The present invention relates to a novel process for the synthesis of (per)fluoropolyether polymers, to certain novel (per)fluoropolyether polymers. The present invention also relates to the use of the (per)fluoropolyether polymers thus obtained as intermediate compounds for the manufacture of further polymers suitable for use as lubricants, notably for magnetic recording media (MRM).

A magnetic recording medium is a magnetic recording medium in the form of a tape and includes a substrate, a foundation layer provided on the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on the foundation layer and containing a magnetic powder. The foundation layer and the magnetic layer each contain a lubricant. A squareness ratio of the magnetic layer in a perpendicular direction is equal to or higher than 65%, an average thickness of the magnetic recording medium is equal to or smaller than 5.6 μm, a plurality of recessed portions each having a depth corresponding to 20% or higher of the average thickness of the magnetic layer is provided on a surface of the magnetic layer, and the number of the recessed portions per unit area of 1,600 μm.sup.2 of the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or greater than 20 and equal to or smaller than 200, and an amount of exudation of the lubricant per unit region of 12.5 μm×9.3 μm on the surface of the magnetic layer in a vacuum is equal to or greater than 3.0 μm.sup.2 and equal to or smaller than 6.5 μm.sup.2.

A magnetic recording medium is a magnetic recording medium in the form of a tape and includes a substrate, a foundation layer provided on the substrate, and a magnetic layer provided on the foundation layer and containing a magnetic powder. The foundation layer and the magnetic layer each contain a lubricant. A squareness ratio of the magnetic layer in a perpendicular direction is equal to or higher than 65%, an average thickness of the magnetic recording medium is equal to or smaller than 5.6 μm, a plurality of recessed portions each having a depth corresponding to 20% or higher of the average thickness of the magnetic layer is provided on a surface of the magnetic layer, and the number of the recessed portions per unit area of 1,600 μm.sup.2 of the surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or greater than 20 and equal to or smaller than 200, and an amount of exudation of the lubricant per unit region of 12.5 μm×9.3 μm on the surface of the magnetic layer in a vacuum is equal to or greater than 3.0 μm.sup.2 and equal to or smaller than 6.5 μm.sup.2.

A magnetic recording medium of the present invention is a magnetic recording medium including a non-magnetic substrate; a non-magnetic layer that is formed on one of principal surfaces of the non-magnetic substrate and contains a non-magnetic powder, a binder, and a lubricant; and a magnetic layer that is formed on a principal surface of the non-magnetic layer opposite to the non-magnetic substrate and contains a magnetic powder and a binder. The magnetic powder has an average particle size between 10 nm and 35 nm inclusive. The lubricant is migratable to the magnetic layer and forms a lubricant layer on a surface of the magnetic layer when a pressure is applied to the magnetic layer. When spacing of the surface of the magnetic layer before and after washing the lubricant with n-hexane is measured with a TSA (Tape Spacing Analyzer), the value of the spacing after washing is 3 to 10 nm, and the value of the spacing before washing is 1 to 5 nm smaller than the value of the spacing after washing.

A magnetic recording medium of the present invention is a magnetic recording medium including a non-magnetic substrate; a non-magnetic layer that is formed on one of principal surfaces of the non-magnetic substrate and contains a non-magnetic powder, a binder, and a lubricant; and a magnetic layer that is formed on a principal surface of the non-magnetic layer opposite to the non-magnetic substrate and contains a magnetic powder and a binder. The magnetic powder has an average particle size between 10 nm and 35 nm inclusive. The lubricant is migratable to the magnetic layer and forms a lubricant layer on a surface of the magnetic layer when a pressure is applied to the magnetic layer. When spacing of the surface of the magnetic layer before and after washing the lubricant with n-hexane is measured with a TSA (Tape Spacing Analyzer), the value of the spacing after washing is 3 to 10 nm, and the value of the spacing before washing is 1 to 5 nm smaller than the value of the spacing after washing.

A magnetic recording tape, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, includes a substrate, an underlayer formed above the substrate, and a magnetic recording layer formed above the underlayer. The underlayer includes first encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a first magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by a first aromatic polymer, and a first polymeric binder binding the first encapsulated nanoparticles. The recording layer includes second encapsulated nanoparticles each comprising a second magnetic nanoparticle encapsulated by an encapsulating layer, and a second polymeric binder binding the second encapsulated nanoparticles.

An information processing device includes a generation unit that generates a hierarchy of a group that classifies each piece of data from information about each of a plurality of pieces of data to be recorded, and a control unit that controls recording of the plurality of pieces of data included in a group of the hierarchy at a highest level on a magnetic recording medium in a recording order according to an order from an upper hierarchy to a lower hierarchy, for each group of the hierarchy at the highest level. The magnetic recording medium has a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on a non-magnetic support. A difference between spacings S.sub.0.5 and S.sub.13.5 measured under pressures of 0.5 atm and 13.5 atm by an optical interference method after n-hexane cleaning on a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or less than 3.0 nm.

An information processing device includes a generation unit that generates a hierarchy of a group that classifies each piece of data from information about each of a plurality of pieces of data to be recorded, and a control unit that controls recording of the plurality of pieces of data included in a group of the hierarchy at a highest level on a magnetic recording medium in a recording order according to an order from an upper hierarchy to a lower hierarchy, for each group of the hierarchy at the highest level. The magnetic recording medium has a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on a non-magnetic support. A difference between spacings S.sub.0.5 and S.sub.13.5 measured under pressures of 0.5 atm and 13.5 atm by an optical interference method after n-hexane cleaning on a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or less than 3.0 nm.

A magnetic recording medium that can exhibit good traveling performance during use is provided. This magnetic recording medium is a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, and includes a substrate including a polyester as a main component, a base layer disposed on the substrate, a magnetic layer disposed on the base layer, and a back layer disposed on a side of the substrate opposite to the base layer. A surface of the back layer opposite to the substrate has a kurtosis of 2.0 or more. On a surface of the magnetic layer, recesses having a depth of 20% or more of the average thickness of the magnetic layer are formed at a ratio of 10 or more and 200 or less per 1600 μm.sup.2. A surface of the magnetic layer has arithmetic average roughness Ra of 2.5 nm or less. The entire magnetic recording medium has a BET specific surface area of 3.5 m.sup.2/g or more in a state where the lubricant has been removed from the magnetic recording medium and the magnetic recording medium has been dried.

An object is to provide a magnetic recording medium having excellent traveling stability and a thin total thickness.

The present technology provides a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium including: a magnetic layer; an underlayer; a base layer; and a back layer, in which the number of recesses having a depth of 20% or more of the thickness of the magnetic layer is 10 or more and 200 or less per surface area of 1600 μm.sup.2, the base layer includes a polyester as a main component, a surface on a side of the back layer has a kurtosis of 2.0 or more and 4.4 or less, the magnetic recording medium has an average thickness t.sub.T of 5.6 μm or less, the magnetic recording medium includes a lubricant, the magnetic recording medium has pores, and the pores have an average diameter of 6 nm or more and 11 nm or less when the diameters of the pores are measured in a state where the lubricant has been removed from the magnetic recording medium and the magnetic recording medium has been dried.