Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrostatic charger and an electrostatic precipitator securing a wide space for charging suspended fine particles contained in a processing airflow. The electrostatic charger includes a discharge electrode formed of a plurality of fibrous conductors and provided to generate and diffuse ions by a discharge, a ground electrode maintained at a ground potential and provided to attract the ions generated and diffused by the discharge electrode to charge suspended fine particles contained in a processing airflow by the ions, where the discharge electrode is disposed between the ground electrodes in the processing airflow, and all or at least a part of the plurality of fibrous conductors of the discharge electrode are disposed on a downstream side of the processing airflow further than an end portion of the ground electrode on the most upstream side of the processing airflow.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charging apparatus and precipitator. The charging apparatus includes a plurality of counter electrodes formed in a plate shape and arranged in a direction intersecting with a ventilation direction to allow respective surfaces thereof to follow the ventilation direction, and a plurality of high voltage electrodes formed in a wire shape and installed between the plurality of counter electrodes. The plurality of counter electrodes includes a first counter electrode having a first electrode area, and a second counter electrode having a second electrode area less than the first electrode area. The first counter electrode and the second counter electrode are alternately arranged.

Abstract: A filter media of purifying air by collecting floating particles in the air can achieve high dust collecting efficiency, low pressure loss, and a long life cycle. In an air cleaner, a filter media included in an air cleaning filter and cleaning air is constituted with a resin fiber of a mean fiber diameter of 3.6 ?m to 16.5 ?m, and a ratio of weight per unit area to the mean fiber diameter of the filter media is from 10×106 g/m3 to 20×106 g/m3.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charging apparatus and precipitator. The charging apparatus includes a plurality of counter electrodes formed in a plate shape and arranged in a direction intersecting with a ventilation direction to allow respective surfaces thereof to follow the ventilation direction, and a plurality of high voltage electrodes formed in a wire shape and installed between the plurality of counter electrodes. The plurality of counter electrodes includes a first counter electrode having a first electrode area, and a second counter electrode having a second electrode area less than the first electrode area. The first counter electrode and the second counter electrode are alternately arranged.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive support, a photosensitive layer on the conductive support, and a protective layer on the photosensitive layer. The protective layer includes a binder resin, metal oxide particles, and fluororesin particles. The metal oxide particles include, on a surface thereof, a first surface-treating agent including fluorine atoms, and a second surface-treating agent including a polymerizable reactive group and a hydrophobic group. At least some of the metal oxide particles are supported on a surface of the fluororesin particles. The fluororesin particles are fixed to the binder resin via the at least some of the metal oxide particles supported on the surface of the fluororesin particles.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive support, a photosensitive layer on the conductive support, and a protective layer on the photosensitive layer. The protective layer includes a binder resin, metal oxide particles, and fluororesin particles. The metal oxide particles include, on a surface thereof, a first surface-treating agent including fluorine atoms, and a second surface-treating agent including a polymerizable reactive group and a hydrophobic group. At least some of the metal oxide particles are supported on a surface of the fluororesin particles. The fluororesin particles are fixed to the binder resin via the at least some of the metal oxide particles supported on the surface of the fluororesin particles.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor having excellent cleaning performance and high durability for a long time and an electrophotographic imaging apparatus employing the electrophotographic photoreceptor are provided. The electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a photosensitive layer and a protective layer sequentially formed in this stated order on a conductive support. The protective layer includes a metal oxide surface-treated with a phosphorous-containing compound, wherein the metal oxide includes at least one selected from a group consisting of tin oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium oxide. The phosphorous-containing compound is a polymer including a phosphorus-oxoacid moiety reacting with the metal oxide, a photo-reactive moiety, and a lubricative moiety including at least one selected from a group consisting of fluorine and silicon at side chains.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor having excellent cleaning performance and high durability for a long time and an electrophotographic imaging apparatus employing the electrophotographic photoreceptor are provided. The electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a photosensitive layer and a protective layer sequentially formed in this stated order on a conductive support. The protective layer includes a metal oxide surface-treated with a phosphorous-containing compound, wherein the metal oxide includes at least one selected from a group consisting of tin oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium oxide. The phosphorous-containing compound is a polymer including a phosphorus-oxoacid moiety reacting with the metal oxide, a photo-reactive moiety, and a lubricative moiety including at least one selected from a group consisting of fluorine and silicon at side chains.

