Abstract: A solution of polymer uniformly dissolved into a solvent is prepared in a solution preparing step. The solvent contains good and poor solvent components for the polymer. The solution is discharged from a coating die to a support to be a coating film thereon in a primary body forming step. A water drop generating step and a fluidity decreasing step are performed in parallel with each other while wet air is applied to the coating film. Water drops are generated on a surface of the coating film in the water drop generating step. The good solvent component is evaporated from the coating film to decrease fluidity of the solution for forming the coating film in the fluidity decreasing step. In the water drop evaporating step, dry air is applied to the coating film. The solvent and the water drops are evaporated from the coating film to obtain the porous film.

Abstract: A cellulose acylate film that has a maximum thickness difference (P?V value) of 1 ?m or less within a range of a diameter of 60 mm with an arbitrary point as center, and that has an in-plane retardation Re(?) satisfying a relationship Re(590))?5 nm and a thickness-direction retardation Rth(?) satisfying a relationship |Rth(590)|?60 nm, wherein Re(?) represents an in-plane retardation (Re) value (unit: nm) at a wavelength of ?nm; and Rth(?)) represents a thickness-direction retardation (Rth) value (unit: nm) at a wavelength of ?nm.

Abstract: A polymer solution (21) is prepared by dissolving poly-.?.-caprolactone and amphipathic polyacrylamide in an organic solvent. The polymer solution (21) is cast from a casting die (25) onto a casting belt (26) to form a casting film (40). Air (35) from a blowing and suctioning device (34) is sent to the casting film (40) to generate droplets (44). The relative speed of drying air (37) to the moving speed of the casting belt (26) is adjusted at 5 m/min in parallel flow. The water in the drying air (37) is condensed in the casting film (40) to form the droplets (44). The droplets (44) are evaporated after evaporating the organic solvent in the casting film (40), so that a honeycomb-structure film (12) can be obtained.

Abstract: The liquid repellent structure includes a support, and a honeycomb-patterned film and a coating film on the honeycomb-patterned film or a liquid repellent film. The method of producing the structure applies a solution of an organic compound in an organic solvent onto the support, places the support in an atmosphere containing water vapor to form water droplets on a surface of the solution film, evaporates the organic solvent and the droplets to form the honeycomb-patterned film, and forms the coating film made of a fluorine-containing material on a surface of the honeycomb-patterned film or etches the honeycomb-patterned film to form a second honeycomb-patterned film. The liquid ejection head includes an ejection substrate having the liquid repellent structure. The protective film includes a support base and the liquid repellent structure.

Abstract: A surfactant is added to a polymer solution (21) which is a coating fluid comprising an organic solvent and a polymer. The surfactant contains a fluorine atom and reduces the surface tension of the coating fluid. The coating fluid (21) is applied to a casting band (26) as a support. Dew condensation is caused to occur on the surface of the polymer film (40) formed by coating fluid application. The organic solvent and droplets are vaporized to thereby cause droplets to come into the film and form voids. By the use of the polymer solution (21), which comprises a mixture of an organic solvent, a polymer, and a fluorine-atom-containing surfactant for surface tension reduction, a structure having such fine pores is formed and a film (12) of a honeycomb structure is obtained. This film is reduced in the adhesion of dust, etc.

Abstract: In a coating zone, a cylindrical tube is soaked in and taken out from a solution, such that a coating film is formed on a curved surface of the tube. In a wet gas zone, while a first gas feeding nozzle having a gas outlet moves in a state where the gas outlet faces an outer peripheral surface of the tube, wet gas is blown toward the coating film through the gas outlet. Water drops are generated on the coating film and grown up. In a dry gas zone, as in the case of the first gas feeding nozzle, while a second gas feeding nozzle having a gas outlet moves, dry gas is blown toward the coating film through the gas outlet. Solvent and water drops are evaporated from the coating film. Pores form from the water drops as a template for the porous material on the coating film.

