A dispersant for a lithium ion battery and a preparation method thereof, a positive slurry, and a lithium ion battery are provided. The dispersant includes a structural unit A derived from N-vinylpyrrolidone, a structural unit B derived from a conjugated diene monomer, and a structural unit C derived from an organic acid monomer. The organic acid monomer includes one or more of an unsaturated sulfonic acid monomer, an unsaturated phosphoric acid monomer, and an unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer.

According to the present invention, an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition including a resin P having a repeating unit represented by General Formula (P1) and a compound that generates an acid having a pKa of −1.40 or more upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation; and a resist film, a pattern forming method, and a method for manufacturing an electronic device, each using the composition, are provided.

##STR00001## M.sup.p represents a single bond or a divalent linking group. L.sup.p represents a divalent linking group. X.sup.p represents O, S, or NR.sup.N1. R.sup.N1 represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group. R.sup.p represents a monovalent organic group.

A system for precision polymerization is disclosed comprising at least one Michael-type monomer and a metal compound MR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3 as sole catalyst and initiator, wherein M is aluminum, gallium or indium, each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 independently is CI, F, I, Br, linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, heterocycloalkyl, linear, branched or cyclic alkenyl, heterocycloalkenyl, linear, branched, or cyclic alkenyl, linear, branched, or cyclic alkinyl, heterocycloalkinyl, linear, branched, or cyclic alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, silyl, metallocenyl, nitro, nitroso, hydroxy, or carboxyl, wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl or alkoxy group independently has up to 12 carbon atoms, wherein each aryl or heteroaryl independently has 5 to 14 ring atoms, wherein any hetero group has at least one hetero atom selected from the group consisting of O, S, and N, wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl or alkoxy, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkenyl, heterocycloalkinyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy group can be substituted by 1 up to the highest possible number of halogen atoms, or at least one electron-donating or electron-withdrawing group; with the proviso that not all three groups R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are halogen, hydroxy, or alkoxy or wherein two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 together with M form a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic or heterocyclic group having 3 to 6 atoms, wherein a heterocyclic group has at least one hetero atom selected from the group consisting of O, S, and N; as well as processes for preparing polymers and the polymers obtained therewith.

A system for precision polymerization is disclosed comprising at least one Michael-type monomer and a metal compound MR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3 as sole catalyst and initiator, wherein M is aluminum, gallium or indium, each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 independently is CI, F, I, Br, linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, heterocycloalkyl, linear, branched or cyclic alkenyl, heterocycloalkenyl, linear, branched, or cyclic alkenyl, linear, branched, or cyclic alkinyl, heterocycloalkinyl, linear, branched, or cyclic alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, silyl, metallocenyl, nitro, nitroso, hydroxy, or carboxyl, wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl or alkoxy group independently has up to 12 carbon atoms, wherein each aryl or heteroaryl independently has 5 to 14 ring atoms, wherein any hetero group has at least one hetero atom selected from the group consisting of O, S, and N, wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl or alkoxy, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkenyl, heterocycloalkinyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy group can be substituted by 1 up to the highest possible number of halogen atoms, or at least one electron-donating or electron-withdrawing group; with the proviso that not all three groups R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are halogen, hydroxy, or alkoxy or wherein two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 together with M form a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic or heterocyclic group having 3 to 6 atoms, wherein a heterocyclic group has at least one hetero atom selected from the group consisting of O, S, and N; as well as processes for preparing polymers and the polymers obtained therewith.

A material having a first non-zero elastic modulus capable of reversibly changing the first non-zero elastic modulus to a second non-zero elastic modulus in response to a redox reaction occurring in the material. A method of producing a material that is reversibly cyclable between a first non-zero elastic modulus and a second non-zero elastic modulus, comprising: preparing a polymer comprising both crosslinks that do not depend on metal binding and functional groups capable of having oxidation-state specific binding constants to a metal ion; and doping the polymer with a solution containing the metal ion.

A material having a first non-zero elastic modulus capable of reversibly changing the first non-zero elastic modulus to a second non-zero elastic modulus in response to a redox reaction occurring in the material. A method of producing a material that is reversibly cyclable between a first non-zero elastic modulus and a second non-zero elastic modulus, comprising: preparing a polymer comprising both crosslinks that do not depend on metal binding and functional groups capable of having oxidation-state specific binding constants to a metal ion; and doping the polymer with a solution containing the metal ion.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a polymer-functionalized particle for using in isolating and extracting solutes, such as rare earth metals, lithium, and the like. The polymer-functionalized particles exhibit strong resistance to agglomeration and degradation even in high ionic strength and/or temperature environments. A post-particle synthesis method for making the polymer-functionalized particle is disclosed, along with a magnetic separation device and that can be used in system embodiments to facilitate use and regeneration of the polymer-functionalized particles in solute extraction.

The invention is related to a class of hydrophilic copolymers comprising loosely dangling thiol-containing pendant groups. The hydrophilic copolymers are highly reactive towards azetidinium groups of an azetidinium-containing polymer upon heating and can find particular use in for producing water-soluble highly-branched hydrophilic polymeric material useful for producing water gradient contact lenses.

The invention is related to a class of hydrophilic copolymers comprising loosely dangling thiol-containing pendant groups. The hydrophilic copolymers are highly reactive towards azetidinium groups of an azetidinium-containing polymer upon heating and can find particular use in for producing water-soluble highly-branched hydrophilic polymeric material useful for producing water gradient contact lenses.