Abstract: Disclosed is a sliding member having a predetermined shape and including: a sintered body obtained by sintering a composite body including: preliminary carbonized carbonaceous fiber; inorganic powder or inorganic fiber; and self-sintering carbonaceous powder with the preliminarily carbonized carbonaceous fiber and the inorganic powder or the inorganic fiber buried therein. The sliding member has a high and stable friction coefficient (.mu.), high strength, excellent abrasion resistance, and is manufacturable at a low cost. Further, the friction coefficient (.mu.) and the other properties of the sliding member can be controlled depending on an application of a sliding member by selecting an optimum inorganic powder or inorganic fiber. Particularly, when boron compound powder is selected as the inorganic powder, the friction coefficient (.mu.) of the sliding member can be suppressed to 0.15 or less, and the load at seizure thereof can be improved to 100 kgf/cm.sup.2 or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of manufacture of an essentially smooth texture-free conductive polymer comprising poly(dithiophene) which is subsequently doped with a dopant comprising an organometallic compound, preferably an optionally substituted metal phthalocyanine. Specifically, the process relates to a process to produce a smooth, texture-free conductive polymer comprising poly(dithiophene) and an organometallic compound which process comprises:A. contacting a solution itself comprising:(a) dithiophene is present in between about 0.01 and 0.001 M concentration;(b) a water-soluble salt of an optionally substituted organometallic wherein the metal is selected from iron, copper, cobalt or nickel, at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 10 mM;(c) in a solution of acetonitrile/water in a ratio of between about 30:70 and 10:90 percent by volume with a cycling potential of between about 0.1 volts and 10 volts at between about 0.degree. and 95.degree. C. for between about (0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a pitch fluoride, which comprises reacting pitch with fluorine in a fluorine type inert medium.

Abstract: In a method of operating a solid electrolyte fuel cell using a light hydrocarbon such as a natural gas, naphtha or the like as the fuel oxygen-enriched air is passed to the air electrode side and a fuel prepared by steam reformation of a hydrocarbon to the fuel electrode side and the fuel is recycled. The results are improved performance in that the method offers a high output density and entails no loss of fuel.

Abstract: Polymer-type fibers longitudinally shrinkable by calcination and other carbon fibers are mixed and mechanically compressed and integrated by a needle punch, and the polymer-type fibers are then shrunk when calcined. Thus, there is obtained high bulk density carbon fiber felt having average bulk density of 0.1 g/cm.sup.3 or more without the carbon fiber felt impregnated with resin and compressingly molded. The present invention also provides high bulk density carbon fiber felt of which bulk density is changed in the thickness direction thereof. The high bulk density carbon fiber felt may be used as a thermal insulator for a high-temperature furnace, a heat-resisting cushioning material, and a material for the electrode of a secondary battery.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for preparing active carbon, characterized by activating meso-carbon microbeads derived from coal-type pitch and the active carbon prepared by the process.

Abstract: This invention provides a carbon-containing ceramic composite for molten non-ferrous metal, the composite being a sintered ceramic body to be used in contact with molten non-ferrous metal, the sintered body containing an aggregate of silicon carbide and/or silicone nitride, the sintered body being characterized in that it comprises,(a) 100 parts by weight of the aggregate,(b) 5 to 45 parts by weight of flake graphite, and(c) boron carbide in an amount of 10 to 40% by weight based on the flake graphite.

Abstract: A water and oil repellent composition containing, as an essential component, non-film-forming fine solid particles having a low surface tension and having a fluorine content of at least 30% by weight.

Abstract: A novel process for desulfurizing and steam reforming sulfur-containing hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of (a) desulfurizing the sulfur-containing hydrocarbon to a sulfur content of 5 ppb or less by use of a desulfurization agent, (b) reforming the desulfurized hydrocarbon at low temperature in an adiabatic reactor by use of steam, and (c) reforming the resultant gas reformed in the course of step (b) at high temperature in an external-heating reformer furnance.

Abstract: The invention provides:(1) a process for preparing a polysilane, comprising subjecting a halosilane to an electrochemical reaction using an anode of magnesium, copper or aluminum;(2) a process for preparing a polysilane, comprising subjecting a halosilane to an electrochemical reaction under sonication using an anode of magnesium, copper or aluminum;(3) a process for preparing a polysilane, comprising subjecting a halosilane to an electrochemical reaction using one electrode of magnesium, copper or aluminum and the other electrode of an electroconductive material which is the same as or different from magnesium, copper or aluminum while changing over the electrode polarity at a specific time interval; and(4) a process for preparing a polysilane, comprising subjecting a halosilane to an electrochemical reaction under sonication using one electrode of magnesium, copper or aluminum and the other electrode of an electroconductive material which is the same as or different from magnesium, copper or aluminum while

