Abstract: Polyphenylene sulfide microparticles have a linseed oil absorption amount of 40 to 1,000 mL/100 g and a number average particle diameter of 1 to 200 ?m. The porous PPS microparticles have a large specific surface area and therefore promote fusion of particles when molded into various molded bodies by applying thermal energy, thus enabling formation or molding of a coating layer of particles at a lower temperature in a shorter time. The porous PPS microparticles have a porous shape and therefore enable scattering light in multiple directions and suppression of specific reflection of reflected light in a specific direction, thus making it possible to impart shading effect and matte effect when added to a medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for shaving a tap hole surface of a blast furnace or the like wherein efficiency can be improved, and a worker can be freed from physically burdensome work in the vicinity of the lower furnace wall of a blast furnace under high temperature. The apparatus includes a surface shaving unit having smoothing bits, and a rotating mechanism unit that, when the surface shaving unit is pressed against the tap hole surface, rotates the surface shaving unit, by utilizing the pressing force, by a predetermined angle in a predetermined direction substantially parallel to the surface, and holds the surface shaving unit at the rotated position. The rotating mechanism unit eliminates the need for work such that every time a conventional surface shaving unit is separated from the tap hole surface after being pressed against the surface, a worker manually rotates the surface shaving unit by a predetermined angle.

Abstract: The invention provides a prepreg that can give a fiber-reinforced composite material exhibiting stable and excellent interlaminar fracture toughness and impact resistance under wide molding conditions. The prepreg includes at least a reinforcement fiber [A], a thermosetting resin [B], and the following component [C] wherein 90% or more of the material [C] is present inside a region of the prepreg that extends from any surface of the prepreg to a prepreg site having, from the surface, a depth of 20% of the thickness of the prepreg. The component [C] satisfies requirements that (i) the storage elastic modulus G? of the material constituting the particles is more than 1 MPa, and 70 MPa or less at 180° C., and that (ii) the ratio of the storage elastic modulus G? of the material constituting the particles at 160° C. to the storage elastic modulus G? of the material at 200° C. ranges from 1 to 5; and is insoluble in the thermosetting resin [B].

Abstract: [Problem] To provide: a fiber-reinforced composite material having both Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness and compressive strength under wet heat conditions; an epoxy resin composition for producing the fiber-reinforced composite material; and a prepreg produced using the epoxy resin composition. [Solution] An epoxy resin composition comprising at least the following constituents [A], [B] and [C]: [A] an epoxy resin; [B] composite polyamide microparticles which satisfy such a requirement (b1) the materials constituting the particles are a polyamide (B1) and a thermoplastic elastomer resin (B2), such a requirement (b2) that the melting point or the glass transition temperature of the polyamide (B1) is higher than 100° C. and such a requirement (b3) the number average particle diameter is 0.1 to 100 ?m; and [C] a curing agent.

Abstract: The production of polyamide 1010 polymer particles, in which polyamide 1010 resin, a different polymer B and an organic solvent are dissolved and mixed and thereupon an emulsion is formed within a system for phase separation into two phases, being a solution phase having the polyamide 1010 resin as the main component and a solution phase having the polymer B as the main component, and thereafter a poor solvent of the polyamide 1010 resin is brought into contact therewith to precipitate the polyamide 1010 resin, wherein the formation of the emulsion is carried out at a temperature of 100° C. or higher, thereby making it possible to obtain highly crystalline polyamide 1010 particles having a high sphericity.

Abstract: A method of producing polymer particles includes, in a system in which a polymer A and a polymer B are dissolved in and mixed with an organic solvent to undergo phase separation into two phases which are a solution phase containing the polymer A as a major component and a solution phase containing the polymer B as a major component, continuously adding an emulsion including the polymer A, the polymer B and the organic solvent, and a poor solvent for the polymer A to a vessel continuously to allow the polymer A to precipitate; and separating polymer A particles from the vessel continuously.

Abstract: A method of producing polycarbonate-based polymer microparticles including forming an emulsion in a system in which a polycarbonate-based polymer (A), a polymer (B) different from the polycarbonate-based polymer (A) and an organic solvent (C) are dissolved and mixed together and which causes phase separation into two phases of a solution phase having the polycarbonate-based polymer (A) as its main component and a solution phase having the polymer (B) different from the polycarbonate-based polymer (a) as its main component, and contacting a poor solvent for the polycarbonate-based polymer (A) with the emulsion at a temperature of 80° C. or higher to thereby precipitate microparticles of the polycarbonate-based polymer (A).

Abstract: A polyarylene sulfide resin powder/grain composition in which 100 weight parts of polyarylene sulfide resin powder/grain material whose average particle diameter exceeds 1 ?m and is less than or equal to 100 ?m and whose uniformity degree is less than or equal to 4 has been blended with 0.1 to 5 weight parts of an inorganic fine particle having an average particle diameter greater than or equal to 20 nm and less than or equal to 500 nm.

