Abstract: There is disclosed a gas barrier material comprising polyvinyl alcohol (A), an ethylene-maleic acid copolymer (B), and a metal compound (D), wherein a ratio (A)/(B) between the polyvinyl alcohol (A) and the ethylene-maleic acid copolymer (B) falls within a range from (A)/(B)=50/50 to 10/90 (weight ratio), the metal compound (D) comprises at least one compound selected from a group consisting of hydroxides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, nitrates, sulfites, and acetates of bivalent or higher metals selected from a group consisting of Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu, and a quantity of the metal compound (D), expressed as an equivalent value relative to carboxyl groups within the ethylene-maleic acid copolymer (B), is within a range from 0.05 to 30%.

Abstract: The present invention provide a separator for an electrochemical device which comprises a wet nonwoven fabric comprising one or more kinds of fibrillated organic fibers which are at least partially fibrillated into a fiber diameter of 1 ?m or less, and one or more kinds of unfibrillated organic fibers having a fineness of 0.5 dtex or less, which exhibits excellent heat resistance, electrolyte holding properties, internal short-circuit preventing property, and winding property, which results in a lowered internal resistance and prolonged life of an electrochemical device, and a method for producing the same and an electrochemical device.

Abstract: The present invention provide a separator for an electrochemical device which comprises a wet nonwoven fabric comprising one or more kinds of fibrillated organic fibers which are at least partially fibrillated into a fiber diameter of 1 &mgr;m or less, and one or more kinds of. unfibrillated organic fibers having a fineness of 0.5 dtex or less, which exhibits excellent heat resistance, electrolyte holding properties, internal short-circuit preventing property, and winding property, which results in a lowered internal resistance and prolonged life of an electrochemical device, and a method for producing the same and an electrochemical device.

Abstract: A collapsible dispensing tube includes an internal tube element made of a non-resilient flexible material and having a squeeze spout from which contents in the internal tube element is dispensed; an external tube element which accommodates the internal tube element to form an air chamber between the internal tube element and the external tube element, the external tube element being made of a resilient material having a hardness greater than that of the non-resilient flexible material of the internal tube element; and a small opening formed on the external tube element to be closable by one of a fingertip and a palm, the air chamber being communicatively connected to the outside of the external tube element via the small opening.

Abstract: A device for preventing a shutter curtain from falling by its own weight and allowing the shutter curtain to descend in a braked manner, is provided such that separate space for the device does not need to be provided.A viscous clutch 9, which provides braking to the rotation of a winding shaft rotating in the direction of closing during the shutter curtain 2 descending by its own weight, is provided between the winding shaft 7 and a bracket 5 of the building. Further, the viscous clutch is arranged to be smaller in diameter than the innermost inner diameter of the shutter curtain wound onto the winding wheel 4, thus fitting within the wound shutter.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a fibrous material containing an antibacterial antifungal agent consisting of specific metal salt of organic compound effective for both antibacterial and antifungal functions and various articles containing the same fibrous material. The inclusion of the antibacterial antifungal agent consisting of specific metal salt of organic compound in fibrous materials allows production of fibrous materials having extremely high antibacterial antifungal activity. Various articles containing the fibrous materials have found to exhibit excellent antibacterial antifungal effects.

Abstract: A thermal printer that performs thermal printing by employing a commonly-used thermo-sensitive recording sheet. In the thermal printing, a thermal head starts heating the recording sheet from the back side of a base that covers a recording surface in order to print, so that the recorded information is effectively hidden from view. When the thermal printer performs thermal printing by using a two layer thermo-sensitive recording sheet, high quality images with sharp edges can be reliably recorded. The thermal printer uses two types of thermo-sensitive sheets to perform thermal recording.

Abstract: A data transfer device is disclosed whereby both spoken conversation and transfer of data can easily and conveniently be carried out with a minimum of manual steps and repetitions operations. The disclosed device includes first telephone number memory for storing a telephone number of a remote communication node when the data transfer device originates a communication session; second telephone number memory for storing a telephone number of the remote communication node when the remote communication node originates the communication session; start command generating circuit for generating a start command; and data transfer circuit for transferring data.

Abstract: A two-layered filter medium for liquid filtration comprises a support composed of organic fibers of 7 .mu.m or more in diameter and basis weight of 30-150 g/m.sup.2, and a filtering layer composed of three kinds of organic fibers different in diameter, a part or all of the kind of organic fibers having the largest diameter being a fibrous organic binder.

