Abstract: This invention provides a production process by which a polymer having a hydroxyl group at both terminals can be easily obtained with a cheap price and good efficiency from a wide field of vinyl-based monomers including polar ones. In this process, a polymerization reaction of a vinyl-based monomer (a) is performed by using hydrogen peroxide (b) and, on this occasion, either one or both of a hydrogen peroxide-decomposing accelerator (c) and an amphiphilic compound (d) are further used and any component other than the (a), (b), (c) and (d) is not substantially used.

Abstract: There are provided a process for obtaining a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals easily and with cheap cost and excellent efficiency from a wide variety of vinyl-based compounds, a composition containing said polymer and its use, and a polymer derived from said composition and its use.The polymerization reaction of a vinyl-based monomer (b) is carried out by using a radical polymerization initiator (c) in the presence of a compound (a) represented by the general formula:HO--A--(S).sub.x --B--OH (I)and, a polymer having hydroxyl groups at both terminals is obtained under conditions that, in the above reaction, any compound other than (a), (b) and (c) is not practically used and the compound (a) always exists in 50 mole times or more of the initiator (c) in the course of reaction in a reactor; and either a composition containing this polymer or a polymer derived from this composition is used.

Abstract: This invention provides a process by which a polymer having a hydroxyl group at both terminals can be easily obtained with a cheap price and good efficiency from a wide field of vinyl-based monomers including polar ones. The process is arranged in such a manner that the polymerization of a vinyl-based monomer (a) is performed in the presence of an alcohol (b) having no addition-polymerization reactivity by using an initiator (c) consisting essentially of a peroxide and, on this occasion, at least one of catalysts (d) selected from a group consisting of an organic sulfonic acid compound having no addition-polymerization reactivity and an inorganic acid is further used and a reactor does not substantially contain any component other than the (a), (b), (c) and (d).

Abstract: In an electro-optical element comprising a liquid crystal, such as a smectic liquid crystal, sealed between two substrates arranged to confront each other with a space of an order of .mu.m, if spacer particles for regulating the space between the substrates and phenol type curing agent-incorporated epoxy resin adhesive particles for moderating stresses generated by distortions or warps of the substrates are arranged in the space between the substrates, a minute uniform space, especially a uniform space of 1 to 3 .mu.m effective for a ferroelectric liquid crystal, can be maintained between the substrates. In this structure, alignmental films are not disturbed at all. Furthermore, even if a nematic or super-twist liquid crystal is used, a uniform space can be stably maintained between the substrates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal element with an improved orientation layer and a coating composition for forming such an orientation layer. The orientation layer consists essentially of a polymer with a Mark-Houwink coefficient of not less than 0.85, the Mark-Houwink coefficient being represented by the formula [I]:[.eta.]=K.multidot.M.sup..alpha. [I]wherein [.eta.] represents intrinsic viscosity of the polymer determined by solution viscosity measuring method, K represents a constant, M represents molecular weight of the polymer, and .alpha. represents the Mark-Houwink coefficient. The coating composition comprises a polyfumaric acid ester represented by the formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, are the same or different and each represents a straight or branched alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, haloalkyl group, silalkyl group or siloxanylalkyl group; and a halogen-containing organic solvent.

Abstract: Laminated polyester film having a base layer of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate is laminated directly by heat sealing and without the use of any intervening adhesive with a crystalline butylene terephthalate or hexylene terephthalate copolyester blended with from about 10 to 40 weight % of a polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate, said copolyester containing about from 50 to about 80 mole % of terephthalic acid units based on the total acid component of the copolyester.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polyester predominantly comprised of the units derived from terephthalic acid and butanediol-1,4 is provided. The esterification or transesterification is performed in the presence of minor amounts of a catalyst combination comprising an organo-titanium compound and an organo-tin compound. The undesirable formation of tetrahydrofuran can be avoided or minimized.