Abstract: An organic photoconductor including an electrically conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer disposed on the electrically conductive substrate, and a protection layer disposed on the photosensitive layer, wherein the protection layer includes a polymer composition and a plurality of electrically conductive metal oxide particles, and wherein the polymer composition is a product of a curing reaction with a multifunctional spherical dendrimer, a first multifunctional acryl compound having a urethane bond, and a second multifunctional acryl compound having a silicon-containing group and a fluorine-containing group.

Abstract: An organic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer disposed on an electrically conductive substrate; and a protective layer disposed on the photosensitive layer, wherein the protective layer includes a cured product of a multifunctional acrylic oligomer including a urethane group and a multifunctional curable compound including a dendrimeric structure.

Abstract: An organic photoconductor including an electrically conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer disposed on the electrically conductive substrate, and a protection layer disposed on the photosensitive layer, wherein the protection layer includes a polymer composition and a plurality of electrically conductive metal oxide particles, and wherein the polymer composition is a product of a curing reaction with a multifunctional spherical dendrimer, a first multifunctional acryl compound having a urethane bond, and a second multifunctional acryl compound having a silicon-containing group and a fluorine-containing group.

Abstract: An organic photoconductor including an electrically conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer disposed on the electrically conductive substrate, and a protection layer disposed on the photosensitive layer, wherein the protection layer includes a polymer composition and a plurality of electrically conductive metal oxide particles, and wherein the polymer composition is a product of a curing reaction with a multifunctional spherical dendrimer, a first multifunctional acryl compound having a urethane bond, and a second multifunctional acryl compound having a silicon-containing group and a fluorine-containing group.

Abstract: An organic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer disposed on an electrically conductive substrate; and a protective layer disposed on the photosensitive layer, wherein the protective layer includes a cured product of a multifunctional acrylic oligomer including a urethane group and a multifunctional curable compound including a dendrimeric structure.

Abstract: An electrolyte membrane including: a host polymer having a fluoropolymer molecular chain having a segment of the formula —CF2—CF(M)CH2—CF2—, wherein M is at least one selected from —CF3—, —CF2H—, —CFH2— and a combination thereof, the segment being defluorinated or dehydrofluorinated and chemically crosslinked by a low molecular weight basic compound having at least two amino groups; and a proton conductive polymer having a polymer chain being a co-polymerization product of a low molecular weight polymerizable proton conductor monomer including an acidic group having a dissociable proton and at least one polymerizable functional group, with a crosslinking agent; wherein the molecular chains of the host polymer and the proton conductive polymer form an interpenetrating polymer network.

Abstract: Provided are a polymer electrolyte membrane that is stable even at high temperatures in non-humidified conditions, thereby having high proton conductivity, a method of preparing the polymer electrolyte membrane described above, by which high productivity can be obtained, and a fuel cell with high power generation characteristics by using the polymer electrolyte membrane. In particular, there is provided a method of preparing a polymer electrolyte membrane in which a mixed solution prepared by dissolving a (hydrocarbon-based) polymer electrolyte having an acidic functional group and any one free acid source selected from the free acid, mixtures of a free acid and Lewis acid, and mixtures of a free acid and an organic salt in a polar organic solvent is subjected to wet membrane formation to prepare a polymer electrolyte membrane in which the polymer electrolyte is doped with the free acid.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte fuel cell having an anode including an oxidation catalyst of a gaseous compound fine in size and superior in oxidation action able to eliminate pulverization work is provided. The oxidation catalyst is of a gaseous compound comprising a catalyst for promoting an oxidation reaction of a gaseous compound by oxygen ions supplied through a solid electrolyte under an environment where no oxygen molecules are present, comprising metal oxide particles produced by firing a precipitate comprised of a mixture of two types of metal hydrates obtained by coprecipitation from a mixed solution of two types of metal salts of different metal positive ions dissolved together, the composition of said metal oxide particles being expressed by the formula ABO2 (where, A is one element selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, Cu, and Ag, B is one element selected from the group consisting of Co, Cr, Rh, Al, Ga, Fe, In, Sc, and Tl).

Abstract: Provided is a current collector substrate in an electrode of an alkaline secondary battery, which is advantageous not only in that it has excellent holding ability for a mixture for electrode, but also in that the utilization of an active material is improved, thereby enhancing the discharge characteristics of the battery, and an electrode and an alkaline secondary battery using the same. This current collector substrate has a plurality of openings formed within the surface of a metal powder sinter sheet which has a thickness (t) of 80 &mgr;m or less and is produced by a powdery calendering process, wherein the openings have periphery portions comprising burr portions protruding in the opposite directions.

Abstract: An oxidation catalyst of a gaseous compound fine in size and superior in oxidation action able to eliminate pulverization work is provided.