Abstract: A compound represented by the Formula below is provided. (in Formula (1), X denotes a divalent linking group, R1 and R2 independently denote an alkyl group having 3 or more carbons and having at least one hydroxy group or an aralkyl group having 8 or more carbons and having at least one hydroxy group, the alkyl group and aralkyl group may have a substituent, and M denotes a hydrogen atom or a cation). There is also provided a polyurethane resin obtained by polymerization of a polyisocyanate and a polyol that includes the compound. There is also provided a magnetic recording medium that includes a non-magnetic support and, above the support, at least one magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder that includes the polyurethane resin.

Abstract: A waveguide type wavelength domain optical switch includes an input/output port including at least three waveguide spectrometers stacked in thickness direction, a first lens for collecting light outputted from an input port of the input/output port in one axis direction, a second lens for collecting light outputted from the first lens in a direction orthogonal to the collecting direction of the first lens, and an optical phase modulation cell for reflecting light outputted from the second lens through the second lens and the first lens to an output port of the input/output port.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided that includes a non-magnetic support, and at least one magnetic layer provided above the non-magnetic support, the magnetic layer having a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, all or part of the binder being a polyurethane resin obtained by a reaction of a polyol and a polyisocyanate, the polyurethane resin having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 70° C. to 200° C., and part of the polyol being a diol having at least one epoxy group and two hydroxyl groups per molecule. There is also provided a process for producing the magnetic recording medium, the process including a step of kneading the ferromagnetic powder and the polyurethane resin.

Abstract: A lubrication-condition detector detects a lubricant shortage of a target portion that repeats a predetermined operation at a predetermined cycle. The lubrication-condition detector includes: a physical-quantity measuring unit for continuously measuring a physical quantity related to the target portion; and a computer for determining a presence of a lubricant shortage based on the physical quantity. The computer includes: a cycle extractor for extracting a cycle datum per an operational cycle from continuous data including the physical quantity and its measuring time; a representative-value calculator for calculating a representative value for each of plural cycle data; and determining unit for determining a presence of a lubricant shortage based on the plural representative values.

Abstract: A carbonic acid ester is provided that is represented by the formula below and has a melting point of no greater than 0° C. (In the formula, R1 and R2 independently denote a saturated hydrocarbon group, R1 is a branched chain, and R2 is a straight or branched chain). There is also provided a magnetic recording medium that includes a non-magnetic support and, above the support, at least one magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, the magnetic layer including the carbonic acid ester. Furthermore, there is provided a magnetic recording medium including a support and, above the support, a non-magnetic layer including a non-magnetic powder dispersed in a binder, and above the non-magnetic layer, at least one magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, the non-magnetic layer and/or the magnetic layer including the carbonic acid ester.

Abstract: A process for producing a carbonic acid ester is provided, the process comprising a step of synthesizing a saturated alkyl carbonic acid ester represented by Formula (1) so as to give the saturated alkyl carbonic acid ester represented by Formula (1) as a crude product and a step of subjecting the crude product to liquid-liquid extraction using a saturated hydrocarbon solvent and a solvent comprising an organic solvent that is not infinitely miscible with the saturated hydrocarbon solvent so as to give the saturated alkyl carbonic acid ester represented by Formula (1) as a purified product (in Formula (1), R1 and R2 independently denote a saturated hydrocarbon group provided that the sum of the number of carbons in R1 and the number of carbons in R2 is at least 12 but no greater than 50).

Abstract: A soundproof material is provided with a first sound absorbing layer arranged on a vehicle panel, a second sound absorbing layer closer to an inner side of a passenger compartment, and an intermediate layer provided between the sound absorbing layers. The intermediate layer is constituted by two layers having a high-density layer and a low-density layer. The air permeability of the intermediate layer is set lower than the first sound absorbing layer and the second sound absorbing layer. The intermediate layer is arranged in such a manner that the high-density layer is adjacent to the second sound absorbing layer.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium having excellent dispersibility, smoothness and electromagnetic characteristics. The magnetic recording medium comprises at least one magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nonmagnetic support. Said ferromagnetic powder is a ferromagnetic metal powder having an average major axis length of 10 to 80 nm and a crystallite size of 8 to 18 nm, or a ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder having an average plate diameter of 5 to 40 nm, and said binder comprises 0.2 to 0.7 meq/g of at least one polar group selected from —SO3M, —OSO3M, —PO(OM)2, —OPO(OM)2 and —COOM (where M denotes a hydrogen atom, alkali metal or ammonium salt), and/or 0.5 to 5 meq/g of at least one polar group selected from —CONR1R2, —NR1R2 and —NR1R2R3+ (where R1, R2 and R3 independently denote hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups).

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided that includes, above a non-magnetic support, at least one magnetic layer formed from a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, the magnetic recording medium including a first silane-modified polyurethane resin (Si-PU-I) obtained by a reaction between a polyurethane (a) having a hydroxyl group in the molecule and a hydrolyzable alkoxysilane (b), or a second silane-modified polyurethane resin (Si-PU-II) obtained by a reaction between the polyurethane (a) having a hydroxyl group in the molecule and an alkoxysilane (c) having an isocyanato group.

