Abstract: A hydrogen permeable membrane (10) for selectively allowing hydrogen to permeate therethrough includes a metal base layer (12) containing vanadium (V), a metal coating layer (16) containing palladium (Pd), and an intermediate layer (14) that is formed between the metal base layer (12) and the metal coating layer (16) and made of a metal having a higher melting point than the metal base layer (12) and the metal coating layer (16) and possessing hydrogen permeability.

Abstract: Affords for lithium secondary batteries a negative electrode component material that enhances battery cyclability by inhibiting dendritic growth that occurs during charging/discharging due to the reaction of the metallic lithium and organic electrolyte. A substrate for a lithium-secondary-battery negative-electrode component material (5), in which a metallic lithium film (3) is formed atop the substrate and onto the metallic lithium film an inorganic solid electrolytic film (4) is formed, is created from an electrical insulator that can be a polyethylene film (1). A configuration providing an electrically insulating layer at the interface between a metal base material and the metallic lithium film may also be utilized as the substrate.

Abstract: Affords high-stability, high-safety lithium secondary batteries of high energy density and superlative charge/discharge cyclability, in which shorting due to the growth of dendrites from the metallic-lithium negative electrode is kept under control. A lithium secondary battery negative-electrode component material, formed by laminating onto a substrate a metallic lithium film and an inorganic solid-electrolyte film, the lithium secondary battery negative-electrode component material characterized in that the inorganic solid-electrolyte film incorporates lithium, phosphorous, sulfur, and oxygen, and is represented by the compositional formula noted below. aLi·bP·cS·dO (Li: lithium; P: phosphorous; S: sulfur; O: oxygen), wherein the ranges of the atomic fractions in the composition are: 0.20?a?0.45; 0.10?b?0.20; 0.35?c?0.60; 0.03?d?0.13; (a+b+c+d=1).

Abstract: A hydrogen permeable membrane (10) for selectively allowing hydrogen to permeate therethrough includes a metal base layer (12) containing vanadium (V), a metal coating layer (16) containing palladium (Pd), and an intermediate layer (14) that is formed between the metal base layer (12) and the metal coating layer (16) and made of a metal having a higher melting point than the metal base layer (12) and the metal coating layer (16) and possessing hydrogen permeability.

Abstract: Affords high-stability, high-safety lithium secondary batteries of high energy density and superlative charge/discharge cyclability, in which shorting due to the growth of dendrites from the metallic-lithium negative electrode is kept under control. A lithium secondary battery negative-electrode component material, formed by laminating onto a substrate a metallic lithium film and an inorganic solid-electrolyte film, the lithium secondary battery negative-electrode component material characterized in that the inorganic solid-electrolyte film incorporates lithium, phosphorous, sulfur, and oxygen, and is represented by the compositional formula noted below. aLi·bP·cS·dO (Li: lithium; P: phosphorous; S: sulfur; O: oxygen), wherein the ranges of the atomic fractions in the composition are: 0.20?a?0.45; 0.10?b?0.20; 0.35?c?0.60; 0.03?d?0.13; (a+b+c+d=1).

Abstract: A highly durable exhaust emission control device which is provided in a container disposed in an intermediate portion of an exhaust system, wherein the exhaust emission control device comprises (1) a heat-resistant porous body having communicating pores, (2) a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum oxide supported on the surface of the porous body, and (3) platinum supported on the surface and an inner portion of the mixture, the grain size of the copper oxide being from 0.1 ?m to 50 ?m. The exhaust emission control device is manufactured by preparing the heat-resistant porous body; (2) applying to the porous body a slurry of a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum oxide and/or compounds convertible into these oxides by firing, and baking the mixture and/or compounds; and (3) applying a water-soluble platinum compound to the porous body, and baking the platinum compound. The platinum compound may be applied with the oxide mixture and/or the compounds of copper and aluminum to the porous body.

Abstract: A highly durable exhaust emission control device which is provided in a container disposed in an intermediate portion of an exhaust system, wherein the exhaust emission control device comprises (1) a heat-resistant porous body having communicating pores, (2) a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum oxide supported on the surface of the porous body, and (3) platinum supported on the surface and an inner portion of the mixture, the grain size of the copper oxide being from 0.1 &mgr;m to 50 &mgr;m. The exhaust emission control device is manufactured by preparing the heat-resistant porous body; (2) applying to the porous body a slurry of a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum oxide and/or compounds convertible into these oxides by firing, and baking the mixture and/or compounds; and (3) applying a water-soluble platinum compound to the porous body, and baking the platinum compound. The platinum compound may be applied with the oxide mixture and/or the compounds of copper and aluminum to the porous body.

