Abstract: The present invention provides a zirconium oxide dispersion which contains zirconium oxide particles, a metal complex, and a dispersion medium and which has excellent storage stability; a photo-curing composition containing zirconium oxide particles which contains zirconium oxide particles, a metal complex, an actinic energy ray-curing compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a dispersion medium and which composition can form, on a surface of a substrate, a cured film having excellent transparency and high refractive index, and which composition does not corrode a metal-made apparatus employed in a dispersion process and a coating apparatus; and a cured film produced by applying onto a substrate the photo-curing composition containing zirconium oxide particles through coating or printing, followed by hardening.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal fine particles which have selective wavelength absorption characteristics in a wavelength region from visible light to near infrared light, and have sharp absorption characteristics, and influences little the surrounding wavelength, and therefore, they yield tones having high chroma. The present invention provides metal fine particles wherein an aspect ratio is in a range from 1.1 to 8.0, a maximum absorption wavelength in plasmon absorption is in a range from 400 nm to 1,200 nm, and an absorption coefficient at a peak position of the maximum absorption wavelength is in a range from 6,000 to 20,000 L/mol·cm (measurement concentration: 1.6×10?4 mol/L, and solvent: water).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal nanorods includes: a step of adding a reducing agent to a metallic salt solution; a step of radiating light into the metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent; and a step of leaving the light-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods. Metal nanorods can be also grown by forming a mixed solution by fractionating the above light-radiated metallic salt solution and mixing the fractionated metallic salt solution into a non-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent, or mixing a non-radiated metallic salt solution and the reducing agent into the above light-radiated metallic salt solution; and leaving the mixed solution stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods.

Abstract: Disclosed is composition providing high refractive index to form a transparent conductive film having excellent transparency and high refractive index, a transparent conductive film produced thereby, a display having the transparent conductive film, and a dispersion having high storage stability for use in preparation of the composition. LCDs employ an anti-reflection film produced from the composition containing a metal complex in a resin solution or a solvent and a high refractive index metal oxide and a conductive metal oxide dispersed therein. However, conventional dispersion has problems such as corroding an apparatus and a material employed in a dispersion step and poor storage stability. Disclosed is a dispersion which contains a high refractive index metal oxide having a refractive index of 1.8 or higher, a conductive metal oxide, an alkoxide-free metal complex, and a dispersion medium, and which has a water content of 3 mass % or less.

Abstract: A transparent-film-forming composition contains at least one microparticle-form inorganic substance having a refractive index of 1.80 or higher and lower than 3.00 (ingredient A), at least one microparticle-form inorganic substance having a refractive index of 1.55 or higher and lower than 1.80 (ingredient B), and a binder having a refractive index lower than that of the ingredient B, and preferably, a dispersion stabilizer, and being capable of forming, on a surface of a transparent substrate, a transparent film having excellent transparency and free from interference-related disturbance. A transparent-film-layered product has a transparent substrate and, on a surface of the substrate, a transparent film formed from the composition, which layered product exhibits a difference in refractive index between the transparent substrate and the transparent film of 0.03 or smaller and excellent transparency, and providing minimized interference-related disturbance.

Abstract: A process for producing metallic fine particles is provided by, the reduction of the metallic ions performed in two steps using two types of reducing agents which significantly differ in reducing ability thereof, in which a reducing agent in which the reduction ability is strong is used in the first reduction step, and a reducing agent in which the reduction ability is weak is used in the second reduction step, and the nano-sized metallic fine particles are produced. An aqueous metallic salt solution containing a surfactant is used and a two-step reduction is performed in the same vessel, in which as the reducing agent of the first reduction process, at least one selected from the group consisting of boron hydride, dimethylamine borane, hydrazine, and ascorbic acid is used, and as the reducing agent of the second reduction process, specific alkylamine or alkanolamine is used.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal fine particles which have selective wavelength absorption characteristics in a wavelength region from visible light to near infrared light, and have sharp absorption characteristics, and influences little the surrounding wavelength, and therefore, they yield tones having high chroma. The present invention provides metal fine particles wherein an aspect ratio is in a range from 1.1 to 8.0, a maximum absorption wavelength in plasmon absorption is in a range from 400 nm to 1,200 nm, and an absorption coefficient at a peak position of the maximum absorption wavelength is in a range from 6,000 to 20,000 L/mol·cm (measurement concentration: 1.6×10?4 mol/L, and solvent: water).

