzene or a derivative thereof with ultraviolet light in the form of a solution in an organic solvent, in the form of a thin film or fine powder or in the form of vapor under reduced pressure.

Abstract: Acetylene can be polymerized into a polyacetylene by a solid-state polymerization reaction when it is compressed into a solid under a high pressure of, for example, 1 GPa or higher. The polyacetylene product is obtained in a bulky transparent form in contrast to conventional polyacetylenes in a fibrous form prepared by utilizing a Ziegler-Natta catalyst, and free from impurities because neither catalyst nor solvent is used in the reaction.

Abstract: The electrode membrane of the invention has high ion-selectivity for lithium ions relative to other alkali and alkaline earth metal ions. The membrane is shaped from a polymeric composition comprising a polymeric material, e.g., a polyvinyl chloride resin and poly(1,2-butadiene), a plasticizer and, as the ion carrier, a derivative of 1,10-phenanthroline such as 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline.

Abstract: Disclosed are an adhesive for oxide ceramics, which comprises as its effective ingredient a crystallized glass mainly comprising SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, Li.sub.2 O, MgO and/or ZnO, and TiO.sub.2 and/or ZrO.sub.2, and also a method of bonding oxide ceramics together, which comprises heating oxide ceramics to be bonded together at 1200.degree. to 1600.degree. C. with the adhesive placed between the ceramics.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for recognizing the figure pattern of parts used in factories is disclosed in which a pattern input device, such as an ITV camera creates an electrical image of the part which is A/D converted and then stored in binary coded form. The binary coded data is then processed and compared to known stored values, using one or more characteristics of the figure pattern, to determine the identity of the viewed part.