Abstract: Provided is a particulate magnetic recording medium having good durability and a high C/N ratio in high-density magnetic recording (particularly when employing an MR head for reproduction). A magnetic recording medium which comprises a lower layer comprising a nonmagnetic powder and a binder and a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder, an abrasive and a binder provided in this order on a nonmagnetic flexible support. The magnetic layer has a mean thickness d ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 ?m, the ferromagnetic powder contained in the magnetic layer is an acicular ferromagnetic alloy powder having the mean major axis length equal to or less than 0.1 ?m and the saturation magnetization ?s equal to or less than 120 A·m2/kg, and the number of abrasive protrusions ranging in height from 5 to 10 nm on the surface of the magnetic layer ranges from 15 to 25/225 ?m2.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is provided that includes a non-magnetic support, and at least one magnetic layer provided above the non-magnetic support, the magnetic layer having a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, all or part of the binder being a polyurethane resin obtained by a reaction of a polyol and a polyisocyanate, the polyurethane resin having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 70° C. to 200° C., and part of the polyol being a diol having at least one epoxy group and two hydroxyl groups per molecule. There is also provided a process for producing the magnetic recording medium, the process including a step of kneading the ferromagnetic powder and the polyurethane resin.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a support having thereon a substantially nonmagnetic lower layer and a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder dispersed in a binder provided in this order, wherein the average tabular diameter of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is from 10 to 40 nm, and the friction coefficient of the magnetic layer against an SUS420J pole and a polyoxymethylene (POM) pole is from 0.15 to 0.50.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium exhibiting high C/N ratio and suited to high-density magnetic recording, particularly, to reproduction with MR heads. The magnetic recording medium comprises a nonmagnetic powder and a binder and a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder in this order on a flexible nonmagnetic support. The magnetic layer has an average thickness ranging from 0.02 to 0.2 &mgr;m, the ferromagnetic powder contained in the magnetic layer is a plate-shaped hexagonal ferrite ferromagnetic powder having an average plate diameter of 10 to 40 nm, the ratio of a volume of magnetic reversal to a volume of magnetic material particles is equal to or less than 3, the magnetic layer has a coercive force Hc equal to or higher than 159 kA/m, and components magnetically reversing in the magnetic field of 80 kA/m or less are less than 1 percent in the magnetization distribution of the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a support having thereon a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder and a binder as main components, wherein the ferromagnetic powder is a hexagonal ferrite powder having an average tabular diameter of from 10 to 40 nm, and a part which is subjected to magnetic flux revolution by the application of a magnetic field of 400 kA/m (5,000 Oe) or higher in the distribution of magnetization of the magnetic layer is less than 1%.

Abstract: Provided is a particulate magnetic recording medium having good durability and a high C/N ratio in high-density magnetic recording (particularly when employing an MR head for reproduction). A magnetic recording medium which comprises a lower layer comprising a nonmagnetic powder and a binder and a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder, an abrasive and a binder provided in this order on a nonmagnetic flexible support. The magnetic layer has a mean thickness d ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 &mgr;m, the ferromagnetic powder contained in the magnetic layer is an acicular ferromagnetic alloy powder having the mean major axis length equal to or less than 0.1 &mgr;m and the saturation magnetization &sgr;s equal to or less than 120 A·m2/kg, and the number of abrasive protrusions ranging in height from 5 to 10 nm on the surface of the magnetic layer ranges from 15 to 25/225 &mgr;m2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium, which comprises a primer layer containing at least a nonmagnetic lower layer on a support and at least one layer of magnetic layer with ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, said magnetic layer being provided on said primer layer, whereby at least one type of compounds selected from the following general formulae (1) and (2) is contained at least in the primer layer: where R1 is an alkyl group with 1 to 2 carbon atoms; and R2, R3, and R4 each represents a hydrocarbon group having 4 to 21 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium having excellent dispersibility, smoothness and electromagnetic characteristics. The magnetic recording medium comprises at least one magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder on a nonmagnetic support. Said ferromagnetic powder is a ferromagnetic metal powder having an average major axis length of 10 to 80 nm and a crystallite size of 8 to 18 nm, or a ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder having an average plate diameter of 5 to 40 nm, and said binder comprises 0.2 to 0.7 meq/g of at least one polar group selected from —SO3M, —OSO3M, —PO(OM)2, —OPO(OM)2 and —COOM (where M denotes a hydrogen atom, alkali metal or ammonium salt), and/or 0.5 to 5 meq/g of at least one polar group selected from —CONR1R2, —NR1R2 and —NR1R2R3+ (where R1, R2 and R3 independently denote hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups).

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a support having thereon a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder and a binder as main components, wherein the ferromagnetic powder is a hexagonal ferrite powder having an average tabular diameter of from 10 to 40 nm, and a part which is subjected to magnetic flux revolution by the application of a magnetic field of 400 kA/m (5,000 Oe) or higher in the distribution of magnetization of the magnetic layer is less than 1%.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a support having thereon a substantially nonmagnetic lower layer and a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder dispersed in a binder provided in this order, wherein the average tabular diameter of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is from 10 to 40 nm, and the friction coefficient of the magnetic layer against an SUS420J pole and a polyoxymethylene (POM) pole is from 0.15 to 0.50.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium exhibiting high C/N ratio and suited to high-density magnetic recording, particularly, to reproduction with MR heads. The magnetic recording medium comprises a nonmagnetic powder and a binder and a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic powder and a binder in this order on a flexible nonmagnetic support. The magnetic layer has an average thickness ranging from 0.02 to 0.2 &mgr;m, the ferromagnetic powder contained in the magnetic layer is a plate-shaped hexagonal ferrite ferromagnetic powder having an average plate diameter of 10 to 40 nm, the ratio of a volume of magnetic reversal to a volume of magnetic material particles is equal to or less than 3, the magnetic layer has a coercive force Hc equal to or higher than 159 kA/m, and components magnetically reversing in the magnetic field of 80 kA/m or less are less than 1 percent in the magnetization distribution of the magnetic layer.