Abstract: An electrode plate for electrochemical measurements capable of measuring the concentration of a target substance included in a sample solution with favorable accuracy and high sensitivity is provided The electrode plate for electrochemical measurements 1 of the present invention includes a substrate 31, an upper layer 40 provided on the superior face of the substrate, a lower layer 11 provided on the inferior face of the substrate, a first electrode body 32 sandwiched between the superior face of the substrate and the upper layer, and a second electrode body 12 sandwiched between the inferior face of the substrate and the lower layer, wherein: the upper layer has a plurality of upper layer through-holes 41; the first electrode body has a plurality of first electrodes 32d including a portion exposed from the superior face of the upper layer via the upper layer through-hole in the first electrode body; the substrate has a plurality of substrate through-holes 33; and the second electrode body has a plurality of

Abstract: The present invention provides a water photolysis system comprising: a casing 1 into which incident sunlight L can enter from the outside and a photolytic layer 5 which is disposed inside the casing 1; wherein the photolytic layer 5 has a light-transmissive porous material 51 and photocatalyst particles 52 supported thereon; a water layer 4 containing water in its liquid state is disposed below the photolytic layer 5 with a first space 6 disposed between the water layer and the photolytic layer; a sealed second space 7 is formed above the photolytic layer 5 in the casing 1; vapor generated from the water layer 4 is introduced into the photolytic layer 5 via the first space 6; and the vapor is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen by the photocatalyst particles 52, which are excited by the sunlight L.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen reduction electrode having excellent oxygen reduction properties (oxygen reduction catalyst abilities). The present invention encompasses: (1) A method for manufacturing a nanostructured manganese oxide having a dendritic structure formed from an agglomeration of primary particles, wherein the method comprises the steps of: removing components from a target plate that comprises one or more kinds of manganese oxides by irradiating the target plate with laser light in an atmosphere comprising a mixed gas of inert gas and oxygen gas, the content of the oxygen gas in the mixed gas being no less than 0.05% but no more than 0.

Abstract: A process of producing a foamed molding, wherein expanded, substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene-based resin beads are heated in a mold to fuse-bond the beads together into a unitary body. Each of the expanded beads has been surface-modified with an organic peroxide.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical electrode wherein transition metal (nickel) nanoparticles are used to form an active layer having a large surface area without using a conductive support while maintaining dispersibility and stability, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an electrode plate for electrochemical measurements for detecting with high sensitivity and determining a substance included in a living body in a slight amount. The electrode plate for electrochemical measurements 10 of the present invention has on both faces of body of the substrate 32S, oxidation electrode 32W and reduction electrode 32w opened respectively at upper layer opening 31W and lower layer opening 33w having the same area; and further has a plurality of through-holes 32H that penetrate through from the superior face of the oxidation electrode 32W to the inferior face of the reduction electrode 32w, in which electrode pairs are formed which exhibit a redox cycle effect between the oxidation electrode 32W and the reduction electrode 32w by applying the potential which can proceed an oxidative reaction of a reductant on the oxidation electrode 32W, and the potential which can proceed a reductive reaction of an oxidant on the reduction electrode 32w.

Abstract: A process of producing a foamed molding, wherein expanded, substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene-based resin beads are heated in a mold to fuse-bond the beads together into a unitary body. Each of the expanded beads has been surface-modified with an organic peroxide.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic cell that demonstrates a superior photoelectric conversion function. The present invention relates to a photovoltaic cell comprising a semiconductor electrode, an electrolyte and a counter electrode, wherein (1) the semiconductor electrode contains an oxide semiconductor layer having photocatalytic activity, (2) the oxide semiconductor layer contains secondary particles in which primary particles comprising a metal oxide are aggregated, (3) the average particle diameter of the primary particles is from 1 nm to 50 nm, and the average particle diameter of the secondary particles is from 100 nm to 10 ?m, and (4) the photovoltaic cell generates electromotive force by radiating light of a wavelength substantially equal to the average particle diameter of the secondary particles onto the semiconductor electrode.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen reduction electrode which provides four-electron reduction reaction with high selectivity in the reaction of reducing oxygen. The present invention involves a method of manufacturing an electrode for reducing oxygen used for four-electron reduction of oxygen, having (1) a first step wherein a charcoal-based material is obtained by carbonization of a starting material comprising a nitrogen-containing synthetic polymer, and (2) a second step wherein the electrode for reducing oxygen is manufactured using an electrode material comprising the charcoal-based material.

Abstract: Conventional porous carbon materials obtained by carbonizing an organic gel were prone to shrinkage during their manufacture, in the course of which the density rose and the specific surface area decreased. Another problem was that density and specific surface area were difficult to control after an organic gel had already been formed. In the present invention, a carbon material with a large specific surface area is formed by forming a composite porous material having a reticulated skeleton and composed of a dry gel of an inorganic oxide, and taking advantage of the reaction of this dry gel of an inorganic oxide as a structural support. In one method, a carbon material is formed in this reticulated skeleton in a state in which the characteristics of a dry gel of an inorganic oxide with a large specific surface area are maintained.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen reduction electrode having excellent oxygen reduction catalysis ability. In a method of manufacturing a manganese oxide nanostructure having excellent oxygen reduction catalysis ability and composed of secondary particles which are aggregations of primary particles of manganese oxide, a target plate made of manganese oxide is irradiated with laser light to desorb the component substance of the target plate, and the desorbed substance is deposited on a substrate facing substantially parallel to the aforementioned target plate.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a porous body containing an oxide semiconductor in which more efficient photocatalytic reactions and photoelectrode reactions occur. The present invention relates to a porous body having a network structure skeleton wherein 1) the aforementioned skeleton is composed of an inner part and a surface part, 2) the aforementioned inner part is substantially made of carbon material, and 3) all or part of the aforementioned surface part is an oxide semiconductor, and to a manufacturing method therefor.

