Abstract: A low-frequency high AC voltage from an excitation voltage power source (14) is applied between one electrode (8) and two other electrodes (9A and 9B) to generate a low-frequency AC-excited dielectric barrier discharge within a gas passage (3), thereby creating atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium micro-plasma. A sample gas is mixed with hydrogen inside the passage of a nozzle (51), and further mixed with air outside an exit port (53) to burn, forming a hydrogen flame (57). Then, the sample gas reaches an ionization area (56), where the sample components are ionized due to the effect of light emitted from the plasma. Meanwhile, water molecules generated in the hydrogen flame (57) are supplied into the ionization area (56), whereby some of the sample-molecule ions are hydrated while the others undergo a reaction to form a hydroxonium ion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for efficiently supplying a liquid with ions or radicals generated by plasma and so on, or for effectively sterilizing microorganisms present in a liquid or on the surface thereof. The method includes generating plasma in a gas phase by a plasma generation device, producing ions or radicals in the gas phase by the plasma; electrophoresing the ions or radicals toward the liquid by an electric field applied to the produced ions or radicals; and diffusing the ions or radicals into the liquid. The liquid is adjusted to have a pH value of 4.8 or lower for effective sterilization.

Abstract: For production of plasma from a medium gas mass in an elongated shape, electric field forming elements 3, 4 that form an electric field in the medium gas mass are provided. The electric field forming elements form an electric field so that partial discharge occurs from the electric field forming elements toward both sides in the longitudinal direction of the medium gas mass. Accordingly, plasma 5 is produced from the medium gas mass. The medium gas mass is formed by, for example, gas supply members 1,2 that guide medium gas, through an internal hollow, to the electric field forming elements. An electric field forming area includes, for example, at least one high-potential electrode 3 and a voltage applying unit 4 that applies a voltage to the high-potential electrode. Plasma limited in medium gas can be produced with high energy efficiency stably over a wide range of parameters through a simple configuration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for efficiently supplying a liquid with ions or radicals generated by plasma and so on, or for effectively sterilizing microorganisms present in a liquid or on the surface thereof. The method includes generating plasma in a gas phase by a plasma generation device, producing ions or radicals in the gas phase by the plasma; electrophoresing the ions or radicals toward the liquid by an electric field applied to the produced ions or radicals; and diffusing the ions or radicals into the liquid. The liquid is adjusted to have a pH value of 4.8 or lower for effective sterilization.

Abstract: A technique for reducing an electromagnetic noise entering an electrode or a drift of a signal due to a fluctuation in the ambient temperature is provided to improve the S/N ratio of a signal originating from a component of interest. A dummy electrode 11 having the same structure as an ion-collecting electrode 10 is provided within a lower gas passage 14 at a position where dilution gas with no sample gas mixed therein flows. A differential amplifier 14 is provided to perform differential detection between output A of a current amplifier 21 connected to the ion-collecting electrode 10 and output B of a current amplifier 22 connected to the dummy electrode 11. The differential signal is free from a common mode noise or drift and hence accurately reflects the amount of the component of interest.

Abstract: A discharge ionization current detector using a low-frequency dielectric barrier discharge with an improved S/N ratio is provided. A current detector 20 is disposed between an excitation high-voltage power source 8 and a discharge electrode 5 to detect a discharge current flowing in pulses due to plasma generation. The detection signal of the current detector 20 and an output signal from a current amplifier 18 for amplifying an ion current are inputted into an output extraction unit 21. The output extraction unit 21 detects a precipitous-rise portion of the discharge current detection signal and generates a trigger signal, and then extracts an ion current signal for a predetermined time period from the trigger signal. This can remove an influence of a noise appearing in a signal during a time period where no plasma emission is generated, thereby improving the S/N ratio of the detection signal.

Abstract: A dental clinical apparatus having a function which conventional instruments for dental treatment have not had and having a novel constitution. The dental clinical apparatus includes a syringe which has a fluid jetting system for dental treatment and a plasma jet applying means for producing a plasma jet from the end by allowing a low-frequency high-voltage power supply to apply a low-frequency high voltage between electrodes on the outer peripheral surface of a rare gas tube through which a rare gas having a low dielectric breakdown voltage under the atmospheric pressure is flowed, and thereby causing electrical discharge.

