Abstract: An optical hydrogen gas detecting membrane is prepared by sequentially depositing a platinum oxide layer and a catalytic metal layer on a transparent substrate, such as quartz glass, by vapor deposition such as the sputtering method. Palladium or platinum is used as the catalytic metal layer.

Abstract: A rubber product for wiping, a rubber for a wiper blade, a method for producing a rubber for a wiper blade, and a wiper unit. The rubber product for wiping, for example, includes a hydrophilic gel-like surface treatment layer coated on at least a wiping surface of the rubber product, wherein the wiping surface is softer due to water absorption when moistened than when dried.

Abstract: Discriminating radioactive nuclides of a gamma ray source and nondestructively measuring an image concentration and spatial distribution of a gamma ray by radioactive nuclides. A visualizing apparatus having a container 1 including a gamma ray source 2; a gamma ray detector 7 around the container 1 which detects gamma rays through a collimator 6; a gamma ray detection signal processing device 9 which processes a gamma ray detection signal measuring energy and counted value thereof; an energy discrimination processing device 10 which performs discrimination and intensity analysis of radioactive nuclides by performing spectrum analysis of gamma ray energy and intensity measured for each unit time or position; an imaging calculation processing device 11 which forms images of concentration and space distribution of the gamma ray source for each discriminated radioactive nuclide; and an image display device 12 which performs visual display based on a result of the calculation processing.

Abstract: Polymer electrolyte membranes for use in fuel cells are produced by first graft polymerizing acrylic acid derivatives or vinylketone derivatives as monomers on polymer substrates and by then performing selective conversion to a sulfonic acid group of hydrogen atoms on the carbon atom adjacent to the carbonyl in the ketone or carboxyl group on the graft chains.

Abstract: A functional membrane and a production method thereof including: an ion irradiation step in which a polymer film substrate is irradiated with high energy heavy ions at 10 4 to 10 14 ions/cm2, to generate active species in the film substrate; and a graft polymerization step in which after the ion irradiation step, the film substrate is added with one or more monomers selected from a group A consisting of monomers each having a functional group and 1 to 80 mol % of a monomer including a group B consisting of a crosslinking agent(s) for the group A monomer(s), and the film substrate and the monomer(s) are graft-polymerized. There is obtained a functional membrane having high functionality in conjunction with the gas barrier property intrinsically possessed by a polymer film substrate, in particular, a polymer electrolyte membrane optimal as a polymer electrolyte membrane for use in fuel cells, high in proton conductivity and excellent in gas barrier property.

Abstract: A functional membrane is provided, which has high functionality combined with the gas barrier performance and mechanical strength inherent in a polymer film substrate. In particular, a polymer electrolyte membrane is provided, which is excellent in terms of high proton conductivity and gas barrier performance and is most appropriate to serve as a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells. A method for producing a functional membrane is provided, which comprises: a step of ion irradiation, in which active species are generated in a polymer film substrate containing nonconductive inorganic particles by irradiating the polymer film substrate with high-energy heavy ions to the extent of 104/cm2 to 1014/cm2; and a step of graft polymerization subsequent to the step of ion irradiation, in which one or more monomers selected from group A consisting of monomers containing useful functional groups are added such that the monomers are graft polymerized with the polymer film substrate.

Abstract: A zirconium-loaded fibrous adsorbent material having phosphoryl groups which is produced by first grafting a reactive monomer having phosphoryl groups onto a polymeric substrate and then loading zirconium.

Abstract: By performing photograft polymerization of functional monomers such that grafted chains will be introduced from the surface of a polymer base film into its interior without deteriorating its inherent characteristics and also by creating a multiplex crosslinked structure between the grafted chains and the base film under such conditions as to cause preferential radiation-induced crosslinking reaction, there is produced a polymer electrolyte membrane having high enough oxidation resistance and proton conductivity to be suitable for use in fuel cells.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter designed to use a smaller excitation device and applicable to measurement on tubular channels of various sectional shapes. The electromagnetic flowmeter includes an excitation device for forming a magnetic field perpendicular to an outer wall of a tubular channel, and a pair of electrodes for measuring an electromotive force generated by the movement of the electroconductive fluid across the magnetic field. The electrodes and two magnetic poles of the excitation device are collectively placed on the outer wall at one side of the tubular channel.

