Abstract: Provided are an electrode binder for lithium secondary batteries, which is suppressed in deterioration in adhesive power, strength and stretchability caused by decomposition of imide groups by hydrolysis, said imide groups being contained in a polyamide-imide that is used as a binder for an electrode active material, and which is capable of prolonging the service life of a lithium secondary battery by suppressing deterioration of an electrode even in cases where water is generated due to repeated charging and discharging; a negative electrode for lithium secondary batteries; a lithium secondary battery; a method for manufacturing a lithium secondary battery having long service life, said lithium secondary battery being suppressed in deterioration of an electrode even in cases where water is generated due to repeated charging and discharging; a method for producing an electrode binder for lithium secondary batteries; and an automobile.

Abstract: Provided is a negative electrode active material for a lithium secondary cell, the material having the function of a binder for the active material, and being capable of stable reversible reactions with lithium. Also, provided are an extended-life lithium secondary cell having improved energy density and stable charge/discharge, and a method for producing the same. The negative electrode active material for a lithium secondary cell is polyimide represented by formula (1) (wherein R1 and R2 independently denote an alkyl, alkoxy, acyl, phenyl, or phenoxy group).

Abstract: The object of an exemplary embodiment of the invention is to provide a separator for an electric storage device which has small thermal shrinkage under high-temperature environment, and in which the increase of the battery temperature can be suppressed. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a separator for an electric storage device, which comprises a cellulose derivative represented by a prescribed formula. The separator for an electric storage device can be obtained, for example, by treating a cellulose separator containing cellulose with a phosphate or a phosphite.

Abstract: Provided is an electricity storage device that is able to suppress the reaction between an electrolyte contained in an electrolyte solution and a current collector, corrosion of the current collector, deterioration of the electrolyte solution, and reduction in energy capacity, and that has high potential, excellent stability and durability, and is highly reliable. The electricity storage device has a positive electrode having a positive-electrode active material layer on a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode having a negative-electrode active material layer on a negative electrode current collector, a separator, and an electrolyte solution. The positive electrode current collector and/or the negative electrode current collector has a corrosion suppression film on the surface thereof, and a thickness of the corrosion suppression film is 50 nm or more.

Abstract: An aperture stop is arranged on the reduction side of the most reduction-side lens element in a fourth group; during zooming from the tele-end to the wide-end through a middle position that fulfills conditional formula 0.99<fm/(ft×fw)½<1.01, first and fifth groups remain stationary, the composite power of third and fourth groups is constantly positive, and the third and fourth groups move from the enlargement side to the reduction side, satisfying conditional formulae: 7<?TM3/|?TM2|, 7<?TW3/|?TW2|, 7<?TM4/|?TM2|, 7<?TW4/|?TW2|, 0.9<?TM4/?TM3<1.1, 0.9<?TW4/?TW<1.1 (ft, fm, and fw are the entire-system focal lengths at the tele-end, the middle position, and the wide-end; ?TM2-4 are the movement amounts of the second to fourth groups from the tele-end to the middle position; and ?TW2-4 are the movement amounts of the second to fourth groups from the tele-end to the wide-end).

Abstract: There are provided: a shape-memory resin, which is formed from a polylactic acid derivative thereby enabling reduction of an environmental load, has an excellent shape-memory property, high strength, and high toughness, and with which a molded product with high durability, for example, an electronic equipments, particularly a wearable electronic equipments capable of freely changing the shape thereof or the like, can be shaped; and a molded product thereof. The shape-memory resin of the present invention has a three-dimensional structure, in which a polylactic acid derivative having two or more functional groups capable of forming a cross-linking site is cross-linked using a flexible polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) lower than 30° C. and having two or more functional groups capable of forming a cross-linking site, and a linker.

Abstract: A variable-focal-length lens system for projection which achieves focusing by movement of the entire system has a second to a fourth lens group as focal-length-varying lens groups and a first lens group as a distance-compensation lens group. The second to fourth lens groups individually move in the optical axis direction to vary the group-to-group distances so as to vary the focal length of the entire system. During focusing, the first lens group moves in the optical axis direction such that, as the projection distance varies from a remote distance to a close distance, curvature of field varies to the under side.

Abstract: Provided is a polylactic acid-based polyol composition in which a catalyst that remains in the polylactic acid-based polyol and that acts also as a catalyst for urethane formation has been deactivated by easy means. Thus, the polylactic acid-based polyol composition suffers from little influence of the catalyst on urethane formation. When the polylactic acid-based polyol composition is used as a raw material for a urethane resin, therefore, uniform molded products can be obtained. Also provided are a process for the production of the polylactic acid-based polyol composition, a urethane resin composition obtained using the polylactic acid-based polyol composition, a process for the production of the same, and molded products thereof.

Abstract: A biodegradable resin having sufficient heat resistance, molding property and recycling property can be obtained, without losing biodegradability, by introducing a covalently bonded and thermo-reversible cross-linked structure into a biodegradable resin. Heat resistance, molding property, recycling property and biodegradability can be further improved, if necessary, by setting the cleaving temperature of a cross-linked structure in a given range, selecting the kind of a cross-linked structure, and making a three-dimensional cross-linked structure.