Abstract: The invention provides processes for treating waste water comprising subjecting waste water to liquid phase oxidation without catalyst, liquid phase oxidation with catalyst and anaerobic digestion and/or aerobic treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrically conducting polymer, the water-insoluble polymer having essentially permanent self-doping properties, and the polymer comprises:(a) electrically polymerized polyaniline in covalent combination with(b) an organic dopant having at least one sulfonic acid functional group. The electrically conducting polymer-dopant is preferred wherein the organic dopant is selected from benzenesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonyl chloride, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, poly(vinylsulfonic) acid, trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, 1-butanesulfonic acid, modified NAFION, 2,3,5-trichlorobenzenesulfonic acid, vinylphenylsulfonic acid, or the alkali metal salts thereof. In another aspect, the present invention discloses a method to produce a water-insoluble polyaniline in which an aromatic organic dopant is covalently bonded to the polyaniline, which method comprises (a) electropolymerizing aniline in an aqueous solvent which contains the organic dopant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite non-woven fiber material comprising at least one stainless steel fiber layer and at least one carbon fiber layer, the alternating stainless steel fiber layers and carbon fiber layers being intimately interlocked to form integrated composite material, at least one exposed surface layer of the composite material being a stainless steel fiber layer.

Abstract: Pitch substantially free from primary and secondary QI components and solids comprising secondary QI components are prepared by centrifuging coal tar or coal tar pitch at a high temperature, heat-treating the separated supernatant liquid and centrifuging again the liquid at a high temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides (1) a process for producing a desulfurization agent which comprises subjecting to hydrogen reduction a copper oxide-zinc oxide mixture prepared by co-precipitation process using a copper compound and a zinc compound; and (2) a process for producing a high temperature-resistant, high grade desulfurization agent which comprises subjecting to hydrogen reduction a copper oxide-zinc oxide-aluminum oxide mixture prepared by a co-precipitation process using a copper compound, a zinc compound and an aluminum compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of an electrochromic electrically conductive composite membrane, which process comprises:(a) combining aniline and metal phthalocyanine in dilute hydrochloric acid; and(b) applying to the solution of step (a) a constant current density of between about 0.05 and 0.2 milliamperes/cm.sup.2 for between about 1 to 10 minutes on an electrode selected from a transparent platinum electrode or an ITO electrode to produce the improved electrically conductive electrochromic membrane. The present invention also relates to a process for the production of an electrically conductive composite membrane which comprises:(a) combining aniline, organic sulfonic acid and NAFION.RTM. all in the acid form and electropolymerizing the aqueous solution to obtain the polyaniline thin film. The electrochromic electrically conductive composite membrane produced by the process is described which is colorless when subjected to between about -0.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel fluorocarbon comprising carbon atoms and fluorine atoms and having no double bond, the atomic ratio of fluorine to carbon atoms being 1.50 to 1.93, which exhibits a liquid state at room temperature. The liquid fluorocarbon has excellent water- and oil-repellent properties and can advantageously be used, for example, not only as a water- and oil-repellent but also as an inert liquid, a heat transfer agent and a vapor phase soldering liquid in various fields, especially in the electronic industry. The liquid fluorocarbon can be obtained directly from a pitch or from a pitch fluoride which can be obtained by direct fluorination of a pitch.

Abstract: A method of lining a pipe with a rigid plastic tube inserted in the pipe by enlarging the tube from inside with application of heat and pressure. The method includes enlarging the tube by an electrically heatable enlarging pig moved through the tube, retaining the enlarged portion of the plastic tube with compressed air supplied to the interior of the tube, and preheating the unenlarged portion of the plastic tube with a portion of the compressed air heated by being passed through air heating channels of the pig. The use of the pig eliminates the material limitations to be otherwise imposed on the tube, and therefore the softening point, of the plastic tube. The preheating of the unenlarged portion of the plastic tube renders the pig movable through the tube at an increased speed to achieve an improved work efficiency.

Abstract: A process for preparing a carbon fiber having an elliptical cross section, characterized by the steps of extruding spinnable pitch from a nozzle with an orifice rectangular or otherwise shaped in cross section and having a width/height ratio of more than 1, fully relaxing the molecules orientated by the nozzle on discharge from the nozzle, effecting continuous winding-up to obtain a pitch fiber elliptical in cross section, rendering the fiber infusible and carbonizing the same.

Abstract: A process for preparing pitch-type carbon fibers by melt-spinning a pitch-type material, rendering the material infusible and carbonizing it, characterized by the steps of passing molten pitch, before reaching the final nozzle, through a capillary portion of circular, otherwise shaped, or slit type to thereby apply a shearing stress at least 1/2 as high as the level of shearing stress to be exerted during the passage through the final nozzle orifice, maintaining the molten pitch in a state substantially free of shearing stress and then passing the pitch through the nozzle orifice for spinning.