Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a production process of a microfluidic device in which a porous resin layer, which is capable of optimally fixing a large amount of enzyme, antigen or other protein or catalyst on the inner surface of a minute channel of a microfluidic device without obstructing said channel, is formed at a uniform thickness on the surface of said channel. In the present invention, by preliminarily forming a porous resin layer having a large number of pores in its surface on a substrate, and forming an indentation having a porous resin layer on its bottom surface by using an activating energy beam-curable composition on said porous resin layer, followed by forming a channel by adhering a member serving as a cover to said indentation, a porous resin layer can easily be formed at a uniform thickness on the surface of said channel.

Abstract: There is provided a micro chemical device with a valve function for which the pressure resistance is high and the channel cross-sectional area does not depend on the fluid pressure, and which furthermore enables the suppression of the adsorption of biological matter and yet is easy to produce, as well as a flow regulation method using such a device. This has a valve function, in which a member (B) is bonded to a member (A) with a groove in the surface thereof, via the surface of the member (A) in which the groove is formed, a capillary type channel of width from 1 to 1000 ?m and height from 1 to 1000 ?m is formed by the groove of the member (A) and the member (B) at the bonding surface between the member (A) and the member (B), a cavity section is formed partway along the channel and the width of this cavity section is from 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a microdevice having a fine capillary cavity formed as a cut portion of a very thin layer which is likely to be broken, particularly a method of manufacturing a microdevice having complicated passages formed in three dimensions with high productivity. Also, the present invention provides a multi-functional microdevice which has a fine capillary passage formed by laminating plural resin layers, fine capillary cavities piercing through the respective layers to communicate and intersect three-dimensionally with each other, a space which should serve as a reaction chamber, a diaphragm valve, and a stopper structure.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a production process of a microfluidic device in which a porous resin layer, which is capable of optimally fixing a large amount of enzyme, antigen or other protein or catalyst on the inner surface of a minute channel of a microfluidic device without obstructing said channel, is formed at a uniform thickness on the surface of said channel. In the present invention, by preliminarily forming a porous resin layer having a large number of pores in its surface on a substrate, and forming an indentation having a porous resin layer on its bottom surface by using an activating energy beam-curable composition on said porous resin layer, followed by forming a channel by adhering a member serving as a cover to said indentation, a porous resin layer can easily be formed at a uniform thickness on the surface of said channel.

Abstract: There is provided a micro chemical device with a valve function for which the pressure resistance is high and the channel cross-sectional area does not depend on the fluid pressure, and which furthermore enables the suppression of the adsorption of biological matter and yet is easy to produce, as well as a flow regulation method using such a device. This has a valve function, in which a member (B) is bonded to a member (A) with a groove in the surface thereof, via the surface of the member (A) in which the groove is formed, a capillary type channel of width from 1 to 1000 &mgr;m and height from 1 to 1000 &mgr;m is formed by the groove of the member (A) and the member (B) at the bonding surface between the member (A) and the member (B), a cavity section is formed partway along the channel and the width of this cavity section is from 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a microdevice having a fine capillary cavity formed as a cut portion of a very thin layer which is likely to be broken, particularly a method of manufacturing a microdevice having complicated passages formed in three dimensions with high productivity. Also, the present invention provides a multi-functional microdevice which has a fine capillary passage formed by laminating plural resin layers, fine capillary cavities piercing through the respective layers to communicate and intersect three-dimensionally with each other, a space which should serve as a reaction chamber, a diaphragm valve, and a stopper structure.

