Skinless polymer foams were prepared by adjusting the foaming process with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). Tin meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin (SnTPP) was doped in poly (methyl methacrylate) foams. Platinum catalyst could be supported on the foams by supercritical fluid technique : an organometallic complex (CODPtMe2) was impregnated into the film with scCO2 and it was then reduced to free Pt metal cluster near the surface. The foams impregnated with platinum cluster were applied to a solid support for the photoinduced hydrogen evolution. When platinum cluster was impregnated in the foams at higher than 100 the amount of hydrogen evolved from the foam increased comparing with foams treated with the other temperatures. Using the impregnated with platinum system, 93 uL of hydrogen was evolved, which was 1.4 times larger than that using the colloidal platinum system. The present results show that Pt-fixed polymer foam enhances the efficiency of photoinduced hydrogen evolution and their durability.

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This study aims to clarify the effect of processed knitted fabric with eggshell membrane on human skin. Since the eggshell membrane is insoluble in water, it was changed to a soluble powder. The water content of the skin, water evaporation from the skin and water absorption of the skin were measured. The first experiment was conducted using arm bands processed with the eggshell membrane solution. The results showed that the condition of human skin was not affected by the processed fabric with eggshell membrane. The second experiment applied the eggshell membrane by using socks. Because the first experiment was not useful, the processing method and the concentration of the solution was modified. The effects of the processed socks on the skin condition were found in the microscope images of the replicas of skin surface, and the subjective feeling of the skin, too. Finally, it was shown that the processed socks had not lost the eggshell membrane by the repeated wearing and laundering.

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The polymerization of cyclic esters such as Epsi-caprolactone (CL), L-lactide (LA) and Beta-butyrolactone (BL) was investigated in the presence of hydroxyl-containing polymers in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) / tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF). Although CL and LA did not polymerize in DMSO/TBAF solution in the absence of hydroxyl polymers, BL polymerized at a conversion of less than 10%. The conversion of these compounds increased with an increase in TBAF concentration in the presence of hydroxyl polymers. The concentration of hydroxyl groups in the polymer also affected the polymerizability of cyclic esters. A few properties, such as hot-press molding and enzymatic degradability, of the products were investigated. The importance of existence of hydroxyl group on the polymerization of cyclic esters in DMSO/TBAF solution was revealed.

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In this study, the structure and properties of an organic-inorganic composite fiber, prepared from nylon 6 doped with fine particles of silver iodide (AgI), were examined. The preparation of the composite fiber involved the complexation of nylon 6 with polyiodide ions such as I3. and I5. by immersion in an iodine-potassium iodide(I2-KI) aqueous solution, followed by reaction in an AgNO3 aqueous solution, resulting in the in-situ precipitation of Beta-AgI fine particles within the nylon 6 fiber. AgI was formed as anisotropic particles, and displayed crystallite orientation in the oriented nylon 6 fiber. This is attributed to the orientation of polyiodide ions, as the precursor of AgI, in the orientated nylon 6 chain. The composite exhibited conductivity of approximately 10.5 ohm-1 cm-1.

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