Abstract: A complex that includes a metal fine particle dispersant including a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000; and a metal fine particle, wherein the metal fine particle includes platinum (Pt) or palladium (Pd), the metal fine particle dispersant includes a branched polymer compound of Formula (1):

Abstract: A complex that includes a metal fine particle dispersant including a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000; and a metal fine particle, wherein the metal fine particle includes platinum (Pt) or palladium (Pd), the metal fine particle dispersant includes a branched polymer compound of Formula (1):

Abstract: There is provided an optical waveguide which has appropriate orientation properties, a production process of which is simple so as to be suitable for producing an electro-optical element, and is able to reduce power consumption of the element due to excellent electro-optical properties, and further can be formed into a thin film and be layered; and a material for the optical waveguide. A cladding material of an optical waveguide, characterized by comprising a polymer compound including a triarylamine structure, and a nonlinear optical compound; and an optical waveguide produced by using the cladding material.

Abstract: There is provided a novel production method of a chlorinated hyperbranched polymer that is optically stable and is capable of derivatizing the chlorinated hyperbranched polymer into various compounds. A production method of a chlorinated hyperbranched polymer for producing a chlorinated hyperbranched polymer of Formula (1): {where X is a chlorine atom; R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and A1 is a phenylene-alkylene group, n is the number of repeating unit structures and is an integer of 2 to 100,000}, comprising the step of substituting a dithiocarbamate group of a hyperbranched polymer of Formula (3): (where R1, A1, and n are the same as defined in Formula (1); and each of R2 and R3 is a C1-5 alkyl group, a C1-5 hydroxyalkyl group, or a C7-12 arylalkyl group, or R2 and R3 optionally form a ring together with a nitrogen atom bonded to R2 and R3) with a chlorine atom using sulfuryl chloride.

Abstract: There is provided a polymer matrix that can suppress the orientational relaxation of an organic nonlinear optical compound, and a composition containing this polymer matrix and an organic nonlinear optical compound, and an optical material obtained by using the composition. A composition including: a norbornene imide polymer having a structural unit of Formula [1]; and an organic nonlinear optical compound: (where R1 is a C1-12 alkyl group optionally having a substituent or a C6-10 aryl group optionally having a substituent).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a polymer structure comprising: mixing and unifying a matrix polymer made of a linear polymer and a highly-branched polymer having hydrophilic functional groups at molecular ends and to form a structure containing the matrix polymer and the highly-branched polymer; and subjecting the obtained structure to either immersion in water and/or a hydrophilic solvent or exposure to an atmosphere of vapor of water and/or a hydrophilic solvent at a temperature ranging from a temperature lower than Tg of the matrix polymer by 30° C. to decomposition temperature of the matrix polymer; wherein the hydrophilic functional groups at the molecular ends of the highly-branched polymer are distributed in outermost surface of the polymer structure at an enhanced density. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a polymer structure in which vinyl polymer chains are grafted to at least a part of the hydrophilic functional groups.

Abstract: There is provided a switching element including two electrodes and an organic bistable material sandwiched between the electrodes, which is expected to be applied to an organic memory element or the like. A switching element which includes: two electrodes; and an organic thin film containing a metal fine particle and interposed between the electrodes, and which exhibits such a current bistability that the switching element has two stable resistance values in response to a voltage applied, the switching element characterized in that the metal fine particle is dispersed in the organic thin film with a metal fine particle-dispersing agent containing a polymer having a dithiocarbamate group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000.

Abstract: A metal fine particle dispersant for forming a disperse system of metal fine particles, the metal fine particle dispersant having a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000.

Abstract: There is provided an optical waveguide which has appropriate orientation properties, a production process of which is simple so as to be suitable for producing an electro-optical element, and is able to reduce power consumption of the element due to excellent electro-optical properties, and further can be formed into a thin film and be layered; and a material for the optical waveguide. A cladding material of an optical waveguide, characterized by comprising a polymer compound including a triarylamine structure, and a nonlinear optical compound; and an optical waveguide produced by using the cladding material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochromic polymer compound composed of a hyperbranched polymer having electrochromic characteristics derived from a quaternary pyridinium salt, a terephthalic acid diester or a biphenyl-4,4?-diester structure, and a varnish, a thin film structure and an electrochromic device that are obtained by the polymer compound. The electrochromic material has high response speed, high coloring efficiency, and excellent repetition stability and can be used for a long time, and has excellent solubility in various solvents.

