Abstract: A binder resin which forms a resin powdery product such as a toner for developing electrostatic latent images. The binder resin comprises a biodegradable resin comprising a polyhydroxyalkanoate produced by culturing a microorganism and having as a specific monomer unit a 3-hydroxyalkanoic acid such as 3-hydroxy-5-phenylvaleric acid. This binder resin has very good properties as a binder resin and also has a high safety to human bodies and environment. Also disclosed are a toner for developing electrostatic latent images which contains such a binder resin, and an image-forming method and an image-forming apparatus which make use of the toner.

Abstract: The invention is to provide polyhydroxyalkanoate of a novel structure enabling application to wider fields, and a producing method therefor. The invention also provides a biodegradable charge control agent having excellent charging characteristics, excellent dispersibility in the toner resin and improved spent property. The polyhydroxyalkanoate of the present invention is featured by including, in the polymer molecule, a units represented by the general formulas (1) and (2) and at least one of the units represented by the general formulas (3) to (6).

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) comprised of two kinds of units, a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit is used as a binder resin. This provides a binder resin which is biodegradable and can more highly contribute to the conservation of natural environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) containing a 3-hydroxyalkanoic unit which has at its side chain terminal a substituted phenylsulfinyl group and/or a substituted phenylsulfonyl group, and a production process thereof. The novel PHA can be produced by oxidizing with a peroxide a biosynthetic PHA containing a 3-hydroxyalkanoic unit which has at its side chain terminal a substituted phenylsufanyl group. The novel PHA has a superior function as a charge control agent, besides is biodegradable, hence is contributable to environmental conservation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing highly purified polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) with high yield, by removing cell components other than PHA from cells containing PHA. Moreover, the present invention provides a method for simply removing or reducing chlorine remained in the collected PHA particles, when a treatment with an oxidizing agent containing hypochlorite is performed in the production of PHA as described above. One of the above-described methods comprises a step of treating cells containing polyhydroxyalkanoate with an oxidizing agent containing at least hypochlorite, a step of separating the treated cells into a water-soluble fraction and a water-insoluble fraction, and a step of reducing chlorine remained in the water-insoluble fraction. The step of reducing chlorine may be a step of washing the water-insoluble fraction with a hot water, thiosulfate solution or polar solvent solution containing at least an organic polar solvent in which polyhydroxyalkanoate is insoluble.

Abstract: Polyhydroxyalkanoate type polyester that comprises one unit % or more of 3-hydroxy-&ohgr;-(4-vinylphenyl)alkanoic acid units. A microbial production method is also provided.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate characterized by having in the molecule a unit represented by Chemical Formula (1): wherein n may assume any one integral value within the range of from 1 to 8. Also disclosed are a process for producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate by the use of a microorganism having the ability to produce the polyhydroxyalkanoate and accumulate it in the bacterial body; a charge control agent, a toner binder and a toner which contain this polyhydroxyalkanoate; and an image-forming method and an image-forming apparatus which make use of the toner.

Abstract: A method for producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate using a microorganism capable of substantially reducing unintended monomer units and obtaining the polyhydroxyalkanoate in a high yield. A microorganism capable of synthesizing a novel polyhydroxyalkanoate having 3-hydroxy-substituted benzoylalkanoic acid as a monomer unit, using a substituted benzoylalkanoic acid as a material, is cultured in a medium containing a substituted benzoylalkanoic acid. Then, the polyhydroxyalkanoate produced in the cultured bacteria is extracted and recovered.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate comprises a unit of formula (1): —(O—CH((CH2)mSASO2R)CH2C(═O))— wherein R is selected from the group consisting of OH, a halogen atom, ONa, OK, OCH3 and OC2H5; A represents a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon structure; m is an integer number selected from 1 to 8; and in the case where a plurality of units exist in the same molecule, R, A and m in one unit can be different from them in another unit respectively.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate having a monomer unit composition represented by General Formula (1):

Abstract: PHA containing a novel 3-hydroxy-thioalkanoic acid unit having a highly reactive thienyl group in a side chain thereof, and a method of producing the same are provided. Specifically, 5-(2-thienylsulfanyl) valeric acid represented by Chemical Formula [4] below and 6-(2-thienylsulfanyl) hexanoic acid represented by Chemical Formula [5] below are provided. Further, a method of producing PHA, comprising the step of collecting PHA from cells of a microorganism cultured in a medium containing the valeric acid or hexanoic acid, and a novel PHA represented by Chemical Formula [1] below are provided.

