Abstract: A plasma electrode is provided with an electrode plate, a ground plate, and an insulating plate arranged between the electrode plate and the ground plate. Protrusions of the electrode plate are arranged inside through holes of the ground plate and inside through holes of the insulating plate. One of the through hole provided on the center axes of the protrusions and the through hole provided around the through hole discharges a first processing gas to below the ground plate. The other of the through holes exhausts a gas existing below the ground plate. A second flow path around the protrusions supplies a second processing gas supplied via a first flow path to a gap between outer walls of the protrusions and inner walls of the through holes. The second processing gas supplied to the gap is converted into plasma by high frequency power applied to the electrode plate.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte, the positive electrode including lithium transition metal oxide particles as a positive electrode active material, the lithium transition metal oxide particles containing nickel as a main transition metal component and being such that a first compound containing at least one element Ma selected from the group consisting of Group IV elements and Group V elements is sintered to a portion of the surface of the lithium transition metal oxide particles, the first compound having a composition different from that of the lithium transition metal oxide particles, the positive electrode further including a second compound containing at least one element Mb selected from the group consisting of Group VI elements, the second compound having a composition different from that of the lithium transition metal oxide particles.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve the low-temperature output characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an embodiment includes an electrode assembly having a structure in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are stacked with a porous separator provided therebetween. The positive electrode contains tungsten and a phosphate compound. The separator contains a material having higher oxidation resistance than a polyethylene and has a pore distribution peak sharpness index of 40 or more in the range of 0.01 ?m to 10 ?m as calculated using formula 1: formula 1: pore distribution peak sharpness index=(peak value of Log differential pore volume)/(difference between maximum pore size and minimum pore size at position corresponding to ½ peak value of Log differential pore volume).

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery improved not only in room-temperature output but also in low-temperature regeneration. A positive electrode plate contains a lithium transition metal oxide as a positive electrode active material. A mix of the positive electrode plate contains a tungsten oxide and a phosphate compound. A nonaqueous electrolyte contains a linear sulfonate. When both of the tungsten oxide and the phosphate compound are present near the positive electrode active material, the linear sulfonate forms a movable decomposition product by oxidative decomposition on a surface of a positive electrode without forming any coating and the decomposition product and the unreacted linear sulfonate are reductively decomposed on a surface of the negative electrode together and a low-resistance coating is thereby formed.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode mix layer, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode mix layer contains a lithium transition metal oxide containing zirconium (Zr) and also contains a phosphate compound. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains a linear carboxylate. According to this configuration, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, which has excellent low-temperature output characteristics, can be provided. Thus, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is, for example, a power supply for driving a mobile data terminal such as a mobile phone, a notebook personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal and is particularly suitable for applications needing high energy density. Furthermore, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is conceivably used for high-output applications such as electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and electric tools.

Abstract: A graphene producing method which is capable of increasing a size of each domain of graphene. A plasma CVD film formation device that activates a catalyst metal layer formed on a wafer; modifies the same into an activated catalyst metal layer; decomposes a C2H4 gas as a low reactivity carbon-containing gas by plasma in a space that opposes the wafer; and decomposes a C2H2 gas as a high reactivity carbon-containing gas by heat in the space.

Abstract: A method for forming a base film of a graphene includes: forming a metal film as a base film of a graphene on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of an organic metal compound using a hydrogen gas and an ammonia gas; heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas; and heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film, wherein the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film is higher than the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas.

Abstract: A method for forming a base film of a graphene includes: forming a metal film as a base film of a graphene on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of an organic metal compound using a hydrogen gas and an ammonia gas; heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas; and heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film, wherein the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film is higher than the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material capable of improving an output performance of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided. A positive electrode active material of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 contains a first positive electrode active material and a second positive electrode active material. In the first positive electrode active material, the content of cobalt is 15% or more on an atomic percent basis in transition metals. In the second positive electrode active material, the content of cobalt is 5% or less on an atomic percent basis in transition metals. An average secondary particle diameter r1 of the first positive electrode active material is smaller than an average secondary particle diameter r2 of the second positive electrode active material.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high post-cycle normal-temperature output retention. A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries includes a lithium transition metal oxide including at least one element selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to Group 5 of the periodic table. The lithium transition metal oxide includes a rare earth compound deposited on the surface thereof. Using tantalum as an element belonging to Group 5 of the periodic table is particularly preferable because it stabilizes the internal structure of particles in a suitable manner.

