Abstract: Provided is an electrode for a secondary cell capable of obtaining excellent output values and input values when used in the secondary cell. The electrode for a secondary cell is formed of an electrode mixture layer molded body formed of an active material and at least one of a carbon nanotube and a three-dimensional carbon nanotube fiber bundle skeleton formed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes that intersect one another to form an aggregation, which are in intimate contact with the surface of the active material; and a current collector layered on the electrode mixture layer molded body. The electrode mixture layer molded body includes a first roughened surface, and the current collector includes a second roughened surface. The first roughened surface of the electrode mixture layer molded body and the second roughened surface of the current collector are pressed and attached to each other.

Abstract: A metal-oxygen cell capable of improving cycle performance is provided. The metal-oxygen cell 1 includes a positive electrode 2 that contains an oxygen storage material and uses oxygen as an active material, a negative electrode 3 that uses a metal as an active material, and an electrolyte layer 4 sandwiched between the positive electrode 2 and the negative electrode 3 and containing an electrolyte solution, effecting cell reactions of the positive electrode 2 on a surface of the oxygen storage material. The positive electrode 2 contains a conductive polymer that is capable of suppressing permeation of oxygen and conducting metal ions and covers at least a part of the surface of the oxygen storage material.

Abstract: Provided is an electrode for a secondary cell capable of obtaining excellent output values and input values when used in the secondary cell. The electrode for a secondary cell is formed of an electrode mixture layer molded body formed of an active material and at least one of a carbon nanotube and a three-dimensional carbon nanotube fiber bundle skeleton formed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes that intersect one another to form an aggregation, which are in intimate contact with the surface of the active material; and a current collector layered on the electrode mixture layer molded body. The electrode mixture layer molded body includes a first roughened surface, and the current collector includes a second roughened surface. The first roughened surface of the electrode mixture layer molded body and the second roughened surface of the current collector are pressed and attached to each other.

Abstract: Provided is a metal oxygen battery 1 including a positive electrode 2 having oxygen as an active material, a negative electrode 3 having metallic lithium as an active material, and an electrolyte layer 4 interposed between the positive electrode 2 and negative electrode 3. The positive electrode 2 contains oxygen storage material including mixed crystal of hexagonal composite metal oxide expressed by the general formula AxByOz (in which, A is one type of metal selected from a group of Y, Sc, La, Sr, Ba, Zr, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, B is one type of metal selected from a group of Mn, Ti, Ru, Zr, Ni, Cr, and x=1, 1?y?2, 1?z?7, provided that a case where both A and B are Zr is excluded) and one or more non-hexagonal composite metal oxide expressed by the general formula AxByOz.

Abstract: A metal-oxygen cell capable of improving cycle performance is provided. The metal-oxygen cell 1 includes a positive electrode 2 that contains an oxygen storage material and uses oxygen as an active material, a negative electrode 3 that uses a metal as an active material, and an electrolyte layer 4 sandwiched between the positive electrode 2 and the negative electrode 3 and containing an electrolyte solution, effecting cell reactions of the positive electrode 2 on a surface of the oxygen storage material. The positive electrode 2 contains a conductive polymer that is capable of suppressing permeation of oxygen and conducting metal ions and covers at least a part of the surface of the oxygen storage material.

Abstract: Provided is a metal oxygen battery 1 including a positive electrode 2 having oxygen as an active material, a negative electrode 3 having metallic lithium as an active material, and an electrolyte layer 4 interposed between the positive electrode 2 and negative electrode 3. The positive electrode 2 contains oxygen storage material including mixed crystal of hexagonal composite metal oxide expressed by the general formula AxByOz (in which, A is one type of metal selected from a group of Y, Sc, La, Sr, Ba, Zr, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, B is one type of metal selected from a group of Mn, Ti, Ru, Zr, Ni, Cr, and x=1, 1?y?2, 1?z?7, provided that a case where both A and B are Zr is excluded) and one or more non-hexagonal composite metal oxide expressed by the general formula AxByOz.

Abstract: A conductive polymer doped with a dopant can be expanded and contracted when electrically oxidized and reduced in a driving electrolytic solution containing an anion, and thereby can act as an actuator element in an actuator. The anion is a fluorine-containing ion derived from a strong acid, and the dopant is an aromatic sulfonate ion free of fluorine. The conductive polymer is a polymer containing a 5-membered heterocyclic moiety as a repeating unit, such as a polypyrrole or a polythiophene. When the conductive polymer is in an oxidized state, at least part of the 5-membered heterocyclic moieties has a carbonyl group.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an image capturing element which photoelectrically converts a subject image into electrical charge information, a driving device which drives a driving part related to image capturing, and a controlling unit which changes a driving frequency of the driving device at a timing to read the electrical charge information from the image capturing element.

