Abstract: According to one embodiment, a thermoelectric material are provided. The thermoelectric material includes a sintered body formed of p-type and n-type thermoelectric materials for the thermoelectric conversion element. The thermoelectric materials have a MgAgAs type crystal structure as a main phase. An area ratio of internal defects of the thermoelectric materials for one thermoelectric conversion element is 10% or less in terms of a total area ratio of defective portions in a scanning surface according to ultrasonic flaw detection in a thickness direction of the thermoelectric material. No defect having a length of 800 ?m or more is present at any vertex of chips of the thermoelectric materials.

Abstract: The heat insulator of this invention comprises a thermoformed open cell rigid polyurethane foam core enclosed in a gas barrier material and evacuated. The method of this invention comprises heating an open cell rigid polyurethane foam at a temperature not lower than the temperature at which its storage modulus of elasticity begins to decrease and enclosing the thus-thermoformed polyurethane foam in a gas barrier material and evacuating the interior of the enclosure. The heat insulator of the invention is highly heat-insulating and can be snugly applied to irregular surfaces.

Abstract: A precoat metal, which has been prepared by coating a metal plate with a composition comprising (i) at least one member selected from the group consisting of (a) bis(isocyanatomethyl)cyclohexane and/or its adduct blocked with a blocking agent and (b) an isocyanate blocked with ethyleneimine and (ii) a polyol resin, and heating the thus coated metal plate to cure the coating material.Such film, when applied as a coating to a metal plate is completely free from yellowing and thermal degradation, and also exhibits increased hardness as well as a high flexural strength, staining resistance and chemical resistance.The precoat metal is advantageously utilized in construction materials, for example, roof decking and wall panels; and materials for light electrical appliances such as refrigerators and radios and TV, vending machine cabinets etc.