The invention relates to a material formed by a polymer substrate and a hydrogel based on vinyl-lactams and ionic methacrylates. The invention also relates to a method for producing this material and to the use thereof for cell culture and cell monolayer engineering, for preparing 3D scaffolds and manufacturing thermosensitive mechanical actuators.

There is provided a carbon material dispersion which has excellent dispersibility and in which the dispersibility is retained stably over a long period of time even when the carbon material dispersion contains a carbon material at a high concentration. The carbon material dispersion is a carbon material dispersion containing a carbon material, water, and a polymeric dispersant, wherein the polymeric dispersant is a polymer including 5 to 40% by mass of a constituent unit (1) derived from a monomer 1, such as 2-vinylpyridine, 50 to 80% by mass of a constituent unit (2) derived from a monomer 2 represented by formula (1) (wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, A represents O or NH, X represents an ethylene group or a propylene group, Y represents O, NHCOO, or NHCONH, each of R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, n represents 20 to 100, and R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom or the like), and 0.5 to 40% by mass of a constituent unit (3) derived from a monomer 3 copolymerizable with above-described monomers.

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The present invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane in which the thickness L of a spherical structure layer is 60-500 ?m (inclusive), the spherical structure layer has a first surface and a second surface, the average diameter Da.sub.1 of the spherical structure in a region Sa.sub.1 10 ?m or less from the first surface and the average diameter db.sub.2 of the spherical structure in a region Sb.sub.2 10-20 ?m from the second surface satisfy the relational expression Da.sub.1>db.sub.2, and the spherical structure satisfies certain parameters.

Provided herein is a composite material that includes at least one thermoresponsive polymer and at least one organic foam material. Further provided herein is a method for producing the composite material and also to the use of the composite material for cooling and for regulating temperature.

A hydrogel comprising a cross-linked or a non-crosslinked PVA/PVP mixed polymer hydrogel is provided, Further, articles comprising the hydrogel optionally including an active agent incorporated therewithin are also provided.

An electroconductive hydrogel is formed by hybrid assembly of polymeric nanofiber networks of conducting polymers that self-organize into highly connected 3D nanostructures with an ultralow threshold (?1 wt %) for electrical percolation. A method for forming the electroconductive hydrogel comprises the steps of: dispersing aramid nanofibers (ANFs) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); conducting a solvent exchange with water to generate hydrogels with connective 3D fibrillar networks that serve as templates for the assembly of conducting polymers; incorporating polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) during the processing of the hydrogels to weld the fibrillar joints via hydrogen bonding; infiltrating monomers into the nano-porous hydrogels in an aqueous media; and polymerizing the hydrogels with added oxidants.

The present invention provides a water-soluble film having high solubility in cold water and high extensibility. The present invention also provides a method for simply producing such a water-soluble film with particularly preferred features. The present invention relates to a water-soluble film including a grafted polymer and a water-soluble resin, and also relates to a water-soluble film including a grafted polymer. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a water-soluble film containing a grafted polymer and a water-soluble resin including mixing the grafted polymer and the water-soluble resin.

Described are ion-exchange membranes that include a porous polymeric membrane and imidazole ion-exchange groups at surfaces of the membrane; ion-exchange membranes and filters that contain the ion-exchange membranes; and methods of using the ion-exchange membranes and filters for separating charged biological molecule from a liquid.

There is provided a carbon material dispersion which has excellent dispersibility and in which the dispersibility is retained stably over a long period of time even when the carbon material dispersion contains a carbon material at a high concentration. The carbon material dispersion is a carbon material dispersion containing a carbon material, water, and a polymeric dispersant, wherein the polymeric dispersant is a polymer including 5 to 40% by mass of a constituent unit (1) derived from a monomer 1, such as 2-vinylpyridine, 50 to 80% by mass of a constituent unit (2) derived from a monomer 2 represented by formula (1) (wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, A represents O or NH, X represents an ethylene group or a propylene group, Y represents O, NHCOO, or NHCONH, each of R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, n represents 20 to 100, and R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom or the like), and 0.5 to 40% by mass of a constituent unit (3) derived from a monomer 3 copolymerizable with above-described monomers. ##STR00001##

The present application discloses an allyl-type flame-retardant prepolymer, a resin composition, a composite resin, a prepreg, and a laminate. The allyl-type flame-retardant prepolymer provided in the present application is prepared by pre-polymerization of an allyl-type benzoxazine compound and an allyl-type phosphorous compound in a mass part ratio of 100:(20 to 80).