Disclosed is a rare-earth complex polymer including trivalent rare-earth ions and a phosphine oxide bidentate ligand represented by the formula (1). One phosphine oxide bidentate ligand is coordinated to the two rare-earth ions, and crosslinks the same. ##STR00001##

A chromene compound having at least one indenonaphthopyran moiety which has a group forming a spiro ring together with the 13-position carbon atom and further an oligomer chain group selected from a polyalkylene oxide oligomer chain group having at least three recurring units and a polyester oligomer chain group having at least three recurring units, represented by the following formula and having reduced matrix dependence:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each a group which may have an oligomer chain group, the ring Z bonded to the 13-position carbon atom of the chromene compound is a Spiro ring group, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each an aryl group or heteroaryl group which may have an oligomer chain group.

Preferably, the chromene compound has at least one oligomer chain group in the molecule.

A novel heterocyclic compound that can be used as a host material in which a light-emitting substance is dispersed. A light-emitting element having a long lifetime. A heterocyclic compound in which a substituted or unsubstituted dibenzo[f,h]quinoxalinyl group is bonded to a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group having 6 to 25 carbon atoms which is bonded to any one of the 8-11 positions of a substituted or unsubstituted benzo[b]naphtho[1,2-d]furan skeleton.

The disclosure relates generally to black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers having superior properties such as absorbance of across the entire visible spectrum and an obvious color change from black to transmissive with an applied voltage. The disclosure also relates to methods for synthesizing or using the same. Further, the disclosure also relates to black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymer thin films comprising the black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers, as well as electrochromic devices comprising the black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers or thin films.

An electrochromic polymer is comprised of a repeat unit comprising one or more meta-conjugated linkers (MCLs) and one or more aromatic moieties (Ars). Each of the one or more MCLs is partially conjugated with the one or more Ars at meta positions of the MCLs to form a polymer backbone of the electrochromic polymer. The electrochromic polymer undergoes an optical switching and a color change in an electrochromic device, which shows a high transparency and a high optical contrast.

Provided herein are black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers having superior properties such as absorbance of across the entire visible spectrum and an obvious color change from black to transmissive with an applied voltage. Provided also include methods for synthesizing or using the same. The black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymer thin films may comprise the black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers, as well as electrochromic devices comprising the black-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers or thin films.

The present disclosure provides for the development and applications of monomeric, oligomeric and/or polymeric semiconductor materials comprising a five-membered heteroaromatic unit (e.g., thiophene; furan; selenophene; etc.) that includes an acrylyl or an acrylyl-like (CCCO) side chain. The semiconductor materials can be used as organic semiconductors for use in electronic, optical, or optoelectronic devices such as organic thin film transistors and organic photovoltaics. The disclosed semiconductor materials (e.g., semiconducting polymer compounds) can be used as high performance semiconductors (e.g., for organic solar cells or organic photovoltaics (OPVs)), and the disclosed semiconductor materials can be used for other devices (e.g., organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) and sensors, etc.).

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for isolating from plant biomass at least one member selected from the group consisting of lignin, hemicelluloses, lignin-polysaccharide complexes, cellulose, and hemicellulose-cellulose complexes. The object is achieved by a method for isolating from plant biomass at least one member selected from the group consisting of lignin, hemicelluloses, lignin-polysaccharide complexes, cellulose, and hemicellulose-cellulose complexes, the method comprising step (A) of bringing a solution containing an organic acid and a peracid into contact with plant biomass.

Tagging agents, including fluorescent monomers, which may lack polymerizable double bonds. Anti-scalant polymer compositions that include a copolymer of a tagging agent and an anti-scalant monomer. Methods for synthesizing tagging agents, anti-scalant polymer compositions, and detecting an anti-scalant polymer composition.

Ordered (e.g., self-assembled) structures, arranged from peptide nucleic acids and/or analogs thereof, are disclosed. The peptide nucleic acids forming the ordered structures comprise from 1 to 10 PNA backbone units, at least one comprising a guanine nucleobase or an analog thereof. Processes of generating the ordered structures, uses thereof and articles-of manufacturing, devices and systems containing same are also disclosed.