Kuraray Co., Ltd.

Tomohiro Ono

Shinji Nakai

Makoto Akai

Moe Kawahara

Kazushige Ishiura

Kenichi Hamada

Takeshi Nakano

Hiroyuki Ogi

Sachie Yaginuma

Hiroyuki Ohgi

Kanayo Nakada

Keiji Kubo

Takashi Yamashita

Kenji Shachi

Naohiko Uchiumi

Toru Takahashi

Masaji Kato

Naoki Fujiwara

Takeshi Kusudou

Toshinori Kato

Nozomu Sugoh

Taketomo Yamashita

Masahiro Rikukawa

Shutaro Hirakata

A thermoplastic elastomer composition including 100 parts by mass of a hydrogenated block copolymer (A), 20 to 180 parts by mass of an acrylic block copolymer (B), 5 to 45 parts by mass of an aromatic polymer (C), and 70 to 250 parts by mass of a softener (D). The hydrogenated block copolymer (A) is a hydrogenated product of a block copolymer (P) having at least two polymer blocks (a1) with a structural unit derived from an aromatic vinyl compound and at least one polymer block (a2) with a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene. The acrylic block copolymer (B) has at least one polymer block (b1) with a structural unit derived from an acrylate and at least one polymer block (b2) with a structural unit derived from a methacrylate.

Thermoplastic elastomer composition, formed product, layered structure, and method for producing the layered structure

A laminate is provided which includes a substrate and a structural body including a base portion and a through hole and which can concurrently satisfy stickiness and releasability and can be released with no or little adhesive residue. The laminate includes a substrate and a structural body disposed on the surface of at least one side of the substrate, the structural body including a base portion and a through hole. The base portion of the structural body includes an acrylic triblock copolymer (I) and no tackifier resins or includes an acrylic triblock copolymer (I) and a tackifier resin in a tackifier resin/(I) mass ratio of not more than 20/100. The acrylic triblock copolymer (I) includes two polymer blocks (A1) and (A2) each including methacrylic acid ester units and one polymer block (B) including acrylic acid ester units represented by the general formula CH═CH—COOR(1) (wherein Rdenotes a C4-C12 organic group). The acrylic triblock copolymer (I) has an (A1)-(B)-(A2) block structure and a weight average molecular weight of 50,000 to 250,000. The total content of the polymer blocks (A1) and (A2) is not more than 35 mass % of the acrylic triblock copolymer (I).

Laminates having perforated structural body

A process for anionically polymerizing a (meth)acrylic acid in the presence of a tertiary organoaluminum compound (A), an organolithium compound (B) and at least one kind of a Lewis base (C) in a polymerization system. The tertiary organoaluminum compound (A) includes a tertiary organoaluminum compound (A1) having a chemical structure in which at least two of three unshared electrons of an aluminum atom are bonded to an aromatic ring via an oxygen atom, and the tertiary organoaluminum compound (A) has a molar ratio (A2)/(A1) in the range of 0% or above and 0.8% or below between a tertiary organoaluminum compound (A2) having a chemical structure in which at most one of three unshared electrons of an aluminum atom is bonded to an aromatic ring via an oxygen atom, and the tertiary organoaluminum compound (A1).

Anionic polymerization process and polymer production method

A laminate production method is provided which can sufficiently prevent the occurrence of blocking without causing deterioration in the outstanding characteristics of acrylic block copolymers such as adhesive performance, and can also ensure excellent processability during extrusion. The laminate production method includes a step (1) of bringing raw pellets of an acrylic block copolymer (A) into contact with an aqueous dispersion (C) containing acrylic resin particles (B) and no surfactants, the acrylic block copolymer (A) including at least one polymer block (a1) including acrylic acid alkyl ester units and at least one polymer block (a2) including methacrylic acid alkyl ester units, a step (2) of removing water attached to the pellets and thereby obtaining pellets (D), and a step (3) of preparing an adhesive composition using an adhesive feedstock including the pellets (D) from the step (2), and extruding the adhesive composition to form an adhesive layer and thereby producing a laminate including the adhesive layer and a substrate layer.

Laminate production method

Pellets of an acrylic block copolymer (I) having a polymer block (A1) containing methacrylic acid ester units and a polymer block (B1) containing acrylic acid ester units, and an acrylic polymer (II) having 35 mass % or more methyl methacrylate units are provided. The polymer block (B1) is made of methyl acrylate units and acrylic acid ester units of formula CH═CH—COOR(1), wherein Rrepresents a C4-C12 alkyl group. A shaped article prepared with the pellets is also provided.

Pellets including block copolymer and shaped articles obtained from such pellets

Pellets of an acrylic block copolymer are provided which are imparted with sufficient antiblocking properties without deterioration in the outstanding performance of the acrylic block copolymer such as transparency. A method for producing pellets (D) including an acrylic block copolymer (A) includes bringing raw pellets of an acrylic block copolymer (A) into contact with an aqueous dispersion (C) containing acrylic resin particles (B) and no surfactants, the acrylic block copolymer (A) including at least one polymer block (a1) including acrylic acid alkyl ester units and at least one polymer block (a2) including methacrylic acid alkyl ester units, and removing water attached to the pellets.

