Abstract: A helical fine structure of the present invention is characterized by including: a phytoplankton having a helical shape and selected from a group of cyanobacteria called Spirulina; and a surface modification layer formed on the phytoplankton. The surface modification layer includes at least one metal plating layer. Thereby, the helical fine structure can be utilized as an electric-wave shield or an absorber. Moreover, a method for producing the helical fine structure is characterized in that a prestep of a step of forming the surface modification layer on the phytoplankton having a helical shape includes a washing step with an organic solvent to remove an outer membrane from a surface of the phytoplankton.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a metamaterial including an electromagnetic wave resonator that resonates with an electromagnetic wave is provided. In the method, a support including a portion where the electromagnetic wave resonator is to be formed is formed, and the electromagnetic wave resonator is arranged in the support by depositing a material to form the electromagnetic wave resonator on the portion of the support. The support is formed by forming a column structure of a hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase-separated film including a hydrophilic liquid phase area penetrating through in a thickness direction, by packing a filler into the column structure of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase-separated film including the hydrophilic liquid phase area so as to form the filler as high as the column structure, and by obtaining the support including the filler by removing at least a part of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase-separated film.

Abstract: Provided is a microphase-separated structure membrane including a block copolymer in which a hydrophilic polymer component and a hydrophobic polymer component are coupled to each other via a structural unit having a reactive group, an electron acceptor or electron donor, or a dye. In the microphase-separated structure membrane, a cylinder structure composed of the hydrophilic polymer component lies in a matrix composed of the hydrophobic polymer component and is oriented in the direction perpendicular to the membrane surface, and the structural unit having a reactive group, an electron acceptor or electron donor, or a dye lies between the matrix and the cylinder structure.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a self-supporting thin polymer membrane having a large surface area, a high strength, and a perpendicularly oriented cylindrical structure, and to provide a method of producing the membrane. [Solution] The self-supporting thin polymer membrane of the present invention is a self-supporting thin polymer membrane including a block copolymer in which a hydrophilic polymer component and a hydrophobic polymer component having a crosslinkable structure are linked to each other by covalent bonding, and in the self-supporting thin polymer membrane, the hydrophilic polymer component forms unidirectionally oriented cylinders, and the hydrophobic polymer component forms crosslinks. The self-supporting thin polymer membrane of the present invention does not have physical pores but allows a material to selectively permeate the cylindrical portions and can be therefore used as various permeable membranes, ultrafiltration membranes, and nanoreactors.

Abstract: Nanoporous substrate with fine pores having a diameter from 3 to 40 nm arranged with less than 60 nm periodicity is prepared by a method comprising the steps of coating amphipathic block copolymer on a substrate, forming a film containing hydrophilic cylinders aligned perpendicularly to the surface of the film on a substrate, and immersing the substrate into a solution containing an etchant.

Abstract: A helical fine structure of the present invention is characterized by including: a phytoplankton having a helical shape and selected from a group of cyanobacteria called Spirulina; and a surface modification layer formed on the phytoplankton. The surface modification layer includes at least one metal plating layer. Thereby, the helical fine structure can be utilized as an electric-wave shield or an absorber. Moreover, a method for producing the helical fine structure is characterized in that a prestep of a step of forming the surface modification layer on the phytoplankton having a helical shape includes a washing step with an organic solvent to remove an outer membrane from a surface of the phytoplankton.

Abstract: A production method for polypyridinium having a narrow molecular weight distribution and a desired molecular weight is provided. Polypyridinium 3 having a narrow molecular weight distribution and a desired molecular weight is synthesized by allowing a pyridine derivative monomer 2 to polymerize on a polymerization initiator 1 such as a specially designed 4-halopyridinium and the like in the presence of a dissolution accelerating agent, such as tetrabutyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate, that dissolves the polymer formed in a solvent as in the chemical below. where Y represents an anion that dissolves in an organic solvent, X and Z represent halogen atoms, R represents hydrocarbon groups and the like and o is about 1 to 300.

Abstract: Provided is a microphase-separated structure membrane including a block copolymer in which a hydrophilic polymer component and a hydrophobic polymer component are coupled to each other via a structural unit having a reactive group, an electron acceptor or electron donor, or a dye. In the microphase-separated structure membrane, a cylinder structure composed of the hydrophilic polymer component lies in a matrix composed of the hydrophobic polymer component and is oriented in the direction perpendicular to the membrane surface, and the structural unit having a reactive group, an electron acceptor or electron donor, or a dye lies between the matrix and the cylinder structure.

Abstract: Nanoporous substrate with fine pores having a diameter from 3 to 40 nm arranged with less than 60 nm periodicity is prepared by a method comprising the steps of coating amphipathic block copolymer on a substrate, forming a film containing hydrophilic cylinders aligned perpendicularly to the surface of the film on a substrate, and immersing the substrate into a solution containing an etchant.

Abstract: A production method for polypyridinium having a narrow molecular weight distribution and a desired molecular weight is provided. Polypyridinium 3 having a narrow molecular weight distribution and a desired molecular weight is synthesized by allowing a pyridine derivative monomer 2 to polymerize on a polymerization initiator 1 such as a specially designed 4-halopyridinium and the like in the presence of a dissolution accelerating agent, such as tetrabutyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate, that dissolves the polymer formed in a solvent as in the chemical below. where Y represents an anion that dissolves in an organic solvent, X and Z represent halogen atoms, R represents hydrocarbon groups and the like and o is about 1 to 300.

