Abstract: The nonlinear optical device of the present invention comprises a nonlinear optical element comprised of a chiral compound having a third-order nonlinearity. Further, the optical signal processing unit comprises a laser light source, the above-described nonlinear optical device, and a photodetector.

Abstract: This microporous film has an approximately uniform configuration in which the intervals between slender fibrils extend approximately two-dimensionally which are connected to each other between adjacent unstretched planar flat portions to define fine through-pores, and the distribution of pore size is sharp and the porosity is high. Accordingly, the microporous film excels in water filtration rate and selective separating capability and is suitable for use as filter membrane, separator membrane, gas exchange membrane, and a battery separator.

Abstract: This microporous film has an approximately uniform configuration in which the intervals between slender fibrils extend approximately two-dimensionally which are connected to each other between adjacent unstretched planar flat portions to define fine through-pores, and the distribution of pore size is sharp and the porosity is high. Accordingly, the microporous film excels in water filtration rate and selective separating capability and is suitable for use as filter membrane, separator membrane, gas exchange membrane, and a battery separator.

Abstract: An improved ion conductive solid electrolyte favorably emplolyable for an solid electrolyte cell comprises a cured product of an acryloyl-denatured polyalkylene oxide having a molecular weight of 200-3,000 and an inorganic ion salt. Another improved ion conductive solid electrolyte comprises a cured product of an acryloyl-denatured polyalkylene oxide having a molecular weight of 200-3,000, an inorganic ion salt and a polyalkylene glycol.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a diazocyano acid, which comprises reacting a keto-acid or its sodium salt with a cyanogen compound such as sodium cyanide or hydrogen cyanide and a hydrazine in water to form a concentrated aqueous solution of a hydrazo compound, adding acetone and/water to the concentrated aqueous solution to form a solution of the hydrazo compounds, adding chlorine gas to the solution to oxidize the hydrazo compound and form a diazocyano acid, adding acetone to the obtained reaction mixture during or after the oxidation if necessary, and separating and recovering the supernatant layer of the acetone-water solution containing the diazocyano acid from the mixture.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a diazocyano acid, which comprises reacting a keto-acid or its sodium salt with a cyanogen compound such as sodium cyanide or hydrogen cyanide and a hydrazine in water to form a concentrated aqueous solution of a hydrazo compound, adding acetone or acetone and water to the concentrated aqueous solution to form an acetone-water solution of the hydrazo compound, adding an oxidant such as chlorine gas to the solution to oxidize the hydrazo compound and form a diazocyano acid, forming at least two transparent liquid layers by adding acetone and/or water to the obtained reaction mixture during or after oxidation if necessary, and further adding sodium chloride to the reaction mixture if necessary, and separating and recovering the upper layer of the acetone-water solution containing the diazocyano acid from the mixture.

Abstract: A process for polymerizing 1,3-butadiene, comprising bring into contact a 1,2-polymerization catalyst consisting essentially of a soluble cobalt compound, an organic aluminum halide, an organic lithium compound, and carbon disulfide or phenyl isothiocyanate with 1,3-butadiene in a polymerization medium. The process can be applied particularly advantageously in the preparation of 1,2-polybutadiene, and the resultant 1,2-polybutadiene has a content of syndiotactic 1,2-structural units of not less than 90%, a melting point of 200.degree. C. to 220.degree. C., and an intrinsic viscosity [.eta.] of 1.2 to 7.

Abstract: Polybutadiene consisting of from 5% to 30% by weight of a boiling n-hexane-insoluble fraction and from 70% to 95% by weight of a boiling n-hexane-soluble fraction and having enhanced mechanical strength is prepared by polymerizing 1,3-butadiene in a polymerization solvent in the presence of a specific catalyst consisting essentially of (A) a cobalt compound catalytic component soluble in the polymerization solvent; (B) an organic aluminum halide catalytic component; (C) a trialkyl aluminum-water reaction product in catalytic component, and (D) a catalytic component consisting of carbon disulfide and/or phenyl isothiocyanate, and by isolating the resultant polybutadiene from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A 1,2-polymerization of 1,3-butadiene is carried out in a polymerization solvent in the presence of a 1,2-polymerization catalyst consisting essentially of a cobalt compound soluble in the polymerization solvent, an organic aluminum halide, an organic magnesium compound, and carbon disulfide and/or phenyl isothiocyanate and in the presence or absence of a cis-1,4-polymerization product of 1,3-butadiene.

Abstract: A polybutadiene rubber having an enhanced mechanical strength is produced in such a manner that the content of water in a solution of 1,3-butadiene in an inert organic solvent is controlled to 0.2 to 5 millemoles per liter of 1,3-butadiene; a first polymerization mixture is prepared from the controlled 1,3-butadiene solution, an organic aluminum compound of the formula Al R.sub.n X.sub.3-n, wherein R=C.sub.1-6 alkyl, phenyl, or cycloalkyl, X=halogen, and n=1.5-2.0, and a cobalt compound, for example, by aging a mixture of the controlled 1,3-butadiene solution with the aluminum compound for at least one minute and then by admixing the aged mixture with the cobalt compound; the first polymerization mixture is subjected to a cis-1,4-polymerization; a second polymerization comprising the resultant cis-1,4-polybutadiene, non-reacted 1,3-butadiene, the inert organic solvent, and a catalyst comprising an organic aluminum compound of the formula AlR.sub.

Abstract: A polybutadiene rubber having an enhanced mechanical strength is produced in such a manner that the contents of water and carbon disulfide in a solution of 1,3-butadiene and carbon disulfide in an inert organic solvent is controlled to 0.2 to 5 m moles and 20 m moles or less, respectively, per liter of the 1,3-butadiene-carbon disulfide solution; a first polymerization mixture is prepared from the controlled 1,3-butadiene-carbon disulfide solution, an organic aluminum compound of the formula Al R.sub.n X.sub.3-n, wherein R=C.sub.1-6 alkyl, phenyl, or cycloalkyl, X=halogen, and n=1.5-2.

Abstract: A polybutadiene rubber having an enhanced mechanical strength is produced by a process comprising two successive steps of:(A) cis-1,4-polymerizing 1,3-butadiene in a polymerization medium in the presence of a catalyst comprising a cobalt compound and a dialkyl aluminium halide of the formula (I): AlR.sub.2 X, wherein R=C.sub.2 -8 alkyl and X=halogen, and;(B) subjecting a mixture of the resultant cis-1,4-polybutadiene and the non-reacted 1,3-butadiene in the polymerization medium to a 1,2-polymerization in the presence of a catalyst comprising a cobalt compound, a dialkyl aluminium halide of the formula (I), carbon disulfide and an electron donative organic compound.

Abstract: Carbon fibers having excellent modulus of elasticity and tensile strength are produced in a high yield by a process wherein polybutadiene fibers are prepared by melt-spinning polybutadiene having at least 85% of vinyl structure, a melting point of at least 100.degree. C and a reduced viscosity of 0.3 to 1.2 dl/g; the fibers are then treated in a solution or suspension of a Lewis acid in an inert organic liquid, whereby the pollybutadiene is cyclized and cross-linked; the polybutadiene fibers treated as mentioned above are further treated in a melted sulphur or a sulphur-containing solution at a temperature of 170 to 300.degree. C, whereby the cyclized and cross-linked polybutadiene is dehydrogenated and aromatized; and the fibers treated as mentioned above are carbonized by raising the temperature thereof to 750.degree. C to 3000.degree. C to form carbon fibers or graphite fibers. If so desired, the ordinary carbon fibers which have been produced at 750 to 1500.degree.