Abstract: An adsorbent for oral administration, characterized by comprising a surface-modified spherical activated carbon, having a diameter of 0.01 to 1 mm, a specific surface area determined by Langmuir's adsorption equation of 1000 m2/g or more, a total amount of acidic groups of 0.40 to 1.00 meq/g, a total amount of basic groups of 0.40 to 1.10 meq/g, and a diffraction intensity ratio, an R value, determined by equation (1) of 1.4 or more. The adsorbents for oral administration exhibit a useful selective adsorbability; that is, a lesser adsorbability of useful substances, and a greater adsorbability of toxic substances, in a body.

Abstract: A pitch-based carbon fiber sliver providing a high-strength carbon fiber spun yarn is efficiently produced by providing a pitch-based carbon fiber mat comprising a mass of piled-up pitch-based carbon fibers of which fiber extension directions are aligned preferentially in one direction; and directly subjecting the carbon fiber mat to drawing and carding by means of a carding machine while moving the mat in said one preferential alignment direction. The thus-obtained carbon fiber sliver is drawn and twisted to produce a pitch-based carbon fiber spun yarn containing at least 3 wt. % of fibers having a fiber length of at least 150 mm, a number of primary twist of 50-400 turns/m and a tensile strength of at least 0.10 N/tex.

Abstract: A carbon fiber spun yarn, which is a spun yarn of a carbon fiber that has an average (002)-interlayer spacing of 0.340-0.380 nm as measured by X-ray diffraction method, has a specific gravity of 1.55-1.80 as measured by a density gradient tube method, a hydrogen-to carbon atomic ratio (H/C) as measured by elementary analysis of at most 0.1 and contains 3-30 wt. % of carbon fiber having a fiber length of at least 150 mm, wherein the spun yarn has a weight per 1000 m (tex) of 30-150 g, a number of primary twist of 50-400 turns/m and a tensile strength of at least 0.15 N/tex. The carbon fiber spun yarn may be woven to provide a carbon fiber woven fabric suitable as a gas diffuser (electroconductive substrate) of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

Abstract: A negative electrode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, comprises: a carbon material having a sphericity of at least 0.8, and exhibiting an average (002) interlayer spacing d002 of 0.365-0.400 nm, a crystallite size in a c-axis direction Lc(002) of 1.0-3.0 nm, as measured by X-ray diffractometry, a hydrogen-to-carbon atomic ratio (H/C) of at most 0.1 as measured by elementary analysis, and an average particle size Dv50 of 1-20 ?m. The negative electrode material is spherical and exhibits excellent performances including high output performance and durability.

Abstract: A carbon fiber spun yarn, which is a spun yarn of a carbon fiber that has an average (002)-interlayer spacing of 0.340-0.380 nm as measured by X-ray diffraction method, has a specific gravity of 1.55-1.80 as measured by a density gradient tube method, a hydrogen-to carbon atomic ratio (H/C) as measured by elementary analysis of at most 0.1 and contains 3-30 wt. % of carbon fiber having a fiber length of at least 150 mm, wherein the spun yarn has a weight per 1000 m (tex) of 30-150 g, a number of primary twist of 50-400 turns/m and a tensile strength of at least 0.15 N/tex. The carbon fiber spun yarn may be woven to provide a carbon fiber woven fabric suitable as a gas diffuser (electroconductive substrate) of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

Abstract: A hybrid carbon fiber spun yarn comprising a core region which comprises carbon fibers as a main component, and a surrounding region which comprises carbon fibers as a main component and covers an outer peripheral surface of the core region; wherein 20% by mass or more of fibers forming the core region are long carbon fibers having a fiber length of 500 mm or longer, 80% by mass ormore of fibers forming the surrounding region are short carbon fibers having a fiber length of less than 500 mm, and a mass ratio between the long carbon fibers and the short carbon fibers (long carbon fibers:short carbon fibers) is in a range of 20:80 to 80:20.