Abstract: Polyphenylene sulfide microparticles have a linseed oil absorption amount of 40 to 1,000 mL/100 g and a number average particle diameter of 1 to 200 ?m. The porous PPS microparticles have a large specific surface area and therefore promote fusion of particles when molded into various molded bodies by applying thermal energy, thus enabling formation or molding of a coating layer of particles at a lower temperature in a shorter time. The porous PPS microparticles have a porous shape and therefore enable scattering light in multiple directions and suppression of specific reflection of reflected light in a specific direction, thus making it possible to impart shading effect and matte effect when added to a medium.

Abstract: Fine polymer particles made by a method include producing an emulsion in a liquid prepared by dissolving and mixing a polymer A and a polymer B in organic solvents in which a solution phase composed primarily of the polymer A and a solution phase composed primarily of the polymer B are formed as separate phases, wherein the solvents in the two phases resulting from the phase separation are substantially identical to each other, and contacting the emulsion with a poor solvent for the polymer A to precipitate the polymer A, wherein the particles have a glass transition point of 150° C. or more and 400° C. or less, an average particle diameter of 1 ?m or more to 100 ?m or less, and a particle diameter distribution index of the particles is 2 or less, wherein the polymer A is nonvinyl type polymer.

Abstract: Composite polyamide fine particles include a polyamide (A1) which has a melting point or a glass transition temperature of over 100° C. and a polymer (A2) which is different from the polyamide (A1). The composite polyamide fine particles have: a dispersion structure in which a plurality of domains each having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 100 ?m whose main component is the polymer (A2) are dispersed in a polyamide (A1) based matrix; an average particle diameter of 0.1 to 500 ?m; and a sphericity of 80 or more.

Abstract: A fine polymer particle production method includes producing an emulsion in a liquid prepared by dissolving and mixing a polymer A and a polymer B in organic solvents in which a solution phase composed primarily of the polymer A and a solution phase composed primarily of the polymer B are formed as separate phases, and bringing it into contact with a poor solvent for the polymer A to precipitate the polymer A. This method serves for easy synthesis of fine polymer particles with a narrow particle size distribution and the method can be effectively applied to production of highly heat-resistant polymers that have been difficult to produce with the conventional methods.

Abstract: By first forming an emulsion in a system that separates into two phases which include a solution phase containing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) as the main component and a solution phase containing a polymer (B) different from the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) as the main component when the copolymer (A), the polymer (B), and an organic solvent (C) having an SP value of 20 (J/cm3)1/2 to 30 (J/cm3)1/2 are dissolved and mixed together, and then causing the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) to precipitate as microparticles by bringing a poor solvent (D) of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) into contact with the emulsion, it is possible to obtain ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer microparticles that have a narrow particle size distribution wherein the particle size distribution index in a dry-powder state is 2 or less, have a true spherical particle shape, and exhibit excellent re-dispersibility into liquid.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide: a fiber-reinforced composite material having both Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness and compressive strength under wet heat conditions; an epoxy resin composition for producing the fiber-reinforced composite material; and a prepreg produced using the epoxy resin composition. [Solution] An epoxy resin composition comprising at least the following constituents [A], [B] and [C]: [A] an epoxy resin; [B] composite polyamide microparticles which satisfy such a requirement (b1) the materials constituting the particles are a polyamide (B1) and a thermoplastic elastomer resin (B2), such a requirement (b2) that the melting point or the glass transition temperature of the polyamide (B1) is higher than 100° C. and such a requirement (b3) the number average particle diameter is 0.1 to 100 ?m; and [C] a curing agent.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2). (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2). (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.

Abstract: A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2). (1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000. (2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.

Abstract: The invention provides a prepreg that can give a fiber-reinforced composite material exhibiting stable and excellent interlaminar fracture toughness and impact resistance under wide molding conditions. The prepreg includes at least a reinforcement fiber [A], a thermosetting resin [B], and the following component [C] wherein 90% or more of the material [C] is present inside a region of the prepreg that extends from any surface of the prepreg to a prepreg site having, from the surface, a depth of 20% of the thickness of the prepreg. The component [C] satisfies requirements that (i) the storage elastic modulus G? of the material constituting the particles is more than 1 MPa, and 70 MPa or less at 180° C., and that (ii) the ratio of the storage elastic modulus G? of the material constituting the particles at 160° C. to the storage elastic modulus G? of the material at 200° C. ranges from 1 to 5; and is insoluble in the thermosetting resin [B].

Abstract: Conductive microparticles, each are composed of a polymer microparticle and a conductive layer formed by coating the surface of the polymer microparticle with a metal. The conductive microparticles have an elastic modulus (E) at 5% displacement of 1-100 MPa. Especially when the conductive microparticles have a shape recovery ratio (SR) of 0.1-13% under a load of 9.8 mN, a particle size distribution index of 1-3 and a particle size of 0.1-100 ?m, the conductive microparticles can exhibit excellent conduction reliability in applications such as conductive adhesives for flexible boards.

Abstract: Provided are: fine vinylidene fluoride resin particles which are solid and have an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m or more but less than 100 ?m, a particle diameter distribution index of 1-2, a repose angle of less than 40°, and an average sphericity of 80 or more said fine vinylidene fluoride particles being suitable for coating materials and coating applications; and a method for producing the fine vinylidene fluoride resin particles.