Abstract: An illuminating device is made from a transparent hollow envelope that encloses a filler gas. The envelope has inner and outer surfaces. The illuminating device has a coating of a fluorescent material deposited on the inner surface of the transparent envelope where the fluorescent material emits light having a visible component and an ultraviolet component; and a titanium dioxide film having first and second opposing surfaces where the first surface of the titanium dioxide film is formed on the outer surface of the transparent envelope. A light transmittance of the titanium dioxide film is at least 50% for light having a wavelength of 550 nm, and the light transmitted from the fluorescent material through the transparent envelope and the first surface of the titanium dioxide film to the second surface thereof causes photocatalytic activity to be generated on the second surface of the titanium dioxide film.

Abstract: An illuminating device is made from a transparent hollow envelope that encloses a filler gas. The envelope has inner and outer surfaces. The illuminating device has a coating of a fluorescent material deposited on the inner surface of the transparent envelope where the fluorescent material emits light having a visible component and an ultraviolet component; and a titanium dioxide film having first and second opposing surfaces where the first surface of the titanium dioxide film is formed on the outer surface of the transparent envelope. A light transmittance of the titanium dioxide film is at least 50% for light having a wavelength of 550 nm, and the light transmitted from the fluorescent material through the transparent envelope and the first surface of the titanium dioxide film to the second surface thereof causes photocatalytic activity to be generated on the second surface of the titanium dioxide film.

Abstract: An illuminating device is made from a transparent hollow envelope that encloses a filler gas. The envelope has inner and outer surfaces. The illuminating device has a coating of a fluorescent material deposited on the inner surface of the transparent envelope where the fluorescent material emits light having a visible component and an ultraviolet component; and a titanium dioxide film having first and second opposing surfaces where the first surface of the titanium dioxide film is formed on the outer surface of the transparent envelope. A light transmittance of the titanium dioxide film is at least 50% for light having a wavelength of 550 nm, and the light transmitted from the fluorescent material through the transparent envelope and the first surface of the titanium dioxide film to the second surface thereof causes photocatalytic activity to be generated on the second surface of the titanium dioxide film.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide film (2) having at least photocatalytic activity, whose light linear transmittance corresponding to light having a wavelength of 550 nm is not less than 50% and whose thickness is 0.1 to 5 ?m or so, is formed on a transparent substrate (1) constituted by a glass plate or the like. Preferably, a precoat film (3), which has optical transmissivity and is constituted by a SiO2 film having a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 ?m or so, is provided between the transparent substrate (1) and the titanium dioxide film (2). Thereby, excellent photocatalytic action and optical transmissivity can be obtained. Moreover, members composing various structures such as a glass window, which are especially required to have optical transparency, can be further provided with photocatalytic activities.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide film (2) having at least photocatalytic activity, whose light linear transmittance corresponding to light having a wavelength of 550 nm is not less than 50% and whose thickness is 0.1 to 5 &mgr;m or so, is formed on a transparent substrate (1) constituted by a glass plate or the like. Preferably, a precoat film (3), which has optical transmissivity and is constituted by a SiO2 film having a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 &mgr;m or so, is provided between the transparent substrate (1) and the titanium dioxide film (2). Thereby, excellent photocatalytic action and optical transmissivity can be obtained. Moreover, members composing various structures such as a glass window, which are especially required to have optical transparency, can be further provided with photocatalytic activities.

Abstract: A molecule mixed magnetic material having at least a kind of a magnetic ion unit of a molecular magnetic material showing a ferromagnetism and at least 1 kind of a magnetic ion unit of a molecular magnetic material showing a ferrimagnetism for controlling the magnetic characteristics of the molecular magnetic materials, wherein the magnetic characteristics are changeable by controlling the existing ratio of both the magnetic ion units, or the magnetic characteristics are changeable by the change of temperature or by the irradiation of light.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide film (2) having at least photocatalytic activity, whose light linear transmittance corresponding to light having a wavelength of 550 nm is not less than 50% and whose thickness is 0.1 to 5 &mgr;m or so, is formed on a transparent substrate (1) constituted by a glass plate or the like. Preferably, a precoat film (3), which has optical transmissivity and is constituted by a SiO2 film having a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 &mgr;m or so, is provided between the transparent substrate (1) and the titanium dioxide film (2). Thereby, excellent photocatalytic action and optical transmissivity can be obtained. Moreover, members composing various structures such as a glass window, which are especially required to have optical transparency, can be further provided with photocatalytic activities.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide film having at least photocatalytic activity, whose light linear transmittance corresponding to light having a wavelength of 550 nm is not less than 50 % and whose thickness is 0.1 to 5 &mgr;m or so, is formed on a transparent substrate constituted by a glass plate or the like. Preferably, a precoat film, which has optical transmissivity and is constituted by a SiO2 film having a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 &mgr;m or so, is provided between the transparent substrate and the titanium dioxide film. Thereby, excellent photocatalytic action and optical transmissivity can be obtained. Moreover, members composing various structures such as a glass window, which are especially required to have optical transparency, can be further provided with photocatalytic activities.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel cyanochromium-complex-based magnetic material formed on an electrode, which is excellent in magnetic properties and of which magnetic properties are reversibly controllable, by impressing a reduction potential which electrochemically reduces Cr.sup.3+ into Cr.sup.2+ in a solution containing at least [Cr(CN).sub.6 ].sup.3- and Cr.sup.3+.

Abstract: Thiophene derivatives represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## where R is an aldehyde, carboxyl, C.sub.1-5 -alkyl ester or C.sub.1-5 -alkyl acetal group and n is 3 to 5, are prepared. These compounds are reversibly converted to their respective isomers by light irradiation, accompanied with a large shift of absorption and emission bands, thus suitable for a photo-responsive material.