Abstract: A particulate carbon catalyst in which particles having a particle diameter of 20 nm-1 ?m account for a volume fraction of at least 45%, and the content of nitrogen atoms is 0.1-10 atomic % relative to the amount of carbon atoms.

Abstract: There is provided a solar cell in which a lower electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer having a chalcopyrite structure that includes a Group Ib element, a Group IIIb element, and a Group VIb element, and an upper electrode layer are sequentially formed on top of a substrate, wherein the solar cell is provided with a silicate layer between the substrate and the lower electrode layer.

Abstract: A particulate carbon catalyst in which particles having a particle diameter of 20 nm-1 ?m account for a volume fraction of at least 45%, and the content of nitrogen atoms is 0.1-10 atomic % relative to the amount of carbon atoms.

Abstract: There is provided a solar cell in which a lower electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer having a chalcopyrite structure that includes a Group Ib element, a Group IIIb element, and a Group VIb element, and an upper electrode layer are sequentially formed on top of a substrate, wherein the solar cell is provided with a silicate layer between the substrate and the lower electrode layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aromatic polyimide film having specific elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient. Also disclosed is a method for producing such an aromatic polyimide film. Specifically disclosed is an aromatic polyimide film which is composed of an aromatic polyimide containing not less than 70 mol % of repeating units represented by the following formula (I): (I) while satisfying the following relations (1) and (2): CTEMD??11×MiMD+70??(1) CTETD??11×MiTD+70??(2) wherein CTEMD represents the in-plane thermal expansion coefficient (ppm·K?1) in the machine direction; CTETD represents the in-plane thermal expansion coefficient (ppm·K?1) in the transverse direction; MiMD represents the elastic modulus (GPa) in the machine direction; and MiTD represents the elastic modulus (GPa) in the transverse direction. Also specifically disclosed is a method for producing such an aromatic polyimide film.

Abstract: A layered silicate characterized by being ion-exchanged with an organic onium ion at 50-100% of its ion-exchange capacity, and by having a specific surface area of 2.5-100 m2/g, as well as a resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and the aforementioned layered silicate, the resin composition being characterized in that the layered silicate content is 0.01-20 parts by weight as inorganic ash with respect to 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic resin, and the average number of layers of the layered silicate in the thermoplastic resin is 2-8 layers. Also, a film which comprises the resin composition.

Abstract: A polyester resin composition which is a resin composition comprising a polyester and a laminar silicate that is 60-100% modified by organic phosphonium ion, wherein the content of the laminar silicate is 0.01-20 wt % as inorganic ash and the terminal OH group content is 0.1-45 eq/ton, as well as a process for its production and molded articles comprising it.

Abstract: A layered silicate characterized by being ion-exchanged with an organic onium ion at 50-100% of its ion-exchange capacity, and by having a specific surface area of 2.5-100 m2/g, as well as a resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and the aforementioned layered silicate, the resin composition being characterized in that the layered silicate content is 0.01-20 parts by weight as inorganic ash with respect to 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic resin, and the average number of layers of the layered silicate in the thermoplastic resin is 2-8 layers. Also, a film which comprises the resin composition.

Abstract: There is provided a film comprising a layered silicate cation-exchanged with an organic cation and a polyester or polycarbonate. The organic cation is represented by the following formula (I): (R)n-L+??(I) wherein R is a group represented by the following formula (I-1): wherein R1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and R2 is a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, L+ is an ammonium ion, a phosphonium ion or a hetero aromatic ion, and n is an integer of 1 to 4, with the proviso that when L+ is an ammonium ion or a phosphonium ion, n is 4 and four Rs may be the same or different. This film has the layered silicate highly dispersed therein and is excellent in various properties such as mechanical properties and dimensional stability.

Abstract: The invention provides a porous film having a plurality of connected pores, and a process for its production. The porous film of the invention is a porous film formed from highly heat resistant poly(metaphenylene isophthalamide), and having specific ranges for the open areas and difference between them on both surfaces, as well as specified ranges for the mean pore sizes and porosity on both surfaces. The permeability and impregnation with respect to substances such as air and water, as well as the dynamic strength, are therefore excellent, and the porous film can be used for filters, and for curing resin-impregnated prepregs, multilayer wiring boards, electronic package substrates and the like employing the porous film as a core material.

Abstract: There is provided a polyester composition which can be suitably used as a molding material for fibers, films or resins having an enhanced elastic modulus and softening points. The thermoplastic resin composition comprises 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (A) and 0.01-10 parts by weight of a fibrous aluminum oxide filler (B) composed of a compound represented by the following formula (I): AlxOyHz??(I) (where x, y and z are numbers of 0-3, and x=(2y?z)/3 is satisfied), wherein the primary particles of the fibrous aluminum oxide filler have a mean fiber length of 10-1000 nm, a mean fiber diameter of 0.5-7 nm and a mean aspect ratio of 2000-5. The fibrous aluminum oxide filler (B) is preferably surface-coated with a silane coupling agent.