Abstract: A porous material is disclosed, made of a semi IPN type polymer alloy of a crosslinked polymer (A) obtained by the crosslinking polymerization of a crosslinking-polymerizable vinyl monomer and/or oligomer (a) with a non-crosslinked polymer (D) which is soluble in a solvent (B) capable of dissolving said monomer and/or oligomer (a) therein and subjecting said crosslinked polymer (A) to gelation but is insoluble in a coagulating solution (C) which is compatible with said solvent (B) but doesn't subject said crosslinked polymer (D) to gelation. A porous material excellent in mechanical strength as well as in heat resistance can be prepared. Various functional groups can be introduced into the surface of the porous material. Further, the pore diameter can be easily controlled.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a material having hydrophilic surface which comprises forming a hydrophobic photopolymerizable composition comprising a hydrophobic compound (a) having two or more polymerizable unsaturated double bonds per molecule and a photopolymerization initiator into a desired form and irradiating the resultant shape (b) with actinic rays while keeping the surface of the shape (b) in contact with a hydrophilic liquid (d) containing a hydrophilic compound (c) having one or more polymerizable unsaturated double bonds under such conditions that a photopolymerization reaction is prevented from occurring in the hydrophilic liquid (d) except at the interface between the liquid (d) and the shape (b), whereby the shape (b) is cured and, at the same time, the hydrophobic compound (a) is copolymerized with the hydrophilic compound (c) at the interface between the shape (b) and the hydrophilic liquid (d) to chemically bond molecules of the hydrophilic compound (c) to the surface of the hydropho

Abstract: A method for producing a high-quality crop is described, which comprises irrigating soil with oxygen-removed water or water supersaturated with a non-oxygen gas, and the water is preferably drenched into the soil and/or irrigated onto the soil surface which is coated with a substantially air non-permeable sheet.

Abstract: A diaphragm for gas-liquid contact comprising a membrane having two surfaces, at least one surface of the membrane is hydrophilic and surfaces of micropores present in the membrane are hydrophobic. The diaphragm is used in contact apparatus in which a liquid is contacted with the hydrophilic surface of the membrane and a gas is contacted with the other surface. The diaphragm is used in a process for producing a liquid containing a gas dissolved therein, which comprises introducing a liquid into contact with the hydrophilic surface of the membrane and a gas into contact with the other surface of the membrane and having the gas pass through the membrane and dissolve in the liquid.

Abstract: An asymmetric polymer membrane is disclosed characterized by being formed by irradiating a monomer and/or an oligomer polymerizable with an energy ray and having a pore diameter distribution in the thickness direction of the membrane, a ratio of a permeability flux of oxygen to nitrogen of 0.9-1.1, and communicating pores.

Abstract: A membrane-type artificial lung adapted to perform exchange of gases between blood and a gas through a membrane by passing blood over one side of the membrane and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas over the other side, said membrane being a hollow fiber membrane which is composed mainly of a polyolefin, has an inside diameter of 10 to 500 micrometers, a thickness of 5 to 100 micrometers, a porosity of 7 to 50% and an oxygen flux, Q(O.sub.2), of at least 1.times.10.sup.-6 [cm.sup.3 (STP)/(cm.sup.2.sec.cmHg)] and is substantially impermeable to ethanol.

Abstract: Method for producing a gas separation membrane comprising a microporous support having provided thereon a non-porous coating layer. The method comprises melt extruding a thermoplastic crystalline polymer under particular melt-extrusion conditions to form a precursor in the form of a hollow fiber or flat film, coating the precursor as a support with a coating substance composed of a natural or synthetic substance capable of forming a polymeric layer which does not form pinholes upon subsequent drawing after solidification to form a coating layer on the surface of the support, and solidifying the coating layer. The support is annealed either before or after the cooling process, and this is followed by cold drawing and heat setting the support to form the gas separation membrane.

Abstract: A heterogeneous membrane of a thermoplastic crystalline polymer composed of a microporous layer and a nonporous layer and having excellent properties, for example as a diaphragm for separating a gaseous mixture; and a process for production thereof. The heterogeneous membrane is in the form of, for example, a flat film or a tubular film (preferably a hollow fiber). The microporous layer contains pores with a diameter of 0.01 to 50 microns, whereas the nonporous layer does not substantially contain pores having a diameter of at least 30 .ANG. and has a thickness of 0.01 to 1 micron. The heterogeneous membrane is characterized by having at least 3 times as high an apparent oxygen permeability coefficient P(O.sub.2) at 25.degree. C. as a nonporous homogeneous membrane of the same material and an oxygen-nitrogen separation coefficient .alpha. (O.sub.2 /N.sub.2) at 25.degree. C., i.e. the ratio of the apparent oxygen permeability coefficient P(O.sub.2) to the apparent nitrogen permeability coefficient P(N.sub.