Abstract: Through employment of a binder component, tin hydroxide powder serving as a conductive powder, and a high-refractive index powder; through dispersal of tin hydroxide powder and light-transmission-ensuring microparticles in a binder component at a predetermined ratio; and through employment of a specific binder component and, as a conductive powder, tin hydroxide powder and a conductive powder other than tin hydroxide powder at a predetermined ratio, there can be provided a composition which can form a transparent conductive film that exhibits excellent antistatic effect, and has very high visible light transmittance and provides transmitted images with natural hue by virtue of no color absorption wherein, if desired, the film also exhibits excellent scratch resistance and high antiglare effect, or the refractive index of the film can be controlled; such a transparent conductive film, and a display having such a transparent conductive film on a screen thereof.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal nanorods includes: a step of adding a reducing agent to a metallic salt solution; a step of radiating light into the metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent; and a step of leaving the light-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods. Metal nanorods can be also grown by forming a mixed solution by fractionating the above light-radiated metallic salt solution and mixing the fractionated metallic salt solution into a non-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent, or mixing a non-radiated metallic salt solution and the reducing agent into the above light-radiated metallic salt solution; and leaving the mixed solution stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal nanorods includes: a step of adding a reducing agent to a metallic salt solution; a step of radiating light into the metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent; and a step of leaving the light-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods. Metal nanorods can be also grown by forming a mixed solution by fractionating the above light-radiated metallic salt solution and mixing the fractionated metallic salt solution into a non-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent, or mixing a non-radiated metallic salt solution and the reducing agent into the above light-radiated metallic salt solution; and leaving the mixed solution stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a zirconium oxide dispersion which contains zirconium oxide particles, a metal complex, and a dispersion medium and which has excellent storage stability; a photo-curing composition containing zirconium oxide particles which contains zirconium oxide particles, a metal complex, an actinic energy ray-curing compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a dispersion medium and which composition can form, on a surface of a substrate, a cured film having excellent transparency and high refractive index, and which composition does not corrode a metal-made apparatus employed in a dispersion process and a coating apparatus; and a cured film produced by applying onto a substrate the photo-curing composition containing zirconium oxide particles through coating or printing, followed by hardening.

Abstract: A composition includes a binder component and a conductive powder and a high-refractive-index powder both dispersed in the binder component, wherein the conductive powder includes 0.1 to 30 mass % of a tin hydroxide powder and 70 to 99.9 mass % of other conductive powder. The composition enables to form a transparent conductive film having excellent scratch resistance, excellent antistatic properties, an extremely high visible light transmittance and a controllable refractive index. Also described is the transparent conductive film. Further described is a display having the transparent conductive film on the display surface.

Abstract: A process for producing metallic fine particles is provided by, the reduction of the metallic ions performed in two steps using two types of reducing agents which significantly differ in reducing ability thereof, in which a reducing agent in which the reduction ability is strong is used in the first reduction step, and a reducing agent in which the reduction ability is weak is used in the second reduction step, and the nano-sized metallic fine particles are produced. An aqueous metallic salt solution containing a surfactant is used and a two-step reduction is performed in the same vessel, in which as the reducing agent of the first reduction process, at least one selected from the group consisting of boron hydride, dimethylamine borane, hydrazine, and ascorbic acid is used, and as the reducing agent of the second reduction process, specific alkylamine or alkanolamine is used.

Abstract: This method for manufacturing metal fine particles includes using an aqueous solution containing an amine having a reducing capacity and an ammonium salt having substantially no reducing capacity so as to reduce metal ions with said amine in a presence of said ammonium salt, thereby manufacturing rod-shaped metal fine particles. This metal fine particles are manufactured by this method for manufacturing metal fine particles, and have a major axis of 400 nm or less, a minor axis of 15 nm or less, and an aspect ratio of more than 1.

Abstract: This method for manufacturing metal fine particles includes using an aqueous solution containing an amine having a reducing capacity and an ammonium salt having substantially no reducing capacity so as to reduce metal ions with said amine in a presence of said ammonium salt, thereby manufacturing rod-shaped metal fine particles. This metal fine particles are manufactured by this method for manufacturing metal fine particles, and have a major axis of 400 nm or less, a minor axis of 15 nm or less, and an aspect ratio of more than 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal fine particles which have selective wavelength absorption characteristics in a wavelength region from visible light to near infrared light, and have sharp absorption characteristics, and influences little the surrounding wavelength, and therefore, they yield tones having high chroma. The present invention provides metal fine particles wherein an aspect ratio is in a range from 1.1 to 8.0, a maximum absorption wavelength in plasmon absorption is in a range from 400 nm to 1,200 nm, and an absorption coefficient at a peak position of the maximum absorption wavelength is in a range from 6,000 to 20,000 L/mol·cm (measurement concentration: 1.6×10?4 mol/L, and solvent:water).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal nanorods includes: a step of adding a reducing agent to a metallic salt solution; a step of radiating light into the metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent; and a step of leaving the light-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods. Metal nanorods can be also grown by forming a mixed solution by fractionating the above light-radiated metallic salt solution and mixing the fractionated metallic salt solution into a non-radiated metallic salt solution containing the reducing agent, or mixing a non-radiated metallic salt solution and the reducing agent into the above light-radiated metallic salt solution; and leaving the mixed solution stationary in a dark place so as to grow metal nanorods.

Abstract: A composition for forming transparent conductive films comprises a tin-containing indium oxide (ITO) powder dispersed in a binder solution. The binder solution comprises a mixed organic solvent consisting of at least one polar solvent and at least one non-polar solvent, in which a polymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from 8,000 to 150,000 is dissolved. The polymer contains (a) an acidic functional group in such a proportion that the polymer has an acid number of from 0.5 to 15 mg-KOH/g, or (b) a polyalkylene glycol chain in a proportion of from 0.5% to 40% by weight, or both of (a) and (b) in the molecule. Alternatively, the binder solution comprises an actinic radiation-curable binder, which comprises an acrylate or methacrylate compound containing an acid phosphate group in the molecule. The composition can form, by coating, a transparent conductive film having improved electrical and optical properties.