The present invention relates to a photocurable coating composition for forming a low refractive layer, a method for preparing an antireflection film using the photocurable coating composition, and an anti-reflective film prepared by using the photocurable coating composition. According to the present invention, a low refractive layer is formed of a photocurable coating composition containing two or more types of photo-polymerizable compounds, a photoinitiator, surface-treated hollow inorganic nanoparticles, and surface-treated solid inorganic nanoparticles.

A foamable composition comprising at least one cellulose acetate, a plasticizer, a nucleating agent, and either a chemical blowing agent or a physical blowing agent is disclosed. The composition is formed into foamed articles that are biodegradable.

Polymeric compositions are provided that include a furan 2,5-di-ester or tetrahydrofuran 2,5-di-ester plasticizer. The plasticizer has low odor, has good compatibility with a variety of polymers such as hydrophilic polymeric materials, and can be formed from renewable resources. Further, the plasticizer can be used at temperatures often encountered during hot melt processing of polymeric compositions.

The present application discloses regioselectively substituted cellulose esters, films made from the regioselectively substituted cellulose esters and methods for making the same. The regioselectively substituted cellulose esters are synthesized using trifluoroacetic anhydride and cellulose with various acyl donors or acyl donor precursors.

Provided are: a retardation-increasing agent that has excellent compatibility and, when incorporated into a resin film, is capable of not only adjusting the thickness-direction phase difference toward a positive direction but also imparting the film with high retardation; a cellulose-based resin composition comprising the retardation-increasing agent; and a film that is obtained from the cellulose-based resin composition and has excellent optical properties. The retardation-increasing agent comprises a compound represented by the following Formula (1) or (2):

##STR00001## (wherein, R.sup.1 to R.sup.10 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or the like); or

##STR00002## (wherein, R.sup.21 to R.sup.28 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or the like).

A material comprising a fine fiber pulp is provided. The fine fiber pulp has a plurality of fine fibers have an average diameter of less than 1 micron and an average length of less than 1 millimeter. In embodiments, the fine fibers formed of a polymer. The material can be created according to a method in which the fine fiber strands are formed from a polymer melt or a polymer solution, the fine fiber strands are cooled to a temperature of less than −25° C. to increase brittleness of the fine fibers, and the fine fiber strands are granulated into the fine fiber pulp.

There is provided a cured-film formation composition that forms a cured film having excellent photoreaction efficiency and solvent resistance, and high adhesion, an orientation material for photo-alignment, and a retardation material formed with the orientation material.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a film for an agricultural greenhouse that can maintain a CO.sub.2 concentration necessary for the photosynthesis of plants even when ventilation is not performed and to provide an agricultural greenhouse using the film. The film for an agricultural greenhouse of the present invention is a cellulose film which contains a cellulose acylate resin and has an equilibrium moisture content of 4% to 8% at a temperature of 25° C., a relative humidity of 80% and a thickness of 60 to 200 μm.

Resin particles include mother particles containing a biodegradable resin and a plasticizer, in which an amount of a metal element having an ionic valence of 2 or more, obtained by fluorescent X-ray analysis, is 0.002% by mass or more and 2.0% by mass or less with respect to a total amount of the resin particles.

Biodegradable thermoformed articles are disclosed. The thermoformed articles are formed from a biodegradable polymer composition. The polymer composition contains a cellulose ester polymer, a plasticizer, and one or more other additives. Thermoformed articles can be made in accordance with the present disclosure having low haze and high clarity.