Abstract: A highly durable exhaust emission control device which is provided in a container disposed in an intermediate portion of an exhaust system, wherein the exhaust emission control device comprises (1) a heat-resistant porous body having communicating pores, (2) a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum oxide supported on the surface of the porous body, and (3) platinum supported on the surface and an inner portion of the mixture, the grain size of the copper oxide being from 0.1 &mgr;m to 50 &mgr;m. The exhaust emission control device is manufactured by preparing the heat-resistant porous body; (2) applying to the porous body a slurry of a mixture of copper oxide and aluminum oxide and/or compounds convertible into these oxides by firing, and baking the mixture and/or compounds; and (3) applying a water-soluble platinum compound to the porous body, and baking the platinum compound. The platinum compound may be applied with the oxide mixture and/or the compounds of copper and aluminum to the porous body.

Abstract: A particulate trap for use with a diesel engine is high in particulate trapping capacity and regenerating capacity and low in pressure drop, and yet is compact and inexpensive. This trap has a filter element made up of a plurality of tapered filter members formed from a fabric of heat-resistant metal fibers. The filter members have different diameters from each other and are nested concentrically one inside the other so that the adjacent filter members are positioned inversely. Each filter member is connected at its large-diameter end to the small-diameter end of the immediately outer filter member to alternately close the exhaust inlet and outlet ends of the gaps between the adjacent filter members. The filter element thus formed is mounted in a metal case provided in an exhaust line and used as a particulate trap. With this arrangement, it is possible to increase the particulate trapping area of the filter and the exhaust inlet openings without increasing the size of the entire trap.

Abstract: A particulate trap for a diesel engine use which is less likely to vibrate or deform under exhaust pressures and achieves good results in all of the particulate trapping properties, pressure drop, durability and regenerating properties. This trap has a filter element made of plurality of flat or cylindrical filters. Longitudinally extending exhaust incoming and outgoing spaces are defined alternately between the adjacent filters by alternately closing the inlet and outlet ends of the spaces between the adjacent filters. Gas permeable reinforcing members are inserted in the exhaust outgoing spaces to prevent the filter from being deformed due to the difference between the pressure upstream and downstream of each filter produced when exhausts pass through the filters. Similar gas permeable reinforcing members may also be inserted in the exhaust incoming spaces or at both ends of the filter element to more positively prevent vibration of the filters.

Abstract: In manufacturing a corrosion-resistant metallic porous member having high Cr content by diffusion process in which the material is heat-treated, a plurality of heat cycles are used to achieve uniform Cr content in the thickness direction. Metallic porous body of Ni, Fe, Ni-Cr or Fe-Cr is buried in a powder of Al, Cr and NH.sub.4 Cl. Inert gas such as Ar and H.sub.2 is introduced and the porous body is heat treated at 800.degree.-1100.degree. C. In the heat treatment, at least two temperature-increase and temperature-decrease steps are included.

Abstract: Exhaust purifying filter material which can carry a larger amount of catalyst and from which the catalyst will not easily drop off even if subjected to vibrations or temperature changes due to repeated heating and cooling at high temperatures. Catalyst is carried on alumina whiskers formed on metal fiber having a composition of Fe--Ni--Cr--Al, Fe--Cr--Al or Ni--Cr--Al or woven or unwoven fabric formed of the metal fiber. The catalyst is firmly carried by the alumina whiskers. The amount of catalyst carried is increased with the increase in surface area.

Abstract: A process for the production of a heat- and corrosion-resistant porous metal body which is made of a metal or whose surface layer is made of a metal, in which the porous metal body can be alloyed with chromium or a combination of chromium and aluminum uniformly throughout the entire thereof by adjusting the alloy composition in the following manner, i.e., (A) heat-treating the porous metal body in a mixed gas comprising a gas, generated by heating a powdered mixture comprising chromium or its compound and NH.sub.4 Cl at 950.degree. to 1100.degree. C., and a diluent reducing gas at 800.degree. to 1100.degree. C, or (B) heat-treating the porous metal body in a mixed gas comprising a gas, generated by heating a powdered mixture comprising aluminum or its compound, chromium or its compound and NH.sub.4 X, wherein X is I, F, Cl or Br, at a weight ratio of the chromium or its compound to the aluminum or its compound of 10 to 80 in terms of Cr and Al respectively at 950.degree. to 1100.degree. C.