Abstract: A crosslinked nano-inorganic particle/polymer electrolyte membrane composed of a polymer film substrate, graft molecular chains bound to the backbone skeleton of the polymer film substrate and comprising a vinyl monomer graft-polymerized, sulfonic groups bound to the graft molecular chains, and an inorganic material as nano-scale particles uniformly dispersed within a crosslinked structure ascribed to the backbone skeleton of the polymer film substrate and the graft molecular chains, wherein the backbone skeleton of the polymer film substrate, the graft molecular chains, and the nano-inorganic particles mutually construct a crosslinked structure.

Abstract: To produce a bifunctional adsorbent capable of adsorption in the acidic region, a polymeric substrate is first exposed to a radiation and then a phosphonic acid group suitable for metal adsorption and a sulfonic acid group are introduced into the substrate by graft polymerization.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane produced by a process in which a monofunctional vinyl monomer into which sulfonic acid groups can be introduced and a vinyl monomer having a halogen at a terminal are co-grafted into a polymer base film that has been exposed to an ionizing radiation, and the base film is exposed again to an ionizing radiation and/or heat treated so that the terminal halogen is eliminated to introduce a crosslinking structure in which the graft molecular chains are bound together.

Abstract: An improved process for producing a silicon carbide ceramic micro tubes (SiC micro tube) from a silicon-based polymer fiber by applying an ionizing radiation such that the surface part of the fiber selectively undergoes oxidative crosslinking, extracting the uncrosslinked core part of the fiber with an organic solvent to form a hollow fiber, and firing it in an inert gas is characterized by using a polymer blend of polycarbosilane and polyvinylsilane as the silicon polymer or applying the ionizing radiation to the silicon-based polymer fiber as it is cooled. The two methods may be performed either individually or in combination to produce tubes with their wall thickness controlled at a desired value in the range of 2-10 ?m although this has been impossible to achieve in the prior art.

Abstract: Polymer ion-exchange membranes having outstanding electrical conductivity, water retention and oxidation resistance are produced by the steps of uniformly mixing an organic high-molecular weight resin with functional inorganics having the abilities to promote graft polymerization of polymerizable monomers, adsorb water and conduct protons, irradiating the resulting functional inorganics/polymer membrane to initiate graft polymerization or graft copolymerization of polymerizable monomers having functional groups, and then introducing sulfonic acid groups into the graft chains.

Abstract: A small bowel endoscopic system of an ileus tube type using a monolithic composite optical fiber that can be applied with an ileus tube employed to administer a contrast agent or the like to a patient suffering from ileus and which is an integral assembly of a large-diameter optical fiber with a core/cladding structure intended for laser light transmission and a multi-core image fiber section surrounding that optical fiber to enable image transmission.

Abstract: The objective of the invention is to solve the problems of conventional polymer electrolyte membranes, including small ion-exchange capacity and low oxidation and methanol resistance. A polymer film substrate is irradiated with ?-rays, electron beams or other radiations to perform multi-graft polymerization with functional monomers and then the polymer film substrate containing the grafted molecular chains or the graft molecular chains into which sulfonic acid groups have been introduced is crosslinked by irradiation to produce a polymer electrolyte membrane that has outstanding oxidation resistance, dimensional stability, electrical conductivity and methanol resistance and which can be controlled in ion-exchange capacity over a wide range.

Abstract: The improved electrolyte membrane which is produced by grafting a styrenic monomer and bis(vinylphenyl)ethane as monomers to a polymer substrate and then introducing sulfonic acid groups into the graft side chains formed has improved oxidation resistance and good adhesion to electrodes. The polymer substrate is preferably made of a fluorocarbon polymer or an olefinic polymer. The styrenic monomer is preferably one or more species selected from the group consisting of styrene, ?-methylstyrene, vinyltoluene, and trifluorostyrene.