Abstract: A thermoelectric material of the present invention includes copper, tin, and sulfur, wherein a ratio A/B of the number A of copper atoms to the number B of tin atoms is 0.5 to 2.5 and a content of a metal element other than copper and tin is 5 mol % or less with respect to total metal elements. Additionally, the thermoelectric material of the present invention has a thermal conductivity less than 1.0 W/(m·K) at 200 to 400° C.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide zirconium oxide nanoparticles that have excellent dispersibility in a polar solvent and are capable of increasing a core concentration in a dispersion liquid. Zirconium oxide nanoparticles according to the present invention are coated with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of R1—COOH, (R1O)3-n—P(O)—(OH)n, (R1)3-n—P(O)—(OH)n, (R1O)—S(O)(O)—(OH), R1—S(O)(O)—(OH), and (R1)4-m—Si(R4)m, wherein R1 represents a group comprising a carbon atom and at least one element selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a sulfur atom, and having the total number of carbon atoms, oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, and sulfur atoms of 8 or less; R4 represents a halogen atom or —OR2, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and n represents 1 or 2, and m represents an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material of the present invention includes copper, tin, and sulfur, wherein a ratio A/B of the number A of copper atoms to the number B of tin atoms is 0.5 to 2.5 and a content of a metal element other than copper and tin is 5 mol % or less with respect to total metal elements. Additionally, the thermoelectric material of the present invention has a thermal conductivity less than 1.0 W/(m·K) at 200 to 400° C.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide zirconium oxide nanoparticles that have excellent dispersibility in a polar solvent and are capable of increasing a core concentration in a dispersion liquid. Zirconium oxide nanoparticles according to the present invention are coated with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of R1—COOH, (R1O)3-n—P(O)—(OH)n, (R1)3-n—P(O)—(OH)n, (R1O)—S(O)(O)—(OH), R1—S(O)(O)—(OH), and (R1)4-m—Si(R4)m, wherein R1 represents a group comprising a carbon atom and at least one element selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a sulfur atom, and having the total number of carbon atoms, oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, and sulfur atoms of 8 or less; R4 represents a halogen atom or —OR2, and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and n represents 1 or 2, and m represents an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to easily obtain zirconium oxide particles that contain a metallic element such as a rare earth oxide (preferably stabilized with a metallic element) and exhibit good dispersibility in organic media, without using an aqueous sulfate solution such as an aqueous solution of MgSO4, or using a reduced amount of the aqueous sulfate solution. The present invention is a zirconium oxide nanoparticle coated with a first carboxylic acid that is at least one of primary carboxylic acids and secondary carboxylic acids and has 3 or more carbon atoms, wherein the zirconium oxide nanoparticle comprises at least one selected from the group M consisting of rare earth elements, Al, Fe, Co, Sn, Zn, In, Bi, Mn, Ni, and Cu.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide the following method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters and/or glycerin and the following catalyst used in the production method. According to the production method, a fat or oil is reacted with an alcohol to give a fatty acid alkyl ester and/or glycerin suitably used in a food or fuel application, etc., with high efficiency, and complicated steps such as a step of recovering a catalyst can be simplified or omitted. According to the catalyst, an active metal component is not eluted even if the catalyst is used repeatedly or for a long period of time, and further, such a catalyst can maintain an excellent catalyst activity for a long time even in the presence of water and exhibit a high activity to both of transesterification of a glyceride contained in the fat or oil and esterification of free fatty acid.

Abstract: In the method of the present invention for producing fatty acid alkyl ester and/or glycerin, as a heat source for an alcohol refining step of refining alcohol from unreacted alcohol that remains without reacting in a first reaction step, at least a part of heat of the unreacted alcohol is used. This allows reducing costs in production of fatty acid alkyl ester and/or glycerin over a solid catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide the following method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters and/or glycerin and the following catalyst used in the production method. According to the production method, a fat or oil is reacted with an alcohol to give a fatty acid alkyl ester and/or glycerin suitably used in a food or fuel application, etc., with high efficiency, and complicated steps such as a step of recovering a catalyst can be simplified or omitted. According to the catalyst, an active metal component is not eluted even if the catalyst is used repeatedly or for a long period of time, and further, such a catalyst can maintain an excellent catalyst activity for a long time even in the presence of water and exhibit a high activity to both of transesterification of a glyceride contained in the fat or oil and esterification of free fatty acid.

Abstract: In the method of the present invention for producing fatty acid alkyl ester and/or glycerin, as a heat source for an alcohol refining step of refining alcohol from unreacted alcohol that remains without reacting in a first reaction step, at least a part of heat of the unreacted alcohol is used. This allows reducing costs in production of fatty acid alkyl ester and/or glycerin over a solid catalyst.

Abstract: To provide: a production method using a catalyst which can substantially suppress leaching of active metal components and exhibit high activity for both reactions of transesterification of glycerides and esterification of free fatty acids each contained in a fat or oil; and the catalyst.

Abstract: An improved cleaning blade for a photoelectronic copying machine. It has a sharp, resilient edge and is superior in wear resistance, and lubricating and cleaning properties. The substrate of the cleaning blade is urethane rubber and is coated with perfluoropolyether having a main structural unit represented by --C.sub.x F.sub.2x --O-- (x is 1, 2, 3 or 4) and having an isocyanate, hydroxyl, carboxyl or amino group at least at one end thereof. It may be coated with a mixture of the perfluoropolyether and an isocyanate group or a hydroxyl group.