Abstract: There is provided a graphene production method including: forming a catalyst metal film on a surface of a substrate; heating the catalyst metal film; and cooling the heated catalyst metal film, wherein the forming a catalyst metal film includes introducing carbons into the catalyst metal film.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube producing method, which is capable of realizing a low resistant depth-wise wiring. An acetylene gas is first supplied as a carbon-containing gas and subsequently, an ethylene gas is supplied as the carbon-containing gas such that carbon nanotubes are produced.

Abstract: A flat nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that sustains good charge/discharge cycles even if the capacity of a positive electrode is increased. A flat nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an aspect of the present invention includes a positive electrode plate having a positive electrode mix layer containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode plate having a negative electrode mix layer containing a negative electrode active material, an electrode assembly having a structure in which the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are stacked with a separator therebetween, and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution. A compound containing at least one of elements M belonging to group 5 in the periodic table is present in the positive electrode mix layer. The flat nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery has pressure applied from outside in a direction in which the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the separator are stacked.

Abstract: A graphene producing method which is capable of increasing a size of each domain of graphene. A plasma CVD film formation device that activates a catalyst metal layer formed on a wafer; modifies the same into an activated catalyst metal layer; decomposes a C2H4 gas as a low reactivity carbon-containing gas by plasma in a space that opposes the wafer; and decomposes a C2H2 gas as a high reactivity carbon-containing gas by heat in the space.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention resides in a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery (10) including a positive electrode (11), a negative electrode (12) and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, the positive electrode including a positive electrode active material containing a lithium transition metal oxide having a rare earth compound attached on the surface, the nonaqueous electrolytic solution including an aromatic compound having an oxidative decomposition potential in the range of 4.2 to 5.0 V vs. Li/Li+. The rare earth compound is preferably a rare earth hydroxide, a rare earth oxyhydroxide or a rare earth oxide.

Abstract: A method for forming a base film of a graphene includes: forming a metal film as a base film of a graphene on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of an organic metal compound using a hydrogen gas and an ammonia gas; heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas; and heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film, wherein the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which crystal grains of metal are grown in the metal film is higher than the temperature of the substrate in the heating the substrate to a temperature at which impurities included in the formed metal film are eliminated as a gas.

Abstract: The present invention has a main object to improve the thermal stability of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an aspect of the present invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode contains a positive electrode active material and a metal fluoride. The positive electrode active material contains particles of a lithium transition metal oxide. At least one portion of the surface of each of the lithium transition metal oxide particles has a rare-earth compound attached thereto. The nonaqueous electrolyte contains a fluorine-containing lithium salt. The rare-earth compound is preferably a hydroxide, an oxyhydroxide, or an oxide.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte, the positive electrode including lithium transition metal oxide particles as a positive electrode active material, the lithium transition metal oxide particles containing nickel as a main transition metal component and being such that a first compound containing at least one element Ma selected from the group consisting of Group IV elements and Group V elements is sintered to a portion of the surface of the lithium transition metal oxide particles, the first compound having a composition different from that of the lithium transition metal oxide particles, the positive electrode further including a second compound containing at least one element Mb selected from the group consisting of Group VI elements, the second compound having a composition different from that of the lithium transition metal oxide particles.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material capable of improving an output performance of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided. A positive electrode active material of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 contains a first positive electrode active material and a second positive electrode active material. In the first positive electrode active material, the content of cobalt is 15% or more on an atomic percent basis in transition metals. In the second positive electrode active material, the content of cobalt is 5% or less on an atomic percent basis in transition metals. An average secondary particle diameter r1 of the first positive electrode active material is smaller than an average secondary particle diameter r2 of the second positive electrode active material.

Abstract: Surface 27 of molten metal within a mold is constantly monitored by camera 25. Camera 25 records the surface from an obliquely upward position of the mold in an area that does not affect the casting process. Various analyzing frames such as analysis band 35, molten metal pattern 37, and injection monitoring part 43, are set with respect to the information recorded by the camera 25. The analysis band 35 includes the surface (molten metal part 31c), and is set to a predetermined width so that the direction of surface change is in the longitudinal direction. The width of the analysis band 35 is set as wide as possible in a range that does not block the discharge part (molten metal part 31a). Inside the analysis band 35, the rate of change of the binary data is calculated by the analyzing part.