Abstract: A dental filler having the optical and/or mechanical properties satisfying the requirements to a dental material, a method for producing the dental filler, and a dental composite material containing the dental filler. The dental filler comprises microparticles of amorphous inorganic oxide constituted by at least silica-based fine particles covered with a composite oxide comprising zirconium, silicon and oxygen. The dental composite material contains the dental filler and a hardenable resin selected from an acrylic resin, a methacrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a vinyl resin and a urethane resin.

Abstract: A method of forming on a substrate an amorphous silica-based coating film having a low dielectric constant of 3.0 or below and a film strength (Young's modulus) of 3.0 GPa or more, which comprises, as a typical one, the steps of; (a) coating on the substrate a liquid composition containing hydrolysate of an organic silicon compound or compounds hydrolyzed in the presence of tetraalkylammonium hydroxide (TAAOH); (b) setting the substrate in a chamber and then drying a coating film formed on the substrate at a temperature in the range from 25 to 340° C.; (c) heating the coating film at a temperature in the range from 105 to 450° C. with introduction of a superheated steam having such a temperature into the chamber, and (d) curing the coating film at a temperature in the range from 350 to 450° C. with introduction of a nitrogen gas into the chamber.

Abstract: A transparent film-forming coating liquid is provided which is capable of forming a transparent film that is excellent not only in scratch resistance, film hardness, scratch strength and adhesion to a substrate but also in haze and anti-glare properties. Also provided is a display device having a front panel constituted of a substrate with such a transparent film applied thereto. The transparent film-forming coating liquid comprises inorganic oxide particle groups, in each of which 2 to 10 inorganic oxide particles on an average are linked in the form of a chain, and a polar solvent. In the transparent film-forming coating liquid, the inorganic oxide particles have an average particle diameter of 4 to 200 nm. The inorganic oxide particles are silica particles, and the silica particles are porous particles and/or hollow particles each having a cavity inside.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalytic composition for oxychlorination excellent in the fluidity, the capability of suppressing lowering of the fluidity, and the attrition resistance as well as in the selectivity for EDC and the capability of suppressing combustion of ethylene. The catalytic composition for oxychlorination contains silica alumina particles in the range from 5 to 40 wt % when expressed as an oxide thereof, copper in the range from 5 to 20 wt % when expressed as an oxide thereof (CuO), and alumina as a carrier in the range from 40 to 90 wt % when expressed as that of Al2O3. The silica alumina particles are prepared by coating silica particles with alumina, and have the average particle diameter in the range from 3 to 100 nm. A content of alumina in the silica alumina particles is in the range from 0.1 to 10 wt %.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal oxide fine particle layer, by which a metal oxide fine particle layer having uniformity and excellent in adhesion, abrasion resistance, strength, etc. can be formed easily compared with the conventional plating method, CVD method, liquid coating method, electrodeposition method or the like. The method comprises immersing a conductive substrate in a dispersion of metal oxide fine particles and fibrous fine particles and applying a direct-current voltage to the conductive substrate and the dispersion. The fibrous fine particles have a length (L) of 50 nm to 10 ?m, a diameter (D) of 10 nm to 2 ?m and an aspect ratio (L)/(D) of 5 to 1,000. The content of the fibrous fine particles in the dispersion is in the range of 0.1 to 20% by weight in terms of solids content, based on the metal oxide fine particles.

Abstract: An electrolyte membrane includes inorganic oxide particles having proton conductivity, and an organic resin or an inorganic matrix component. The inorganic oxide particles having proton conductivity preferably comprise hydrated antimony oxide particles represented by the following formula (1) and have an average particle diameter of 5 to 50 nm, and the content of the hydrated antimony oxide particles is preferably in the range of 5 to 80% by weight in terms of an oxide (Sb2O5); Sb2O5.nH2O??(1) wherein n is 0.1 to 5. The electrolyte membrane provides a fuel cell which exhibits high cell performance even after prolonged operation and/or at high operating temperatures.

Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment apparatus includes a device (A) which is provided in an exhaust system and which selectively reduces NOx in an exhaust gas and a device (B) which is disposed upstream of the device (A) and which decomposes urea and supplies ammonia as a NOx reducing gas, the device (B) including a urea decomposition catalyst. The catalyst is [1] a zeolite catalyst which is composed of granular molded bodies including zeolite particles or which includes a catalyst layer composed of zeolite particles disposed on a support, or [2] a honeycomb catalyst or a membranous catalyst in which metal oxide particulates adhere to a conductive honeycomb substrate or netlike support, and the metal oxide particulates are composed of at least one oxide of a metal selected from the group consisting of Na, Mg, Ca, Ba, La, Ce, Ti, Zr, V, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Zn, Al, Si, P, Sb, Cu, Fe, Ru, Co, and Re.

Abstract: Inorganic compound particles constituted of a shell, a porous matter or a cavity enclosed therein, and the porous matter or the cavity being kept unchanged in a subsequently formed transparent coating film.

Abstract: Inorganic compound particles constituted of a shell, a porous matter or a cavity enclosed therein, and the porous matter or the cavity being kept unchanged in a subsequently formed transparent coating film.

Abstract: The present invention provides modified zirconia fine particles which are stable in an acidic region as well as in an alkaline region, and which may be readily adjusted in refractive index in a predetermined range. The present invention further provides a substrate with a hard coat film excellent in adhesiveness with the substrate, abrasion resistance, scratch strength, pencil hardness and the like without interference fringes and a coating solution which may form the hard coat film. The substrate with a hard coat film is composed of composite oxide particles formed on at least one surface of the substrate and a matrix component, wherein the composite oxide particles are composite oxide particles having a core-shell structure composed of a core formed from zirconium oxide and a shell formed from antimony pentoxide and/or silica.

Abstract: Fine metal particles are provided having surface resistance as low as about 102 to l04 ?/?, with excellent antistatic properties, anti-reflection properties, and electromagnetic shielding properties, and suitable for use in forming a transparent conductive coating film excellent in reliability and durability, and a process for producing the fine metal particles. The fine metal particles include iron and noniron metal having an average particle diameter in the range of from 1 to 200 nm and an iron content in the range of from 0.1 to 3.0% by weight. The noniron metal preferably is one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Cu, Ni, Co, Sn, Ti, In, Al, Ta, and Sb. Part of the surface of the fine metal particles may be in the form of an oxide and/or a hydroxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalytic composition for oxychlorination excellent in the fluidity, the capability of suppressing lowering of the fluidity, and the attrition resistance as well as in the selectivity for EDC and the capability of suppressing combustion of ethylene. The catalytic composition for oxychlorination contains silica alumina particles in the range from 5 to 40 wt % when expressed as an oxide thereof, copper in the range from 5 to 20 wt % when expressed as an oxide thereof (CuO), and alumina as a carrier in the range from 40 to 90 wt % when expressed as that of Al2O3. The silica alumina particles are prepared by coating silica particles with alumina, and have the average particle diameter in the range from 3 to 100 nm. A content of alumina in the silica alumina particles is in the range from 0.1 to 10 wt %.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing electrode catalyst fine particles capable of affording formed catalysts such as membranes excellent in uniformity and strength and also employable as catalyst to exhibit high catalytic activity over long periods because fine metal particles are highly distributed on carriers to make particle growth or the like less likely to occur. Electrode catalyst fine particles comprise fine particles which have an average particle diameter of 10 nm to 10 ?m and in which fine metal particles are supported on carrier particles, wherein a potential difference (absolute value of (II) minus (I)) between a flow potential (I) of a water dispersion of the fine metal particles at 1 wt % concentration and a pH of 3 to 8 and a flow potential (II) of a water dispersion of the carrier particles at 1 wt % concentration and a pH of 4 to 10, is in the range of 10 to 3000 mV.