Abstract: A hydrogel object includes a polymer and water, wherein the rate of mass loss is not greater than 20 percent by mass when the hydrogel object is left undone for one week at 25 degrees C. and relative humidity of 50 percent.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object includes imparting a first liquid having a first composition including a solvent and a curable material and a second liquid having a second composition to form a liquid film, curing the liquid film, and repeating the imparting and the curing to obtain the three-dimensional object, wherein the imparting position and the imparting amount of each of the first liquid and the second liquid are controlled in such a manner that the liquid film includes multiple areas where at least one of post-curing compression stress and post-curing modulus of elasticity is different.

Abstract: A cleaning method for cleaning a droplet ejector, which includes nozzles to eject a particulate material composition liquid, and a nozzle plate bearing the nozzles is provided. The cleaning method includes forming a substantially closed cleaning space outside the nozzles and the nozzle plate; supplying a cleaning liquid to the cleaning space so that the nozzles and the nozzle plate are contacted with the cleaning liquid; and vibrating the cleaning liquid when the nozzles and the nozzle plate are contacted with the cleaning liquid to clean the nozzles and the nozzle plate.

Abstract: A method for producing fine particles, including: discharging a fine particle material liquid, where solid materials to be formed into fine particles are dissolved or dispersed in a solvent or are melted, from two or more discharge holes in a downward vertical direction, to thereby form liquid droplets; and solidifying the liquid droplets discharged to form fine particles, wherein in the discharging a fine particle material liquid, gas flow is supplied at angle of greater than 0° but 90° or smaller to the downward vertical direction, and wherein an initial discharge velocity of the liquid droplets discharged from the discharge hole located at an upstream side of the gas flow in a flowing direction thereof is equal to or higher than an initial discharge velocity of the liquid droplets discharged from the discharge hole located at a downstream side of the gas flow in the flowing direction thereof.

Abstract: A hydrogel liquid precursor includes an inorganic mineral and a monomer, wherein the inorganic mineral accounts for 15 percent by mass or more of the hydrogel liquid precursor, wherein the hydrogel liquid precursor has an initial viscosity of 20 mPa·s or less at 25 degrees C., and wherein the hydrogel liquid precursor has a ratio of a two-week viscosity to the initial viscosity of from 0.90 to 1.10, the two-week viscosity representing a viscosity of the hydrogel liquid precursor at 25 degrees C. after being left at 50 degrees C. for two weeks.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional object formation method for forming a three-dimensional object by at least repeating: forming a powder material layer using a powder material for three-dimensional object formation containing a base material coated with an organic material; and hardening a predetermined region of the powder material layer by delivering a hardening liquid to the powder material layer formed in the formation of a powder material layer, where the hardening liquid contains a cross-linking agent cross-linkable with the organic material.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid material for forming a three-dimensional object, the liquid material adapted to be delivered to a powder material for forming a three-dimensional object to harden the powder material, the powder material containing an organic material and a base material, the liquid material including a cross-linking agent cross-linkable with the organic material and a resin having a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or higher or a melting point of 50° C. or higher.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid material for forming a three-dimensional object. The liquid material is adapted to harden a powder material for forming a three-dimensional object containing an organic material. The liquid material contains a solvent and a cross-linking agent. A dynamic contact angle of the liquid material over a film made of the organic material is from 20° to 80°.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional object producing method, including: a first step of forming a film by delivering a first liquid as a hydrogel precursor including at least a multifunctional monomer; and a second step of curing the film formed in the first step, wherein the first step and the second step are repeated a plurality of times.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional object formation powder material used for three-dimensional object formation of forming a three-dimensional object by stacking up a plurality of powder material layers each bound by a resin and having a predetermined shape. The three-dimensional object formation powder material contains particles in which a plurality of cores are fixed by a water-soluble resin.

Abstract: The particulate material production method includes vibrating a particulate material composition liquid in a liquid column resonance chamber having at least one nozzle to form a standing wave in the particulate material composition liquid caused by liquid column resonance, so that droplets of the particulate material composition liquid are ejected in a droplet ejection direction from the nozzle so as to fly in a space in a flight direction; feeding a gas in a direction substantially perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction to change the flight direction of the ejected droplets; and solidifying the droplets in the space to produce a particulate material. The particulate material composition liquid includes at least a solvent and a component of the particulate material dissolved or dispersed in the solvent, and the nozzle is located at a location corresponding to an anitnode of the standing wave.

