Abstract: Disclosed is an aerogel, having, on the surface of the aerogel, at least one type of dialkyldisiloxane bond serving as a hydrophobic group, and/or at least one type of crosslinked disiloxane bond serving as a hydrophobic group. Further disclosed is a material serving as at least one material selected from among a heat-insulation material, a sound-absorbing material, a water-repellant material, and an adsorption material, and this material includes the above-mentioned aerogel. Yet further disclosed is a method for producing the above-mentioned aerogel.

Abstract: Heat-insulation materials that can be placed along the lines of heat sources, heat-insulation structures using the same, and processes for producing the same. A heat-insulation material, that includes: fiber sheets that each have fibers and an aerogel and that have different sizes; and at least one covering material that covers the fiber sheets, or at least one elastic material that includes the fiber sheets. The at least one covering material may include a first covering material and a second covering material.

Abstract: An object of the disclosure is to provide heat insulation materials that combine high heat insulation properties realizing effective heat insulation, and flame retardancy realizing prevention of fire spreading, and devices using the same. In order to achieve this object, disclosed are heat insulation materials, including: a silica xerogel; a carbon material; unwoven fabric fibers that retains the silica xerogel, and the carbon material. Further disclosed are devices, including the above-described heat insulation material, wherein the heat insulation material serves as a part of a heat-insulation or refrigeration structure, or is placed between a heat-producing component and a casing.

Abstract: A composite sheet includes a graphite layer, a heat insulation layer including a fiber and a heat insulation material and a fiber layer located between the graphite layer and the heat insulation layer, wherein the fiber layer comprises the fiber. An electronic apparatus includes an electronic component that involves heat generation, a housing and the composite sheet, wherein the composite sheet is placed between the electronic component and the housing.

Abstract: A seat heater that is a seat including: a planer heating element that has a plurality of electric heating wires on its upper surface and that includes a fiber layer; a cushion member that locates over a lower surface of the planer heating element; and a skin that locates above the planer heating element, wherein the planer heating element has, in voids of the fiber layer, a silica aerogel that is a silica porous body having pores with a mean pore diameter of 10 nm to 68 nm.

Abstract: A heat-insulation sheet includes a first silica xerogel layer, a second silica xerogel layer, and a composite layer. The first silica xerogel layer includes a first silica xerogel, and the second silica xerogel layer includes a second silica xerogel. The composite layer is located between the first silica xerogel layer and the second silica xerogel layer, and includes at least one type of unwoven fabric fibers, and a third silica xerogel. The third silica xerogel is located in a spatial volume of the unwoven fabric fibers.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing an aerogel, an acid is added to a first aqueous high-molar-ratio silicate solution that includes silica particles having a mean particle diameter of from 1 nm to 10 nm and that is alkaline, to produce a gel. The gel is subjected to a dehydration condensation to obtain a hydrogel. The hydrogel is converted into a hydrophobized gel. Then, the hydrophobized gel is dried. According to the method, an aerogel having a pore volume of from 3.00 cc/g to 10 cc/g, a mean pore diameter of from 10 nm to 68 nm, and a specific surface area of from 200 m2/g to 475 m2/g can be prepared.

Abstract: A method for producing a silica aerogel, includes: (i) adding an electroconductive polymer to the sol of an aqueous alkaline silicate solution to convert the sol to a gel; (ii) aging the gel to cause said gel to grow; (iii) hydrophobizing the gel; and (iv) drying the gel. Further provided is a silica aerogel including an electroconductive polymer. Still further provided is a heat-insulation material, including the above-described silica aerogel and fibers.

Abstract: A xerogel production method includes: adding, to water glass, a basic silicic acid solution having a sol with a particle size between a particle size of the water glass and a particle size of colloidal silica, to acidify and solate the water glass, and polycondensing the solated water glass at 20° C. to 90° C., to obtain a hydrogel; growing the hydrogel by leaving the hydrogel for a certain time period at a constant temperature; hydrophobizing the hydrogel; and drying the hydrophobized hydrogel.

Abstract: An alkoxysilane containing reactive organic functional groups is prepared as one of raw materials. The reactive organic functional groups are caused to react to bond with each other in advance so as to form an oligomer. The oligomer is swollen in an alkoxysilane of an identical or different kind, so that a sol solution is prepared and the sol solution is cured through a sol-gel reaction.

