Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode catalyst layer comprising catalyst particles, an ion exchange resin and a water repellent agent. The water repellent agent contains (A) a fluorine-containing copolymer having a structure unit derived from a polyfluoroalkyl-containing (meth)acrylate and/or (B) a fluorine-containing copolymer having a structural unit represented by derived from a fluorine-containing olefin monomer and a structure unit represented derived from a vinyl ether monomer. The electrode catalyst layer contains 0.1 to 20% by weight of the water repellant agent. The electrode catalyst layer exhibits excellent balance between water retention and drainage in an electrode, good power generation performance under any of low humidity and high humidity conditions, and also excellent durability in power generation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte having a protonic acid group that is excellent in thermal stability and dimensional stability. The polymer electrolyte includes copolymers having a sulfonic acid group which has a structure represented by the following formula: wherein X is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; Y is an oxygen or a sulfur; Z and Q are each a direct bond, —O—, —S—, —CO—, —SO2—, —[C(R?)2]g— (g: integer of from 1 to 8), etc.; R, R? and R1 to R16 are each a hydrogen, a fluorine, an alkyl, a fluorine-substituted alkyl, an aryl or a nitrile; m, n, p, q, r, s, t and u are each an integer of from 0 to 4 (with the proviso that p+q?1); and A is a group represented by Formula (5a) or (5b) below: wherein W is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; S is a protonic acid group; i is an integer of from 1 to 5; and j is an integer of from 1 to 7.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an electrode catalyst layer of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane-electrode assembly expressing excellent balance between water retention and drainage in an electrode, good power generation performance under any of low humidity and high humidity conditions, and also excellent durability of power generation. The electrode catalyst layer of the invention contains catalyst particles, an ion exchange resin and a water repellent agent, wherein said water repellent agent contains at least one kind selected from the group consisting of (A) a fluorine-containing copolymer having a structure unit derived from a polyfluoroalkyl-containing (meth)acrylate and (B) a fluorine-containing copolymer having a specific structure unit derived from a fluorine-containing olefin monomer and a specific structure unit derived from a vinyl ether monomer.

Abstract: Membrane-electrode assemblies are provided which have polymer electrolyte membranes capable of maintaining an adequately wet condition even at high temperatures and have superior generating properties. The membrane-electrode assembly includes an ion exchange resin membrane, an anode catalyst layer including catalyst-supported carbon and an ion exchange resin, and a cathode catalyst layer including catalyst-supported carbon and an ion exchange resin, the anode catalyst layer including a binder component of which the ion exchange capacity is higher than that of a binder component in the cathode catalyst layer, and/or the anode catalyst layer including an ion exchange resin layer of which the water content is higher than that of anion exchange resin layer of the cathode catalyst layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aromatic sulfonic acid ester derivative represented by the formula (1); in the formula, X is an atom or a group selected from a halogen atom excluding fluorine, —OSO3CH3 and —OSO3CF3, A is a divalent electron attractive group, B is a divalent electron donating group or a direct bonding, Ra is a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, Ar is an aromatic group having a substituent of —SO3Rb (wherein Rb is a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms), m is an integer of 0 to 10, n is an integer of 0 to 10 and k is an integer of 1 to 4. Also disclosed is a process for producing a polyarylene having a sulfonic acid group, which process comprises the steps of coupling polymerization of an aromatic compound containing the derivative of the formula (1), to prepare a polyarylene and hydrolysis of the polyarylene, and which process has high safety and is easily capable of controlling the amount of sulfonoc acid group introduced into a polymer and the introducing position thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte having a protonic acid group that is excellent in thermal stability and dimensional stability. The polymer electrolyte includes copolymers having a sulfonic acid group which has a structure represented by the following formula: wherein X is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; Y is an oxygen or a sulfur; Z and Q are each a direct bond, —O—, —S—, —CO—, —SO2—, —[C(R?)2]g— (g: integer of from 1 to 8), etc.; R, R? and R1 to R16 are each a hydrogen, a fluorine, an alkyl, a fluorine-substituted alkyl, an aryl or a nitrile; m, n, p, q, r, s, t and u are each an integer of from 0 to 4 (with the proviso that p+q?1); and A is a group represented by Formula (5a) or (5b) below: wherein W is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; S is a protonic acid group; i is an integer of from 1 to 5; and j is an integer of from 1 to 7.