Abstract: A particulate material production apparatus is disclosed. The particulate material production apparatus includes a droplet ejector to eject droplets of a particulate material composition liquid or a melted particulate material composition in a droplet ejection direction from nozzles; a solidifying device to solidify the droplets; a first airflow forming device to form a first airflow to feed the ejected droplets to the solidifying device with the first airflow; and a second airflow forming device to form a second airflow to apply the second airflow the droplets before the droplets are fed by the first airflow. The second airflow forming device forms the second airflow by supplying a pressed gas from a slit, and the traveling direction of the first airflow is substantially perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing fine particles is provided. The apparatus includes a liquid droplet discharge device and a liquid droplet solidification device. The liquid droplet discharge device has multiple nozzles. The liquid droplet discharge device is adapted to discharge a liquid from the multiple nozzles to form the liquid into liquid droplets. The liquid comprises a solvent in which constituents of the fine particles are dissolved or dispersed or a melt of constituents of the fine particles. The liquid droplet solidification device is adapted to solidify the liquid droplets by an airflow. The multiple nozzles are arranged in a manner such that each of the nozzles does not overlap each other relative to a direction of the airflow.

Abstract: A method for producing resin particles, including ejecting a liquid containing at least a resin in the form of droplets from a droplet ejecting unit having a plurality of holes provided in a part of a flow channel for feeding the liquid containing at least a resin, and drying and solidifying the ejected droplets so as to obtain the resin particles, while the ejected droplets are transported by a primary transport air flow flowing in the direction in which the droplets are ejected, wherein the ejected droplets are further transported by a secondary transport air flow which transports the ejected droplets in a different direction from a direction in which the primary transport air flow flows, and wherein a smaller angle of angles formed between a velocity vector of the primary transport air flow and a velocity vector of the secondary transport air flow is less than 120 degrees.

Abstract: A method for producing fine particles, including: discharging a fine particle material liquid, where solid materials to be formed into fine particles are dissolved or dispersed in a solvent or are melted, from two or more discharge holes in a downward vertical direction, to thereby form liquid droplets; and solidifying the liquid droplets discharged to form fine particles, wherein in the discharging a fine particle material liquid, gas flow is supplied at angle of greater than 0° but 90° or smaller to the downward vertical direction, and wherein an initial discharge velocity of the liquid droplets discharged from the discharge hole located at an upstream side of the gas flow in a flowing direction thereof is equal to or higher than an initial discharge velocity of the liquid droplets discharged from the discharge hole located at a downstream side of the gas flow in the flowing direction thereof.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting method for ejecting a liquid from at least one ejection hole to form the liquid into liquid droplets, the method including: applying a vibration to the liquid in a liquid column resonance-generating liquid chamber, in which the ejection hole is formed, to form a standing wave through liquid column resonance, and ejecting the liquid from the ejection hole, which is formed in a region corresponding to an antinode of the standing wave, to form the liquid into liquid droplets.

Abstract: A particulate production apparatus, including a droplet discharger to discharge a liquid including a particulate element which is solidified to become a particulate; and a pressure controller to feed the liquid including a particulate element to the droplet discharger at a pressure within a desired range.

Abstract: Plural types of fluids that are incompatible with each other are merged. A disturbance is induced at an interface between the fluids by causing the fluids to flow through a merged flow passage having a cross-sectional area that changes. One type of the fluids is turned into microscopic liquid droplets.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting method for ejecting a liquid from at least one ejection hole to form the liquid into liquid droplets, the method including: applying a vibration to the liquid in a liquid column resonance-generating liquid chamber, in which the ejection hole is formed, to form a standing wave through liquid column resonance, and ejecting the liquid from the ejection hole, which is formed in a region corresponding to an antinode of the standing wave, to form the liquid into liquid droplets.

Abstract: A method of producing particulate, including introducing an initial liquid including a particulate component in a lower concentration than that of a liquid including a particulate component or no concentration to a projection hole of a droplet projector so as to be projected at the start of the discharging; discharging a droplet of the liquid comprising a particulate component from the projection hole; and solidifying the droplet to form a particulate.