An electrocaloric element for a heat transfer system includes an electrocaloric material of a copolymer of (i) vinylidene fluoride, and (ii) an addition polymerization monomer that is larger than vinylidene fluoride and includes a substituent more electronegative than chlorine. Electrodes are disposed on opposite surfaces of the electrocaloric material, and an electric power source is configured to provide voltage to the electrodes. The system also includes a first thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat sink, and a second thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat source.

An electrocaloric element for a heat transfer system includes an electrocaloric material of a copolymer of (i) vinylidene fluoride, and (ii) an addition polymerization monomer that is larger than vinylidene fluoride and includes a substituent more electronegative than chlorine. Electrodes are disposed on opposite surfaces of the electrocaloric material, and an electric power source is configured to provide voltage to the electrodes. The system also includes a first thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat sink, and a second thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat source.

An electrocaloric element for a heat transfer system includes an electrocaloric material of a copolymer of (i) vinylidene fluoride, and (ii) an addition polymerization monomer that is larger than vinylidene fluoride and includes a substituent more electronegative than chlorine. Electrodes are disposed on opposite surfaces of the electrocaloric material, and an electric power source is configured to provide voltage to the electrodes. The system also includes a first thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat sink, and a second thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat source.

An electrocaloric element for a heat transfer system includes an electrocaloric material of a copolymer of (i) vinylidene fluoride, and (ii) an addition polymerization monomer that is larger than vinylidene fluoride and includes a substituent more electronegative than chlorine. Electrodes are disposed on opposite surfaces of the electrocaloric material, and an electric power source is configured to provide voltage to the electrodes. The system also includes a first thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat sink, and a second thermal flow path between the electrocaloric material and a heat source.

The present invention provides a polymer compound for a conductive polymer comprising one or more repeating units a shown by the formula (1), and having a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 500,000. There can be provided a polymer compound for a conductive polymer having a specific superacidic sulfo group which is soluble in an organic solvent, and suitably used for a fuel cell or a dopant for a conductive material. ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 represents any of a single bond, an ester group, and a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbon group optionally containing an ether group, an ester group, or both; Z represents any of a single bond, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, an ether group, and an ester group; and a is a number satisfying 0<a1.0.

A resist composition is provided comprising a polymer comprising recurring units (a) having an oxazolidinedione, thioxooxazolidinone, thiazolidinedione or thioxothiazolidinone structure and recurring unit (b1) having an acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units (b2) having an acid labile group-substituted phenolic hydroxyl group. The resist composition suppresses acid diffusion, exhibits a high resolution, and forms a pattern of satisfactory profile with low edge roughness.

A resist composition is provided comprising a polymer comprising recurring units (a) having an oxazolidinedione, thioxooxazolidinone, thiazolidinedione or thioxothiazolidinone structure and recurring unit (b1) having an acid labile group-substituted carboxyl group and/or recurring units (b2) having an acid labile group-substituted phenolic hydroxyl group. The resist composition suppresses acid diffusion, exhibits a high resolution, and forms a pattern of satisfactory profile with low edge roughness.

A fluorine-containing polymer having (a) a repeating unit derived from a fluorine-containing monomer indicated by the formula CH.sub.2C(X)C(O)YZRf, (b) a repeating unit derived from a cyclic-hydrocarbon-group-containing acrylate ester monomer indicated by the formula CH.sub.2CQ.sup.11C(O)O-Q.sup.12, and (c) a repeating unit derived from an aliphatic-hydrocarbon-group-containing acrylate ester monomer indicated by the formula CH.sub.2CQ.sup.21C(O)O-Q.sup.22. The fluorine-containing polymer is produced by polymerizing in the presence of one or both of (d) a silicon-containing monomer and a silicon-containing chain transfer agent.

A polymeric membrane for separating oil from water has a pore size of 0.005 m to 5 m, a thickness of 50 m to 1,000 m, a water contact angle of 0 to 60, an oil contact angle of 40 to 100. The membrane contains a hydrophobic matrix polymer and a functional polymer that contains a hydrophobic backbone and side chains. The side chains each have an oleophobic terminal segment and a hydrophilic internal segment. The weight ratio of the matrix polymer to the functional polymer is 99:1 to 1:9. Also disclosed is a method of making the above described membrane.

The present invention provides a polymer compound for a conductive polymer comprising one or more repeating units a shown by the formula (1), and having a weight-average molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 500,000. There can be provided a polymer compound for a conductive polymer having a specific superacidic sulfo group which is soluble in an organic solvent, and suitably used for a fuel cell or a dopant for a conductive material.

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 represents any of a single bond, an ester group, and a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbon group optionally containing an ether group, an ester group, or both; Z represents any of a single bond, a phenylene group, a naphthylene group, an ether group, and an ester group; and a is a number satisfying 0<a1.0.