Abstract: There is provided a solid electrolyte including stabilized or partially stabilized zirconia, and a gas sensor provided with the solid electrolyte. A change rate of a crystallite diameter for at least one of a cubic phase and a tetragonal phase in crystal particles constituting the solid electrolyte, before and after heating the solid electrolyte from room temperature to 1200° C., is 10% or less. The solid electrolyte preferably includes partially stabilized zirconia.

Abstract: A base material processing apparatus includes a first edge sensor, a second edge sensor, and a displacement amount calculation part. The first edge sensor acquires a first detection result (R1) by detecting the position of an edge of a base material in the width direction at a first detection position. The second edge sensor acquires a second detection result (R2) by detecting the position of the edge of the base material in the width direction at a second detection position. The displacement amount calculation part calculates the amount of displacement in the position of the base material in the transport direction on the basis of the first detection result (R1) and the second detection result (R2). Accordingly, the amount of displacement in the position of the base material in the transport direction can be detected without depending on images such as register marks.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) having high hydroxypropoxy content, low ash content, and low insoluble fiber content. More specifically, provided is a method for producing HPMC having a methoxy degree of substitution of from 1.4 to 2.2 and a hydroxypropoxy molar substitution of from 0.5 to 1.0, including steps of: bringing sheet-like or chip-like pulp into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain a reaction product mixture containing alkali cellulose, removing a liquid portion from the reaction product mixture to obtain the alkali cellulose, reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a crude HPMC, disintegrating the crude HPMC into a disintegrated crude HPMC, dispersing the disintegrated crude HPMC in water to obtain a slurry, filtering the slurry to obtain a cake, and washing the cake.

Abstract: A method for producing a highly viscous water-soluble cellulose ether has a small undissolved fiber content and a high loose bulk density. More specifically, a production method includes steps of: bringing cellulose pulp into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain an alkali cellulose mixture; draining the alkali cellulose mixture to obtain an alkali cellulose; reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a water-soluble cellulose ether mixture; washing and draining the water-soluble cellulose ether mixture to obtain a first moist cellulose ether; mixing the first moist cellulose ether with water to obtain a second moist cellulose ether; coarsely pulverizing the second moist cellulose ether with a coarse pulverizer to obtain a coarsely pulverized cellulose ether; cooling the coarsely pulverized cellulose ether; and then drying and pulverizing the coarsely pulverized cellulose ether.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose phthalate (HPMCP), including an esterification step of reacting hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose with a carboxybenzoylating agent in the presence of an aliphatic carboxylic acid in a kneader reactor equipped with two or more stirring blades rotating around their own axes and orbitally revolving, to obtain a reaction product solution containing HPMCP; a precipitation step of precipitating the HPMCP by mixing the reaction product solution with water to obtain a suspension of the precipitated HPMCP; and a washing and recovery step of washing the HPMCP in the suspension and recovering the washed HPMCP. Further, there is provided HPMCP having yellowness at 20° C. of 10.0 or less, as determined in a 10% by mass solution of the HPMCP in acetone.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS), including an esterification step of reacting hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose with an acetylating agent and a succinoylating agent in the presence of an aliphatic carboxylic acid in a kneader reactor equipped with two or more stirring blades rotating around their own axes and orbitally revolving, to obtain a reaction product solution containing HPMCAS; a precipitation step of precipitating the HPMCAS by mixing the reaction product solution with water to obtain a suspension of the precipitated HPMCAS; and a washing and recovery step of washing the HPMCAS in the suspension and recovering the washed HPMCAS. Further, there is provided HPMCAS having yellowness at 20° C. of 15.0 or less, as determined in a 2% by mass solution of the HPMCAS in a mixed solvent of dichloromethane, methanol and water in a mass ratio of 44:44:10.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing HPMCP capable of reducing the average particle size of HPMCP particles to an intended range without a pulverization step. Specifically provided is a method for producing hypromellose phthalate, comprising an esterification step of reacting hypromellose with an esterification agent in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction solution containing crude hypromellose phthalate, a precipitation step of mixing the reaction solution with water to precipitate the crude hypromellose phthalate, thereby obtaining a hypromellose phthalate suspension, a liquid removal step of removing a liquid from the hypromellose phthalate suspension with a centrifugal decanter to obtain liquid-removed hypromellose phthalate, and a drying step of drying the liquid-removed hypromellose phthalate.