Abstract: An adsorbent for an oral administration, comprising a surface-modified spherical activated carbon wherein an average particle diameter is 50 to 200 ?m, a specific surface area determined by a BET method is 700 m2/g or more, a bulk density is less than 0.54 g/mL, a total amount of acidic groups is 0.30 to 1.20 meq/g, and a total amount of basic groups is 0.20 to 0.9 meq/g is disclosed. The adsorbent for an oral administration has a high adsorbability, and is capable of adsorbing a large amount of toxins during a retention period in an intestine, and of remarkably reducing an amount of urinary proteins excretion.

Abstract: An adsorbent for an oral administration, comprising a spherical activated carbon wherein an average particle diameter is 50 to 200 ?m, a specific surface area determined by a BET method is 700 m2/g or more, and a bulk density is less than 0.54 g/mL is disclosed. The adsorbent for an oral administration has a high adsorbability, and is capable of adsorbing a large amount of toxins during a retention period in an intestine, and of remarkably increasing an adsorption amount of compounds having a large molecular weight.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a spherical activated carbon, characterized by comprising the steps of: (1) forming a spherical substance of a heat-fusible resin, (2) oxidizing the spherical substance of a heat-fusible resin to form a heat-infusible spherical substance, and (3) activating the heat-infusible spherical substance to form the spherical activated carbon is disclosed. According to the process for the manufacture, a spherical activated carbon having desirable properties, such as an average particle diameter, a particle size distribution, a pore volume, or a specific surface area, can be easily prepared.

Abstract: A process for producing a spherical carbon material, comprising: subjecting a spherical vinyl resin to an oxidation treatment in an oxidizing gas atmosphere to obtain a spherical carbon precursor, and carbonizing the spherical carbon precursor at 1000-2000° C. in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere. The thus-obtained spherical carbon material exhibits excellent performances, including high output performance and durability, when used, e.g., as a negative electrode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries.

Abstract: A pitch-based carbon fiber sliver providing a high-strength carbon fiber spun yarn is efficiently produced by providing a pitch-based carbon fiber mat comprising a mass of piled-up pitch-based carbon fibers of which fiber extension directions are aligned preferentially in one direction; and directly subjecting the carbon fiber mat to drawing and carding by means of a carding machine while moving the mat in said one preferential alignment direction. The thus-obtained carbon fiber sliver is drawn and twisted to produce a pitch-based carbon fiber spun yarn containing at least 3 wt. % of fibers having a fiber length of at least 150 mm, a number of primary twist of 50-400 turns/m and a tensile strength of at least 0.10 N/tex.

Abstract: An electrode material comprising a powdery mixture of a metal material (particularly, an intermetallic compound) and a capacitive carbon material each capable of doping and dedoping lithium, and an optionally added fine electroconductive additive, and containing the metal material and the capacitive carbon material in amounts of 5-60 wt. % and 40-95 wt. %, respectively, is used as an active substance for an electrode, particularly a negative electrode, of a non-aqueous solvent secondary cell. As a result, there is provided a non-aqueous solvent secondary cell which has large charge-discharge capacities, a small irreversible capacity determined as a difference between the doping capacity and the de-doping capacity, and also excellent cycle characteristics.

Abstract: An electrode material comprising a powdery mixture of a metal material (particularly, an intermetallic compound) and a capacitive carbon material each capable of doping and dedoping lithium, and an optionally added fine electroconductive additive, and containing the metal material and the capacitive carbon material in amounts of 5–60 wt. % and 40–95 wt. %, respectively, is used as an active substance for an electrode, particularly a negative electrode, of a non-aqueous solvent secondary cell. As a result, there is provided a non-aqueous solvent secondary cell which has large charge-discharge capacities, a small irreversible capacity determined as a difference between the doping capacity and the de-doping capacity, and also excellent cycle characteristics.

Abstract: An electrode material comprising a powdery mixture of a metal material (particularly, an intermetallic compound) and a capacitive carbon material each capable of doping and dedoping lithium, and an optionally added fine electroconductive additive, and containing the metal material and the capacitive carbon material in amounts of 5-60 wt. % and 40-95 wt. %, respectively, is used as an active substance for an electrode, particularly a negative electrode, of a non-aqueous solvent secondary cell. As a result, there is provided a non-aqueous solvent secondary cell which has large charge-discharge capacities, a small irreversible capacity determined as a difference between the doping capacity and the de-doping capacity, and also excellent cycle characteristics.

