Abstract: The present invention provides: a gas separation method which is capable of desirably separating a slight amount of a component from a mixed gas under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of a gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less; and a gas separation membrane which is suitable for use in this gas separation method. According to the present invention, in a gas separation method wherein a specific gas (A) in a mixed gas, which contains the specific gas (A) at a concentration of 1,000 ppm by mass or less, is selectively permeated with use of a gas separation membrane, an extremely thin gas separation membrane that has a film thickness of 1 ?m or less is used, so that the gas (A) is desirably separated under mild conditions such that the pressure difference between both sides of the gas separation membrane is 1 atmosphere or less.

Abstract: A membrane filter including a thin film having a nanometer order thickness as a base, which is easy to increase in size, and which has sufficient strength. The membrane filter is formed by laminating a thin film having a thickness of 1 to 1,000 nm with a support film which is a porous film having a thickness of 1 to 1,000 ?m, which is made of a photosensitive composition or a cured product of the photosensitive composition, and has a plurality of hole portions penetrating in the thickness direction.

Abstract: A novel ion conductive material is provided. The ion conductive material composed of an amorphous material is employed.

Abstract: A proton conducting membrane comprising, as a main component, a ceramic structure in which an oxygen atom of a metal oxide is bonded through the oxygen atom with at least one group derived an oxygen acid selected from —B(O)3—, —S(?O)2(O)2—, —P(?O)(O)3—, —C(?O)(O)2—, and —N(O)3—, wherein the metal oxide and said at least one group derived from the oxygen acid share the oxygen atom, the proton conducting membrane being made by a sol-gel reaction of the oxygen acid or its precursor and a precursor of the metal oxide in order to obtain a sol-gel reaction product, followed by heating of the sol-gel reaction product at a temperature in a range of 100° C. to 600° C., the oxygen acid or its precursor being selected from a boric acid, a sulfuric acid, a phosphoric acid, a carbonic acid, a nitric acid, and precursors thereof. Thus, a novel proton conducting membrane is provided.

Abstract: A film-forming material that is capable of forming, at a low temperature, a film having a high degree of etching resistance and a high etching selectivity ratio relative to an organic film, as well as a method of forming a pattern that uses the film-forming material. The film-forming material includes a metal compound (W) capable of generating a hydroxyl group upon hydrolysis, and a solvent (S) in which the metal compound is dissolved, wherein the solvent (S) includes a solvent (S1) with a boiling point of at least 155° C. that contains no functional groups that react with the metal compound (W). The method of forming a pattern includes the steps of: coating a pattern, which has been formed on top of an organic film of a laminate that includes a substrate and the organic film, using the above film-forming material, and then conducting etching of the organic film using the pattern as a mask.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a structure, including forming a composite film composed of a coating film and an organic or inorganic film on top of a substrate by forming the coating film on the surface of a template provided on top of the substrate; forming the organic or inorganic film on the surface of the coating film, and removing a portion of the organic or inorganic film and a portion of the coating film; forming a second coating film on the surface of the composite film; forming an organic coating film on the substrate that covers the second coating film; removing a portion of the second coating film; and forming a structure composed of a metal or metal oxide later on the substrate by removing all residues left on the substrate except for the coating film and the second coating film.

Abstract: A method of forming a nano-structure can form a fine pattern easily, and the nano-structure obtained by the method is provided. A method of forming a nano-structure comprising forming a thin film by a liquid phase adsorption on surface of a template formed on a substrate, and removing a portion of the thin film, and removing the template is used.

Abstract: There are provided a coating material which improves an etching resistance of a pattern in an etching process using a pattern formed on a substrate as a mask. The material is a pattern coating material for an etching process using a pattern formed on a substrate as a mask, including a metal compound (W) which can produce a hydroxyl group on hydrolysis.

Abstract: An organic-inorganic hybrid thin film including: an organic compound (A) having at least one functional group and; an inorganic compound (B) having a metal atom, as a core, to which each of at least one functional group and at least one hydrolysable group is bound directly or via a connecting group, the organic-inorganic hybrid thin film being structured such that a covalent bond is formed between the functional group in the organic compound (A) and the functional group in the inorganic compound (B), and a metal oxide is formed from the inorganic compound (B) through a hydrolytic reaction on the hydrolysable group in the inorganic compound (B).