Abstract: A flame-retardant thermoplastic resin composition comprising at least a plant-derived resin (A) and a flame retardant (B), wherein the weight proportions of the individual components in the flame-retardant thermoplastic resin composition are: 30?W1<55.5 44.5<X1?70 wherein W1 is the percentage by mass of the plant-derived resin (A) and X1 is the percentage by mass of the flame retardant (B), and 90% by mass or more of the flame retardant (B) is composed of a metal hydrate containing an alkali metal-based substance in an amount of 0.2% by mass or less.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flame-retardant resin composition which comprises inorganic particles, preferably a fly ash, containing a complex of silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide and having D50 of 1 to 10 ?m.

Abstract: The subject of the present invention is to provide a steam generator constructed small in size. A steam generator 20 of the present invention is composed of a cylindrical steam generation vessel 30 having a steam generation portion 31 formed to store an amount of water for generating steam and a steam passage 32 formed on the upper end of the steam generation portion for spouting steam generated in the steam generation portion, a heater element 40 disposed within the steam generation vessel 30, and an induction heating coil wound around the periphery of the steam generation vessel 30 for energizing the heater element. The heater element 40 is energized by supply of electric power to the heating coil so that steam generated by boiling of the water in the steam generation portion spouts upward from the steam passage.

Abstract: Object Provide a cooking device with a steam generating device having a reduced size and capable of producing steam in a short time. Means of Solution A cooking apparatus comprising a cooking chamber for accommodating foodstuff in its interior for cooking, a heater for heating interior of said cooking chamber and an electric fan for generating convectional flow of air heated by said heater in said cooking chamber, characterized in that, an induction heating type steam generating device for supply steam into said cooking chamber is disposed on the side wall of said cooking chamber, wherein said steam generating device comprises a steam generating vessel which store prescribed amount of water, an induction heater body disposed in said steam generating vessel for heating water and an induction heating coil wound around outer peripheral of said steam generating vessel for heating said induction heater.

Abstract: Object A cooking apparatus, wherein, independent of the quantity and the temperature of the foodstuff contained in a cooking chamber of the cooking apparatus, the food stuff can be cooked in a consistent time period by initial-heating processing and main-heating processing. Means of Solution A cooking device is provided with a controller for performing initial-heating processing before a transition to main-heating processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides carboxymethylcellulose or a salt thereof that can prevent defects such as streaks and pinholes from occurring in the obtained electrode when it is used as a binder for an electrode of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The present invention provides carboxymethylcellulose or a salt thereof of which ratio of a dry mass A to a dry mass B is less than 50 ppm when 2 liters of a 0.3 mass % aqueous solution of the dry mass B of the carboxymethylcellulose or a salt thereof is prepared, the entire amount of the aqueous solution is filtrated through a 250-mesh filter under a reduced pressure of ?200 mmHg, and the dry mass A of a residue on the filter is measured after filtration. The applications of the carboxymethylcellulose or a salt thereof are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polylactic acid resin composition having excellent bleed resistance and molecular weight retention ratio. A polylactic acid resin molded body is also disclosed. The polylactic acid resin composition contains a polylactic acid resin (a), a metal hydrate (b) having an alkali metal-containing substance content of not more than 0.2% by mass, and a phosphazene derivative (c). The polylactic acid resin molded body is obtained by molding the polylactic acid resin composition. Specifically, a polylactic acid molded body can be produced by filling a melt of the polylactic acid resin composition into a mold at a temperature in the range from glass transition temperature of said polylactic acid resin (a) to 110° C. and molding the melt therein.

Abstract: An anamorphic converter includes, from a projected-surface side, a first group and a second group. The first group includes one or more lens elements and has a negative power at least in a main magnification direction. The second group includes one or more lens elements and has a positive power at least in the main magnification direction. Of optical surfaces, a last surface of the first group and a first surface of the second group: [1] have a power in both main magnification and sub-magnification directions; [2] are convex toward the projected-surface side in both main magnification and sub-magnification directions in a region having an area that is ¼ or more of an optical effective region area including a center portion of each of the last and first optical surfaces; and [3] at least one of the last and first optical surfaces is a free curved surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polylactic acid resin composition, containing a polylactic acid resin and a metal hydrate surface-treated with at least one silane coupling agent selected from an amino-silane coupling agent, a mercapto-silane coupling agent and an isocyanate-silane coupling agent, wherein the content of an alkali metal component in the metal hydrate is not more than 0.2% by mass and a polylactic acid resin molded article produced by molding the polylactic acid resin composition.

Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus (1) comprises a focus correction system (30). The system includes a temperature detection mechanism (16) for measuring temperature in the vicinity of a projection lens group (13), a correction amount calculation unit (18) for calculating a correction amount for correcting the focus shift caused by a temperature change, and a driving signal generation unit (19) for generating, based on the correction amount, a driving signal for driving a focus adjustment mechanism (15). If the user performs a focus adjustment using a focus operation input unit (23), a focus operation determination unit (21) determines that a focus adjustment has occurred independently of the focus correction system and changes a correction condition stored in a memory (20).

Abstract: A flame-retardant thermoplastic resin composition comprising at least a plant-derived resin (A) and a flame retardant (B), wherein the weight proportions of the individual components in the flame-retardant thermoplastic resin composition are: 30?W1<55.5 44.5<X1?70 wherein W1 is the percentage by mass of the plant-derived resin (A) and X1 is the percentage by mass of the flame retardant (B), and 90% by mass or more of the flame retardant (B) is composed of a metal hydrate containing an alkali metal-based substance in an amount of 0.2% by mass or less.