Aspects described herein generally relate to a sol-gel that is the reaction product of a hydroxy organosilane, a metal alkoxide, an acid stabilizer, and a corrosion inhibitor. The hydroxy organosilane is represented by Formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R is selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, ether, and aryl. The acid stabilizer is at a molar ratio of acid stabilizer to metal alkoxide of 1:1 or greater and the sol-gel has a pH from about 3 to about 4.

A polymer including, as the main chain, a metal-oxygen-metal bond including a structural unit represented by the following general formula (1): wherein M represents a metal atom selected from the group consisting of Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W, and Bi; R.sup.1 is selected from a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkylcarbonyl group, a C.sub.6-C.sub.12 aryl group, a C.sub.7-C.sub.13 aralkyl group, a (R.sup.5.sub.3Si-group, a (R.sup.6R.sup.7N) group, a 4-oxopent-2-en-2-yl group, a C.sub.5-C.sub.12 4-alkoxy-4-oxobuta-2-en-2-yl group, and a C.sub.10-C.sub.16 4-aryloxy-4-oxobuta-2-en-2-yl group; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group; R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkylcarbonyl group; R.sup.5 is a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.5-C.sub.12 alicyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkoxy group, a C.sub.6-C.sub.12 aryl group, a C.sub.7-C.sub.13 aralkyl group, or a group having a siloxane bond; a plurality of R.sup.5 may be the same or different; R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.5-C.sub.12 alicyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.6-C.sub.12 aryl group, a C.sub.7-C.sub.13 aralkyl group, or a C.sub.1-C.sub.12 acyl group; R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 may be linked via a carbon-carbon saturated bond or a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond to form a ring structure; m is an integer that represents the valence of the metal atom M; a is an integer of 1 to (m?2); and b is an integer of 1 to 6, and c is an integer of 1 to 5. Provided is a polymer including a metal-oxygen-metal bond as the main chain that is stably present without aggregating or turning into a gel even in high concentration and high viscosity.

##STR00001##

A polymer including, as the main chain, a metal-oxygen-metal bond including a structural unit represented by the following general formula (1): wherein M represents a metal atom selected from the group consisting of Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W, and Bi; R.sup.1 is selected from a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkylcarbonyl group, a C.sub.6-C.sub.12 aryl group, a C.sub.7-C.sub.13 aralkyl group, a (R.sup.5.sub.3Si-group, a (R.sup.6R.sup.7N) group, a 4-oxopent-2-en-2-yl group, a C.sub.5-C.sub.12 4-alkoxy-4-oxobuta-2-en-2-yl group, and a C.sub.10-C.sub.16 4-aryloxy-4-oxobuta-2-en-2-yl group; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group; R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkylcarbonyl group; R.sup.5 is a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.5-C.sub.12 alicyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkoxy group, a C.sub.6-C.sub.12 aryl group, a C.sub.7-C.sub.13 aralkyl group, or a group having a siloxane bond; a plurality of R.sup.5 may be the same or different; R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, a C.sub.5-C.sub.12 alicyclic alkyl group, a C.sub.6-C.sub.12 aryl group, a C.sub.7-C.sub.13 aralkyl group, or a C.sub.1-C.sub.12 acyl group; R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 may be linked via a carbon-carbon saturated bond or a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond to form a ring structure; m is an integer that represents the valence of the metal atom M; a is an integer of 1 to (m?2); and b is an integer of 1 to 6, and c is an integer of 1 to 5. Provided is a polymer including a metal-oxygen-metal bond as the main chain that is stably present without aggregating or turning into a gel even in high concentration and high viscosity.

##STR00001##

A polarizing film, comprising a polarizer, and a transparent protective film laminated on/over at least one surface of the polarizer to interpose an adhesive layer between the surface and the transparent protective film, and the polarizing film comprising, on/over the adhesion surface of the polarizer, an adhesion-improving layer interposed between the polarizer and the adhesive layer. The adhesion-improving layer preferably comprises a compound represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein X is a functional group containing a reactive group, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, aryl group or heterocyclic group that may have a substituent, and the compound represented by the general formula (1) is interposed between the polarizer and the adhesive layer.

A liquid silicone-based composition for forming a coating, the composition comprising a silazane, an organometallic compound, an alkoxysilane, and an aprotic solvent, wherein when applied to a substrate the liquid composition cures to form a quasi-ceramic coating under ambient conditions.

A liquid silicone-based composition for forming a coating, the composition comprising a silazane, an organometallic compound, an alkoxysilane, and an aprotic solvent, wherein when applied to a substrate the liquid composition cures to form a quasi-ceramic coating under ambient conditions.

This gel-form composition contains (A) an organoalkoxysilane of the following formula and/or a partially hydrolyzed condensate of the organoalkoxysilane, R.sup.1.sub.aSi(OR.sup.2).sub.4-a (R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are monovalent hydrocarbon groups, and a is 1, 2, or 3), (B) an aluminum dicarboxylate of the following formula (R.sup.3COO).sub.2Al(OH) (R.sup.3 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group), (C) a C6-24 fatty acid, (D) a C6-30 dicarboxylic acid, and (E) an aluminum oligomer and/or aluminum alkoxide selected from aluminum oxide organoxides and aluminum oxide acylates. It is thereby possible to: obtain a water absorption inhibitor that imparts an excellent water absorption-inhibiting property to the surfaces of porous materials; and provide a method for imparting a water absorption-inhibiting property by applying the water absorption inhibitor to the surface of a porous material, and a porous material that is surface-treated by the water absorption inhibitor.

A coating film-forming composition includes a hydrolysis-condensation product of a hydrolyzable silane and fine inorganic particles subjected to a special dispersion treatment, that can be formed into a highly heat-resistant, highly transparent coating film capable of exhibiting a high refractive index and having a large thickness and excellent storage stability as a coating composition; and a process for producing the coating film-forming composition.

A laminated resin film, comprising a first resin film, and a second resin film laminated on/over at least one surface of the first resin film to interpose an adhesive layer between the surface and the second resin film, wherein an adhesion surface of at least one of the first resin film and the second resin film comprises a compound represented by general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein X is a functional group containing a reactive group, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, aryl group or heterocyclic group that may have a substituent, and the compound represented by the general formula (1) is interposed at either one or both of a position between the first resin film and the adhesive layer, and a position between the second resin film and the adhesive layer.

The present invention is a compound for forming a metal-containing film to be contained in a composition for forming a metal-containing film, where the compound is a metal compound including at least one kind of metal atom selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, and Hf and a ligand coordinated to the metal atom, and the ligand includes an organic group R.sup.A represented by one of the following general formulae (1). This provides: a metal compound having better dry etching resistance than conventional resist underlayer film materials and also having high filling and planarizing properties; a composition for forming a metal-containing film containing the compound; and a patterning process in which the composition is used as a resist material.

##STR00001##