Abstract: A displacement amount calculation part in a base material processing apparatus calculates the degree of matching between an upstream data section and a downstream data section included in an upstream and a downstream detection results, which indicate time-varying changes in the positions of an edge of the base material in the width direction at an upstream and a downstream detection positions. This calculation uses the results of comparison between signals in a predetermined frequency band extracted from the upstream detection result and signals in the predetermined frequency band extracted from the downstream detection result. Accordingly, a downstream data section that is highly matched with the upstream data section can be identified with high accuracy, and the amount of displacement of the base material in the transport direction can be detected with high accuracy on the basis of an identification result.

Abstract: A displacement amount calculation part in a base material processing apparatus calculates the degree of matching between an upstream data section and a downstream data section included in a first and a second detection results, which indicate time-varying changes in the positions of an edge of a base material in the width direction at an upstream and a downstream detection positions. This calculation uses calculation results obtained by sequentially calculating the degrees of matching between sub-data sections in the upstream data section and downstream sub-data sections in the downstream data section. This reduces the amount of computation and enables highly accurate detection of the amount of displacement of the base material in the transport direction on the basis of an identification result of the downstream data section that is highly matched with the upstream data section.

Abstract: A method for producing a highly viscous water-soluble cellulose ether has a small undissolved fiber content and a high loose bulk density. More specifically, a production method includes steps of: bringing cellulose pulp into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain an alkali cellulose mixture; draining the alkali cellulose mixture to obtain an alkali cellulose; reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a water-soluble cellulose ether mixture; washing and draining the water-soluble cellulose ether mixture to obtain a first moist cellulose ether; mixing the first moist cellulose ether with water to obtain a second moist cellulose ether; coarsely pulverizing the second moist cellulose ether with a coarse pulverizer to obtain a coarsely pulverized cellulose ether; cooling the coarsely pulverized cellulose ether; and then drying and pulverizing the coarsely pulverized cellulose ether.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing hypromellose phthalate (HPMCP) which exhibits an excellent solubility when dissolved in a solvent, while suppressing formation of undissolved matter. More specifically, there is provided a method for producing HPMCP, including an esterification step of esterifying hypromellose dissolved in glacial acetic acid with phthalic anhydride in the presence of sodium acetate at a temperature of from 75 to 100° C. to obtain a reaction product solution; a cooling step of cooling the reaction product solution to 70° C. or lower; and a precipitation step of mixing the cooled reaction product solution with water of from 0 to 40° C. to obtain a suspension of precipitated HPMCP.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing HPMCAS capable of reducing the average particle size of HPMCAS particles to an intended range without a pulverization step. Specifically provided is a method for producing hypromellose acetate succinate, comprising an esterification step of reacting hypromellose with an esterification agent in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction solution containing crude hypromellose acetate succinate, a precipitation step of mixing the reaction solution with water to precipitate the crude hypromellose acetate succinate, thereby obtaining a hypromellose acetate succinate suspension, a liquid removal step of removing a liquid from the hypromellose acetate succinate suspension with a centrifugal decanter to obtain liquid-removed hypromellose acetate succinate, and a drying step of drying the liquid-removed hypromellose acetate succinate.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a low polymerization degree cellulose ether having a less yellowish appearance and having excellent long-term storage stability through depolymerization of a high polymerization degree cellulose ether with an acid and without requiring an additive other than the acid. More specifically, there is provided a method for producing a low polymerization degree cellulose ether, including a step of depolymerizing a high polymerization degree cellulose ether with an acid to obtain a low polymerization degree cellulose ether mixture and a step of neutralizing the acid present in the low polymerization degree cellulose ether mixture, wherein ultraviolet is applied in the step of depolymerizing or between the steps of depolymerizing and neutralizing.

