Abstract: To produce activated carbon for an electrode of an electric double-layer capacitor, the following steps are carried out sequentially: a step of subjecting a massive mesophase pitch to a pulverizing treatment to provide a pulverized powder; a step of subjecting the pulverized powder to an infusibilizing treatment under conditions of a temperature in a range of 300° C. (inclusive) to 450° C. (inclusive) in the atmospheric air current, a step of subjecting the pulverized powder to a carbonizing treatment under conditions of a temperature in a range of 600° C. (inclusive) to 900° C. (inclusive) in an inert gas current to provide a carbonized powder, a step of subjecting the carbonized powder to an alkali activating treatment under conditions of a temperature in a range of 500° C. (inclusive) to 1,000° C. (inclusive) in an inert gas atmosphere, followed by the post treatments, thereby producing alkali-activated carbon, and a step of subjecting the alkali-activated carbon to a pulverizing treatment.

Abstract: A process for producing a mesophase pitch based active carbon fiber, comprising the steps of carbonizing a mesophase pitch based infusibilized fiber at 600 to 900° C., activating the thus obtained carbon fiber with alkali, and immersing the thus obtained mesophase pitch based active carbon fiber in an electrolyte and subjecting the immersed mesophase pitch based active carbon fiber to such a charge and discharge treatment that a voltage gradually increased until exceeding 2.5 V is applied at a constant current density to the mesophase pitch based active carbon fiber so that an electric double layer is formed at an interface of the mesophase pitch based active carbon fiber and the electrolyte to thereby effect a charging and thereafter a discharging is effected at a constant current density. There are further provided an active carbon fiber produced by the above process and an electric double layer capacitor including an electrode comprising this active carbon fiber.

Abstract: Milled carbon fibers are provided which have a fiber cut surface and a fiber axis intersecting with each other at cross angles, the smaller one thereof being at least 65° on the average. The milled carbon fibers may have a specific surface area as measured by the BET method of 0.2 to 10 m2/g. The milled carbon fibers may be obtained by a process comprising melt spinning of mesophase pitch, infusibilization, milling of the infusibilized pitch fibers as obtained or after a primary heat treatment at low temperatures in an inert gas and a high-temperature heat treatment in an inert gas.

Abstract: A process for producing a modified phenolic resin, comprising heating a heavy oil or pitch of given average molecular weight and, per mol, calculated from the average molecular weight, of the heavy oil or pitch; 0.3 to 25 mol, in terms of formaldehyde, a formaldehyde compound and 0.5 to 50 mol of a phenol of the formula (I) (wherein R1 represents a linear or branched unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 2 unsaturated bonds and having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, p is 1 or 2, X represents an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and q is 0 or 1) under stirring in the presence of an acid catalyst to thereby effect a polycondensation. The modified phenolic resin obtained by this process, as compared with the conventional modified phenolic resin produced from a heavy oil or pitch as a feedstock, has an extremely low softening point so as to be flowable at about room temperature and has also a low melt viscosity, thereby ensuring very excellent moldability.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a highly reactive modified phenolic resin, which comprises mixing a heavy oil or pitch with 0.3 to 10 mol of a phenol, 0.2 to 9 mol in terms of formaldehyde, of a formaldehyde compound and 0.01 to 3.0 mol of an acid catalyst, each amount being based on 1 mol of the heavy oil or pitch calculated from an average molecular weight; and heating the resulting mixture with stirring, thereby to polycondensate the heavy oil or pitch, phenol and formaldehyde compound. According to this invention, there can be provided a process for producing simply and stably a highly reactive modified phenolic resin having low melt viscosity, excellent heat resistance and high reactivity with an epoxy resin, in one step.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a highly reactive modified phenolic resin, which comprises mixing a heavy oil or pitch with 0.3 to 10 mol of a phenol, 0.2 to 9 mol in terms of formaldehyde, of a formaldehyde compound and 0.01 to 3.0 mol of an acid catalyst, each amount being based on 1 mol of the heavy oil or pitch calculated from an average molecular weight; and heating the resulting mixture with stirring, thereby to polycondensate the heavy oil or pitch, phenol and formaldehyde compound. According to this invention, there can be provided a process for producing simply and stably a highly reactive modified phenolic resin having low melt viscosity, excellent heat resistance and high reactivity with an epoxy resin, in one step.

Abstract: A process for producing a highly reactive low-viscosity modified phenolic resin comprising the steps of polycondensating a petroleum heavy oil or pitch, a formaldehyde polymer, and a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst to prepare a modified phenolic resin; and reacting the resultant modified phenolic resin with the phenols at a temperature higher than 120.degree. C. and not more than 200.degree. C. in the presence of the acid catalyst to lower the molecular weight of the modified phenolic resin. The highly reactive low-viscosity modified phenolic resin obtained according to this process has high reactivity with epoxy resins and low resin melt viscosity. In addition, this resin can be used for producing a molding material having good moldability and considerably low moisture absorption when combined with an epoxy resin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing lipids, which comprises culturing bacteria capable of assimilating aliphatic hydrocarbons and accumulating lipids in medium containing aliphatic hydrocarbons until lipids are accumulated in the bacteria and then recovering the lipids therefrom, as well as to process for producing cosmetics which comprises using the lipids produced by said method.

