Abstract: To provide a hair growth agent and a scalp care agent which are topical agents that exhibit scalp care effect as well as effect in terms of causing increase in hair shaft diameter and effect in terms of improving maximum hair shaft length and improving hair shaft elongation rate and new hair growth and increasing expression of genes contributing to hair growth in dermal papilla cells and promoting hair shaft growth at head hair, beard, eyebrows, and/or eyelashes, these are made to contain an active ingredient in the form of phytosphingosine.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including a sol-gel process in the presence of a thickener and/or an association preventive from aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals. The ferroelectric element is advantageous in that the handling of starting compounds and the production of the ferroelectric element are easy, the storage stability of the starting compound solution is good, the cost is low, the ferroelectric element can be formed as a thin layer, particles on the surface of the thin layer are fine and dense, and, hence, the surface smoothness is good. The ferroelectric element is excellent also in piezoelectric properties and therefore can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including a sol-gel process in the presence of a thickener and/or an association preventive from aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals. The ferroelectric element is advantageous in that the handling of starting compounds and the production of the ferroelectric element are easy, the storage stability of the starting compound solution is good, the cost is low, the ferroelectric element can be formed as a thin layer, particles on the surface of the thin layer are fine and dense, and, hence, the surface smoothness is good. The ferroelectric element is excellent also in piezoelectric properties and therefore can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element, having a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including the steps of: providing alkoxides of the respective metals as starting compounds; hydrolyzing the metal alkoxides in the presence of a catalytic amount of a protonic acid to increase the molecular weight; and adding a film-forming polymer material to the sol-like solution prepared in the step of increasing the molecular weight to prepare a sol-like ferroelectric precursor solution. The ferroelectric element can be formed in a thick film form without creating any cracks. It can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element, including a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including the steps of: providing alkoxides of the respective metals as starting compounds; hydrolyzing the metal alkoxides in the presence of a catalytic amount of a protonic acid to increase the molecular weight; and adding a film-forming polymer material to the sol-like solution prepared in the step of increasing the molecular weight to prepare a sol-like ferroelectric precursor solution. The ferroelectric element can be formed in a thick film form without creating any cracks. It can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including a sol-gel process in the presence of a thickener and/or an association preventive from aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals. The ferroelectric element is advantageous in that the handling of starting compounds and the production of the ferroelectric element are easy, the storage stability of the starting compound solution is good, the cost is low, the ferroelectric element can be formed as a thin layer, particles on the surface of the thin layer are fine and dense, and, hence, the surface smoothness is good. The ferroelectric element is excellent also in piezoelectric properties and therefore can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including a sol-gel process in the presence of a thickener and/or an association preventive from aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals. The ferroelectric element is advantageous in that the handling of starting compounds and the production of the ferroelectric element are easy, the storage stability of the starting compound solution is good, the cost is low, the ferroelectric element can be formed as a thin layer, particles on the surface of the thin layer are fine and dense, and, hence, the surface smoothness is good. The ferroelectric element is excellent also in piezoelectric properties and therefore can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element comprising a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including a sol-gel process in the presence of a thickener and/or an association preventive from aqueous solutions of respective salts of the metals. The ferroelectric element is advantageous in that the handling of starting compounds and the production of the ferroelectric element are easy, the storage stability of the starting compound solution is good, the cost is low, the ferroelectric element can be formed as a thin layer, particles on the surface of the thin layer are fine and dense, and, hence, the surface smoothness is good. The ferroelectric element is excellent also in piezoelectric properties and therefore can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.

Abstract: A ferroelectric element, having a ferroelectric material containing at least two metals, the ferroelectric element having been produced by a process including the steps of: providing alkoxides of the respective metals as starting compounds; hydrolyzing the metal alkoxides in the presence of a catalytic amount of a protonic acid to increase the molecular weight; and adding a film-forming polymer material to the sol-like solution prepared in the step of increasing the molecular weight to prepare a sol-like ferroelectric precursor solution. The ferroelectric element can be formed in a thick film form without creating any cracks. It can be advantageously used as a piezoelectric element in a piezoelectric ink jet head.