Abstract: A composite sheet includes: a graphite layer that is disposed on a high temperature portion; an aerogel layer that is disposed on a low temperature portion; and an adhesive layer to which the graphite layer and the aerogel layer are fixed, in which the adhesive layer is formed of a water-based adhesive. The water-based adhesive layer is formed of an adhesive containing water as a solvent or an adhesive containing water as a raw material. The water-based adhesive layer includes gaps.

Abstract: A heat insulation sheet includes, as a substrate, a silica aerogel with low heat conductivity and high mechanical strength In a hydrophobization reaction of a hydrogel, a silane coupling agent having a reactive organic functional group is used to conduct hydrophobization, and, after volatilization of a solvent in a drying step, the temperature is elevated to 100° C. or higher that is a reaction-starting temperature, thereby reacting and bonding the reactive functional group and a fiber to each other. This allows prevention of detachment or loss of fine particles of silica xerogel from the unwoven fabric fiber.

Abstract: A seat heater that is a seat including: a planer heating element that has a plurality of electric heating wires on its upper surface and that includes a fiber layer; a cushion member that locates over a lower surface of the planer heating element; and a skin that locates above the planer heating element, wherein the planer heating element has, in voids of the fiber layer, a silica aerogel that is a silica porous body having pores with a mean pore diameter of 10 nm to 68 nm.

Abstract: A composite sheet includes a graphite layer, a heat insulation layer including a fiber and a heat insulation material and a fiber layer located between the graphite layer and the heat insulation layer, wherein the fiber layer comprises the fiber. An electronic apparatus includes an electronic component that involves heat generation, a housing and the composite sheet, wherein the composite sheet is placed between the electronic component and the housing.

Abstract: A xerogel production method includes: adding, to water glass, a basic silicic acid solution having a sol with a particle size between a particle size of the water glass and a particle size of colloidal silica, to acidify and solate the water glass, and polycondensing the solated water glass at 20° C. to 90° C., to obtain a hydrogel; growing the hydrogel by leaving the hydrogel for a certain time period at a constant temperature; hydrophobizing the hydrogel; and drying the hydrophobized hydrogel.

Abstract: An alkoxysilane containing reactive organic functional groups is prepared as one of raw materials. The reactive organic functional groups are caused to react to bond with each other in advance so as to form an oligomer. The oligomer is swollen in an alkoxysilane of an identical or different kind, so that a sol solution is prepared and the sol solution is cured through a sol-gel reaction.

Abstract: A composite sheet includes: a graphite layer that is disposed on a high temperature portion; an aerogel layer that is disposed on a low temperature portion; and an adhesive layer to which the graphite layer and the aerogel layer are fixed, in which the adhesive layer is formed of a water-based adhesive. The water-based adhesive layer is formed of an adhesive containing water as a solvent or an adhesive containing water as a raw material. The water-based adhesive layer includes gaps.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition for an organic EL thin film, that is, an ink composition for the formation of an organic EL thin film including an organic EL material, a liquid crystalline compound with a bandgap of 3.5 eV or more, and a solvent having an organic compound. Furthermore, the liquid crystalline compound preferably contains no functional group of —CN, —OH, or —F. Moreover, the liquid crystalline compound preferably has a molecular dipole moment of 4.0 debyes or less.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition for an organic EL thin film, that is, an ink composition for the formation of an organic EL thin film including an organic EL material, a liquid crystalline compound with a bandgap of 3.5 eV or more, and a solvent having an organic compound. Furthermore, the liquid crystalline compound preferably contains no functional group of —CN, —OH, or —F. Moreover, the liquid crystalline compound preferably has a molecular dipole moment of 4.0 debyes or less.

Abstract: Provided are a novel compound that is mesogenic or liquid crystalline and has a high charge mobility, liquid crystal compositions comprising the compound, charge transport materials containing the same, and various elements using the charge transport materials. The novel compound is a 1,4-dithienylbenzene derivatives represented by the following general formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, provided that R1 and R2 are not simultaneously a hydrogen atom; and A represents an optionally substituted benzene ring.