Abstract: In an electric power generating element, either positive or negative electrode includes a composition containing an organic compound as a main agent and the positive electrode has an electrically conductive substance so that relatively low-temperature thermal energy is efficiently converted to electric energy. Polyethylene glycol is employed as the organic compound and graphite or a graphite composition is employed as the conductive substance. Salt providing ionic conductivity may be added to the organic compound or polyethylene glycol, and the negative electrode may be formed of a metal having an ionization tendency as large as or larger than copper or a composition of the metal.

Abstract: In an electric power generating element, either positive or negative electrode includes a composition containing an organic compound as a main agent and the positive electrode has an electrically conductive substance so that relatively low-temperature thermal energy is efficiently converted to electric energy. Polyethylene glycol is employed as the organic compound and graphite or a graphite composition is employed as the conductive substance. Salt providing ionic conductivity may be added to the organic compound or polyethylene glycol, and the negative electrode may be formed of a metal having an ionization tendency as large as or larger than copper or a composition of the metal.

Abstract: Super high polymeric polyethylene glycol whose molecular weight is 100,000 to 1,000,000 or a mixture of the same and polyethylene glycol whose molecular weight is 600 to 10,000 is dissolvedly mixed with carbon powder or mixed with it in the presence of a solvent so that the carbon powder is uniformly dispersed therein, and thus, a plane heater compound which is flexible at the normal temperature can be obtained. This compound is formed into a self-temperature control heater which can have a required switching temperature within a range of 5.degree. to 60.degree. C. mainly by varying a mixing ratio of polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of 600 to 10,000. Such a plane heater can be applied for various purposes requiring low-temperature heating, such as preventing freezing or melting snow, and also high-temperature heating, such as heating/air conditioning.

Abstract: A method of controlling the steady state exothermic temperature in the range from 5.degree. to about 60.degree.-70.degree. C. in polyethylene glycol-carbon powder system heat sensitive-electrically resistant composites including setting the steady state exothermic temperature by varying the molecular weight of polyethylene glycol within a range of approximately 100 to 1,000,000 while setting the amount of the carbon powder dispersed in polyethylene glycol within a range from 5 to 45 wt %.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive electroresistive composite and a thermostatic heating unit made from the composite. The heat-sensitive electroresistive composites have the property of showing an abrupt variation in electric resistance depending on temperature, and they include organic compounds containing a plural number of alkylene oxides as the unit structure in their molecules and fine pieces of carbon in the form of powder, fiber, whiskers, etc. The above-mentioned organic compounds may be normal chain polyalkylene oxide and its derivatives or cyclic ether compounds. The mixing ratio of organic compounds to the fine pieces of carbon is, for example, 100 to 10-80, but the mixing ratio is not necessarily limited to the range for the other types of organic compounds and fine pieces of carbons. The thermostatic heating units are formed by sealing the heat-sensitive electroresistive composites together with electrodes within insulators.

Abstract: This invention relates to the method and device of preserving vegetables in fresh condition for a long period of time using highly absorbent material such as processed pulp cotton which is capable of preventing the formation of dew from water emitted by the vegetables and an amount of preservative sufficient to prevent the propagation of primary bacteria within the container, preferably with preservative and means to separate the vegetables from the absorbent material.