Abstract: A proton conducting membrane comprising, as a main component, a ceramic structure in which an oxygen atom of a metal oxide is bonded through the oxygen atom with at least one group derived an oxygen acid selected from —B(O)3—, —S(?O)2(O)2—, —P(?O)(O)3—, —C(?O)(O)2—, and —N(O)3—, wherein the metal oxide and said at least one group derived from the oxygen acid share the oxygen atom, the proton conducting membrane being made by a sol-gel reaction of the oxygen acid or its precursor and a precursor of the metal oxide in order to obtain a sol-gel reaction product, followed by heating of the sol-gel reaction product at a temperature in a range of 100° C. to 600° C., the oxygen acid or its precursor being selected from a boric acid, a sulfuric acid, a phosphoric acid, a carbonic acid, a nitric acid, and precursors thereof. Thus, a novel proton conducting membrane is provided.

Abstract: Amorphous metal oxide thin film is produced by removing through oxygen plasma treatment the organic component from an organics/metal oxide composite thin film having thoroughly dispersed therein such organic component at molecular scale. This ensures production of amorphous metal oxide thin film with low density and excellent thickness precision.

Abstract: Provided is a thin film having self-supporting properties and having excellent strength, durability and flexibility and a method for manufacturing the thin film. A thin film having an interpenetrating net-work layer and having a film thickness of 500 nm or less, the interpenetrating net-work layer being constituted of at least a metal oxide and an organic polymer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for producing a supported metal nanoparticle, which has the steps of adsorbing a metal ion-containing compound to a support of an organic material and reducing the adsorbed metal ion to form a metal nanoparticle on the support. In the producing method, by using a various organic material as a matrix, the metal nanoparticle can be easily formed in situ with excellent accuracy from the metal ion-containing compound.

Abstract: Exchangeable metal ions are removed from an amorphous composite metal oxide and different metal ions are introduced to manufacture a nanomaterial of composite metal oxide. Based on this method, it is possible to reliably form composite metal oxide nanomaterials over a wide range of compositions.

Abstract: A proton conductive membrane having high proton conductivity is provided. A proton conductive membrane comprising a metal oxide structure having an orderly or random porous structure and, as contained by the porous structure, a proton acid salt having at least one hydrogen atom capable of being loosed as a proton.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition for formation of a mold, which is used in a method for producing a nanostructure by removing a portion of a thin film formed on the surface of a mold, and removing the mold, the composition including an organic compound, which has a hydrophilic group and has a molecular weight of 500 or more.

Abstract: There are provided a method capable of mass-producing a nanotube material easily with low costs, and a nanotube material. The method of the present invention for producing a nanotube material has at least forming a metal oxide thin film or an organic/metal oxide composite thin film on an inner wall of a porous substrate and removing the porous substrate. The nanotube material of the invention has a structure provided from a body comprising a metal oxide thin film or an organic/metal oxide composite thin film formed on an inner wall of the porous substrate, from which a portion corresponding to the porous substrate is removed.

Abstract: A production method for a nanomaterial comprising the steps of: forming a template on a solid substrate using a metal oxide nanomaterial forming composition including an organic compound with a phenolic hydroxyl group and a molecular weight of at least 500, forming a metal oxide layer on the template, and removing the template to generate a metal oxide nanostructure.

Abstract: A film-forming material that is capable of forming, at a low temperature, a film having a high degree of etching resistance and a high etching selectivity ratio relative to an organic film, as well as a method of forming a pattern that uses the film-forming material. The film-forming material includes a metal compound (W) capable of generating a hydroxyl group upon hydrolysis, and a solvent (S) in which the metal compound is dissolved, wherein the solvent (S) includes a solvent (S1) with a boiling point of at least 155° C. that contains no functional groups that react with the metal compound (W). The method of forming a pattern includes the steps of: coating a pattern, which has been formed on top of an organic film of a laminate that includes a substrate and the organic film, using the above film-forming material, and then conducting etching of the organic film using the pattern as a mask.

Abstract: Provided is a thin film having self-supporting properties and having excellent strength, durability and flexibility and a method for manufacturing the thin film. A thin film having an interpenetrating net-work layer and having a film thickness of 500 nm or less, the interpenetrating net-work layer being constituted of at least a metal oxide and an organic polymer.