Abstract: Provided is a metal oxygen battery having an excellent charge/discharge capacity and cycle performance. A metal oxygen battery includes a positive electrode containing an oxygen-storing material and to which oxygen is applied as an active substance, a negative electrode to which a metal is applied as an active substance, an electrolyte layer disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a case hermetically housing the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the electrolyte layer. The oxygen-storing material has the functions of, during discharge, ionizing stored oxygen and releasing ionized oxygen, and causing the ionized oxygen to react with metal ions permeating from the negative electrode through the electrolyte layer into the positive electrode to thereby form a metal oxide, and of, during charge, storing oxygen by reduction of the metal oxide. The metal oxide formed during discharge contains an amorphous oxide.

Abstract: A method for yielding concentrated ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of a water solution of saccharide generated by a saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme is provided. Water is separated from the ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of the water solution of saccharide generated by the saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme with pervaporation method using a water separation membrane. Condensate prepared by condensing ethanol vapor existing in a space above a liquid level of the ethanol water solution is collected.

Abstract: A device for concentrating ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from lignocellulose is equipped with a water separation membrane, an ethanol water solution storing unit and a depressurizing container provided so as to sandwich the water separation membrane, a dry gas cylinder for supplying dry gas to an ethanol vapor residing unit above the ethanol water solution storing unit, a pump for sucking in the interior of the ethanol vapor residing unit, and a cold trap for collecting the concentrated ethanol by condensing the ethanol vapor sucked in by the pump.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing ethanol in high efficiency. The ethanol preparation method includes a step of yielding a saccharide water solution through saccharification of cellulose with an enzyme in water, a step of condensing the saccharide water solution, and a step of yielding an ethanol water solution by fermenting the saccharide in the condensed saccharide water solution into ethanol, wherein the step of condensing the saccharide water solution is performed through a pervaporation treatment on the saccharide water solution by using a water separation membrane composed of polypyrrole doped with a sulfonate ion.

Abstract: Provided is a water separation membrane capable of effectively separating water from a water solution of ethanol, saccharide or the like. The water separation membrane is composed of polypyrrole doped with a sulfonate ion. The sulfonate ion may be an aromatic or aliphatic sulfonate ion.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an image capturing element which photoelectrically converts a subject image into electrical charge information, a driving device which drives a driving part related to image capturing, and a controlling unit which changes a driving frequency of the driving device at a timing to read the electrical charge information from the image capturing element.

Abstract: A method for yielding concentrated ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of a water solution of saccharide generated by a saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme is provided. Water is separated from the ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of the water solution of saccharide generated by the saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme with pervaporation method using a water separation membrane. Condensate prepared by condensing ethanol vapor existing in a space above a liquid level of the ethanol water solution is collected.

Abstract: A device for concentrating ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from lignocellulose is equipped with a water separation membrane, an ethanol water solution storing unit and a depressurizing container provided so as to sandwich the water separation membrane, a dry gas cylinder for supplying dry gas to an ethanol vapor residing unit above the ethanol water solution storing unit, a pump for sucking in the interior of the ethanol vapor residing unit, and a cold trap for collecting the concentrated ethanol by condensing the ethanol vapor sucked in by the pump.

Abstract: Provided is a water separation membrane capable of effectively separating water from a water solution of ethanol, saccharide or the like. The water separation membrane is composed of polypyrrole doped with a sulfonate ion. The sulfonate ion may be an aromatic or aliphatic sulfonate ion.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing ethanol in high efficiency. The ethanol preparation method includes a step of yielding a saccharide water solution through saccharification of cellulose with an enzyme in water, a step of condensing the saccharide water solution, and a step of yielding an ethanol water solution by fermenting the saccharide in the condensed saccharide water solution into ethanol, wherein the step of condensing the saccharide water solution is performed through a pervaporation treatment on the saccharide water solution by using a water separation membrane composed of polypyrrole doped with a sulfonate ion.

Abstract: A conductive polymer doped with a dopant can be expanded and contracted when electrically oxidized and reduced in a driving electrolytic solution containing an anion, and thereby can act as an actuator element in an actuator. The anion is a fluorine-containing ion derived from a strong acid, and the dopant is an aromatic sulfonate ion free of fluorine. The conductive polymer is a polymer containing a 5-membered heterocyclic moiety as a repeating unit, such as a polypyrrole or a polythiophene. When the conductive polymer is in an oxidized state, at least part of the 5-membered heterocyclic moieties has a carbonyl group.

Abstract: A solid state image sensing apparatus comprising: a solid state image sensing device operated selectively either in an all-pixel read-out mode in which signal charges of all pixels represented by the devices are read therefrom individually at the same time, or in a thinned read-out mode in which the signal charges are read only from part of vertical pixel columns formed by the devices; and a frequency varying unit for varying a driving frequency of the solid state image sensing device depending on the operating mode in effect. When used illustratively in a camera, the inventive apparatus reduces power dissipation without affecting the number of pictures output per unit time.