Abstract: The present invention provides a process for production of a cyclic ester by depolymerization of an aliphatic polyester. In the process, a mixture containing the aliphatic polyester and a specific polyalkylene glycol ether, which has a boiling point of 230-450° C. and a molecular weight of 150-450, is heated under normal or reduced pressure to a temperature at which depolymerization of the aliphatic polyester takes place. Then, a substantially homogeneous solution phase, consisting of the melt phase of the aliphatic polyester and the liquid phase of the polyalkylene glycol ether, is formed. Heating of the solution phase is continued to form the cyclic ester by depolymerization and distil out the cyclic ester together with the polyalkylene glycol ether, and then the cyclic ester is recovered from the distillate. The present invention also provides a process for purification of a crude cyclic ester by use of the specific polyalkylene glycol ether described above.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing glycolide by depolymerization by heating of a glycolic acid oligomer in the presence or absence of a solvent, which process ensures stable depolymerization. The depolymerization reaction is carried out while the content of alkaline metal ions in a glycolic acid oligomer-containing depolymerization reaction system is controlled to 0.001% by mass or lower; a sulfate or an organic acid salt, each in the form of di- or poly-valent cations, or a mixture thereof is allowed to be present as a stabilizer in the depolymerization reaction system; or the content of alkaline metal ions in the depolymerization reaction system is controlled to 0.001% by mass or lower, and a sulfate or an organic acid salt, each in the form of di- or poly-valent cations, or a mixture thereof is allowed to be present as a stabilizer in the depolymerization reaction system.

Abstract: A semiconductive polyvinylidene fluoride resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a polyvinylidene fluoride resin, 0.03 to 10 parts by weight of at least one tetraalkylammonium salt selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium sulfates and tetraalkylammonium sulfites, and 1 to 20 parts by weight of conductive carbon black. A formed or molded product composed of the semiconductive polyvinylidene fluoride resin composition.

Abstract: A nonaqueous battery, such as a lithium ion battery, is formed from a polymer electrolyte comprising: a vinylidene fluoride copolymer comprises 80 to 97 wt. % of vinylidene fluoride monomer units and 3 to 20 wt. % of units of at least one monomer copolymerizable with the vinylidene fluoride monomer and has an inherent viscosity of 1.5 to 10 dl/g. The polymer electrolyte stably retains the nonaqueous electrolytic solution in a large amount and has excellent strength in this state.

Abstract: A poly(arylene sulfide) resin composition comprising a poly(arylene sulfide) and, as a modifier, an organic amide compound compounded in a proportion of 0.2 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the poly(arylene sulfide).

Abstract: A polyester-surfaced heat-shrinkable multilayer film exhibiting good printability and adaptability to various automatic packaging processes is provided, including an outer surface layer (a) comprising a polyester resin, an intermediate layer (b) comprising a polyamide resin and an inner surface layer (c) comprising a sealable resin. The film exhibits a heat-shrinkable stress at 50° C. of at most 3 MPa both in longitudinal direction and in transverse direction, and a hot water shrinkability at 90° C. of at least 20%.

Abstract: A method of refining a crystal of a crude cyclic ester comprises the steps of supplying the crude cyclic ester to a vertically extending cylindrical refiner (1) from an inlet (3) provided at a lower part of the refiner (1), agitating the crude cyclic ester by an agitator provided in the refiner (1) to make the crude cyclic ester flow upwardly, refining the crystals of the crude cyclic ester by counterflow-contact between the upflowing crude cyclic ester and a downflowing melted liquid containing a refined crystal component, and taking out refined crystals of the crude cyclic ester from an outlet (4) provided at an upper part of the refiner (1).

Abstract: A composite carbonaceous heat insulator which comprises a carbonaceous heat-insulating member having a bulk density of 0.1 to 0.4 g/cm3, a carbonaceous protecting layer having a bulk density of 0.3 to 2.0 g/cm3 and comprising a carbon fiber structure and a thermally decomposed carbon penetrated into the structure, and a thermally decomposed carbon coating layer having a bulk density higher than that of the carbonaceous protecting layer, wherein the above carbonaceous protecting layer is jointed to at least a part of the carbonaceous heat-insulating member to form a jointed body, and the thermally decomposed carbon coating layer is formed at least on the face of carbonaceous heat-insulating member in the surface of the jointed body; and a method for manufacturing the insulator. The heat insulator is reduced with respect to the depletion, deterioration and pulverization during the use thereof, while maintaining excellent insulating characteristics.

Abstract: The invention relates a gas barrier multi-layer hollow container having a multi-layer wall structure that a thermoplastic resin layer is laminated on at least one side of a layer formed from polyglycolic acid containing at least 60 wt. % of a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): wherein the container has excellent oxygen gas barrier property and/or carbon dioxide gas barrier property, and a production process thereof.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin composition is formed by mixing (A) 30-84.9 wt. % of a crystalline thermoplastic resin, (B) 15-65 wt. % of a graft copolymer obtained by graft-polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer onto a rubber trunk polymer having an alkylene oxide group and (C) 0.1-5 wt. % of an anionic surfactant. As a result, it is possible to obtain a non-black thermoplastic resin composition which shows an antistatic property at a level suitable for use as an ESD (electrical static dissipative) and can be colored into arbitrary hues.

Abstract: An optical pickup device-holding container, which is formed from a resin composition comprising a poly(arylene sulfide) (A) and an inorganic filler (B) and having a thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/mK; and an optical pickup device in which at least a light source, an objective lens and a light-receiving part are held in the holding container.

