Osaka University

Kansai Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd.

Bio-energy Corporation

Unicharm Corporation

Biobase Corporation

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Hiroshi Uyama

Hideo Noda

Tsuyoshi Inoue

Kohji Nishida

Akio Minakuchi

Tomoyuki Uezono

Takahiko Terada

Koichi Baba

Kei Ohkubo

Masashi Yamaguchi

Chiaki Yoshizawa

Takashi Tsujimoto

Haruyasu Asahara

Yinan Yin

Takeshi Yanagimoto

Taka-Aki Asoh

Shizuka Koh

The present invention provides a new method for producing a lens to be fitted to an eye in a simple manner at a low cost. In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a method for producing a lens to be fitted to an eye, including the step of: hydrophilizing a surface of a polymer lens by reacting with a compound radical, wherein the compound radical is a radical containing one element selected from the group consisting of Group 15 elements and Group 16 elements, and a Group 17 element.

Method for producing lens to be fitted to eye and lens to be fitted to eye

Provided is a biodegradable water absorbent having high gel strength and exhibiting an excellent absorption factor and excellent liquid passage rate through a gel. A water absorbent comprising a cross-linked naturally derived polymer and a clay mineral, the water absorbent being characterized in that the cross-linked naturally derived polymer and the clay mineral form particles, the clay mineral is present in the interior of the particles, and the clay mineral content constitutes 10-100 parts by mass (when dry) relative to 100 parts by mass (when dry) of the cross-linked naturally derived polymer. It is possible to produce this water absorbent by preparing a starting material fluid in which the naturally derived polymer is dissolved and the clay mineral is dispersed, adding a cross-linking agent to the starting material fluid, and cross-linking the naturally derived polymer.

Biodegradable water absorbent

Provided is a polylactic acid resin composition which has excellent flexibility and heat resistance without decreasing a biomass degree. The polylactic acid resin composition includes a polylactic acid and a branched polylactic acid having at least three branched chains composed of a polylactic acid in the molecule can be obtained. This polylactic acid resin composition is very superior due to the following reasons: the resin composition has excellent flexibility because plasticization is accelerated; the resin composition has excellent heat resistance because crystallization is accelerated; and the resin composition is effective in protection of the global environment and measures against fossil resource depletion because the resin composition is derived from a recyclable resource.

Polylactic acid resin composition and additive for polylactic acid resin

A lactic acid component (e.g., lactic acid or oligo (lactic acid)) can be obtained by extraction from a lactic acid fermentation liquor with a pH of 4.8 or less, using at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene, mesitylene, ethylbenzene, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, and mineral spirit. Furthermore, oligo (lactic acid) can be obtained, by heating a lactic acid fermentation liquor with a pH of 4.8 or less under reduced pressure, and washing, with water, the fermentation liquor containing a produced oligo (lactic acid). Hence, a method is provided for separating a lactic acid component from a lactic acid fermentation liquor, which is free from incorporation of impurities and which includes simple steps.

Method for separation of lactic acid component from lactic acid fermentation liquor, and separation apparatus

A star-branched polyester polyol is obtained by polymerizing lactide or lactic acid, using, as an initiator, a fat and oil composed mainly of a triacylglycerol that has at least three hydroxyl groups or epoxy groups in its molecule. This polyester polyol has low crystallinity and a low melting point, and thus shows good working properties when used in various applications. Furthermore, this polyester polyol is derived from renewable resources, and, thus, it is highly desirable in view of its effectiveness in protecting the global environment and preventing fossil resources from being depleted.

Polyester polyol

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Hiroshi Uyama