The invention relates to a solid body of a compound of formula Zn.sub.1-t-eT.sub.tE.sub.eO.sub.1-yY.sub.y, wherein the compound has a wurtzite structure and wherein T represents one or more transition metals, selected from one or more of Mn, Cd, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni; E represents one or more alkaline earth metals, selected from one or more of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba; Y represents one or more chalcogens, selected from S, Se, Te; tis a value in the region of 0 to <1; e is a value from 0 to <1, and y is a value from 0 to <1.

The invention relates to a solid body of a compound of formula Zn.sub.1-t-eT.sub.tE.sub.eO.sub.1-yY.sub.y, wherein the compound has a wurtzite structure and wherein T represents one or more transition metals, selected from one or more of Mn, Cd, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni; E represents one or more alkaline earth metals, selected from one or more of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba; Y represents one or more chalcogens, selected from S, Se, Te; tis a value in the region of 0 to <1; e is a value from 0 to <1, and y is a value from 0 to <1.

The present invention relates to silicon coated metal microparticles in which at least a part of a surface of a metal microparticle composed of at least one of metal elements or metalloid elements is coated with silicon, wherein the silicon coated metal microparticles are a product obtained by a reduction treatment of silicon compound coated precursor microparticles in which at least a part of a surface of a precursor microparticle containing a precursor of the metal microparticles is coated with a silicon compound, or silicon doped precursor microparticles containing a precursor of the metal microparticles. Because it is possible particularly to strictly control a particle diameter of the silicon compound coated metal microparticle by controlling conditions of the reduction treatment, design of a more appropriate composition can become facilitated, compared with a conventional composition, in terms of diversified usages and desired properties of silicon compound coated metal microparticles.

With an aim to provide an oxide particle with controlled color characteristics, the present invention provides a method for producing an oxide particle, wherein the color characteristics of the oxide particle are controlled by controlling a M-OH bond/M-O bond ratio, which is a ratio of a M-OH bond between an element (M) and a hydroxide group (OH) to a ratio of an M-O bond between the element (M) and oxygen (O), where the element (M) is one or plural different elements other than oxygen or hydrogen included in the oxide particle selected from metal oxide particles and semi-metal oxide particles. According to the present invention, by controlling the M-OH bond/M-O bond ratio of the metal oxide particle or the semi-metal oxide particle, the oxide particle with controlled color characteristics of any of reflectance, transmittance, molar absorption coefficient, hue, and saturation can be provided.

The invention relates to a solid body of a compound of formula Zn.sub.1-t-eT.sub.tE.sub.eO.sub.1-yY.sub.y, wherein the compound has a wurtzite structure and wherein T represents one or more transition metals, selected from one or more of Mn, Cd, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni; E represents one or more alkaline earth metals, selected from one or more of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba; Y represents one or more chalcogens, selected from S, Se, Te; tis a value in the region of 0 to <1; e is a value from 0 to <1, and y is a value from 0 to <1.

The invention relates to a solid body of a compound of formula Zn.sub.1-t-eT.sub.tE.sub.eO.sub.1-yY.sub.y, wherein the compound has a wurtzite structure and wherein T represents one or more transition metals, selected from one or more of Mn, Cd, Cr, Fe, Co and Ni; E represents one or more alkaline earth metals, selected from one or more of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba; Y represents one or more chalcogens, selected from S, Se, Te; tis a value in the region of 0 to <1; e is a value from 0 to <1, and y is a value from 0 to <1.

The present invention relates to silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles, with which surfaces of fine metal particles, composed of at least one type of metal element or metalloid element, are at least partially coated with a silicon compound and a ratio of Si—OH bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles is controlled to be 0.1% or more and 70% or less. By the present invention, silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles that are controlled in dispersibility and other properties can be provided by controlling the ratio of Si—OH bonds or the ratio of Si—OH bonds/Si—O bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles. By controlling the ratio of Si—OH bonds or the ratio of Si—OH bonds/Si—O bonds, a composition that is more appropriate for diversifying applications and targeted properties of silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles than was conventionally possible can be designed easily.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material using silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are controlled in properties in an ultraviolet region and/or a near-infrared region. The present invention provides an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material used for a purpose of shielding ultraviolet rays and/or near-infrared rays, the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material featuring that the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent contains silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles, with which surfaces of silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are zinc oxide particles doped with at least silicon are at least partially coated with a silicon compound.

The present invention is a method of producing silicon compound coated oxide particles in which at least a part of a surface of a metal oxide particle is coated with a silicon compound, wherein wettability and color characteristics are controlled by controlling a ratio of SiOH bonds contained in the silicon compound coated oxide particles. By the present invention, silicon compound coated oxide particles having controlled wettability such as hydrophilicity, water repellency or oil repellency, and controlled color characteristics of either reflectivity, molar absorption coefficient or transmittance can be provided.

The present invention relates to silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles, with which surfaces of fine metal particles, composed of at least one type of metal element or metalloid element, are at least partially coated with a silicon compound and a ratio of SiOH bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles is controlled to be 0.1% or more and 70% or less. By the present invention, silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles that are controlled in dispersibility and other properties can be provided by controlling the ratio of SiOH bonds or the ratio of SiOH bonds/SiO bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles. By controlling the ratio of SiOH bonds or the ratio of SiOH bonds/SiO bonds, a composition that is more appropriate for diversifying applications and targeted properties of silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles than was conventionally possible can be designed easily.