Abstract: Provided are HPMCAS powder having high solubility when dissolved in a solvent and being capable of suppressing generation of undissolved materials; and a method for producing the powder. More specifically, provided is hypromellose acetate succinate powder having an average ratio of L to D of from 2.0 to 3.0, wherein L and D mean maximum and minimum diameters of each particle, respectively. Also provided is a method for producing a hypromellose acetate succinate, comprising the steps of: dissolving hypromellose powder in a solvent, esterifying the dissolved hypromellose with succinic anhydride and acetic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction mixture, and mixing the reaction mixture with water to precipitate hypromellose acetate succinate, wherein the reaction mixture just before being mixed with the water has a viscosity of from 100 to 200 Pa·s.

Abstract: There are provided HPMCAS (hypromellose acetate succinate) having such a property that a solution of the HPMCAS in a solvent has a controlled viscosity; and a method for producing the HPMCAS. More specifically, provided are HPMCAS having such property that a solution of 10 parts by weight of the HPMCAS in 100 parts by weight of a mixed solvent having a weight ratio of methylene chloride to methanol of 1:1 has a viscosity at 20° C. of 135 mPa·s or less; and a method for producing the HPMCAS including an esterification step of adding acetic anhydride and succinic anhydride to a solution of hypromellose in glacial acetic acid in the presence of sodium acetate to obtain a reaction product mixture, wherein the succinic anhydride is added intermittently, and a precipitation step of mixing the reaction product mixture with water to precipitate the HPMCAS.

Abstract: A base material processing apparatus includes a transport mechanism, a mark detector, and a calculating unit. The transport mechanism transports an elongated strip-shaped base material in a longitudinal direction thereof along a predetermined transport path. The mark detector acquires a detection result by detecting a mark continuously at a detecting position on the transport path. The mark is applied previously to an end of the base material in a width direction thereof. The calculating unit calculates a transport speed of the base material, the amount of positional deviation of the base material in a transport direction, and tension on the base material applied in the transport direction on the basis of the detection result and information about the mark applied previously to the base material.

Abstract: There are provided a method for efficiently producing a water-soluble cellulose ether without using a special apparatus, and a novel water-soluble cellulose ether. More specifically, there are provided a method for producing a water-soluble cellulose ether including a first pulverization step of pulverizing a starting water-soluble cellulose ether to obtain a first pulverization product, and a first sieving step of sieving the first pulverization product by using a first sieve whose mesh surface is coated with an inorganic metal compound to obtain a first-sieve-passed water-soluble cellulose ether fraction; and a novel water-soluble cellulose ether.

Abstract: Provided are HPMCAS powder having high solubility when dissolved in a solvent and being capable of suppressing generation of undissolved materials; and a method for producing the powder. More specifically, provided is hypromellose acetate succinate powder having an average ratio of L to D of from 2.0 to 3.0, wherein L and D mean maximum and minimum diameters of each particle, respectively. Also provided is a method for producing a hypromellose acetate succinate, comprising the steps of: dissolving hypromellose powder in a solvent, esterifying the dissolved hypromellose with succinic anhydride and acetic anhydride in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction mixture, and mixing the reaction mixture with water to precipitate hypromellose acetate succinate, wherein the reaction mixture just before being mixed with the water has a viscosity of from 100 to 200 Pa·s.

Abstract: A base material processing apparatus includes a first edge sensor, a second edge sensor, and a displacement amount calculation part. The first edge sensor acquires a first detection result (R1) by detecting the position of an edge of a base material in the width direction at a first detection position. The second edge sensor acquires a second detection result (R2) by detecting the position of the edge of the base material in the width direction at a second detection position. The displacement amount calculation part calculates the amount of displacement in the position of the base material in the transport direction on the basis of the first detection result (R1) and the second detection result (R2). Accordingly, the amount of displacement in the position of the base material in the transport direction can be detected without depending on images such as register marks.

Abstract: A base material processing apparatus includes a tension detector that detects tension on a base material that is being transported, an encoder that detects the amounts of rotational drive of rollers that transport the base material, edge position detectors that detect the position of an edge of the base material in the width direction, and a transport displacement calculation part that calculates a transport displacement of the base material in the transport direction. The transport displacement calculation part includes an operation unit that has completed learning through machine learning and outputs the transport displacement on the basis of at least one of the result of detecting the tension, the result of detecting the amounts of rotational drive of the rollers, and the result of detecting the position of the edge. Accordingly, the transport displacement can be detected with high accuracy and low cost.