Provided are magnesium oxide particles which are good in dispersibility in a resin or rubber, can function sufficiently as an acid acceptor or scorch retarder, and do not lower, even after combined with a resin or rubber, material properties thereof; a resin composition; a rubber composition; and a shaped body. The magnesium oxide particles satisfying the following (A) to (C): (A) an average particle size is 5 μm or less; (B) a BET specific surface area is 20 m.sup.2/g or more and 200 m.sup.2/g or less; and (C) a screen residue by a sieve opening of 45 μm is 0.1% by weight or less.

Provided are magnesium oxide particles which are good in dispersibility in a resin or rubber, can function sufficiently as an acid acceptor or scorch retarder, and do not lower, even after combined with a resin or rubber, material properties thereof; a resin composition; a rubber composition; and a shaped body. The magnesium oxide particles satisfying the following (A) to (C): (A) an average particle size is 5 μm or less; (B) a BET specific surface area is 20 m.sup.2/g or more and 200 m.sup.2/g or less; and (C) a screen residue by a sieve opening of 45 μm is 0.1% by weight or less.

The invention relates to a process for obtaining a formate from a reaction mixture (10) in which a polyoxometallate ion, which acts as a catalyst, is in contact with an organic material at a temperature below 120° C. to produce formic acid in an aqueous solution, with the following steps. a) separating a mixture of formic acid and water from the reaction mixture by reverse osmosis and/or as vapor (18), the vapor (18) subsequently being condensed, and b) reacting the formic acid with a hydroxide (24) in aqueous solution to produce a solution of a formate.

The invention relates to a process for obtaining a formate from a reaction mixture (10) in which a polyoxometallate ion, which acts as a catalyst, is in contact with an organic material at a temperature below 120° C. to produce formic acid in an aqueous solution, with the following steps. a) separating a mixture of formic acid and water from the reaction mixture by reverse osmosis and/or as vapor (18), the vapor (18) subsequently being condensed, and b) reacting the formic acid with a hydroxide (24) in aqueous solution to produce a solution of a formate.

Aerogel materials, aerogel composites and the like may be improved by enhancing their smoke suppression, combustion reduction properties. It is additionally useful to provide aerogel based composites compatible with environments conducive to combustion. Such aerogel materials and methods of manufacturing the same are described.

Aerogel materials, aerogel composites and the like may be improved by enhancing their smoke suppression, combustion reduction properties. It is additionally useful to provide aerogel based composites compatible with environments conducive to combustion. Such aerogel materials and methods of manufacturing the same are described.

A vacuum heat insulating material including a core material and a sheath for covering the core material, the interior thereof being sealed to maintain a reduced pressure therein, wherein the sheath includes a gas-barrier laminate that has at least a heat-melt-adhesion layer, a vapor-deposited layer and a gas-barrier material, and the gas-barrier material has a gas-barrier layer that includes a polycarboxylic acid type polymer and contains a monovalent metal element in an amount of not more than 1.4% by weight, a polyvalent metal element in an amount of at least not less than 5.0% by weight, and a nitrogen element in an amount of 0.01 to 3.0% by weight per the total weight of nitrogen and carbon. The vacuum heat insulating material has excellent heat insulating capability and gas-barrier property, and sustains excellent heat insulating capability over extended periods of time as well as excellent flexibility and waterproof property.

A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet for covering according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a non-crosslinked rubber component having a maximum peak of the molecular weight distribution in the range of 50,000 to 3,000,000, an oil component having a maximum peak of the molecular weight distribution in the range of 1,000 to 20,000, and carbon black. The content of the non-crosslinked rubber component is 25% to 65% by mass, the content of the oil component is 35% to 75% by mass, and the content of the carbon black relative to 100 parts by mass of the total of the non-crosslinked rubber component and the oil component is 1 to 40 parts by mass.

A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet for covering according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a non-crosslinked rubber component having a maximum peak of the molecular weight distribution in the range of 50,000 to 3,000,000, an oil component having a maximum peak of the molecular weight distribution in the range of 1,000 to 20,000, and carbon black. The content of the non-crosslinked rubber component is 25% to 65% by mass, the content of the oil component is 35% to 75% by mass, and the content of the carbon black relative to 100 parts by mass of the total of the non-crosslinked rubber component and the oil component is 1 to 40 parts by mass.

Methods and systems for producing activated silicate materials are disclosed. A silicate source material is provided for reaction with a reforming agent in a reforming process. The reforming process is a hydrothermal process and/or a high temperature silicate reforming (HTSR) process. The reaction materials are brought to the suitable reaction temperature via a heat source in the presence of the suitable reaction medium. The activated silicate materials exhibit improved reactivity compared to non-activated silicate materials and thus are advantageously employed in elemental extraction processes to produce a valuable material product.