Abstract: There is provided a film comprising a layered silicate cation-exchanged with an organic cation and a polyester or polycarbonate. The organic cation is represented by the following formula (I): (R)n-L+??(I) wherein R is a group represented by the following formula (I-1): wherein R1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and R2 is a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, L+ is an ammonium ion, a phosphonium ion or a hetero aromatic ion, and n is an integer of 1 to 4, with the proviso that when L+ is an ammonium ion or a phosphonium ion, n is 4 and four Rs may be the same or different. This film has the layered silicate highly dispersed therein and is excellent in various properties such as mechanical properties and dimensional stability.

Abstract: A film which is a single polymer film and has a smaller phase difference as the wavelength becomes shorter. This film is made from an olefin-based polymer which has an alicyclic group in the side chain, such as hydrogenated polystyrene, the amount of the alicyclic group in the side chain being 60 to 90 wt % based on the whole polymer, and satisfies the following expression: R(450)/R(550)<1 wherein R(450) and R(550) are phase differences on the film plane at a wavelength of 450 nm and a wavelength of 550 nm, respectively.

Abstract: To provide a resin composition which is suitable for use as a material for optical parts and disk substrates and molded products thereof. The resin composition comprises: (1) 10 to 90 wt % of a first hydrogenated, polymerized styrene which contains a hydrogenated, polymerized styrene unit in an amount of more than 95 wt % and 99.99 wt % or less and has a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 to 300,000; and (2) 10 to 90 wt % of a second hydrogenated, polymerized styrene which contains a hydrogenated, polymerized styrene unit in an amount of 60 to 95 wt % and has a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 to 200,000, “wt %” being based on 100 wt % of the total of the first hydrogenated, polymerized styrene and the second hydrogenated, polymerized styrene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydrogenated styrene polymer that has excellent transparency, can be used suitably for an optical application such as an optical disk substrate, has stability and transparency in a hot and humid environment, and has excellent heat resistance; and a process for producing same; etc. The hydrogenated styrene polymer of the present invention has a hydrogenated polymerized styrene unit content of at least 70 wt %, a content of fine particulate foreign matter having a particle size of 0.2 &mgr;m or more and less than 0.5 &mgr;m of at most 1×106 per g of the hydrogenated styrene polymer, and a phosphorus atom content of at most 0.01 parts by weight in 100 parts by weight of the hydrogenated styrene polymer. Furthermore, the process for producing a hydrogenated styrene polymer of the present invention includes steps of filtering, with a filter having a pore size of 0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydrogenated styrene-conjugated diene-styrene copolymer having excellent toughness, heat distortion temperature, and moldability, a production process therefor, and an optical material, etc. employing the copolymer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydrogenated styrene polymer that has excellent transparency, can be used suitably for an optical application such as an optical disk substrate, has stability and transparency in a hot and humid environment, and has excellent heat resistance; and a process for producing same; etc. The hydrogenated styrene polymer of the present invention has a hydrogenated polymerized styrene unit content of at least 70 wt %, a content of fine particulate foreign matter having a particle size of 0.2 &mgr;m or more and less than 0.5 &mgr;m of at most 1×106 per g of the hydrogenated styrene polymer, and a phosphorus atom content of at most 0.01 parts by weight in 100 parts by weight of the hydrogenated styrene polymer. Furthermore, the process for producing a hydrogenated styrene polymer of the present invention includes steps of filtering, with a filter having a pore size of 0.

Abstract: A method for crystallizing a low molecular weight aromatic polycarbonate effectively and a method for preparing a polycarbonate resin having a desired intrinsic viscosity by using the polycarbonate crystallized with the above method of crystallization. A low molecular weight aromatic polycarbonate (preferably, the one produced by melt polycondensation) is crystallized by bringing it into contact with an aromatic monohydroxy compound or a mixture of said compound and water. Or, a low molecular weight aromatic polycarbonate is melt mixed with at least one or more kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting of aromatic monohydroxy compounds, carbonic acid diester compounds and aromatic dihydroxy compounds to crystallize the low molecular weight aromatic polycarbonate. The crystallized product is heated at a temperature lower than its melting point under reduced pressure or in an inert gas flow to convert it into a high polymerized state.

Abstract: An optical recording medium for recording and reproducing information utilizing the change of a physical property of a recording layer caused by the irradiation with light, which comprises a substrate, characterized in that the substrate comprises a hydrogenated styrene polymer having a content of nucleus-hydrogenated styrene units of 80 wt % or more, has a glass transition temperature of 110° C. or higher, has a light transmittance of 88% or more at 400 nm, and exhibits an absolute value of retardation of 30 nm or less at 0° and 30° from the normal direction of the plane thereof. The optical recording medium suitable for use in the high density optical recording capable of responding to a greater number of openings and the use of a light having a shorter wave length in an optical head.

Abstract: A film which is a single polymer film and has a smaller phase difference as the wavelength becomes shorter.