Abstract: A modified polymer which can serve as a raw material of novel reverse dispersion retardation films is provided, the modified polymer having no need to select a plurality of monomers or polymers in order to realize a reverse dispersion and having no problems concerning glass transition temperature or the like in drawing treatment. A polymer having a polyol skeleton as its main chain is caused to react with a compound for modification such as an aromatic carboxylic acid hydride. Through this reaction, a modified polymer in which a chemical group such as an aromatic carbonyl group is bonded to an oxygen atom in a side chain of the polyol skeleton is prepared. For example, polyvinyl alcohols and benzoyl chloride can be used as the polymer and the compound for modification, respectively. The chemical group may be a benzoyl group. When this modified polymer is formed into a film and then subjected to drawing treatment, a retardation film which exhibits a reverse wavelength dispersion characteristic can be obtained.

Abstract: An elliptically polarizing plate comprising a retardation film having a film comprising a polymer which has, as its main chain, a polyol skeleton having a side chain substituted with at least one chemical group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic carbonyl group, an aryl-substituted lower alkylcarbonyl group, and an unsaturated aliphatic carbonyl group, the chemical group being bonded to an oxygen atom in the polyol skeleton side chain, and a polarizer stacked over the retardation film, wherein the polarizer is made of a coating film obtained by applying a dichromatic colorant. As the dichromatic colorant, an organic colorant represented by (chromogen)(SO3M)n wherein M represents a cation is used. The elliptically polarizing plate has a good visibility in the range of visible rays and can be made thin and light.

Abstract: There is provided a retardation film including a stretched film of a polymer film having an absolute value of photoelastic coefficient (m2/N) of 50×10?12 or less measured by using light of a wavelength of 550 nm at 23° C., which satisfies the following expressions (1) and (2): Re[450]<Re[550]<Re[650]??(1) Rth[550]<Re[550]??(2). In the expressions (1) and (2): Re[450], Re[550], and Re[650] respectively represent in-plane retardation values measured by using light of wavelengths of 450 nm, 550 nm, and 650 nm at 23° C.; and Rth[550] represents a thickness direction retardation value measured by using light of a wavelength of 550 nm at 23° C.

Abstract: A stable silica sol having an SiO2 concentration of 1 to 50% by weight and containing liquid-medium dispersed moniliform colloidal silica particles each having 3 or more as a ratio of D1/D2 of a particle diameter (D1 nm) measured by a dynamic light scattering method to a mean particle diameter (a particle diameter measured by a nitrogen absorption method: D2 nm) where D1 is 50 to 500 nm, and which are comprised by spherical colloidal silica particles having a mean particle diameter of 10 to 80 nm and metal oxide-containing silica bonding these spherical-colloidal silica particles, and in which the spherical colloidal silica particles link in rows in only one plane, process for producing such and a coating composition for ink receiving layers containing such a silica sol and an ink jet recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing composition for polishing alumina disks, polishing substrates having silica surfaces and semiconductor wafers, comprising a stable aqueous silica sol containing moniliform colloidal silica particles having a ratio (D1/D2) of a particle diameter D1 nm (as measured by dynamic light scattering method) to a mean particle diameter D2 (as measured by nitrogen absorption method) of 3 or more, wherein D1 is between 50 to 800 nm and D2 is between 10 to 120 nm, said moniliform colloidal silica particles being composed of spherical colloidal silica particles and a metal oxide-containing silica bond which bonds these spherical colloidal silica particles together, wherein the spherical colloidal silica particles are linked together in rows in only one plane by observation through an electron microscope, and further wherein said polishing composition contains 0.5 to 50% by weight of said moniliform colloidal silica particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a refrigerating unit comprising a high temperature side refrigerant circuit (2) and a low temperature side refrigerant circuit (3) for forming an independent refrigerant closed-circuit (3) for forming an independent closed-circuit which exhibits a refrigerating effect by that a refrigerant discharged from each compressor (4) and (10) is condensed and then is evaporated, and an evaporator (14) of the high temperature side refrigerant circuit (2) and a condenser (23) of the low temperature side refrigerant circuit (3) form a thermal exchanger (25), wherein a non-azeotropic mixture refrigerant comprising; (a) an inorganic refrigerant selected from the group consisting of argon and nitrogen, (b) a hydrocarbon which makes (a) component liquidize, and (c) at least one refrigerant selected from the group consisting of hydrochlorofluorocarbon, hydrofluorocarbon, hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon, which makes (b) component liquidize, is sealed into the low temperature side refrigerant circuit

Abstract: A refrigerant composition consisting essentially of chlorodifluoromethane, 1-chloro-1, 1-difluoroethane and octafluoropropane, said composition, while preventing the bad influence on ozone layer and maintaining the environment of working place in a nonhazardous condition, can be used as a substitute for R500 or R502 owing to the obtainability of the desired refrigerating capacity and a good return of oil.