Abstract: A process for producing a highly reactive low-viscosity modified phenolic resin comprising the steps of polycondensating a petroleum heavy oil or pitch, a formaldehyde polymer, and a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst to prepare a modified phenolic resin; and reacting the resultant modified phenolic resin with the phenols at a temperature higher than 120.degree. C. and not more than 200.degree. C. in the presence of the acid catalyst to lower the molecular weight of the modified phenolic resin. The highly reactive low-viscosity modified phenolic resin obtained according to this process has high reactivity with epoxy resins and low resin melt viscosity. In addition, this resin can be used for producing a molding material having good moldability and considerably low moisture absorption when combined with an epoxy resin.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced resin plate comprising a fibrous base material and a matrix bonding the fibers contained in the fibrous base material, the matrix being formed by curing a resin composition comprising a highly reactive modified phenolic resin (A) prepared by polycondensing a petroleum heavy oil or pitch, a formaldehyde polymer and a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst to thereby prepare a modified phenolic resin and-reacting the resultant modified phenolic resin with a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst to thereby lower the molecular weight of the modified phenolic resin, and an epoxy resin (B). Also, a prepreg and a process for producing the fiber-reinforced resin plate.

Abstract: A process for producing a highly reactive modified phenolic resin, comprising the steps of polycondensing a petroleum heavy oil or pitch, a formaldehyde polymer and a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst to thereby prepare a modified phenolic resin; and reacting the resultant modified phenolic resin with a phenol in the presence of an acid catalyst but in the absence of a crosslinking agent such as a formaldehyde polymer to thereby lower the molecular weight of the modified phenolic resin. This highly reactive modified phenolic resin has a low number average molecular weight and a high phenol content, so that its resin melt viscosity is low and that it exhibits a markedly improved reactivity with an epoxy resin.

Abstract: A molding material useful in the fabrication of an electrical or electronic part comprises a modified phenolic resin (A), an epoxy resin (B) and a curing agent (C), said modified phenolic resin prepared by heating heavy oil or pitch and a formaldehyde in a molar ratio of formaldehyde: (oil or pitch) of from 1-15:1 in the presence of an acid catalyst, adding phenol in a molar ratio of phenol: (oil or pitch) of from 0.5-5:1 to form a modified phenolic resin, and purifying by performing in optional sequence (i) a treatment with an aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbon and (ii) an extraction with an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent wherein the catalyst has a solubility of 0.1 or less to remove the catalyst.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture containing at least one chiral compound, having negative dielectric anisotropy and exhibiting a chiral smectic C phase includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following general Formula I and a compound represented by the following general Formula II: ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different straight-chain or branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 15 carbon atoms; X.sup.1 is a single bond, --O--, --COO--, or --OCO--; X.sup.2 is --O-- or --OCO--; Y is --COO-- or --CH.sub.2 O--; A and B are independently a group including a six membered ring which can be substituted by halogen, a cyano group, a lower alkoxy group, or a fluorine-containing alkyl group; and Z is a single bond, --COO--, or --OCO--.

Abstract: A process for producing a modified phenolic resin comprises heating (a) petroleum heavy oil or pitch and (b) a formaldehyde polymer in a molar ratio of formaldehyde:oil or pitch of from 1 to 15:1 in the presence of an acid catalyst, adding phenol in a molar ratio of phenol:oil or pitch of from 0.5 to 5:1 to form a crude modified phenolic resin, and purifying by performing in optional sequence (i) a treatment with an aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbon to remove unreacted components and (ii) an extraction with a solvent wherein the catalyst has a solubility of 0.1 or less to remove the catalyst.

Abstract: The invention provides an aqueous thickener composition useful in the pros of enhanced oil recovery in petroleum technology. The thickener composition is prepared by the reaction of a xanthan gum or a similar high molecular weight polysaccharide with a low molecular weight aliphatic aldehyde such as formaldehyde in an aqueous medium in the presence of an inorganic salt such as sodium chloride in a concentration of 0.5 to 10% by weight so that an intramolecular crosslinked fine structure of superhelix is formed in the polysaccharide molecules and the aqueous solution of thus chemically modified polysaccharide is imparted with remarkably improved thermal stability as compared to the aqueous solutions of a similar polysaccharide which has been treated under the same conditions but in the absence of any inorganic salt in the reaction medium.