Abstract: A polymer film, wherein when any point in the polymer film is taken as a center, a maximum difference between high and low film thicknesses within a range of 60 mm diameter is not more than 1 ?m, an RMS value of a film thickness is 0 ?m to 0.15 ?m or a difference between maximum and minimum values of slow axis angle in any 60 mm×60 mm square in the polymer film is 0° to 0.40°; and a solution casting film-forming method comprising: casting a dope on a support; peeling the casted film, wherein a dry wind of 3 m/s to 15 m/s is applied to the casted film within 15 seconds from the casting, and wherein before the dry wind is applied to the casted film, an air floating on a surface of the casted film has a wind velocity of less than 3 m/s.

Abstract: A multilayer film including a porous layer, which is formed from a first polymer and has a plurality of pores, and a support (33) for supporting the porous layer is produced. The porous layer is obtained by applying a coating liquid to the support (33). The coating liquid is a solution containing the first polymer and a solvent. The support (33) is formed from a second polymer capable of being dissolved into the solvent for forming the coating liquid. Water vapor is condensed from ambient water on the applied coating liquid, and the solvent is evaporated from the coating layer within 20 minutes. Thereafter, the water drops are evaporated from the coating layer. A plurality of pores are uniformly formed in the coating layer. Thereby, it is possible to produce a multilayer film having a thickness which achieves excellent handleability.

Abstract: A polymer film producing apparatus has a moving support on which dope containing polymer and solvent is cast to form a cast film. The cast film is stripped from the support to obtain a polymer film containing the solvent, and the polymer film is dried. A first gas flow duct has gas nozzles for causing a first dry gas to flow toward the cast film. A second gas flow duct has a gas outlet disposed downstream from the gas nozzles, and positioned higher than a height of the gas nozzles relative to the support, for causing a second dry gas to flow toward the cast film in a moving direction of the support. Furthermore, the first gas flow duct includes a gas blow wall for defining the first flow path by opposing to the support. The gas blow wall has the gas nozzles.

Abstract: A solution (11) containing an organic solvent, a polymer and a plasticizer (TPP, BDP or the like) which is not less than 0.01 wt. % and not more than 50 wt. % of the polymer is cast onto an endless belt (51) to be a casting film (22). Water vapor is condensed from ambient gas on a surface of the casting film (22) passing through a first area (46) to form water drops. The water drops on the casting film (22) passing through a second area (47) are grown and the organic solvent thereof is evaporated. The water drops on the casting film (22) passing through a third area (48) are evaporated. The casting film (22) after passing through the third area (48) is peeled from the endless belt (51) as a flexible porous film (17) by a peel roller (57).

Abstract: A primary dope is obtained by mixing a solvent and a polymer, and an additive is added to the primary dope, and thus a second dope for a main layer, a first dope for a contact layer and a third dope for an exposure layer are prepared. Only in the second dope is contained at least one of retardation controller, UV absorbing agent and deterioration inhibitor. The first-third dopes are cast from a casting die onto a casting belt to form a casting film of a three layer structure having the base, contact and exposure layers. Since the volatile compound is contained in the main layer, a precipitation of the volatile compounds on a surface of a produced film is prevented.

Abstract: A solution containing a polymer and a solvent is discharged onto a surface of a polymer film to form a coating film. When a thickness of the coating film is a critical thickness or less, dewetting of the solution occurs on the surface, and the coating film becomes a dewetting material having dewetting pores. Wet air is blown to a surface of the dewetting material. The solvent is evaporated from the dewetting material. Water vapor is condensed from ambient air on the surface of the dewetting material to generate water drops. Dry air is blown to the surface of the dewetting material. The solvent and the water drops are evaporated from the dewetting material. Thereby, it is possible to produce a porous material whose surface includes first pores as the dewetting pores formed by the dewetting of the solution and the second pores formed by the water drops as a template for the porous material.

Abstract: A coating die has a discharge port for discharging a solution. A chamber has an opening. The coating die and chamber are disposed such that the discharge port and the opening are close to a support moving in an X direction. The solution is discharged through the discharge port. The discharged solution is applied to a surface of the support as a coating film. Wet air having parameters ?Tw and ?Tsolv adjusted to a predetermined range is blown through the opening to the discharged solution. The wet air contacts the solution so water vapor condenses on the surface of the solution to generate water drops. While the water drops grow up, a solvent is evaporated from the solution actively. The growth of cores of the water drops is prevented at an early stage by utilizing a decrease in fluidity of the solution due to the evaporation of the solvent.

