Abstract: Problems: To easily and efficiently obtain a high quality (meth)acrylate-based polymer containing small residual amount of metal components (an aluminum component, an alkali metal component and other metal components) and having high purity and excellent properties such as heat resistance, transparency and others. Means for Solving the Problems: The present invention provides a method of obtaining a (meth)acrylate-based polymer by adding an acid to a reaction solution containing the (meth)acrylate-based polymer obtained by polymerizing a (meth)acrylate-based monomer in a water-insoluble organic solvent in the presence of a metal compound such as a metal-containing polymerization initiator, an organoaluminum compound and the like, washing the reaction solution to which the acid has been added by admixing water at 90° C.

Abstract: [Problems] To provide a thermoplastic elastomer composition which can tightly adhere to a resin having a polar group without the need of using any adhesive and is excellent in water resistance, rubber properties and moldability, or to provide a composite molded article manufactured from the composition. [Means for Solving Problems] A thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising: (a) 100 parts by mass of a styrene block copolymer constituted by a [vinyl aromatic polymer block (A1)]-[hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer block (A2)]-[vinyl aromatic polymer block (A1)]; (b) 2 to 1000 parts by mass of an acrylic block copolymer having a methacrylic acid ester polymer block (B3) and an acrylic acid ester polymer block (B1); and (c) 2 to 200 parts by mass of a block copolymer containing a hydrophilic group; and a composite resin molded article manufactured by compositing the thermoplastic elastomer composition with a thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a fuel cell separator in which at least a portion of a premolded article composed of a thermosetting resin and a carbon material, or a thermoplastic resin and a carbon material is provided with hydrophilicity, including the steps of: (1) treating the premolded article for enhancing affinity with a solution of a radically polymerizable monomer having a hydrophilic group and/or a functional group which can be converted into a hydrophilic group; (2) coating the solution of the radically polymerizable monomer having a hydrophilic group and/or a functional group which can be converted into a hydrophilic group, on the treated surface; (3) irradiating the treated surface with ionizing radiation; and (4) cleaning the fuel cell separator obtained through steps 1 to 3; wherein steps 1 to 4 are sequentially carried out, or step 1, step 3, step 2, and step 4 are sequentially carried out.

Abstract: A fuel cell system (100) includes: a circulation pump (50) provided on a fuel gas circulation channel (27) so as to circulate a fuel gas; a pump temperature detection portion (420) that detects a temperature of the circulation pump (50); a warmup portion that warms up the circulation pump; a pump control portion (410) that drives the circulation pump; and a breakdown determination portion (450) that determines whether the circulation pump has broken. At the start of the fuel cell system, if the pump temperature detected by the pump temperature detection portion (420) is below the melting point of water, the warmup portion warms the circulation pump, and the pump control portion (410) drives the circulation pump (50). If the pump temperature is higher than or equal to the melting point of water and the rotation speed of the circulation pump (50) is less than a predetermined speed, the breakdown determination portion (450) determines that the circulation pump (50) has broken.

Abstract: To provide a fuel cell system which controls pressure of reaction gas based upon a load reduction request of a fuel cell so that moisture inside the fuel cell can be efficiently discharged. The fuel cell system comprises: a fuel cell which receives a supply of anode gas containing hydrogen at an anode and also receives a supply of cathode gas containing oxygen at a cathode, to generate power; a cathode off-gas flow path for flowing cathode off-gas exhausted from the cathode; a pressure regulator for regulating pressure of the cathode, which is arranged in the cathode off-gas flow path; and controlling means for controlling the pressure regulator such that the pressure of the cathode temporarily becomes lower than a prescribed target pressure value in the case of reducing the pressure of the cathode to the target pressure value based upon an output reduction request of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A continuous production process, which can allow polymerization to proceed at a milder polymerization temperature and a higher polymerization speed as compared with the conventional method while maintaining a high level of living properties and can produce an (meth)acrylic ester (co)polymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution in a high yield with good productivity. The continuous production process for producing an (meth)acrylic ester (co)polymer comprises the step of continuously feeding an organoaluminum compound-containing polymerization initiator solution and an (meth)acrylic ester into a reactor to continuously obtain a living polymer-containing polymer reaction liquid.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive composition containing a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer has a polymer block (A) which is principally composed of a ?-methyl styrene unit, and a polymer block (B) which is principally composed of a conjugated diene unit and of which at least part of carbon-carbon unsaturated double bonds may be hydrogenated, and having a good holding power at high temperatures.

Abstract: A lubricating oil additive containing at least one acrylic block copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 1,000,000 and a molecular weight distribution [ratio of weight-average molecular weight (Mw) to number-average molecular weight (Mn), i.e., Mw/Mn ratio] of 1.5 or below; and lubricating oil compositions containing the additive. The lubricating oil additive exhibits a thickening effect higher than those of conventional acrylic lubricating oil additives and can improve the viscosity index of lubricating oil even when added in a small amount. Further, the additive can also improve the low-temperature characteristics, flow characteristics, and shear stability. The lubricating oil compositions enable energy saving and can lengthen the lifetime of lubricating oil and reduce the load on the global environment.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus includes an electric motor, a temperature sensor, and a control unit. The electric motor produces an assist steering effort in a steering system. The temperature sensor measures a temperature of a first portion subject to thermal influence of operation of the electric motor. The control unit determines an estimated temperature of a second portion in accordance with a value of a motor current, the second portion being subject to thermal influence of operation of the electric motor. The control unit determines a first upper limit value in accordance with the measured temperature; determines a second upper limit value in accordance with the estimated temperature; limit the motor current to a smaller one of the first and second upper limit values, when determining that the temperature sensor is normal; limit the motor current to the second upper limit value, when determining that the temperature sensor is abnormal.

