Abstract: A high-molecular gelling agent precursor for an electrolyte comprises a copolymer formed of (A) a hydrophobic monomer having a hydrophobic group, which forms a carboxyl group upon saponification, and (B) a hydrophobic polyfunctional monomer. The saponification product of the copolymer has property to gel the electrolyte. A high-molecular gelling agent for the electrolyte is produced by saponifying the precursor with a saponifying agent selected from the group consisting of acids and alkalis while using a reaction medium selected from the group consisting of water and hydrophobic organic solvents.

Abstract: A finely divided pigment is formed of an aggregate of primary particles. A number of primary particles of not greater than 0.1 &mgr;m in particle size is at least 95% of an entire number of the primary particles, and a number of primary particles of greater than 0.1 &mgr;m in particle size is at most 5% of the entire number of the primary particles. The finely divided pigment can be produced by grinding a parent pigment (pre-division pigment) together with a water-soluble inorganic salt and a water-soluble organic solvent in a grinding machine at a temperature of from 30 to 90° C. for 2 to 6 hours under a load, and then removing the water-soluble inorganic salt and the water-soluble organic solvent. A coloring composition comprises a dispersing medium and the finely divided pigment dispersed in the dispersing medium.

Abstract: Polymer-bonded functional agents are each obtained by reacting a functional agent containing reactive groups with a polymer containing groups reactive with the reactive groups of the functional agent. The functional agent comprises at least one functional agent selected from the group consisting of antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, infrared absorbers and antistatic agents. Use of these polymer-bonded functional agents can provide articles with improved functions.

Abstract: A near-infrared reflecting composite pigment comprises a near-infrared non-absorbing colorant and a white pigment coated with the near-infrared non-absorbing pigment. The near-infrared reflecting composite pigment can be produced by mixing a colorant dispersion, in which the near-infrared non-absorbing colorant is dispersed in a liquid medium, with the white pigment in a form selected from powder or a dispersion and then drying the resultant mixture. A near-infrared reflecting coating agent comprises as a coloring agent the near-infrared reflecting composite pigment. A near-infrared reflecting material comprises a base material coated on a surface thereof with the near-infrared reflecting coating agent.

Abstract: An ion-selective membrane is formed integrally of an ion-selective membrane forming component and a woven-fabric-shaped backing. The ion-selective membrane forming component comprises a cationic polymer component and/or an anionic polymer component and a matrix component. Each of the ionic polymer components is a particulate polymer having an average particle size in a range of from 0.01 to 10 &mgr;m. The woven-fabric-shaped backing has a meshed structure. The ion-selective membrane can be produced by forming it while maintaining a layer of a coating formulation, in which the ionic polymer component is dispersed in a solution or dispersion of the matrix component in an organic solvent, in close contact with the woven-fabric-shaped backing. The ion-selective membrane is useful for the permeation of an electrolyte. An apparatus provided with the ion-selective membrane is also provided.

Abstract: A pigment composition comprises a wet-ground pigment mixture of (A) &egr;-copper phthalocyanine and (B) at least one pigment selected from a group consisting of condensed polycyclic pigments and azo pigments. The weight ratio of thecomponent (A) to the component (B) is 100:0.1 to 100:50. The pigment composition can be produced by wet-grinding (A-1) &agr;-copper phthalocyanine and the component (B) at a weight ratio of from 100:0.1 to 100:50 in a non-aromatic solvent. A colorant comprises the pigment composition and at least one component selected from the group consisting of film-forming resins and liquid media. A colored article can be obtained using the colorant as a coloring agent.

Abstract: A potentially hydrophilic resin comprises at least monomer units readily saponifiable under alkaline conditions to form carboxyl groups, carboxyl-containing monomer units, and hydroxyl-containing monomer units. A potentially hydrophilic resin composition comprises, in a liquid medium, the potentially hydrophilic and an adhesive component or film-forming component. A recycling method is provided for an article with a coating applied on a surface thereof. According to the recycling method, the coating on the surface of the article is formed with the potentially hydrophilic resin composition, and subsequent to use of the article, the article is treated with alkaline water to saponify methyl acrylate in the coating such that the coating is caused to swell, and the coating so swollen is removed from the article.

Abstract: A near-infrared reflecting composite pigment comprises a near-infrared non-absorbing colorant and a white pigment coated with the near-infrared non-absorbing pigment. The near-infrared reflecting composite pigment can be produced by mixing a colorant dispersion, in which the near-infrared non-absorbing colorant is dispersed in a liquid medium, with the white pigment in a form selected from powder or a dispersion and then drying the resultant mixture. A near-infrared reflecting coating agent comprises as a coloring agent the near-infrared reflecting composite pigment. A near-infrared reflecting material comprises a base material coated on a surface thereof with the near-infrared reflecting coating agent.

Abstract: Colored fine particulate resins can each be produced by bringing a colored resin, which comprises a thermally fusible resin and a colorant evenly distributed in the thermally fusible resin, into a molten state; forming the colored resin, which is in the molten state, into droplet-shaped fine particles in a non-dissolving medium which does not dissolve the colored resin; and then cooling and solidifying the droplet-shaped fine particles. The colored fine particulate resins are useful in image recording materials, printing materials and paints. Articles can be colored with the image recording materials, printing materials or paints.

Abstract: Near-infrared transmitting black azo pigments are represented by the following formula (1) and have a crystalline form selected from the group consisting of a thin, long crystalline form and a leaf-shaped crystalline form.

Abstract: A solidifying material for a cell electrolyte solution is a block copolymer, which comprises, as segments A, a polymer non-compatible with the cell electrolyte solution and, as segments B, a polymer compatible with the cell electrolyte solution. The solidifying material absorbs and solidifies the cell electrolyte solution. A smallest unit of the block copolymer is A-B-A. To each of the segments B, at least one group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, an ester group, a hydroxyl group, a sulfonic group, an amino group, a cyclic carbonate group and a polyoxyalkylene group is bonded via a —S— bond or a —C— bond.