Abstract: An adsorbent for oral administration, characterized by comprising a spherical activated carbon, wherein a diameter is 0.01 to 1 mm, a specific surface area determined by Langmuir's adsorption equation is 1000 m2/g or more, and a diffraction intensity ratio, an R value, determined by an equation (1): R=(I15?I35)/(I24?I35)??(1) wherein I15 is a diffraction intensity when a diffraction angle (2?) of an X-ray diffractometry is 15°, I35 is a diffraction intensity when a diffraction angle (2?) of an X-ray diffractometry is 35°, and I24 is a diffraction intensity when a diffraction angle (2?) of an X-ray diffractometry is 24°, is 1.4 or more; and an adsorbent for an oral administration, characterized by comprising a surface-modified spherical activated carbon, wherein a diameter is 0.01 to 1 mm, a specific surface area determined by Langmuir's adsorption equation is 1000 m2/g or more, a total amount of acidic groups is 0.40 to 1.00 meq/g, a total amount of basic groups is 0.40 to 1.

Abstract: An adsorbent for an oral administration, comprising a surface-modified spherical activated carbon wherein an average diameter is 0.01 to 1 mm, a specific surface area determined by a BET method is 700 m2/g or more, a volume of pores having a pore diameter of 7.5 to 15000 nm is from 0.25 mL/g to 1.0 mL/g, a total amount of acidic groups is 0.30 to 1.20 meq/g, and a total amount of basic groups is 0.20 to 0.7 meq/g, is disclosed.

Abstract: An adsorbent for oral administration, characterized by comprising a spherical activated carbon prepared from a thermosetting resin as a carbon source, wherein a diameter is 0.01 to 1 mm, and a specific surface area determined by Langmuir's adsorption equation is 1000 m2/g or more; and an adsorbent for oral administration, characterized by comprising a surface-modified spherical activated carbon prepared from a thermosetting resin as a carbon source, wherein a diameter is 0.01 to 1 mm, a specific surface area determined by Langmuir's adsorption equation is 1000 m2/g or more, a total amount of acidic groups is 0.40 to 1.00 meq/g, and a total amount of basic groups is 0.40 to 1.10 meq/g. The adsorbents for oral administration exhibit a useful selective adsorbability, that is, a less adsorbability of useful substances in a body, and a greater adsorbability of toxic substances.

Abstract: A spherical activated carbon is produced from a starting pitch obtainable from a heavy hydrocarbon oil, such as petroleum tar, coal tar or ethylene, through a moderate process. The starting pitch has a softening point of at least 150° C., a toluene-insoluble content of at least 40% and a property of retaining optical isotropy even after being heated at 430° C. for 1 hour. The starting pitch is converted into a porous spherical pitch, which is then infusibilized, carbonized and activated to provide a spherical activated carbon.

Abstract: A carbonaceous support member for a high-temperature heat-treated metal molding object, particularly a setter for heat-treatment in powder metallurgy, is formed as a carbon-ceramic composite shaped product having a bulk density of 1.2-1.6 g/ml and including a carbonaceous matrix and 3-20 wt. % of ceramic particles which are uniformly dispersed in the carbonaceous matrix and partly exposed to the surface of the composite. The support member can effectively prevent carburization of a metal molding object supported thereby during the heat-treatment without causing a problem of peeling of coating layer as encountered in a ceramic-coated support member. The support member may be prepared by compression molding of a powdery mixture of a fine carbon precursor and ceramic particles, followed by heating at 1000-2000° C. to carbonize the fine carbon precursor.

Abstract: An adsorbent for an oral administration, comprising a porous spherical carbonaceous substance wherein a diameter is 0.01 to 1 mm, a specific surface area determined by a BET method is 700 m2/g or more, a volume of pores having a pore diameter of 20 to 15000 nm is from not less than 0.04 mL/g to less than 0.10 mL/g, a total amount of acidic groups is 0.30 to 1.20 meq/g, and a total amount of basic groups is 0.20 to 1.00 meq/g, is disclosed.