Abstract: A process for the production of expanded beads, including kneading a base resin containing a polypropylene resin and having a tensile modulus of at least 1,200 MPa together with a mixture of a coloring agent and a thermoplastic polymer having a tensile modulus lower than that of the base resin to form a kneaded mixture including a matrix of the base resin and a multiplicity of domains dispersed in the matrix and each containing the thermoplastic polymer and the coloring agent. The kneaded mixture is formed into resin particles, then treated with an organic peroxide to modify surfaces of the resin particles therewith. Foaming and expanding of the surface-modified resin particles gives expanded beads having an inside region surrounded by a surface region. The heat of fusion of a high temperature peak of the surface region is lower than that of the inside region.

Abstract: A process for the production of expanded beads, including kneading a base resin containing a polypropylene resin and having a tensile modulus of at least 1,200 MPa together with a mixture of a coloring agent and a thermoplastic polymer having a tensile modulus lower than that of the base resin to form a kneaded mixture including a matrix of the base resin and a multiplicity of domains dispersed in the matrix and each containing the thermoplastic polymer and the coloring agent. The kneaded mixture is formed into resin particles, then treated with an organic peroxide to modify surfaces of the resin particles therewith. Foaming and expanding of the surface-modified resin particles gives expanded beads having an inside region surrounded by a surface region. The heat of fusion of a high temperature peak of the surface region is lower than that of the inside region.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a porous body containing an oxide semiconductor in which more efficient photocatalytic reactions and photoelectrode reactions occur. The present invention relates to a porous body having a network structure skeleton wherein 1) the aforementioned skeleton is composed of an inner part and a surface part, 2) the aforementioned inner part is substantially made of carbon material, and 3) all or part of the aforementioned surface part is an oxide semiconductor, and to a manufacturing method therefor.

Abstract: A composite foamed polypropylene resin molding including a plurality of sections which are fuse-bonded to each other, at least two of which differ from each other in color, apparent density, composition and/or mechanical strengths, each of which is formed from expanded polypropylene resin beads, and each of which shows a high temperature endothermic peak in a DSC curve thereof. At least one of the sections satisfies conditions (d) to (f) at the same time: (d) to be formed from specific expanded polypropylene resin beads of a base resin having a tensile modulus of at least 1,200 MPa, (e) to have an apparent density D2 of 10–500 g/L, and (f) to have such a high temperature endothermic peak with a calorific of E2 J/g, wherein D2 and E2 have the relationship 20?0.020×D2?E2?65?0.100×D2.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical electrode wherein transition metal (nickel) nanoparticles are used to form an active layer having a large surface area without using a conductive support while maintaining dispersibility and stability, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A composite foamed polypropylene resin molding including a plurality of sections which are fuse-bonded to each other, at least two of which differ from each other in color, apparent density, composition and/or mechanical strengths, each of which is formed from expanded polypropylene resin beads, and each of which shows a high temperature endothermic peak in a DSC curve thereof. At least one of the sections satisfies conditions (d) to (f) at the same time: (d) to be formed from specific expanded polypropylene resin beads of a base resin having a tensile modulus of at least 1,200 MPa, (e) to have an apparent density D2 of 10-500 g/L, and (f) to have such a high temperature endothermic peak with a calorific of E2 J/g, wherein D2 and E2 have the relationship 20?0.020×D2?E2?65?0.100×D2.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic cell that demonstrates a superior photoelectric conversion function. The present invention relates to a photovoltaic cell comprising a semiconductor electrode, an electrolyte and a counter electrode, wherein (1) the semiconductor electrode contains an oxide semiconductor layer having photocatalytic activity, (2) the oxide semiconductor layer contains secondary particles in which primary particles comprising a metal oxide are aggregated, (3) the average particle diameter of the primary particles is from 1 nm to 50 nm, and the average particle diameter of the secondary particles is from 100 nm to 10 ?m, and (4) the photovoltaic cell generates electromotive force by radiating light of a wavelength substantially equal to the average particle diameter of the secondary particles onto the semiconductor electrode.

Abstract: Expanded beads including cell walls which define a plurality of cells and which comprise a base resin containing a polypropylene resin, each of the beads having a through hole extending therein from one end to the other end. The expanded beads have a maximum diameter D0 (mm), an average cell diameter LCV in a radial direction, an average cell diameter LCH in a circumferential direction and a maximum through hole diameter HD (mm) satisfying the following conditions: LCV/LCH is at least 1.05, HD/D0 is 0.08 to 0.4 and the ratio HD/LCV is 0.1 to 10, where D0, LCV and LCH are as defined in the specification. The expanded beads may give a foam molding by an in-mold molding method.