Abstract: A process for hydrogenating acetylene in hydrogen chloride gas using the catalytic palladium supported on silicon carbide carrier whose iron content is specified to be not more than 1,000 ppm. The catalyst has the advantages of enhancing the conversion of acetylene into ethylene, improving the selectivity of ethylene, and retaining catalytic activity over a long time at a large space velocity. This process can be effectively applied to the hydrogenation of acetylene in hydrogen chloride gas separated from the thermally decomposed products of 1,2-dichloroethane which occurs in the production of vinyl chloride; namely, the hydrogen chloride gas that contains thus hydrogenated acetylene (ethylene) can be recycled in such an effective way that 1,2-dichloroethane can be produced economically.

Abstract: A curable resinous composition comprising:(A) an organic elastomeric polymer having at least one silicon-containing reactive group in a molecule,(B) an epoxy resin,(C) a silicone compound having a silicon-containing group and a functional group reactive with an epoxy group, and(D) a curing agent for the epoxy resin, wherein said silicon-containing reactive group is a group of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is a hydroxyl group or a hydrolyzable group, R.sup.1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an organosiloxy group, "a" is 0, 1, 2, or 3, "b" is 0, 1 or 2 provided that the total of "a" and "b" is at least 1, and "m" is 0 or an integer of 1 to 18, a weight ratio of (A) to (B) being from 1:100 to 100:1 and a weight ratio of (A)+(B) to (C) being from 100:0.1 to 100:20.

Abstract: Polyalkylene oxide having narrow distribution of molecular weight is prepared by a process comprising polymerizing alkylene oxide in the presence of a complex produced by the reaction of an organoaluminum compound with a porphyrin compound and an active hydrogen-containing compound.

Abstract: A polymer which is prepared by polymerizing at least one polymerizable monomer in the presence of an organic polymer having a reactive silicone group and a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated group in a molecule, the total number of the silicone group and the unsaturated group being on the average not less than 1.1 and the number of the ethylenically unsaturated group being on the average not less than 0.1 by use of a radical polymerization initiator having a reactive silicone group and/or a chain transfer agent having a reactive silicone group, which is cured with moisture to give a product having improved properties such as tensile properties and weather resistance.

Abstract: A polymer which is prepared by polymerizing at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the presence of an organic polymer having at least one reactive silicone group in a molecule and a compound having at least two independent ethylenically unsaturated functional groups in a molecule by use of a radical polymerization initiator having a reactive silicone group and/or a chain transfer agent having a reactive silicone group, which is cured with moisture to give a product having improved properties such as tensile properties and weather resistance.

Abstract: A multi-layered photoconductive material which comprises first layers containing at least one VIb chalcogen element chosen from S, Se and Te and second layers containing at least one IIb element chosen from Zn, Cd and Hg and acting as electric potential barriers, said first layers and said second layers being alternatively arranged and the total number of said first layers and said second layers being not less than 5 and has a high response speed and an excellent sensitivity to long wavelength light with a great dark resistance.

Abstract: A continuous suspension polymerization process for the production of polymeric particles substantially uniform particle size, entailing the steps of forming monomer droplets of substantially uniform particle size through an orifice under vibration, and effecting polymerization of the monomer droplets in an aqueous medium. The process permits carrying out polymerization without destruction or agglomeration of the monomer droplets, so that the particle size of the polymeric particles thus produced depends predominantly upon the particle size of the monomer droplets as initially formed.

Abstract: This invention produces heat resistant expandable plastic particles by the method of emulsion polymerization, containing .alpha.-alkylstyrene 15-55 weight %, another polymerizable monomer 85-45 weight %, and a readily volatile blowing agent 3-15 weight % as chief ingredients, and offers the expandable plastic molded articles with high heat resistance and high dimensional stability produced by prefoaming the expandable polymerizate particles with heating at a pressure of more than 0.1 kg/cm.sup.2 G followed by heat-molding in a metallic mold.

Abstract: A process is disclosed wherein an optically active N-mercaptoalkanoylamino acid is prepared by(1) reacting an optically active .beta.-hydroxyalkanoic acid, with a halogenating reagent to prepare an optically active .beta.-haloalkanoyl halide(2) reacting the .beta.-haloalkanoyl halide with an amino acid to produce an optically active N-.beta.-haloalkanoylamino acid and(3) reacting the N-.beta.-haloalkanoylamino acid with a reagent capable of converting the halogen into the thiol group, the configuration of the formulas (II), (III), (IV), (V), and (VI) being retained in all the optically active compounds throughout the process to prepare the compound represented by formula (I). The product of the present invention, for example, N-(3-mercapto-2-D-methylpropanoyl)-L-proline inhibits the enzymatic conversion of angiotensin I into angiotensin II and therefore is useful for relieving angiotensin-related hypertension.

Abstract: A process is disclosed wherein D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid is produced fermentatively from isobutyric acid or methacrylic acid by the stereoselective action of microorganisms having the ability to convert isobutyric acid or methacrylic acid into D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid in an aqueous medium, and D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid is recovered from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: In rooting hair or similar substances on the surface of a material such as a woven or knitted fabric or a yarn or an elastic material by means of a sewing machine hooked needle, in the manufacture of wigs, false eyelash or long pile fabrics, the hooked needle goes through the material, goes down, hooks hair for rooting, and goes up again above the upper part of the material. In this case, the hooked needle goes up and down simultaneously with its reciprocating movement in a direction at right angles to the direction of the material movement, that is, in a transverse direction.

Abstract: A self-bonding insulated wire which comprises an electroconductive wire and a varnish composition containing 100 parts by weight of a copolyamide and 10 to 25 parts by weight of a thermoplastic linear polyhydroxypolyetherester resin coated thereon, the insulated wire being useful for the manufacture of a deflecting coil which is hardly deformed on heating.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin composition of vinyl chloride polymer improved in impact strength and weather resistance, which comprises (1) 30 to 97 parts by weight of at least one of vinyl chloride polymers having not less than 70% by weight of vinyl chloride units and (2) 70 to 3 parts by weight of at least one of graft copolymers comprising (2-1) a backbone polymer and (2-2) monomers grafted in two stages thereon in a proportion of 20 : 80 to 80 : 20 by weight, the backbone polymer comprising (2-1-1) units of at least one of alkyl acrylates, of which not more than 20% by weight may be substituted with units of at least one of monovinylic monomers copolymerizable therewith, and (2-1-2) units of at least one of cross-linkable monomers in an amount of 0.

Abstract: A vinyl chloride polymer for providing a vinyl chloride paste which has a good thermal stability, a stability to sol viscosity and an excellent air release capability in the natural state or in a short period of time under a moderately low pressure is produced by using, in the production thereof, as an emulsifying agent, the alkali metal salts and/or ammonium salts of a mixture of a major amount of olefin alkyl sulfonates and a minor amount of hydroxyalkyl sulfonates (hereinafter olefin alkyl/hydroxyalkyl sulfonates) having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms, in the polymerization thereof or in the preparation of a vinyl chloride paste from the polymerized product.