Method for producing acrylic block copolymer pellets

An electrolyte membrane having a structure wherein fine rubber particles having substantially no ion-conducting group and having an average particle size of 20 nm to 1 &#x3bc;m are uniformly dispersed in a matrix including a resin component having ion-conducting group. The electrolyte membrane has high bonding ability to electrodes and does not cause cracks and ruptures because it is kept flexible even under low humid or absolutely dried condition, in addition, shows high ion conductivity even under low humid or absolutely dried condition because the matrix having ion-conducting groups are continuous.

Electrolyte membrane and membrane-electrode assembly

In a membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two gas diffusion electrodes being bonded to the membrane so that the membrane can be between them, at least one catalyst layer constituting the gas diffusion electrodes characterized in that the ion-conductive binder comprises a block copolymer having a particle size of 1 &#x3bc;m or less comprising a polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups and a polymer block (B) having no ion-conductive group, both polymer blocks phase separate from each other, polymer block (A) forms a continuous phase, and the contact parts of the block copolymer with catalyst particles are comprised of polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups; a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.

Catalyst layer and preparation process thereof, and membrane-electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the catalyst layer

A polymer electrolyte membrane comprising as a main ingredient a block copolymer which comprises, as its constituents, a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit and a polymer block (B) forming a flexible phase, and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A), said aromatic vinyl compound unit being such that the hydrogen atom bonded to the &#x3b1;-carbon atom is non-replaced or replaced with an alkyl group or an aryl group optionally having substituent(s), and at least one of hydrogen atoms directly bonded to the aromatic ring is replaced with an alkyl group; and a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell both of which uses it. The polymer block (A) can have a restraining phase, and/or can be cross-linked. The electrolyte membrane is mild to the environment, has a high ion conductivity and good bonding properties to electrodes, is excellent in moldability, and is not easily influenced by methanol; and displays excellent performance in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, particularly direct methanol fuel cells.

Polymer electrolyte membrane, membrane-electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell

A membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two gas diffusion electrodes being bonded to the membrane so that the membrane can be between them, in which assembly each gas diffusion electrode is comprised of an electrode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer, intermediate layer(s) being an ion conductor is/are arranged between the electrode catalyst layer(s) and the membrane, the ion conductor mainly comprises a block copolymer comprising a polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups and a polymer block (B) having no ion-conductive group, both blocks phase-separate from each other, (A) forms a continuous phase, and the contact part(s) of the intermediate layer(s) with the polymer electrolyte membrane and the contact part(s) of the intermediate layer(s) with the electrode catalyst layer(s) are comprised of polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups; and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell wherein the assembly is used. By the invention, a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell are provided which are economical, environment-friendly, good in moldability, and small in interface resistance and excellent in power generation efficiency.

Membrane-electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell

A polymer electrolyte membrane comprising as a main ingredient a block copolymer (P) which comprises, as its constituents, a vinyl alcoholic polymer block (A) and a polymer block (B) having ion-conducting groups, which block copolymer (P) is cross-linking treated, and a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell using the polymer electrolyte membrane, respectively. Preferred as polymer block (B) is one having a styrene or vinylnaphthalene skeleton or a 2-(meth)acrylamido-2-methylpropane skeleton. The ion-conducting group includes a sulfonic acid group, a phosphonic acid group or the like.

Polymer electrolyte membrane and process for preparation thereof, and membrane-electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell

This invention relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, comprising a block copolymer which comprises, as its constituents, a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit whose &#x3b1;-carbon is quaternary carbon, and a flexible polymer block (B), and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A). The electrolyte membrane of this invention is economical, mild to the environment and excellent in moldability and chemical stability and thus durability, and, therefore, can suitably be used in membrane electrode assemblies and polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

Polymer electrolyte membrane for solid polymer fuel cell, membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell

This invention relates to an electrochemical device which comprises a molding containing as a main ingredient a copolymer (Z) and at least two mutually insulated electrodes in joint with the molding, wherein the copolymer (Z) comprises a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit and a polymer block (B) being incompatible with the polymer block (A), and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A). The electrochemical device of the invention can be used particularly as an actuator device.

Polymer electrochemical device

This invention relates to an ion-conducting binder used for a membrane electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, the assembly consisting of a polymer electrolyte membrane and two gas diffusion electrodes stuck to the polymer electrolyte membrane with the membrane put between the electrodes, which binder comprises a block copolymer which comprises a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit whose &#x3b1;-carbon is quaternary carbon, and a flexible polymer block (B), and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A), and a solution or suspension thereof, and a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The ion-conducting binder, membrane electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell of this invention are economical, mild to the environment and excellent in moldability and oxidation stability.

Ion-conductive binder membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell

A process for the preparation of an acrylic acid ester polymer, includes carrying out polymerization of an acrylic acid ester or block copolymerization of an acrylic acid ester and another (meth)acrylic monomer in the presence of an organolithium compound and an organoaluminum compound represented by the following formula (I):AlRRR&#x2003;&#x2003;(I)wherein Rrepresents an alkyl group having at least 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having at least 3 carbon atoms or an aryloxy group, Rand Reach independently represent an aryloxy group or may be coupled together to form an arylenedioxy group. The process makes it possible to heighten the reaction rate and living properties upon polymerization and heighten the block formation efficiency upon block copolymerization.

Growing community of inventors

Tsukuba, Japan

Tomohiro Ono