Provided is a method for producing a polymer, characterized by reacting (A) an epoxy compound having two or more epoxy groups in the molecule with (B) a reactive compound having, in the molecule, two or more functional groups reactive with epoxy groups, in the presence of (C) a polymerization catalyst and (D) a cocatalyst.

A protective film forming composition which has good mask (protection) function against a wet etching liquid and a high dry etching rate during processing of a semiconductor substrate and also has good coverage even in a stepped substrate, and from which a flat film can be formed due to a small difference in film thickness after being embedded; a protective film produced using said composition; a substrate with a resist pattern; and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. This protective film forming composition against a wet etching liquid for semiconductors contains an organic solvent and a polymer having, at a terminal thereof, a structure containing at least one pair of two adjacent hydroxyl groups in a molecule. The structure containing two adjacent hydroxyl groups in a molecule may be 1,2-ethanediol structure (A).

Compounds including two or more aromatic rings to which a fluorine-substituted arylcarbonyloxy group is directly bonded are useful as epoxy resin curing agents.

An active ester compound that can form a cured product having excellent dielectric properties and copper foil adhesion properties is provided, a curable composition including the active ester compound is provided, and a cured product of the curable composition is provided. Also provided are a semiconductor encapsulating material, a printed wiring board, and a build-up film formed by using the curable composition. Specifically, an active ester compound is provided which includes a fluorinated hydrocarbon structural moiety and a plurality of aromatic ester structural moieties in the structure of the molecule and includes an aryloxycarbonyl structure or an arylcarbonyloxy structure at an end of the molecule, a curable composition including the active ester compound, and a cured product of the curable composition, and also provided are a semiconductor encapsulation material, a printed wiring board, and a build-up film formed by using the curable composition.

Disclosed herein are compounds of formulas (I) and (II), Wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and (1) are as described herein. Methods of making compounds of formulas (I) and (II), curable compositions containing them and cured compositions containing them are also described. The compounds of formulas (I) and II are curing agents, fire retardants or both.

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This invention provides a self-healable epoxy resin and its preparation, recycling and remolding method. With the catalyst of potassium iodide, an ester solution of 2-mercaptoacetic acid was oxidated by 30% H.sub.2O.sub.2 to form 2,2-dithiodiacetic acid; then 2,2-dithiodiacetic acid was dehydrated and cyclizated by anhydride to form 1,4,5-oxadithiepane-2,7-dione; 1,4,5-oxadithiepane-2,7-dione and methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride were mixed by mass ratio and cured with epoxides to get the self-healable epoxy resin. Through controlling dynamic and permanent three-dimensional crosslinked network, the self-healable epoxy resins provided in this invention exhibit high thermal resistance and improved mechanical properties as well as excellent self-healing ability, recyclability and remoldability. This invention provides a preparation method with the merits of low cost, simple production processes, broad application prospects and strong utility.

An active ester compound that can form a cured product having excellent dielectric properties and copper foil adhesion properties is provided, a curable composition including the active ester compound is provided, and a cured product of the curable composition is provided. Also provided are a semiconductor encapsulating material, a printed wiring board, and a build-up film formed by using the curable composition. Specifically, an active ester compound is provided which includes a fluorinated hydrocarbon structural moiety and a plurality of aromatic ester structural moieties in the structure of the molecule and includes an aryloxycarbonyl structure or an arylcarbonyloxy structure at an end of the molecule, a curable composition including the active ester compound, and a cured product of the curable composition, and also provided are a semiconductor encapsulation material, a printed wiring board, and a build-up film formed by using the curable composition.

The present invention provides a thermally conductive material having excellent thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the present invention provides a device with a thermally conductive layer that has a thermally conductive layer containing the thermally conductive material and a composition for forming a thermally conductive material that is used for forming the thermally conductive material. The thermally conductive material according to an embodiment of the present invention contains a cured substance of a disk-like compound, which has one or more reactive functional groups selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxylic acid group, a carboxylic acid anhydride group, an amino group, a cyanate ester group, and a thiol group, and a crosslinking compound which has a group reacting with the reactive functional groups.

Epoxy curing agents are disclosed having an epoxy curing agent comprising at least one room temperature ionic liquid salt, the room temperature ionic liquid salt being a reaction product of (a) at least one polyalkylene polyamine compound represented by formula (I):

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wherein x, y, and z are integers of 2 and 3, m and n and integers of 1-3; and (b) an organic acid having pKa (the negative of the logarithm of the acid dissociation constant) less than 6. The liquid salt is a stable liquid at a temperature greater than 15 C. Curable epoxy-based compositions including the curing agent and articles formed by the curable epoxy-based compositions are also disclosed.

Room temperature, two-component curable compositions and their uses are described. The curable compositions are alternative to isocyanate systems and are kinetically tunable to cure within seconds to months. The curable compositions are particularly useful as coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers for consumer packages including food packages.