Abstract: A colored resin composition for water distribution pipes comprising a resin which comprises a polyolefin resin as a main component and a blue fine powder pigment of a composite oxide which is a fine powder, contains elements other than the main metals introduced into the crystal structure, or has been treated mechanochemically and a colored resin water distribution pipe comprising this colored resin composition.

Abstract: A pigment composition comprises a wet-ground pigment mixture of (A) &egr;-copper phthalocyanine and (B) at least one pigment selected from a group consisting of condensed polycyclic pigments and azo pigments. The weight ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) is 100:0.1 to 100:50. The pigment composition can be produced by wet-grinding (A-1) &agr;-copper phthalocyanine and the component (B) at a weight ratio of from 100:0.1 to 100:50 in a non-aromatic solvent. A colorant comprises the pigment composition and at least one component selected from the group consisting of film-forming resins and liquid media. A colored article can be obtained using the colorant as a coloring agent.

Abstract: Pigment dispersions for color filters are composed of pigments, dispersants, film-forming resins and liquid media. The dispersants comprises compounds represented by the following formula (I): wherein X and X′ each independently represent H, OH, alkoxy, primary, secondary or tertiary amino, or acylamino; Y represents an anthraquinonylamino, phenylamino or phenoxy group having H, OH, alkoxy, primary, secondary or tertiary amino, or acylamino at the 4-position or 5-position; A and B each independently represent alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, and at least one of A and B has at least one substituent group containing a basic nitrogen atom; and Z represents H, CN, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NO2, benzoylamino or 3-benzoyl, and the 3-benzoyl group may be fused together with X to form an acridone ring. These pigment dispersions are useful for the production of color filters.

Abstract: Dispersants for organic pigments comprise compounds represented by the following formula (I): wherein X and X′ each independently represent H, OH, alkoxy, primary, secondary or tertiary amino, or acylamino; Y represents an anthraquinonylamino, phenylamino or phenoxy group having H, OH, alkoxy, primary, secondary or tertiary amino, or acylamino at the 4-position or 5-position; A and B each independently represent alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl, and at least one of A and B has at least one substituent group containing a basic nitrogen atom; and Z represents H, CN, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, NO2, benzoylamino or 3-benzoyl, and the 3-benzoyl group may be fused together with X to form an acridone ring. Pigment dispersions making use of the above dispersants are suited for the production of writing or recording pigment inks.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing a colored fine particulate composition by dissolving or dispersing a coloring matter or a coloring matter and charge control agent in a condensation-polymerized resin component and forming the resultant resin composition into fine particles. The coloring matter or the coloring matter and charge control agent are added to a raw material component for the production of the resin component, or to the resin component in a period from initiation to completion of polymerization of the resin component or while the resin component is in a molten state subsequent to the completion of the polymerization, whereby the coloring matter or the coloring matter and charge control agent are dissolved or dispersed in the resulting resin component. A colored composition obtained subsequent to the dissolution or the dispersion is cooled. The colored composition so cooled is then formed into fine particles.

Abstract: A polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound contains at least four molecular chains bonded independently to a backbone. Each of the molecular chains contains a carbodiimido (—N═C═N—) group. The polyfunctional carbodiimide compound can be produced by reacting (a) an isocyanate compound having at least one carbodiimido group and at least one isocyanate group with (b) a polyol, polyamine and/or aminoalcohol having at least four hydroxyl, primary amino and/or secondary amino groups in a molecule. Also disclosed are a resin composition containing the polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound as a crosslinking agent; and a treatment method of an article, which makes use of the resin composition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pigment dispersant represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## wherein X represents a hydrogen atom or an acylamino group; Y represents a specific aromatic group; Z represents a specific aromatic group or a C.sub.2-30 aliphatic, alicyclic or hetero-alicyclic amine reaction residual group having at least one amino group; G represents a reaction residual group of at least one compound selected from C.sub.2-30 aliphatic, alicyclic and hetero-alicyclic hydrocarbons each of which has at least one amino group; n is an integer of from 0 to 3; and when N stands for O, Z represents a reaction residual group of a C.sub.2-30 aliphatic, alicyclic or hetero-alicyclic polyamine having at least two amino groups. A pigment dispersion making use of the dispersant and a color filter produced from the pigment dispersion are also disclosed.

Abstract: A polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound contains at least four molecular chains bonded independently to a backbone. Each of the molecular chains contains a carbodiimido (--N.dbd.C.dbd.N--) group. The polyfunctional carbodiimide compound can be produced by reacting (a) an isocyanate compound having at least one carbodiimido group and at least one isocyanate group with (b) a polyol, polyamine and/or aminoalcohol having at least four hydroxyl, primary amino and/or secondary amino groups in a molecule. Also disclosed are a resin composition containing the polyfunctional polycarbodiimide compound as a crosslinking agent; and a treatment method of an article, which makes use of the resin composition.

Abstract: Provision of two or more powder coatings different in hue, lightness and/or saturation as base colors makes it possible to mix the base color powder coatings in accordance with a desired color and hence to conduct color matching upon performing powder coating. It is therefore no longer necessary to stock a large number of powder coatings, in other words, it is therefore possible to systematically produce fewer powder coatings in greater quantities. This can achieve rationalization in production, storage, physical distribution, management and the like and also a cost reduction in each of these stages. For example, coatings of desired color tones, especially coatings excellent in artistry can be formed in accordance with a fluidized-bed, electrostatic coating process making use of a powder-fluidizing container by preparing in advance only three primary colors of yellow, red and blue or optionally five primary colors additionally including black color and white color.