Abstract: A dipping bath contains a polymer solution. Stent body members are dipped into the polymer solution. The polymer solution forms membrane on the surface of the stent body member. Humid atmosphere is created around the stent body members with the membrane to condense water vapor into water droplets on the surface of the membrane. After growing the water droplets to water drops, a solvent is evaporated, and the water drops penetrate into the membrane. Then, the water drops are evaporated with leaving pores in the membrane. The water drops function as templates.

Abstract: A coating liquid containing a polymer and a hydrophobic solvent is applied to a support to form a coating layer. In a humidifying process with high humidity, the coating layer is set under an atmosphere having a first dew point higher than a surface temperature of the coating layer. Then, in a humidifying process with low humidity, the coating layer is set under an atmosphere having a second dew point higher than the surface temperature of the coating layer and lower than the first dew point. Thereby, water vapor is condensed from ambient air on the coating layer to generate minuscule water drops. Thereafter, the coating layer is dried to form a porous film having plural pores made by the minuscule water drops as a template. Since the humidifying process with high humidity is performed for a short period of time and then the humidifying process with low humidity is performed, the minuscule water drops are prevented from growing up, to obtain a porous film having minute pores.

Abstract: In a joining section there are columnar distribution pins, on whose periphery a groove is formed. A size of the groove is strictly determined. A first dope and a third dope are fed through the respective grooves such that a width of each dope is controlled. Thereafter, the surface and third dopes are joined with an second dope. Thus a multi-layer stream is obtained and cast through a die lip of a casting die for forming a casting film having a multi-layer structure. The casting film is dried and thus a multi-layer film is obtained.

Abstract: A second liquid is applied to a support and dried to form a middle layer. Then, a first liquid is applied to the middle layer. A third liquid is applied to a film of the first liquid using an inkjet type liquid supply unit to form a porous area. The first and third liquids differ in interfacial tension against water. Moist air is supplied to the porous area to cause condensation. In a third chamber, the condensation grows into large droplets, and a solvent is evaporated from the film. Thereafter, the droplets are evaporated from the porous area. Thus, a porous film in which a plurality of pores are arranged is produced. Since the porous area is formed by inkjet printing method, size, shape, and conditions of the porous area is easily changed.

Abstract: After a second liquid is applied to a support and dried, a first liquid is applied thereon. On a film of the first liquid, a third liquid (water) is supplied in droplets using an inkjet-type liquid supply unit. An area supplied with the droplets is referred to as porous area. Next, an organic solvent is evaporated from the film and the droplets are evaporated from the porous area. Thus, a porous film is obtained. The porous film has the porous areas in which a plurality of pores are arranged. Since the droplets are directly formed by an inkjet printing method, a condensation process and a droplet growing process are unnecessary. Thus, the porous film is produced efficiently. Shapes of the porous areas can be changed easily. The porous areas can be formed on the porous film in various patterns.

Abstract: A coating liquid containing a polymer and a hydrophobic solvent is applied to a support to form a coating film. Water vapor is condensed from ambient air on a surface of the coating film. A hydrophobic solvent is evaporated until a content rate of the solvent in the coating film reaches 50 wt %. The coating film is caused to contact with liquid water. The hydrophobic solvent contained in the coating film is moved from the coating film to the water. The water and the solvent are evaporated from the coating film. Thus, a porous film having a plurality of pores is produced. It is unnecessary to adjust a surface temperature of the coating film and a dew point of the gas around the coating film precisely. It becomes possible to evaporate the hydrophobic solvent contained in the coating film rapidly.

Abstract: A polymer solution (21) is prepared by dissolving poly-.?.-caprolactone and amphipathic polyacrylamide in an organic solvent. The polymer solution (21) is cast from a casting die (25) onto a casting belt (26) to form a casting film (40). Air (35) from a blowing and suctioning device (34) is sent to the casting film (40) to generate droplets (44). The relative speed of drying air (37) to the moving speed of the casting belt (26) is adjusted at 5 m/min in parallel flow. The water in the drying air (37) is condensed in the casting film (40) to form the droplets (44). The droplets (44) are evaporated after evaporating the organic solvent in the casting film (40), so that a honeycomb-structure film (12) can be obtained.