Abstract: A spiral wound gasket is formed by winding combinedly and spirally a metal strip having at least one bend along its lateral direction and a belt-shaped filler in such a way that the metal strip and the filler are laminated together along their longitudinal direction and the filler protrudes from both lateral edges of the metal strip. The spiral wound gasket employs, as the filler, a flexible tape of carbon/carbon composites having a structure in which a carbon fiber, in the form of a bundle or string, is contained in the interior of an expanded graphite tape and the carbon fiber is located at the bend of the flexible tape formed when the laminate of the flexible tape and the metal strip in is wound. The spiral wound gasket is used as a pipe fitting etc. under high temperature and pressure conditions.

Abstract: Muconic acid is obtained from the culture of strains of Arthrobacter sp. mutant strains, strains belonging to Corynebacterium acetoacidophilum, Corynebacterium lilium, genus Brevibacterium or genus Microbacterium.

Abstract: A high strength and modulus conjugated polymer film which comprises as its principal constitutive unit a conjugated polymer structure represented by the general formula:--R--CH.dbd.CH.sub.nwherein R is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which forms a consecutive carbon to carbon conjugated system with vinylene group, and n is an integer of 5 to 50,000, and has a tensile strength of 15 kg/mm.sup.2 or more and an elastic modulus of 350 kg/mm.sup.2 or more, and a highly electroconductive pyrolyzed product thereof.

Abstract: A highly electroconductive carbonaceous material is obtained by pyrolysis in an inert atmospherea conjugated polymer represented by the general formula--R--CH.dbd.CH).sub.nwherein R is an aromatic hydrocarbon group which forms a consecutive carbon to carbon conjugated system with the vinylene group, and n is an integer of at least 2, at a temperature above 400.degree. C., or an aromatic polyimide at a temperature of 2000.degree. C. or above. Further, a highly electroconductive composition is obtained by treating the carbonaceous material mentioned above with a dopant.

Abstract: A solar heating system including a chemical heat pump for storing thermal energy by converting same into energy in the form of a difference in the concentration of an aqueous multiple-component chemical solution which actuates the chemical heat pump, and a solar collector of a low temperature solar collection type operative to collect excess thermal energy of the sun not used for heating and cooling purposes during the time intermediate the solar irradiance abundant season and the solar irradiance scarce season, or spring and autumn, and store same in the chemical heat pump as energy in the form of a difference in the concentration of an aqueous multiple-component chemical solution.