Abstract: To reduce the cost of a high-voltage power supply unit by reducing the discharge starting voltage for a low-frequency dielectric barrier discharge. Means for Solution: Light from light source unit 20 located externally to cylindrical tube 2 through which a plasma gas (He) flows is irradiated through the wall surface of the cylindrical tube 2 onto a plasma generation region (the region between plasma generation electrodes 6 and 7) located in gas flow path 4. The light energy excites the He molecules or the minute quantities of impurity gas molecules present in the He gas, causing photo-ionization. This causes a discharge to start, and a plasma to be formed, when a low-frequency voltage of a voltage that is less than the usual discharge starting voltage is applied across electrode 5 and electrodes 6, 7. Once the discharge starts, the discharge is sustained when the usual discharge sustaining voltage is applied across electrode 5 and electrodes 6, 7.

Abstract: A resin composition includes a fiber and a polyolefin resin and can provide a molded article having excellent mechanical strength such as flexural strength and impact resistance. The resin composition includes (i) a surface-treated fiber (A) which comprises 100 parts by weight of a fiber (A-I) comprising a polyalkylene terephthalate and/or a polyalkylene naphthalene dicarboxylate and 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a sizing agent (A-II) adhered to the surface of the fiber (A-I), and (ii) a polyolefin resin modified with an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or an unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative (a modified polyolefin resin (B)) as a resin component.

Abstract: A low-frequency high AC voltage from an excitation voltage power source (14) is applied between one electrode (8) and two other electrodes (9A and 9B) to generate a low-frequency AC-excited dielectric barrier discharge within a gas passage (3), thereby creating atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium micro-plasma. A sample gas is mixed with hydrogen inside the passage of a nozzle (51), and further mixed with air outside an exit port (53) to burn, forming a hydrogen flame (57). Then, the sample gas reaches an ionization area (56), where the sample components are ionized due to the effect of light emitted from the plasma. Meanwhile, water molecules generated in the hydrogen flame (57) are supplied into the ionization area (56), whereby some of the sample-molecule ions are hydrated while the others undergo a reaction to form a hydroxonium ion.

Abstract: A polyvinyl alcohol fiber-containing polyolefin resin composition, comprising: 1 to 70% by weight of polyvinyl alcohol fibers (A) containing 100 parts by weight of polyvinyl alcohol filaments (A-I) and 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a sizing agent (A-II); and 30 to 99% by weight of a polyolefin resin composition (I), wherein the polyolefin resin composition (I) contains 0.5 to 40% by weight of a modified polyolefin resin (B) produced by modifying a polyolefin resin with an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or an unsaturated carboxylic acid derivative and 60 to 99.5% by weight of a polyolefin resin (C) with respect to the total weight of the polyolefin resin composition (I).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to efficiently sterilize microorganisms present in or on a surface of a liquid. Plasma is generated in a vicinity of or in a manner to make contact with a liquid whose pH value is adjusted to become 4.8 or lower, more preferably 4.5 or lower. The plasma is generated in an atmospheric gas containing nitrogen, e.g., in the air. Superoxide anion radicals (O2?.) that are generated by the plasma react with protons (H+) in the liquid to form hydroperoxy radicals (HOO.). Further, nitrogen and oxygen included in the air are combined together by the action of plasma to form nitrogen oxide such as nitric oxide (NO.). The nitric oxide (NO.) combines with the hydroperoxy radicals (HOO.) to become peroxynitrite (ONOOH(ONOO?)) having a high microbiocidal activity.

Abstract: There is provided a polypropylene resin composition comprising 50 to 99% by weight of a resin (I) and 1 to 50% by weight of boehmite (C) having a BET specific surface area of 20 to 80 m2/g, c-length of 30 to 300 nm, and a ratio of a-axis length to b-axis length of 5 or more, the resin (I) containing 50 to 75% by weight of a polypropylene resin (A), which contains a propylene homopolymer and/or a propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing 1.0% by weight or less of ethylene units, and 25 to 50% by weight of an elastomer (B), provided that the total of the resin (I) and boehmite (C) is 100% by weight, and the total of the polypropylene resin (A) and the elastomer (B) is 100% by weight.

