Provided are titanium oxide fine particles which are excellent in transparency and are less photocatalytically active while maintaining a high refractive index, a dispersion of such fine particles, and a method for producing such a dispersion. The method for producing a dispersion of iron-containing rutile titanium oxide fine particles including a step (1) of neutralizing an aqueous metal mineral acid salt solution containing Ti and Fe in Fe.sub.2O.sub.3/(TiO.sub.2+Fe.sub.2O.sub.3)=0.001 to 0.010 to form an iron-containing hydrous titanic acid; a step (2) of adding an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution to form an aqueous solution of iron-containing peroxotitanic acid having an average particle size of 15 to 50 nm; a step (3) of adding a tin compound so as to satisfy TiO.sub.2/SnO.sub.2=6 to 16; a step (4) of adding a sol of silica-based fine particles which contain Si and a metal element M in SiO.sub.2/MO.sub.x/2=99.9/0.1 to 80/20, the addition being made so as to satisfy SiO.sub.2/(oxides of the other elements)=0.08 to 0.22; and a step (5) of hydrothermally treating the solution obtained in the step (4).

The invention concerns a continuous flow process for manufacturing surface modified metal oxide nanoparticles by supercritical solvothermal synthesis in an reaction medium flowing within a continuous flow chamber, said continuous flow chamber containing a hydrolysis area and a supercritical area, said process comprising the introduction of a flow of metal oxide precursor into the continuous flow chamber at a point P located in the hydrolysis area or in the supercritical area, and the introduction of a flow of is located downstream of P1 with respect to the flow direction, as well as the device for carrying out this process.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a composite pigment which can be dispersed and made into paint in a manner that saves labor compared with conventional flat emulsion paints, and which can achieve concealing properties and low glossiness (a luster reduction effect) without separately adding a matting agent. This composite pigment contains an inorganic compound and/or an organic compound, and a fixed extender pigment.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a composite pigment which can be dispersed and made into paint in a manner that saves labor compared with conventional flat emulsion paints, and which can achieve concealing properties and low glossiness (a luster reduction effect) without separately adding a matting agent. This composite pigment contains an inorganic compound and/or an organic compound, and a fixed extender pigment.

A dispersion liquid contains fine particles of core-shell type inorganic oxide that have high dispersion stability and transparency and allow for excellent light resistance and weather resistance by being mixed in a coating film. The fine particles are produced by treating the surfaces of (a) fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide serving as core particles with a hydrate and/or an oxide of a metal element such as zirconium to provide surface-treated particles or fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide having (b) an intermediate layer and by covering the surfaces of the surface-treated particles to form (c) a shell layer with a composite oxide of silicon and at least one metal element selected from aluminum, zirconium, and antimony.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a stretchable conductor sheet that exhibits isotropic conductivity when stretched in a predetermined direction or in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, and a paste for forming a stretchable conductor sheet, which is used for the stretchable conductor sheet. A second object of the present invention is to provide a stretchable conductor sheet having a small change in specific resistance even when repeatedly twisted, and a paste for forming a stretchable conductor sheet, which is used for the stretchable conductor sheet. A third object of the present invention is to provide a stretchable conductor sheet having a small change in specific resistance even when repeatedly washed, and a paste for forming a stretchable conductor sheet, which is used for the stretchable conductor sheet. The first object of the present invention can accomplish a stretchable conductor sheet having a thickness of 3 to 800 μm, the stretchable conductor sheet comprising at least conductive particles, inorganic particles surface-treated with a hydroxide and/or an oxide of one or both of Al and Si, and a flexible resin having a tensile elastic modulus of 1 MPa or more and 1000 MPa or less, wherein in each of two orthogonal directions, a specific resistance change ratio of the sheet at a time of elongation by 40% with respect to an original length is less than ±10% in an elongation direction.

A dispersant is provided comprising a blend of mono- and di-phosphate esters, each phosphate group being substituted with either one or two alkyl or alkenyl alkoxylate groups wherein the alkyl or alkenyl portion is a branched alkyl or alkenyl radical comprising 1-30 carbon atoms, the alkoxylate portion comprises ethoxylate monomers and/or propoxylate monomers, and the dispersant further comprises a basic component selected from an amidopropyldimethylamine, a heterocyclic amine, an ammonium ion, and an alkali metal ion. The dispersant is suitable for dispersing a variety of pigments and other particulate matter in either aqueous or organic media.

Ceramic colours containing effect pigments and a liquid glass forming component for decoration of metallic, ceramic and glassy articles and a process for the preparation of a ceramic glaze.

A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is provided. They system comprises a plurality of plasmonic metal nitride core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The plasmonic nanostructured elements form ohmic junctions at the surface of the semiconductor material or at close proximity with the semiconductor material elements. A nanostructured material system for efficient collection of photo-excited carriers is also provided, comprising a plurality of plasmonic transparent conducting oxide core material elements coupled to a plurality of semiconductor material elements. The field enhancement, local temperature increase and energized hot carriers produced by nanostructures of these plasmonic material systems play enabling roles in various chemical processes. They induce, enhance, or mediate catalytic activities in the neighborhood when excited near the resonance frequencies.

Core particles produced in situ or introduced as preformed core particles are coated with a layer of carbon. Non-carbon as well as some carbon-based core materials can be utilized. The resulting carbon coated particles can find applications in rubber products, for instance as reinforcement for tire components.