Abstract: A data recording method for calculating a digital sum value (DSV) corresponding to a proportion of positive data and negative data included in predetermined data ranges, selecting a resync pattern to be inserted between the data ranges according to the DSV, and inserting the selected resync pattern between the data ranges, has a step of selecting a resync pattern that minimizes differences in DSV between the data ranges.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a conductive resin composition which does not cause problems with regard to moldability such as occurrence of separation between a resin component and a conductive filler, voids and warp on molding, and is excellent in filling of a resin into a mold, and is also capable of being used for various electrical and electronic materials, including a separator for a fuel cell having excellent properties.

Abstract: A clock adjustment apparatus for adjusting a phase of a clock signal based on a phase error thereof is provided in a data reproduction system which samples a readout signal from a recording medium in synchronism with the clock signal, and reproduces data in accordance with a Viterbi algorithm by using sampled values of the readout signal. The recording medium is recorded with the data modulated in accordance with a recording rule of a predetermined partial response characteristic. The clock adjustment apparatus includes a phase error calculation circuit which calculates the phase error of the clock signal based on the sampled values of the readout signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a nonwoven fabric comprising fiber primarily formed of a (meth)acrylic-based block copolymer, wherein the (meth)acrylic-based block copolymer is a specific tri-block copolymer. The invention can provide a nonwoven fabric with excellent light resistance, weather resistance, durability, flexibility and stretchability.

Abstract: An acrylic diblock copolymer of the general formula (I) useful in producing pressure-sensitive adhesives which are improved in cohesive force, tack and hot-melt applicability without impairing the heat resistance and weather resistance; and pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions containing the copolymer: X·Y (I) in which X is a polymer block composed of alkyl methacrylate units wherein the alkyl is one having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or one having a cyclic structure; Y is a polymer block composed of alkyl acrylate units wherein the alkyl has 1 to 20 carbon atoms and/or alkyl methacrylate units wherein the alkyl has 5 to 20 carbon atoms; the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of X is 1,000 to 8,000; and the X/Y mass ratio ranges from 1/99 to 10/90.

Abstract: A block copolymer is obtained by anionic polymerization, includes two or more polymer blocks A miscible with each other, and at least one (meth)acrylic ester polymer block B immiscible with the polymer blocks A, has a ratio [Mn(Amax)/Mn(Amin)] of 2 or more, wherein the ratio [Mn(Amax)/Mn(Amin)] is the ratio of the largest number average molecular weight [Mn(Amax)] to the smallest number average molecular weight [Mn(Amin)] among the polymer blocks A, has at least one block bonding including polymer block Amax-polymer block B-polymer block Amin, and has a total content of the polymer blocks A ranging from 20 wt % to 45 wt % based on the total mass of the block copolymer. This invention provides block copolymers having two or more polymer blocks A miscible with each other and at least one (meth)acrylic ester polymer block B immiscible with the polymer blocks A and exhibiting satisfactory flexibility, melt fluidity, moldability, coatability, mechanical properties, and other properties.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an acrylic acid ester polymer, includes carrying out polymerization of an acrylic acid ester or block copolymerization of an acrylic acid ester and another (meth)acrylic monomer in the presence of an organolithium compound and an organoaluminum compound represented by the following formula (I): AlR1R2R3??(I) wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having at least 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having at least 3 carbon atoms or an aryloxy group, R2 and R3 each independently represent an aryloxy group or may be coupled together to form an arylenedioxy group. The process makes it possible to heighten the reaction rate and living properties upon polymerization and heighten the block formation efficiency upon block copolymerization.

Abstract: A data recording method for calculating a digital sum value (DSV) corresponding to a proportion of positive data and negative data included in predetermined data ranges, selecting a resync pattern to be inserted between the data ranges according to the DSV, and inserting the selected resync pattern between the data ranges, has a step of selecting a resync pattern that minimizes differences in DSV between the data ranges.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive composition containing a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer has a polymer block (A) which is principally composed of a ?-methyl styrene unit, and a polymer block (B) which is principally composed of a conjugated diene unit and of which at least part of carbon-carbon unsaturated double bonds may be hydrogenated, and having a good holding power at high temperatures.

Abstract: In a data reproducing apparatus, a monitor edge sample value is generated based on a second sample value at a trailing edge of the reproduction signal and a change amount of the monitor edge sample value is generated as an offset amount in a first processing part. Then, the offset amount is supplied to a second processing part where the second sample value is obtained by sampling the reproduction signal at the trailing edge. Then, the second processing part restores data based on the reproduction signal and the offset amount.

Abstract: In anionic polymerization using an anionic polymerization initiator, a tertiary organoaluminum compound (A) having in the molecule thereof a chemical structure represented by a general formula: Al—O—Ar wherein Ar represents an aromatic ring, and at least one Lewis base (B) selected from the group consisting of an ether compound and a tertiary polyamine compound are caused to be present in the polymerization system. In this way, the polar monomer can be polymerized with a high polymerization initiation efficiency and a high living polymerization property and at a high polymerization rate even if the used polymerization initiator is suitable for industrial use and a relatively mild cooling condition or a temperature condition near room temperature is adopted as a polymerization temperature condition.