Abstract: There is provided a polypropylene resin composition comprising 50 to 99% by weight of a polypropylene resin (A), which contains a propylene homopolymer and/or a propylene-ethylene random copolymer containing 1.0% by weight or less of ethylene units, and 1 to 50% by weight of boehmite (B) having a BET specific surface area of 20 to 80 m2/g, c-axis length of 30 to 300 nm, and a ratio of a-axis length to b-axis length (a-axis length/b-axis length) of 5 or more, provided that the total of the polypropylene resin (A) and boehmite (B) is 100% by weight.

Abstract: For production of plasma from a medium gas mass in an elongated shape, electric field forming elements 3, 4 that form an electric field in the medium gas mass are provided. The electric field forming elements form an electric field so that partial discharge occurs from the electric field forming elements toward both sides in the longitudinal direction of the medium gas mass. Accordingly, plasma 5 is produced from the medium gas mass. The medium gas mass is formed by, for example, gas supply members 1,2 that guide medium gas, through an internal hollow, to the electric field forming elements. An electric field forming area includes, for example, at least one high-potential electrode 3 and a voltage applying unit 4 that applies a voltage to the high-potential electrode. Plasma limited in medium gas can be produced with high energy efficiency stably over a wide range of parameters through a simple configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composite material comprising: resin (I) comprising 10 to 99% by weight of a crystalline thermoplastic resin which is defined as component (A), and 1 to 90% by weight of a crystalline thermoplastic resin having a crystallization temperature lower than that of component (A) by at least 10° C., which resin is defined as component (B), and 5 to 400 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the resin (I), of fiber, which is defined as component (C), wherein the contents of the component (A) and the component (B) are each based on a combined content of these two components.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polyolefin resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of component (A), 0.001 to 10 parts by weight of component (B) and 0.01 to 100 parts by weight of component (C): component (A): polyolefin resin; component (B): carbon black which satisfies the following requirements (1) and (2): requirement (1): containing a volatile component in an amount of less than 0.2% by weight as measured by the method provided in JIS K6221; requirement (2): containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, copper, cobalt, aluminum, manganese and vanadium in an amount, based on the weight of the carbon black, of 4 ppm or less; component (C): stabilizer.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a crystalline thermoplastic polymer composition which exhibits higher stiffness. The present invention relates to a crystalline thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a crystalline thermoplastic polymer and a crystal nucleating agent coated aluminum hydroxide, the amount of the crystal nucleating agent coated aluminum hydroxide being from 1 to 20 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the crystalline thermoplastic polymer, the crystal nucleating agent coated aluminum hydroxide comprising anisotropic shaped aluminum hydroxide particles and a crystal nucleating agent coated on the surface of the anisotropic shaped aluminum hydroxide particles, the crystal nucleating agent coated aluminum hydroxide having a BET specific surface area of 20 to 150 m2/g.

Abstract: A crystalline thermoplastic resin composition containing a crystalline thermoplastic resin, acicular aluminum hydroxide having a BET specific surface area of from 10 m2/g to 100 m2/g and a nucleating agent in which a weight ratio (A/B) of the aluminum hydroxide (A) to the nucleating agent (B) is 40 or less.

Abstract: Acicular boehmite having a BET specific surface area of at 20 to 80 m2/g, a dioctyl phthalate oil absorption of 200 to 600 cm3/100 g, a minor axis length of 30 to 300 nm and an aspect ratio of 5 to 50, which may be produced by hydrothermally reacting aluminum hydroxide powder at a temperature of 160 to 250° C. in an aqueous solution having pH of 4 to 6 and containing 0.1 to 5 mol/L of a salt of a metal ion selected from magnesium ion, manganese ion and zinc ion and an anion selected from carboxylate ion, nitrate ion and sulfate ion.