Abstract: The present invention provides a water absorbing agent, and a method for producing the water absorbing agent. The water absorbing agent includes water absorbent resin particles, an organic acid and/or salt thereof having carbon number of 10 or more and not more than 30 in its molecule, and a water-soluble polyvalent cation. The method includes the step (i) of mixing the water absorbent resin particles, the organic acid and/or salt thereof having carbon number of 10 or more and not more than 30 in its molecule, and the water-soluble polyvalent cation with one another.

Abstract: A method for producing a water absorbent resin comprises the steps of: (i) polymerizing a monomer including an unsaturated monomer containing a carboxyl group, in the presence of an internal cross-linking agent (A) having two or more radical polymerizable unsaturated groups in its single molecule and in the presence of a non-polymeric internal cross-linking agent (B) having in its single molecule two or more functional groups each of which allows formation of an ester bond or an amide bond by reacting with a carboxyl group, while crushing a cross-linked polymer hydrogel; and (ii) drying the cross-linked polymer hydrogel obtained in the step (i), wherein: an amount of the internal cross-linking agent (A) is 0.01 mol % or more and 0.2 mol % or less relative to an amount of the unsaturated monomer containing a carboxyl group, and a molar ratio (B)/(A) of the internal cross-linking agent (A) and the non-polymeric internal cross-linking agent (B) is 0.01 or more and 1.8 or less.

Abstract: A method for producing a water absorbent resin comprises the steps of: (i) polymerizing a monomer including an unsaturated monomer containing a carboxyl group, in the presence of an internal cross-linking agent (A) having two or more radical polymerizable unsaturated groups in its single molecule and in the presence of a non-polymeric internal cross-linking agent (B) having in its single molecule two or more functional groups each of which allows formation of an ester bond or an amide bond by reacting with a carboxyl group so as to obtain a cross-linked polymer hydrogel; (ii) crushing the cross-linked polymer hydrogel obtained in the step (i); and (iii) drying crushed cross-linked polymer hydrogel products obtained in the step (ii), wherein: an amount of the internal cross-linking agent (A) is 0.01 mol % or more and 0.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separator of one aspect of the invention comprises; an inflow barrel; a main cylindrical barrel on downstream of the inflow barrel, which has an inner barrel duct and is constructed to induce rotational momentum on to-be cleaned gas having flown in from the inflow barrel; a plurality of subordinate cylindrical barrels that have diameters smaller than that of the main cylindrical barrel and are serially connected as adjoined to downstream end of the main cylindrical barrel; a connector cylindrical barrel that has diameter smaller than those of the subordinate cylindrical barrels and connects inside spaces of the subordinate cylindrical barrels; and liquid receivers on beneath of the subordinate cylindrical barrels; and an outflow barrel at downstream end of the series of the subordinate cylindrical barrels.

Abstract: To provide a water absorbing agent which is excellent in balance between absorbency and liquid permeability against pressure and is excellent in flowability at the time of moisture absorption. The water absorbing agent comprises water absorbent resin particles and an organic surface additive, wherein: the organic surface additive having (i) a reactive group for a functional group of a surface of each water absorbent resin particle and (ii) a hydrophobic group exists on the surface of the water absorbent resin particle, and the hydrophobic group has a hydrocarbon group whose carbon number is 8 or more, and a ratio of an oxyalkylene group in a molecular mass of the organic surface additive is 0 or more and 25 mass % or less.

Abstract: Provided are a method for recycling expanded polystyrene, comprising steps of: reducing a volume of the expanded polystyrene 110; dissolving the volume-reduced polystyrene in a solvent 130; and extruding the dissolved expanded polystyrene 160; and a separation and recovery apparatus of a polystyrene solution used in the extruding step. The present invention makes it possible to recycle expanded polystyrene while minimizing the problems of the conventional methods such as difficulty in the removal of foreign matters and the reduction of the molecular weight caused by heating in the extrusion step in the heat melting method, and discharge of the vaporized solvent out of the system together with a gas emitted during the volume-reduction step and the loss of the solvent thereby in the dissolution method.