Abstract: PHA containing a novel 3-hydroxy-thioalkanoic acid unit having a highly reactive thienyl group in a side chain thereof, and a method of producing the same are provided. Specifically, 5-(2-thienyl-sulfanyl)valeric acid represented by Chemical Formula [4] below and 6-(2-thienylsulfanyl)hexanoic acid represented by Chemical Formula [5] below are provided. Further, a method of producing PHA, comprising the step of collecting PHA from cells of a microorganism cultured in a medium containing the valeric acid or hexanoic acid, and a novel PHA represented by Chemical Formula [1] below are provided.

Abstract: A method is provided which biosynthesizes a PHA having an epoxy group on a side chain with improved physicochemical properties. Specifically, a method of producing a polyester containing an epoxy group in a side chain thereof using alkene as a raw material is provided which comprises the steps of bringing alkene into contact with a microorganism having an ability to uptake alkene and convert it to a polyester and allowing the microorganism to convert the alkene into a polyester containing an epoxy group in a side chain thereof. Further, a method of producing a crosslinked polymer is provided which comprises reacting the polyester obtained by the above mentioned method with a diamine compound.

Abstract: Provided is a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing in a molecule thereof one or more units each selected from the group consisting of the following formulae (1), (2), (3) and (4): 1

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling the molecular weight of a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing at least one of a unit: —[OCH((CH2)mR1)CH2C(O)]— (m=1-8; R1 is a residue having a ring structure of any of phenyl and thienyl structure), and a unit: —[OCH((CH2)kC6H1)R2)CH2C(O)]— (k=0-8; R2 denotes a substituent on the cyclohexyl group including H, CN, NO2, halogen atom, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5 or C3F7), wherein a microorganism is cultivated in the presence of a hydroxyl group-containing compound, which is capable of producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate from R3(CH2)qCH2CH2COOH (q=1-8; R3 contains a residue having a ring structure of phenyl or thienyl) or R4C6H10(CH2)rCH2CH2COOH (r=0-8; R4 denotes a substituent on the cyclohexyl group including H, CN, NO2, halogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5, or C3F7).

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate having a monomer unit composition represented by General Formula (1): AmB(1−m)  (1)  wherein A is represented by General Formula (2), B is at least one selected from the group consisting of monomer units represented by General Formula (3) or (4), and m has a value of 0.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) having a desired configuration is produced using a raw material containing &ohgr;-(4-vinylphenyl)-alkanoic acid and (&ohgr;-substituted alkanoic acid in which a group having a ring structure selected from phenyl, thienyl, and cyclohexyl structures substitutes therefor on the end thereof by producing a PHA copolymer containing the corresponding 3-hydroxy-&ohgr;-(4-vinylphenyl)-alkanoate unit and the corresponding 3-hydroxy-&ohgr;-substituted alkanoate unit by making use of a microorganism capable of producing the PHA or by oxidizing a predetermined portion of the corresponding PHA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of effectively producing polyhydroxyalkanoate having an aromatic substituted residue in its monomer unit.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate having a monomer unit composition represented by General Formula (1):

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling the molecular weight of a polyhydroxyalkanoate containing at least one of a unit: —[OCH((CH2)mR1)CH2C(O)]— (m=1-8; R1 is a residue having a ring structure of any of phenyl and thienyl structure), and a unit: —[OCH ((CH2)kC6H10R2) CH2C(O)]— (k=0-8; R2 denotes a substituent on the cyclohexyl group including H, CN, NO2, halogen atom, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5 or C3F7), wherein a microorganism is cultivated in the presence of a hydroxyl group-containing compound, which is capable of producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate from R3(CH2)qCH2CH2COOH (q=1-8; R3 contains a residue having a ring structure of phenyl or thienyl) or R4C6H10(CH2)rCH2CH2COOH (r=0-8; R4 denotes a substituent on the cyclohexyl group including H, CN, NO2, halogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5, or C3F7).