Abstract: A process is provided by which a polyrotaxane including cyclic molecules having a relatively long graft chain is easily obtained. Also provided is a polyrotaxane which includes cyclic molecules having a radical polymerization initiation site and is for use as a raw material in the process. The polyrotaxane comprises: a pseudo-polyrotaxane comprising cyclic molecules clathrated with a linear molecule, the cavities of the cyclic molecules having been pierced by the linear molecule; and blocking groups disposed respectively at both ends of the pseudo-polyrotaxane so as not to release the cyclic molecules. The cyclic molecules in the polyrotaxane have a radical polymerization initiation site.

Abstract: An abrasive that can impart a mirror finish, glossiness, or the like to a surface of a workpiece by blasting is provided. A crosslinked polyrotaxane compound having a network structure where crosslinking points are circular molecules of polyrotaxane and also having abrasive grains dispersedly mixed therein is obtained by causing chemical bonding between the circular molecules of the polyrotaxane in a state where the abrasive grains and the polyrotaxane are mixed. Then, the crosslinked polyrotaxane compound is granulated to a predetermined grain diameter to obtain a gel-like abrasive where a part of the dispersedly mixed abrasive grain is exposed at the surface. By using the thus-obtained gel-like abrasive in blasting by projecting the abrasive at an angle tilted with respect to a surface of a workpiece, mirror finishing or the like is possible without making the surface of the workpiece pearskin-like.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet including: a base material; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed from a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that comprises a polyrotaxane (A) having at least two cyclic molecules and a linear-chain molecule passing through opening portions of the cyclic molecules wherein the cyclic molecules have each one or more reactive groups and the linear-chain molecule has blocking groups at both ends thereof, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has an elongation at break of not smaller than 300% and a haze value of not greater than 30%, and a holding power of the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet according to JIS Z0237, but at a measurement temperature of 80° C., is not greater than 1000 ?m as the displacement of the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet after 70,000 seconds.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition including: a (meth)acrylate copolymer (A) obtained by copolymerizing a (meth)acrylate and a reactive group-containing monomer, such that a ratio of the reactive group-containing monomer (constituent unit derived from the monomer) in the copolymer ranges from 0.01 to 15 wt %; a polyrotaxane (B) having at least two cyclic molecules and a linear-chain molecule passing through opening portions of the cyclic molecules wherein the cyclic molecules have each one or more reactive groups and the linear-chain molecule has blocking groups at both ends thereof; and a crosslinking agent (C) having a reactive group capable of reacting with the reactive group of the (meth)acrylate copolymer (A) and with the reactive group of the polyrotaxane (B).

Abstract: A process is provided by which a polyrotaxane including cyclic molecules having a relatively long graft chain is easily obtained. Also provided is a polyrotaxane which includes cyclic molecules having a radical polymerization initiation site and is for use as a raw material in the process. The polyrotaxane comprises: a pseudo-polyrotaxane comprising cyclic molecules clathrated with a linear molecule, the cavities of the cyclic molecules having been pierced by the linear molecule; and blocking groups disposed respectively at both ends of the pseudo-polyrotaxane so as not to release the cyclic molecules. The cyclic molecules in the polyrotaxane have a radical polymerization initiation site.

Abstract: An actuator includes a spirally rolled cylindrical sheet body. The sheet body is formed by attaching an electrode on each side of a dielectric elastomer layer. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the sheet body is contracted along the direction of its thickness, and expanded in directions perpendicular to its thickness. The actuator is actuated by applying a voltage to the electrodes and stopping the voltage application, so that the cylindrical sheet body is extended and contracted along the direction of the axis. The material forming the dielectric elastomer layer has a low strain region, where the value of a strain based on a stress acting on the dielectric elastomer layer varies from zero to a value that is greater than and close to zero, and a high strain region, where the value of the strain is greater than that in the low strain region. The Young's modulus in the low strain region is less than the Young's modulus in the high strain region.

Abstract: An abrasive that can impart a mirror finish, glossiness, or the like to a surface of a workpiece by blasting is provided. A crosslinked polyrotaxane compound having a network structure where crosslinking points are circular molecules of polyrotaxane and also having abrasive grains dispersedly mixed therein is obtained by causing chemical bonding between the circular molecules of the polyrotaxane in a state where the abrasive grains and the polyrotaxane are mixed. Then, the crosslinked polyrotaxane compound is granulated to a predetermined grain diameter to obtain a gel-like abrasive where a part of the dispersedly mixed abrasive grain is exposed at the surface. By using the thus-obtained gel-like abrasive in blasting by projecting the abrasive at an angle tilted with respect to a surface of a workpiece, mirror finishing or the like is possible without making the surface of the workpiece pearskin-like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micropattern retardation element requiring no stretch processing and no extremely high positioning accuracy in cutting films, and the like, and having the retardation region controlled in width of a micron unit, and a producing method therefore. Said micropattern retardation element can be obtained by forming a liquid crystalline or non liquid crystalline polymer thin film layer having photoactive groups, on a substrate, and then, after orientation treatment in a micropattern form, forming a birefringence layer so as to contact with said polymer thin film layer, so that birefringence molecules of said birefringence layer are oriented according to orientation of photoactive groups in said thin film. Said retardation element is used in a three-dimensional display, and the like.

Abstract: A polyrotaxane which has enhanced solubility and is soluble in various solvents, 2) a polyrotaxane which is reversibly responsive to an external stimulus, 3) a chemically crosslinked polyrotaxane which has a high Young's modulus and a high elongation and has a high transmittance, and/or 4) a chemically crosslinked polyrotaxane which is reversibly responsive to an external stimulus; and/or a material containing any of these; and/or processes for producing these. The polyrotaxanes each comprises: a pseudo-polyrotaxane having a structure constituted of cyclic molecules and a linear molecule with which the holes of the cyclic molecules are pierced to form a clathrate; and a blocking group disposed at each end of the pseudo-polyrotaxane so as to prevent the cyclic molecules from leaving. The cyclic molecules have a functional group represented by the following formula (I) and at least one functional group selected among functional groups represented by the following formulae (II-1) to (II-6).

Abstract: An actuator includes a spirally rolled cylindrical sheet body. The sheet body is formed by attaching an electrode on each side of a dielectric elastomer layer. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the sheet body is contracted along the direction of its thickness, and expanded in directions perpendicular to its thickness. The actuator is actuated by applying a voltage to the electrodes and stopping the voltage application, so that the cylindrical sheet body is extended and contracted along the direction of the axis. The material forming the dielectric elastomer layer has a low strain region, where the value of a strain based on a stress acting on the dielectric elastomer layer varies from zero to a value that is greater than and close to zero, and a high strain region, where the value of the strain is greater than that in the low strain region. The Young's modulus in the low strain region is less than the Young's modulus in the high strain region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micropattern retardation element requiring no stretch processing and no extremely high positioning accuracy in cutting films, and the like, and having the retardation region controlled in width of a micron unit, and a producing method therefore. Said micropattern retardation element can be obtained by forming a liquid crystalline or non liquid crystalline polymer thin film layer having photoactive groups, on a substrate, and then, after orientation treatment in a micropattern form, forming a birefringence layer so as to contact with said polymer thin film layer, so that birefringence molecules of said birefringence layer are oriented according to orientation of photoactive groups in said thin film. Said retardation element is used in a three-dimensional display, and the like.