Abstract: There is provided a metal fine particle dispersant containing a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group. The metal fine particle dispersant of the present invention comprises a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000. The metal fine particle dispersant has the structure of Formula (1): The present invention also relates to a composition comprising the metal fine particle dispersant and a metal fine particle.

Abstract: There is provided a novel production method of a chlorinated hyperbranched polymer that is optically stable and is capable of derivatizing the chlorinated hyperbranched polymer into various compounds. A production method of a chlorinated hyperbranched polymer for producing a chlorinated hyperbranched polymer of Formula (1): {where X is a chlorine atom; R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and A1 is a phenylene-alkylene group, n is the number of repeating unit structures and is an integer of 2 to 100,000}, comprising the step of substituting a dithiocarbamate group of a hyperbranched polymer of Formula (3): (where R1, A1, and n are the same as defined in Formula (1); and each of R2 and R3 is a C1-5 alkyl group, a C1-5 hydroxyalkyl group, or a C7-12 arylalkyl group, or R2 and R3 optionally form a ring together with a nitrogen atom bonded to R2 and R3) with a chlorine atom using sulfuryl chloride.

Abstract: There are provided surface-modified fine fibers that preserve the inherent physical properties of a matrix polymer, the surface of which is efficiently modified, that can be easily produced, and that are formed by an electrospinning method from a spinning material that is a resin composition including a fluorine-containing highly branched polymer (a) and a thermoplastic resin (b); a method for producing the fiber; and a method for modifying the surface of fine fibers.

Abstract: There is provided a hyperbranched polymer having a nitroxyl group. A hyperbranched polymer comprising at least one organic radical structure (nitroxyl group) of Formula (1), Formula (2) or Formula (3): and having a weight average molecular weight measured by gel permeation chromatography in a converted molecular weight as polystyrene of 500 to 5,000,000.

Abstract: There is provided a metal fine particle dispersant containing a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group. The metal fine particle dispersant of the present invention comprises a branched polymer compound having an ammonium group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000. The metal fine particle dispersant has the structure of Formula (1): The present invention also relates to a composition comprising the metal fine particle dispersant and a metal fine particle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochromic polymer compound composed of a hyperbranched polymer having electrochromic characteristics derived from a quaternary pyridinium salt, a terephthalic acid diester or a biphenyl-4,4?-diester structure, and a varnish, a thin film structure and an electrochromic device that are obtained by the polymer compound. The electrochromic material has high response speed, high coloring efficiency, and excellent repetition stability and can be used for a long time, and has excellent solubility in various solvents.

Abstract: There is provided a switching element including two electrodes and an organic bistable material sandwiched between the electrodes, which is expected to be applied to an organic memory element or the like. A switching element which includes: two electrodes; and an organic thin film containing a metal fine particle and interposed between the electrodes, and which exhibits such a current bistability that the switching element has two stable resistance values in response to a voltage applied, the switching element characterized in that the metal fine particle is dispersed in the organic thin film with a metal fine particle-dispersing agent containing a polymer having a dithiocarbamate group and having a weight average molecular weight of 500 to 5,000,000.

Abstract: There is provided a hyperbranched polymer having a nitroxyl group. A hyperbranched polymer comprising at least one organic radical structure (nitroxyl group) of Formula (1), Formula (2) or Formula (3): and having a weight average molecular weight measured by gel permeation chromatography in a converted molecular weight as polystyrene of 500 to 5,000,000.

Abstract: A hyperbranched polymer containing, for example, a triarylamine structure represented by the formulae (10) to (13) below as a repeating unit, and having a weight average molecular weight of 750 to 4,000,000 is excellent in dissolving ability to carbon nanotubes. Consequently, by using such a hyperbranched polymer as a solubilizer, there can be obtained a composition wherein isolated carbon nanotubes are dissolved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a polymer structure comprising: mixing and unifying a matrix polymer made of a linear polymer and a highly-branched polymer having hydrophilic functional groups at molecular ends and to form a structure containing the matrix polymer and the highly-branched polymer; and subjecting the obtained structure to either immersion in water and/or a hydrophilic solvent or exposure to an atmosphere of vapor of water and/or a hydrophilic solvent at a temperature ranging from a temperature lower than Tg of the matrix polymer by 30° C. to decomposition temperature of the matrix polymer; wherein the hydrophilic functional groups at the molecular ends of the highly-branched polymer are distributed in outermost surface of the polymer structure at an enhanced density. The present invention also relates to a process for producing a polymer structure in which vinyl polymer chains are grafted to at least a part of the hydrophilic functional groups.