Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode comprising on an electrode substrate a catalytic layer comprising catalytically active particles and a solid polymer comprising a component represented by Structural Formula (1) below: wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4 are the same or different, and independently represent a hydrogen atom or C1-8 univalent hydrocarbon group, and m and n are independently an integer from 2 to 4; a fuel cell comprising the catalytic layer; and a fuel cell for bioimplantation whose surface is coated with the solid polymer.

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: 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: 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: 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: Expanded, substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene resin beads capable of producing a high rigidity foamed molding at a relatively low temperature. The beads are produced by a process including a step of dispersing substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene resin particles in a dispersing medium containing an organic peroxide to obtain a dispersion, a step of heating the dispersion to decompose the organic peroxide and to modify the surface of the surface-modified polypropylene resin particles, and a step of expanding the non-crosslinked, surface-modified polypropylene resin particles using a blowing agent.

Abstract: Methods of effectively utilizing yeast-containing waste products generated after yeast use can be applied to absorbing agents, drying agents, soil conditioners, catalysts, and other common applications in the same manner as to charcoal-based materials of other materials by carbonizing the waste product, but a new search was needed in order to broaden the industrial utilization of these products. By supporting a particulate or powdered charcoal-based material obtained by carbonizing a yeast-containing material on an electrically conductive gas-permeable base, an electrode can be obtained that is capable of the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. The present charcoal-based material can provide new applications that have not been hitherto proposed, in the sense that oxygen can be electrochemically reduced smoothly and at a small overvoltage (resistance), and a large electromotive force can be obtained, by placing the charcoal-based material at the intersection of the ion path and the oxygen path.

Abstract: A process for preparing thermoplastic resin pellets, including extruding a melt of a thermoplastic resin into a gas phase through a die in the form of strands, immersing the strands in a bath containing water and a surfactant to cool the strands, taking the cooled strands out of the bath, and cutting the taken-out strands into pellets.

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 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: A method for producing expanded polypropylene resin particles wherein polypropylene resin particles impregnated with a physical blowing agent are heated along with an aqueous medium and a dispersant and are released and expanded at reduced pressure from the interior of a pressure-tight vessel, wherein the aforementioned aqueous medium has an electrical conductivity of from not less than 0.00 ms/m to not more than 20.00 mS/m. The resulting particles obtained are without inconsistencies caused by differences in the amount of dispersant adhering to the particles or the amount of dispersant added to prevent the particles from fusing together during the heat treatment step of the method.

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: 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: Foamed and expanded beads including a polyester-based resin containing at least 35 mole % of an aliphatic ester component. The foamed beads have a gel fraction of at least 5 % by weight and comprises at least one gel accelerating agent selected from fatty acids having 12-25 carbon atoms, metal salts of the fatty acids, esters of the fatty acids and amides of the fatty acids in an amount of 0.15-3 % by weight. A foam molding is obtained by heating the foamed and expanded beads in a mold.

Abstract: Expanded, substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene resin beads capable of producing a high rigidity foamed molding at a relatively low temperature. The beads are produced by a process including a step of dispersing substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene resin particles in a dispersing medium containing an organic peroxide to obtain a dispersion, a step of heating the dispersion to decompose the organic peroxide and to modify the surface of the surface-modified polypropylene resin particles, and a step of expanding the non-crosslinked, surface-modified polypropylene resin particles using a blowing agent.

Abstract: Expanded, substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene resin beads capable of producing a high rididity foamed molding at a relatively low temperature. The beads are produced by a process including a step of dispersing substantially non-crosslinked polypropylene resin particles in a dispersing medium containing an organic peroxide to obtain a dispersion, a step of heating the dispersion to decompose the organic peroxide and to modify the surface of the surface-modified polypropylene resin particles, and a step of expanding the non-crosslinked, surface-modified polypropylene resin particles using a blowing agent.

Abstract: Foamed and expanded beads including a polyester-based resin containing at least 35 mole % of an aliphatic ester component. The foamed beads have a gel fraction of at least 5 % by weight and comprises at least one gel accelerating agent selected from fatty acids having 12-25 carbon atoms, metal salts of the fatty acids, esters of the fatty acids and amides of the fatty acids in an amount of 0.15-3 % by weight. A foam molding is obtained by heating the foamed and expanded beads in a mold.

Abstract: A method for producing expanded polypropylene resin particles wherein polypropylene resin particles impregnated with a physical blowing agent are heated along with an aqueous medium and a dispersant and are released and expanded at reduced pressure from the interior of a pressure-tight vessel, wherein the aforementioned aqueous medium has an electrical conductivity of from not less than 0.00 ms/m to not more than 20.00 mS/m. The resulting particles obtained are without inconsistencies caused by differences in the amount of dispersant adhering to the particles or the amount of dispersant added to prevent the particles from fusing together during the heat treatment step of the method.

Abstract: Propylene resin beads for molding expansion molded articles having improved high temperature resistance include as base resin metallocene-catalyzed copolymers of propylene with at least one or more of ethylene and ∝-olefins of 4 to 20 carbon atoms. The metallocene-catalyzed propylene copolymers are isotactic random copolymers characterized by a melting point higher than 140° C. to 160° C. and a melt flow rate (MFR) of not higher than 12 g/10 minutes, especially, 0.5 to 12 g/10 minutes. Expansion molded articles produced by expansion molding the expanded beads have a high temperature degree of deflection which is lower than that of metallocene-catalyzed propylene homopolymers and lower than that of Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed random propylene copolymers having the same comonomers and melting point.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are foamed and expanded beads of a polypropylene resin for molding, which comprise an uncrosslinked propylene random copolymer having a melting point of at least 140.degree. C. as a base resin, wherein the time required to attenuate an air pressure within the foamed beads applied by a pressurizing treatment with air from 1.2 kgf/cm.sup.2 (G) to 0.8 kgf/cm.sup.2 (G) under atmospheric pressure at 23.degree. C. is at least 80 minutes, and the CNI value of the foamed beads, which is defined by the following equation (1):CNI=log.sub.10 [Pw.times.Er.div.(2.24.times.D.sup.3 .times.B)](1)wherein Pw is an average weight (mg) per foamed bead, Er is a bulk expansion ratio (time) of the foamed beads, D is a cell diameter (mm) of the foamed beads, and B is a density of the base resin, is smaller than 3.80.