Abstract: Described herein is a production method of sulfonated polyarylene that is safe and enables easy control of the amount and position of sulfonic groups introduced in the polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene is also disclosed. The invention further provides a polyarylene and an aromatic sulfonate derivative that are suitably employed in the above production method. Also provided are a macromolecular solid electrolyte that comprises the sulfonated polyarylene, and a proton conductive membrane. The aromatic sulfonate derivative has the following formula (1): wherein X is a halogen atom other than fluorine, a —OSO3CH3 group or a —OSO3CF3 group; Y is a divalent organic group; A is —(CH2)m— or —(CF2)m— (wherein m is an integer of 1 to 10); and R is a C4-20 hydrocarbon group. The production method of sulfonated polyarylene comprises coupling polymerization of an aromatic compound that includes at least the aromatic sulfonate derivative of the formula (1) and hydrolysis of the resultant polyarylene.

Abstract: To provide a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer having improved hot water resistance and radical resistance (durability), a solid polymer electrolyte including the polymer, and a proton-conducting membrane including the electrolyte, the polymer electrolyte includes a sulfonated product of a polymer shown by the following general formula (I): wherein X, Y, and Z are bonded randomly, alternately, or in blocks, y represents an integer of two or more, and each of x and z represents an integer of zero or more, where x+z>2.

Abstract: To provide a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer having improved hot water resistance and radical resistance (durability), a solid polymer electrolyte including the polymer, and a proton-conducting membrane including the electrolyte, the polymer electrolyte includes a sulfonated product of a polymer shown by the following general formula (I): 1

Abstract: Described herein is a production method of sulfonated polyarylene that is safe and enables easy control of the amount and position of sulfonic groups introduced in the polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene is also disclosed. The invention further provides a polyarylene and an aromatic sulfonate derivative that are suitably employed in the above production method. Also provided are a macromolecular solid electrolyte that comprises the sulfonated polyarylene, and a proton conductive membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aromatic sulfonic acid ester derivative represented by the formula (1); 1

Abstract: Provided is an optical molding material comprising a cyclic polyolefin resin having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 120° C. to 170° C., wherein the melt viscosity of the resin at 260° C. is 5,000 to 50,000 poises as measured at a shear rate of 10 sec−1 and 200 to 1,000 poises at a shear rate of 10,000 sec−1, and the melt viscosity of the resin at 320° C. is 500 to 5,000 poises at a shear rate of 10 sec−1 and 100 to 800 poises at a shear rate of 10,000 sec−1. An optical molding material comprising a cyclic polyolefin resin, an optical molded product and an optical disk substrate, wherein a variation range of retardation of the resin is within ±10% of the retardation at 590 nm when the wavelength is changed from 400 nm to 830 nm, are provided. The material is molded into, for example, the optical disk substrate.

Abstract: A molded article comprising of a molded resin product having a norbornane polymer skeleton coated with at least one layer of gas barrier resin having oxygen gas permeabilities of:i) under 10 cc/m.sup.2 .multidot.24 hrs.multidot.atm measured by the method of ASTM D1434, except atmospheric conditions in which a film of the layer of gas barrier resin is maintained before measurement at 20.degree. C. and 0% relative humidity, andii) under 50 cc/m.sup.2 .multidot.24 hrs.multidot.atm measured by the method of ASTM D1434, except with atmospheric conditions in which a film of the layer of gas barrier resin is maintained before measurement at 20.degree. C. and 100% relative humidity. The coated resin product provides novel materials for production of optical articles such as liquid crystal displays, optical fibers, various optical lenses such as lenses for lamps for automobiles, studios, camcorders, containers for medical drugs, medical appliances and food packaging materials and the like.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel comprising structural elements such as transparent conductive films, polarizers, optical retardation films, color filters, light guide plates, light diffusing films, and converging films is disclosed. At least one of the structural elements comprises a layer made from a specific polymer having a saturated water absorption of 0.1-1% by weight at 23.degree. C. and obtained by the ring-opening polymerization of a specific norbornene derivative with a polar group in the norbornene structure. The liquid crystal display panel is light and convenient to use, excellent in the distinctness of image and productivity, and exhibits no deterioration in image quality during the use in severe, high temperature and high humidity conditions for a long period of time.