ヒマシ油は，世界で年間70 万トン前後生産される非可食の植物油である。ヒマシ油の特長は，脂肪酸に水酸基をもつリシノレイン酸を約90% 含有していることであり，ポリオールとしても利用されている。ヒマシ油系ポリオールは，石油由来のポリエーテル系やポリエステルポリオール系よりも吸水性が低いことが特長であり，その特長を活かして接着剤，電気絶縁封止剤，塗り床材，防食塗料などに利用されている。また，ヒマシ油は様々な原料と相溶することから，石油由来のポリオールと併用することでハンドリング性を向上させたり，耐水性などの特性を付与することでも利用されている。接着剤分野においては，ヒマシ油系ポリオールは，様々な被着体と良好な接着性を示すことがわかっており，幅広い分野での利用が進んできている。また，環境意識の高まりにより石油由来原料から植物由来原料への切り替えを進める動きの中で非可食油であるヒマシ油に注目が集まっており，今後の需要拡大が期待される。本稿では，ヒマシ油の概要とヒマシ油誘導体をポリウレタン樹脂へ応用する際に，参考となる基礎物性について紹介する。

Brominated compounds are well known as one of most efficient flame retardants which can contribute to the flame retardant technology for fire safety of polymers and rubbers.

In this report, I would like to describe the propertie and flame retardant mechanisms of brominated flame retardants.

Developments and practical applications of brominated flame retardants are lately increasing in high molecular type polymers which should consider the environmental issues in the future.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, which is also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is an emerging method for directly printing objects from digital data. AM was initially used for prototyping because it can shorten lead times and confers advantages in applications involving small quantities and high variety. Recently, driven by advancements in printed part design, printer machines, and materials, its scope has expanded to industrial fields, including functional prototyping and end-use production. Among the promising AM methods, powder bed fusion (PBF) stands out for its ability to produce printed parts with excellent mechanical properties. From these points, Toray has developed and released Toraymill™ PPS and Toraypearl™ PA6 exclusively for PBF. These are classified as high-performance polymers, and they are manufactured by Toray, ranging from polymerization to compounding. Hence, we modified PPS and PA6 for PBF applications. These printed parts can realize advanced properties, such as high heat resistance, mechanical properties, and chemical resistance. PPS and PA6 are widely used in functional prototyping and are currently used in end-use production. In this study, we discuss the features of these powders, provide examples of their application, and outline their future prospects.