Provided are [1] a furan resin comprising a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1); and [2] a method for producing a furan resin, comprising reacting a specific furan compound and a specific carbonyl compound in the presence of an acid catalyst:

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an organic group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may contain a hetero atom; and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be connected to each other to form a cyclic structure.

The present invention provides a compound having a specific structure represented by the following formula (0), a resin having a constituent unit derived from the compound, various compositions containing the compound and/or the resin, and various methods using the compositions.

##STR00001##

The present invention provides a compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (1):

##STR00001## wherein each R.sup.S is independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, which has 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, an aryl group, which has 6 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, an alkenyl group, which has 2 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, an alkoxy group, which has 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an amino group, a carboxylic acid group, a thiol group or a hydroxy group, wherein the alkyl group, the aryl group, the alkenyl group, and the alkoxy group each optionally contain an ether bond, a ketone bond, or an ester bond; wherein at least one R.sup.S is a hydroxy group; and each R.sup.T is independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, which has 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, an aryl group, which has 6 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, an alkenyl group, which has 2 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, an alkoxy group, which has 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and which optionally has a substituent, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an amino group, a carboxylic acid group, a thiol group or a hydroxy group, wherein the alkyl group, the aryl group, the alkenyl group, and the alkoxy group each optionally contain an ether bond, a ketone bond, or an ester bond, wherein two R.sup.T are optionally bonded to include a cyclic structure.

The present invention provides an optical member forming composition comprising a compound represented by the following formula (0):

##STR00001##

Provided are [1] a furan resin comprising a repeating unit represented by the following general formula (1); and [2] a method for producing a furan resin, comprising reacting a specific furan compound and a specific carbonyl compound in the presence of an acid catalyst: ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an organic group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may contain a hetero atom; and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be connected to each other to form a cyclic structure.

Embodiments of the present technology include a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The composition may include melamine. The composition may also include a reducing sugar. In addition, the binder composition may include a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. Embodiments may also include a method of making a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The method may include dissolving melamine in an aqueous solution of a reducing sugar. The concentration of the reducing sugar may be 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % of the aqueous solution, which may be at a temperature of 50 C. to 100 C. The method may also include adding a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone to the dissolved melamine in the aqueous solution to form a binder solution. The temperature of the aqueous solution of the dissolved melamine may be 50 C. to 100 C. during the addition of the non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. The method may further include reducing the temperature of the binder solution.

Methods for making wet gels and dried gels therefrom are provided. The method for making a wet gel can include combining a hydroxybenzene compound, an aldehyde compound, and an additive to produce a reaction mixture. The additive can include a carboxylic acid, an anhydride, a homopolymer, a copolymer, or any mixture thereof. At least the hydroxybenzene compound and the aldehyde compound can be reacted to produce a wet gel. The reaction mixture can include about 10 wt % to about 65 wt % of the hydroxybenzene compound, about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of the aldehyde compound, up to about 85 wt % of the carboxylic acid, up to about 40 wt % of the anhydride, up to about 40 wt % of the homopolymer, and up to about 40 wt % of the copolymer, where weight percent values are based on the combined weight of the hydroxybenzene compound, the aldehyde compound, and the additive.

Methods for making wet gels and dried gels therefrom are provided. The method for making a wet gel can include combining a hydroxybenzene compound, an aldehyde compound, and an additive to produce a reaction mixture. The additive can include a carboxylic acid, an anhydride, a homopolymer, a copolymer, or any mixture thereof. At least the hydroxybenzene compound and the aldehyde compound can be reacted to produce a wet gel. The reaction mixture can include about 10 wt % to about 65 wt % of the hydroxybenzene compound, about 5 wt % to about 25 wt % of the aldehyde compound, up to about 85 wt % of the carboxylic acid, up to about 40 wt % of the anhydride, up to about 40 wt % of the homopolymer, and up to about 40 wt % of the copolymer, where weight percent values are based on the combined weight of the hydroxybenzene compound, the aldehyde compound, and the additive.

The present inventive concepts relate to a polymer for a hard mask, a hard mask composition including a polymer for a hard mask as described herein, and a method for forming a pattern of a semiconductor device using a hard mask composition as described herein. The polymer includes a structure represented by the following chemical formula 1. ##STR00001## In chemical formula 1, A, Q, L, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and n are the same as defined in the specification.

Embodiments of the present technology include a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The composition may include melamine. The composition may also include a reducing sugar. In addition, the binder composition may include a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. Embodiments may also include a method of making a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The method may include dissolving melamine in an aqueous solution of a reducing sugar. The concentration of the reducing sugar may be 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % of the aqueous solution, which may be at a temperature of 50 C. to 100 C. The method may also include adding a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone to the dissolved melamine in the aqueous solution to form a binder solution. The temperature of the aqueous solution of the dissolved melamine may be 50 C. to 100 C. during the addition of the non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. The method may further include reducing the temperature of the binder solution.