Abstract: A hot flaw detector is equipped with a sensor holding member that has a circular opening through which the material to be inspected will pass and that holds a flaw detecting sensor. Provision is made of an annular cooling liquid injection port that is open at an end of the sensor holding member adjacent to the inner peripheral wall of the circular opening, and provision is further made of an annular cooling liquid introduction port that is open at the other end of the sensor holding member adjacent to the inner peripheral wall of the circular opening. The cooling liquid is injected from the annular cooling liquid injection port, and forms a liquid film along the inner peripheral wall of the circular opening, and is recovered through the annular cooling liquid introduction port. The inner peripheral wall of the sensor holding member is effectively cooled by the liquid film which drips little onto the material to be inspected.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for non-destructive inspection of flaws in metal materials include exciting coils centered on a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical or columnar metallic material to be examined being arranged to surround the examinee material. A multiphase alternating current of such a relatively low frequency as to cause the exciting coils to generate a rotating magnetic field which rotates about the longitudinal axis of the examinee material is superimposed with a high frequency alternating current having an inspection frequency selected on the basis of the necessary sensitivity for detection of surface flaws of the examinee material. The composite multiphase current is applied to the exciting coils so that an electromagnetic effect induced in the surface of the examinee material by the high frequency alternating current is rotated for shifting circumferentially about the examinee material along with the rotating magnetic field.

Abstract: A therapeutic drug for dementia is provided which comprises, as an active ingredient, DL- or L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine of the formula ##STR1## or its salt.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for automatically processing an end portion of a tube disposed along a predetermined moving path so as to be movable toward and away from the moving path. A first clamping device is mounted on the base in front of the pointing device along the moving path. A tube press is disposed between the pointing device and the first clamping device for dimpling the tube wall to form axially spaced positioning sections thereon. A second clamping device is disposed between the tube press and the pointing device for clamping the end portion of the tube. A plug feeding device is disposed between the second clamping device and the pointing device for feeding a plug from a position out of the moving path to a position thereon. A plug inserting device includes an inserting nozzle movable in parallel to the moving direction of the tube for inserting the plug into the end portion of the tube. Lubricant is supplied into the tube through the inserting nozzle.

Abstract: The electrolysis of an aqueous alkali metal chloride solution in electrolytic cells of the type having anode compartments and cathode compartments separated by a cation-exchange membrane is performed with improved efficiency by positioning and maintaining the cathodes in intimate contact with one entire surface of the cation-exchange membranes and the porous anodes in as close as possible proximity to the other surface of the membranes.

Abstract: A hydrogen-evolution electrode having a coating comprising at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of nickel oxide and cobalt oxide and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel and cobalt has been found to exhibit extremely low hydrogen overvoltage and to have not only high catalytic activity but also high durability.

Abstract: A chromium-plated steel strip having an excellent weldability and a satisfactory resistance to corrosion, comprises a steel strip substrate, a base layer consisting of an amorphous metallic material, for example, Ni-P or Ni-B alloy, in an amount of 3 to 500 mg/m.sup.2, an intermediate layer consisting of tin in an amount of 2.8 g/m.sup.2 or less, and a surface layer consisting of metallic chromium and hydrated chromium oxide in an amount of 5 to 150 mg/m.sup.2 and 3 to 30 mg/m.sup.2, respectively.

Abstract: In cation exchange membranes having a multi-layer structure consisting of two or three layers or more each having different equivalent weight and/or different kind of ion exchange group used for the electrolysis of alkali metal chloride according to an ion exchange membrane process, a homogeneous cation exchange membrane which comprises that at least one outer layer having a lower water content of both outer layers of said membrane has a roughened surface so that the amount of hydrogen gas bubbles generated from the cathode and attached to the membrane surface is the least whereby the electrolysis voltage is the lowest and the process for the production thereof.

Abstract: Nitrates, such as alkali metal nitrates and ammonium nitrate, are electrolytically reduced to the corresponding nitrites by a process wherein an aqueous solution containing a nitrate is supplied into a cathode chamber of an electrolytic cell including cathode and anode chambers separated by a cation exchange membrane and an electric current is applied to the electrolytic cell, while maintaining the pH of the aqueous solution at a value of at least about 4. This process can be advantageously applied not only to the manufacture of nitrites but, also, to the treatment of waste nitrates. In the treatment of waste ammonium nitrate, the ammonium nitrite so formed is conveniently further treated by subjecting the electrolytically reduced catholyte to thermal decomposition outside the electrolytic cell, and removing the so formed nitrogen and water from the reaction system.

Abstract: The use of a perforated plate anode in combination with a cation exchange membrane has been found to be extremely effective for rendering the current distribution in the cation exchange membrane uniform in practice of the ion exchange membrane process for the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chloride. The uniform current distribution in the cation exchange membrane is, in turn, effective for preventing elevation of the electrolytic voltage and prolonging the life of the cation exchange membrane. Further, when the coating of the perforated plate anode on its front surface and the inner wall surfaces of the openings has a thickness larger than that of the coating on the back surface, the perforated plate anode has high durability and exhibits low electrolytic voltage for a long time as compared with the perforated plate anode having, on each surface, a uniform-thick coating.

Abstract: A homogeneous cation exchange membrane having at least one roughened surface, which is assembled in an electrolytic cell with the roughened surface facing toward the cathode side of the cell, is employed in the electrolysis of an alkali chloride in an electrolytic cell divided by a cation exchange membrane into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment to produce an alkali hydroxide. The electrolysis voltage can be considerably reduced at a high current efficiency to provide a great economical advantage.