Abstract: Carbon tetrachloride, which is a material of low value and may be banned due to the problem of the destructiveness against the stratospheric ozone layer, can be efficiently utilized in the preparation of more useful methyl chloride by a catalytic vapor-phase reaction in a vapor mixture of carbon tetrachloride, methyl alcohol and water. The solid catalyst with which the vapor mixture is contacted at 150.degree. to 250.degree. C. is, for example, a zinc chloride catalyst supported on an active carbon carrier. The conversion of carbon tetrachloride is almost 100% when the contacting time is 10 to 20 seconds.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel method for the preparation of a finely divided powder of silicon carbide as a promising material for sintered ceramic products of silicon carbide. The method comprises vapor-phase pyrolysis of a vaporizable organosilicon compound having, in a molecule, at least two, e.g. 2, 3 or 4, silicon atoms and at least one hydrogen atom directly bonded to the silicon atom but having no oxygen or halogen atom directly bonded to the silicon atom at a temperature of 750.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: The precursor composition of silicon carbide fibers provided by the invention has greatly improved spinnability and can be spun at a very high spinning velocity to give a green filament which has a much larger tensile strength than those of conventional precursor materials and is capable of giving silicon carbide fibers having increased tensile strength by the infusibilization and calcination of the green filament of the composition under tension. The composition comprises from 80 to 99.9 parts by weight of a polycarbosilane polymer and from 20 to 0.01 part by weight of a silmethylene polymer having a degree of polymerization larger than the specified lower limit.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel inorganic fiber composed of the elements of silicon, carbon, boron and nitrogen of which the Si/B molar ratio is 2:1 to 200:1. The inorganic fiber is obtained by a method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing an organoborosilicon polymer by heating a mixture of an organopolysilane and an organoborazine compound, e.g. B-trimethyl-N-triphenyl borazine, to effect thermal decomposition and polycondensation reaction; (b) spinning the polymer into a fibrous form; (c) infusibilizing the fiber of the polymer by thermally oxidizing in an oxidizing atmosphere or by irradiating with ionizing radiations; and (d) calcining the infusibilized fiber at 900.degree. to 1800.degree. C. The inventive inorganic fiber is more stable at high temperatures than conventional silicon carbide fibers.

Abstract: The liquid detergent composition of the invention comprises a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent, e.g. methylene chloride, an anionic and/or non-ionic surface active agents, a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, e.g. tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and choline, and, optionally, a lower aliphatic alcohol, e.g. methyl alcohol, each in a limited proportion. The detergent composition is very effective in the cleaning works of articles of a transparent plastic resin, e.g. polycarbonate resin, and metal or glass molds for the preparation of such resin articles by casting polymerization, of which uppermost cleanness on the surface is very essential in respect of oily, greasy and resinous contaminants.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the preparation of an ultrafine powder of silicon carbide having an extremely fine and uniform particle size distribution of spherical agglomerate particles each formed of crystallites of 5 nm or smaller in size. The silicon carbide powder is prepared by the vapor phase pyrolysis of a specified methyl hydrogen(poly)silane as diluted with a carrier gas, e.g. hydrogen, to give a concentration of 40% by volume or lower at a temperature of 750.degree. to 1600.degree. C. The silicon carbide powder can readily be sintered at a temperature of 1750.degree. to 2500.degree. C. even without addition of a sintering aid to give a sintered body of extremely high density reaching 80% or larger of the theoretical value which can never be obtained of the conventional silicon carbide powders.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for providing a highly protective coating layer of silicon carbide on to the surface of a substrate. The method comprises pyrolyzing the vapor of an organosilicon compound having at least one hydrogen atom directly bonded to the silicon atom in a molecule but having no halogen or oxygen atom directly bonded to the silicon atom at a temperature of 700.degree. to 1400.degree. C. in contact with the substrate surface to deposit silicon carbide thereon. In particular, the method is useful to form a sheath-and-core structure composed of the core of carbon filament and the coating layer of silicon carbide so that the carbon fibers are imparted with greatly improved resistance against oxidation and chemicals including molten metals when the carbon fibers are used as a reinforcing material of a fiber-reinforced metal composite as well as with improved affinity with molten resins and metals which is also an advantageous property as a reinforcing material for such matrix materials.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel organoborosilicon polymer comprising two types of the recurring monomeric units represented by the general formulas of, one, --SiR.sup.1.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 -- and, the other, --BR.sup.2 --NR.sup.3 --, in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group. Such an organoborosilicon polymer is readily prepared by the thermal decomposition polymerization reaction of an organopolysilane compound and a borazine compound at 250.degree. to 500.degree. C. and useful as a precursor of an inorganic ceramic material or inorganic fibers or as a binder of ceramics.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel method for the preparation of silicon carbide fibers capable of being performed at a relatively low temperature and giving fibers of relatively large lengths by the vapor-phase pyrolysis of an organosilicon compound on a substrate. The method comprises contacting an organosilicon compound, which should have no halogen and oxygen atoms directly bonded to the silicon atoms and have preferably at least one hydrogen atom directly bonded to the silicon atom in a molecule, with a finely divided powder of a metal or a compound of a metal, such as copper, silver, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium and platinum, at a temperature of 700.degree. to 1450.degree. C. so that the powder serves simultaneously as a catalyst and nucleus for the growth of the silicon carbide fibers thereon formed by the pyrolysis of the organosilicon compound.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel and efficient method for the preparation of methyl hydrogensilanes, e.g. dimethyl silane, 1,1,2,2-tetramethyl disilane and 1,1,2,2,3,3-hexamethyl trisilane, with large demand in the industry of silicones as an intermediate for the synthesis of other valuable organosilicon compounds such as methyl hydrogenchlorosilanes. The inventive method comprises pyrolysis of a methyl polysilane composed of at least 60% by moles of dimethylsilicon units, the balance being monomethyl- and trimethylsilicon units, at a temperature in the range from 350.degree. to 800.degree. C.