The present disclosure is directed to provide a methacrylic resin and a methacrylic resin composition which enable production of a shaped article excellent in color tone in a long path length. A methacrylic resin of the present disclosure has a structural unit (X) including a cyclic structure in a main chain thereof. The methacrylic resin having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of higher than 120° C. and 160° C. or lower. An emission intensity at 514 nm in terms of a concentration of a solution of fluorescein in ethanol is 30×10.sup.−10 mol/L or less when a solution containing 2.0 mass % of the methacrylic resin in chloroform is spectroscopically analyzed using an excitation wavelength of 436 nm and a slit width of 2 nm.

According to the present invention, a liquid crystal aligning agent is configured to contain a polymer [P] which has a partial structure represented by formula (1) and comprises a photo-alignment group. In formula (1), each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a monovalent organic group having one or more carbon atoms; and each of X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 independently represents —OH, —NH.sub.2 or a monovalent organic group having one or more carbon atoms, provided that at least one of X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 represents “—OR.sup.3” or “—NR.sup.3R.sup.4” (wherein each of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group having one or more carbon atoms).

According to the present invention, a liquid crystal aligning agent is configured to contain a polymer [P] which has a partial structure represented by formula (1) and comprises a photo-alignment group. In formula (1), each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a monovalent organic group having one or more carbon atoms; and each of X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 independently represents —OH, —NH.sub.2 or a monovalent organic group having one or more carbon atoms, provided that at least one of X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 represents “—OR.sup.3” or “—NR.sup.3R.sup.4” (wherein each of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group having one or more carbon atoms).

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a dispersant which enables the production of a dispersed material having excellent dispersibility and storage stability even when the dispersant is used in a small amount; a dispersed material having excellent dispersibility and storage stability; an electrode film having excellent adhesiveness and electrical conductivity; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having excellent rate properties and cycle properties. The problem can be solved by a dispersant which is a polymer containing 40 to 100% by mass of a (meth)acrylonitrile-derived unit and having a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 400,000.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a dispersant which enables the production of a dispersed material having excellent dispersibility and storage stability even when the dispersant is used in a small amount; a dispersed material having excellent dispersibility and storage stability; an electrode film having excellent adhesiveness and electrical conductivity; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having excellent rate properties and cycle properties. The problem can be solved by a dispersant which is a polymer containing 40 to 100% by mass of a (meth)acrylonitrile-derived unit and having a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 400,000.

The resin composition of the present invention contains a maleimide compound (A) represented by the following formula (1); and a photo initiator (B) having an absorbance of 0.1 or more at a wavelength of 405 nm (h-line).

##STR00001##

In the formula (1), R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 each independently represent an alkyl group or an alkoxy group which may have a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or a substituent, R.sub.4 represents an alkylene group, an alkenylene group, an alkoxylene group, or an arylene group which may have a substituent, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

The resin composition of the present invention contains a maleimide compound (A) represented by the following formula (1); and a photo initiator (B) having an absorbance of 0.1 or more at a wavelength of 405 nm (h-line).

##STR00001##

In the formula (1), R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 each independently represent an alkyl group or an alkoxy group which may have a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or a substituent, R.sub.4 represents an alkylene group, an alkenylene group, an alkoxylene group, or an arylene group which may have a substituent, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

The resin composition of the present invention is a resin composition containing: a bismaleimide compound (A) containing a constituent unit represented by the following formula (1) and maleimide groups at both ends of the molecular chain; a compound (B) containing one or more carboxy groups; and a photo initiator (C).

##STR00001##

In the formula (1), R.sub.1 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms. R.sub.2 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms. Each R.sub.3 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenyl group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms. Each n independently represents an integer of 1 to 10.

The resin composition of the present invention is a resin composition containing: a bismaleimide compound (A) containing a constituent unit represented by the following formula (1) and maleimide groups at both ends of the molecular chain; a compound (B) containing one or more carboxy groups; and a photo initiator (C).

##STR00001##

In the formula (1), R.sub.1 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms. R.sub.2 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms. Each R.sub.3 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenyl group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms. Each n independently represents an integer of 1 to 10.

A resin composition of the present invention is a resin composition containing a bismaleimide compound (A) containing a constituent unit represented by the following formula (1), and maleimide groups at both ends of the molecular chain, at least one resin or compound (B) selected from the group consisting of a maleimide compound other than the bismaleimide compound (A), a cyanate compound, a benzoxazine compound, an epoxy resin, a carbodiimide compound, and a compound having an ethylenically unsaturated group, and a photo initiator (C):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.1 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenylene group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms; each R.sub.3 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkenyl group having 2 to 16 carbon atoms; and each n independently represents an integer of 1 to 10.