Abstract: The invention relates to polyvinylidene fluoride resin compositions comprising 100 parts by weight of a polyvinylidene fluoride resin, and 0.03 to 10 parts by weight of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of alkyl quaternary ammonium sulfates and alkyl quaternary ammonium sulfites.

Abstract: A herbicide containing as the active ingredient an N-(henylsulfonyl)picolinamide derivative represented by general formula (I) wherein X reprcsents a halogeno, a C1-4 alkyl, a C1-4 haloalkyl, a C1-4 alkoxy, a C1-4 haloalkoxy, a (C1-4 alkoxy)carbonyl, a [di(C1-4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl, an [N—(C1-4 alkyl)-N—(C1-4 alkoxy)amino]sulfonyl, a (C1-4 alkylamino)sulfonyl, a C1-4 alkylthio, a C1-4 alkylsulfinyl, a C1-4 alkylsulfonyl, or nitro; n is an integer of 0 to 5; Y represets a halogeno, a C1-4 alkyl, a C1-4 haloalkyl, a C1-4 alkoxy, C1-4 haloalkoxy, a C1-4 alkylthio, a C1-4 haloalkylthio, amino, a C1-4 alkylamino, a di(C1-4 alkyl)amino, a (C1-4 alkoxy) C1-4 alkyl, a (C1-4 alkylthio) C1-4 alkyl, or nitro; and m is an integer of 0 to 4.

Abstract: A carbonaceous electrode having improved capacities for doping and dedoping of a cell active substance, such as lithium, and suitable for a non-aqueous secondary battery, is constituted by a carbonaceous material obtained by carbonizing an aromatic condensation polymer formed by condensation of an aromatic compound having a phenolic hydroxy group and an aldehyde. The carbonaceous material is characterized by an atomic ratio H/C between hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms of below 0.1, a carbon dioxide adsorption capacity of at least 10 ml/g, and an X-ray scattering intensity ratio IW/ID of at least 0.25, wherein IW and ID represent scattering intensities as measured in a wet state and a dry state, respectively, at a parameter s=2·sin &thgr;/&lgr; of 0.5 nm−1, wherein &thgr; denotes a scattering angle and &lgr; denotes a wavelength of X-rays in X-ray small-angle scattering measurement.

Abstract: A polyamide resin-based heat-shrinkable multilayer film is caused to satisfy various properties required of a packaging material, especially a food packaging material, at high levels, and particularly exhibit a highest level of heat-shrinkability. The multilayer film comprises at least three layers including an outer surface layer (a) which comprises a polyester resin or a polyolefin resin; an intermediate layer (b) which comprises a mixture of 85-60 wt. % of an aliphatic polyamide resin, and 15-40 wt. % of an aromatic copolyamide resin which is a copolymer of aliphatic diamine/isophthalic acid and aliphatic diamine/terephthalic acid, and an inner surface layer (c) which essentially comprises a copolymer of ethylene and &agr;-olefin having a density below 0.915. The heat-shrinkable multilayer film has been biaxially stretched and then heat-treated to have hot-water shrinkabilities at 80° C.

Abstract: The optical material in accordance with the present invention contains a specific phosphonate monoester compound such as monoethyl 3-methoxy butyl phosphonate, and a metal ion such as a copper ion or rare-earth metal ion. They may be contained in a solvent or resin. The use of such a specific phosphonate monoester compound improves the compatibility with a resin, whereby the metal ion can favorably be dispersed into the resin. Consequently, spectral characteristics can be improved when the optical member is formed into a resin-made optical member.

Abstract: A moderately conductive synthetic resin composition comprising a synthetic resin (A), a carbon precursor (B) and at least one conductive filler (C) selected from the group consisting of a non-fibrous conductive filler and a metallic fibrous material, both, having a volume resistivity lower than 102 &OHgr;·cm, and a moderately conductive synthetic resin composition comprising a synthetic resin (A), a carbon precursor (B) and carbon fiber (E).

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin composition improved in compatibility, molding or forming ability, melt-flow properties and mechanical properties, which comprises 100 parts by weight of a resin component containing 40 to 99 wt. % of a poly(arylene sulfide) (A) and 1 to 60 wt. % of polyamide-imide (B), and 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of a silane compound (C) containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of amino, ureido, epoxy, isocyanate and mercapto groups.

Abstract: An anionic surfactant having a thermal weight loss initiation temperature of at least 250° C. is incorporated with a thermoplastic resin comprising a graft copolymer formed by graft-polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer onto a rubber trunk polymer obtained by emulsion polymerization using a carboxylic acid-type surfactant. As a result, it is possible to obtain an antistatic resin composition which can be effectively produced on an industrial scale and can provide a shaped product excellent in permanent antistatic property and free from haze or discoloration even when processed under severe processing conditions.

Abstract: A microcapsule (or microencapsulated product) having a uniform and smooth coating film and also an excellent performance of gradually liberating the content material is produced at a good particle size distribution while suppressing the occurrence of isolated or aggregated film material, aggregated microcapsules and isolated core material. The production process includes: a first coating step of mixing a water-soluble cationic amino resin and an anionic surfactant in the presence of a hydrophobic core material dispersed in an aqueous medium to coat the dispersed core material with a coacervate of the cationic amino resin and the anionic surfactant; and a second coating step of adding an amino resin prepolymer into an aqueous dispersion liquid containing the coated dispersed core material and polycondensating the amino resin prepolymer to further coat the coated dispersed core material with a polycondensate of the amino resin prepolymer.