Abstract: A process, particularly a continuous process, for industrially producing a high-quality inexpensive porous iron metal while preventing the conventional rusting problem which process comprises coating the surface of a conductive porous base material by iron electroplating, removing the base material, and then reducing the coating. The iron electroplating was conducted in an acid iron plating bath which contains at least one from acid aluminum compound and/or at least one acid titanium compound, using an anode which contains at least either of aluminum and titanium and has a surface area not smaller than 1/3 of and not larger than that of the base material. The reduction is conducted by a two-step heat treatment for improving the iron structure and for softening.

Abstract: A particulate trap for diesel engine use which is less likely to vibrate or deform under exhaust pressures achieves goods results in particulate trapping properties, pressure drop, durability and regenerating properties. This trap has a filter element having a plurality of flat or cylindrical filters of three-dimensionally reticulated porous member. Longitudinally extending exhaust incoming and outgoing spaces are defined alternately between the adjacent filters by alternately closing the inlet and outlet ends of the spaces between the adjacent filters. Gas permeable reinforcing members are inserted in the exhaust outgoing spaces to prevent the filter from being deformed due to the difference between the pressure upstream and downstream of each filter produced when exhausts pass through the filters. Similar gas permeable reinforcing members may also be inserted in the exhaust incoming spaces or at both ends of the filter element to more positively prevent vibration of the filters.

Abstract: A process for the production of a heat- and corrosion-resistant porous metal body which is made of a metal or whose surface layer is made of a metal, in which the porous metal body can be alloyed with chromium or a combination of chromium and aluminum uniformly throughout the entire thereof by adjusting the alloy composition in the following manner, i.e., (A) heat-treating the porous metal body in a mixed gas comprising a gas, generated by heating a powdered mixture comprising chromium or its compound and NH.sub.4 Cl at 950.degree. to 1100.degree. C., and a diluent reducing gas at 800.degree. to 1100.degree. C., or (B) heat-treating the porous metal body in a mixed gas comprising a gas, generated by heating a powdered mixture comprising aluminum or its compound, chromium or its compound and NH.sub.4 X, wherein X is I, F, Cl or Br, at a weight ratio of the chromium or its compound to the aluminum or its compound of 10 to 80 in terms of Cr and Al respectively at 950.degree. to 1100.degree. C.

Abstract: An unwoven metal fabric suitable for use as a battery electrode, a catalyst or a filter, and a method of manufacturing such fabric. An unwoven carbon fabric made up of carbon fibers bound together by a resin is heated to carbonize the binder resin and thus to impart electrical conductivity to the resin, and at the same time finely roughen the surfaces of the carbon fibers and the resin. A plating layer is directly formed on the unwoven carbon fabric thus formed by electroplating. Then, the unwoven carbon fabric is removed by roasting to provide an aggregate of metal fibers joined together and having their voids communicating with one another.

Abstract: In manufacturing a corrosion-resistant metallic porous member having high Cr content by diffusion process in which the material is heat-treated, a plurality of heat cycles are used to achieve uniform Cr content in the thickness direction.Metallic porous body of Ni, Fe, Ni--Cr or Fe--Cr is buried in a powder of Al, Cr and NH.sub.4 Cl. Inert gas such as Ar and H.sub.2 is introduced and the porous body is heat treated at 800.degree.-1100.degree. C. In the heat treatment, at least two temperature-increase and temperature-decrease steps are included.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification filter comprising a metal porous body obtained by packing and fixing metal fibers having a mean fiber diameter of 5 to 40 .mu.m or heat resistant ceramic fibers having a mean fiber diameter of 1 to 40 .mu.m in a dispersed state into pores of a foamed structure porous body made of a heat-resistant metal so that a packing density of the resulting metal porous body is from 5 to 20%. The filter may be in a laminated structure by laminating the foregoing foamed structure porous body filled with or without the metal or ceramic fibers and a fiber structure porous body obtained by fixing metal fibers having a mean diameter of 5 to 40 .mu.m or heat-resistant ceramic fibers having a mean diameter of 1 to 40 .mu.m in a dispersed state so that a packing density is from 5 to 25% are laminated.

Abstract: A method of forming a multilayered wiring board having a multilayered wiring structure includes the steps of forming a first mesh wiring layer having a plurality of holes therein, and forming a second wiring layer having a plurality of wirings undulating up and down so as to descend into the holes formed in the first wiring layer. In another method, the first wiring layer is formed with a plurality of protrusions and the wirings of the second wiring layer are formed between the protrusions. In the wiring boards formed according to the methods of the present invention, crosstalk between the wirings is suppressed.