Abstract: The initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that contains a silicon material as a negative-electrode active material are improved. A negative-electrode active material particle (10) according to an embodiment includes a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) {0<z<2} and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). A lithium silicate constituting the lithium silicate phase has a crystallite size of 40 nm or less. The crystallite size is calculated using the Scherrer equation from the half-width of a diffraction peak of a (111) plane of the lithium silicate in an XRD pattern obtained by XRD measurement of the negative-electrode active material particle 10.

Abstract: [Problem] A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided that shows good cycle performance and good storage performance under high temperature conditions and exhibits high reliability even with a battery configuration featuring high capacity. A method of manufacturing the battery is also provided.

Abstract: The initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that contains a silicon material as a negative-electrode active material are improved. A negative-electrode active material particle (10) according to an embodiment contains a base particle (13), which includes a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) {0<z<2} and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). The symmetry determined by an image analysis of a backscattered electron image of a cross section of the base particle (13) is 1.5 or less. The symmetry refers to the ratio (b/a) of the half width at half maximum b of a peak on the high-gray-scale side to the half width at half maximum a of the peak on the low-gray-scale side in a histogram of color distinction based on 256 gray levels for each pixel of the backscattered electron image.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that contains a silicon material as a negative-electrode active material has improved cycle life. A negative-electrode active material particle (10) according to an embodiment includes a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) (0<z<2), silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11), and a metallic compound (15) (other than lithium compounds and silicon oxides) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). The metallic compound (15) is preferably selected from zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, zirconium carbide, tungsten carbide, and silicon carbide.

Abstract: [Problem] A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided that shows good cycle performance and good storage performance under high temperature conditions and exhibits high reliability even with a battery configuration featuring high capacity. A method of manufacturing the battery is also provided.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing a silicon material as a negative electrode active material, the initial charge-discharge efficiency is improved. Negative electrode active material particles (10) according to an embodiment each contain a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) (where 0<z<2) and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). In base particles (13) each containing the lithium silicate phase (11) and the silicon particles (12), preferably, a peak originating from SiO2 is not observed at 2?=25° in an XRD pattern obtained by XRD measurement of the particles.

Abstract: The cycle characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including negative electrode active material particles containing Si and SiO2 are improved. There is provided a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode active material including a base particle containing Si and SiO2, a mixed phase coating that covers a surface of the base particle and contains SiO2 and carbon, and a carbon coating that covers a surface of the mixed phase coating. The base particle is preferably formed of SiOX (0.5?X?1.5). The mixed phase coating preferably contains carbon dispersed in a phase formed of SiO2.

Abstract: A numerical controller controls a machine tool that has a plurality of axes based on a program command. The numerical controller analyzes the program command. When the program command contains a positioning command, the numerical controller generates a correction path bent in a direction going away from the workpiece with respect to a straight-line path toward a commanded position from a current position of the tool that machines the workpiece, and controls respective axes of the machine tool based on the generated correction path.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which SiOx is used as a negative electrode active material, initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics are improved. Provided is a negative electrode active material, containing particles made of SiOx (0.5?X?1.5), for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. In the negative electrode active material, amorphous carbon is stuck on carbon coatings. The particles made of SiOx preferably have a size of 1 ?m to 15 ?m. Particles of amorphous carbon preferably have a size of 0.01 ?m to 1 ?m. One hundred percent of the surface of SiOx is preferably covered by the carbon coatings.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermostable DNA polymerase preparation which can illimitably reduce the risk of false positivity in the detection of a subject microorganism utilizing a gene amplification reaction and therefore enables the selective amplification of DNA for detecting the subject microorganism even when the amount of the subject microorganism is small and therefore the amount of DNA collected therefrom is extremely small, and can be produced at a reduced cost. Also disclosed is a method for quantifying or quantifying/identifying a subject organism to be detected rapidly, conveniently and with high sensitivity using the preparation of the present invention.

Abstract: A primer set useful for further improvement of sensitivity in detection or identification of bacterial species in a sample by a PCR method, a kit for PCR using the primer set and a method of detection or identification of bacterial species in a sample using the primer set. Sensitivity in detection or identification of bacterial species in a sample by conducting a PCR method using the primer set with a minimized contamination amount of bacterial nucleic acid is improved. The primer set includes at least one primer pair in seven primer pairs obtained by selecting one primer pair from each of Groups S1 to S7 consisting of specific primers. In addition, the kit for detection of bacterial species includes at least one primer pair in seven primer pairs obtained by selecting one primer pair from each of Groups K1 to K7 consisting of specific primers.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing SiOX as a negative electrode active material, initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics are increased. A negative electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is provided. The negative electrode active material contains particles comprising of SiOx (0.8?X?1.2). The particles have cracks therein. SiOX preferably contains a lithium silicate phase, a Si-M compound, or an oxide of M (M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, Fe, and Ni). The cracks preferably extend radially from inner portions of the particles.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using SiOx (0<x<2) as a negative electrode active material, cycle characteristics are improved. There is provided a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a negative electrode active material which contains a substance represented by SiOx (0<x<2). In this nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, when the value of x in the above general formula is represented by xs at a surface of the substance and is represented by xb at a central portion thereof, xb<xs holds, and when a depth of the substance from the topmost surface thereof at which x=(xs+xb)/2 holds is represented by za (?m), and when the average particle diameter of the substance is represented by R (?m), 0.05<za and 0.025?za/R?0.4 hold.

Abstract: [Problem] An object of the invention is to provide a lithium secondary battery that shows good cycle performance and at the same time prevents a battery thickness increase due to charge-discharge cycles, and a method of manufacturing such a battery. [Means for Solving the Problem] A lithium secondary battery includes a negative electrode (2) having a negative electrode current collector (11) and a negative electrode active material layer (12) disposed on the negative electrode current collector (11), a positive electrode (1) having a positive electrode active material, a separator (3), and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode active material layer includes negative electrode active material particles and a negative electrode binder, and the negative electrode active material particles include silicon particles and/or silicon alloy particles. The silicon particles and the silicon alloy particles have a crystallite size of 100 nm or less.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermostable DNA polymerase preparation which can illimitably reduce the risk of false positivity in the detection of a subject microorganism utilizing a gene amplification reaction and therefore enables the selective amplification of DNA for detecting the subject microorganism even when the amount of the subject microorganism is small and therefore the amount of DNA collected therefrom is extremely small, and can be produced at a reduced cost. Also disclosed is a method for quantifying or quantifying/identifying a subject organism to be detected rapidly, conveniently and with high sensitivity using the preparation of the present invention.

Abstract: In nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that use silicon oxide as a negative electrode active material, the cycle characteristics are improved. A negative electrode active material (13a) includes a base particle (14) composed of silicon oxide and a coating layer (15) that is composed of a conductive carbon material and coats at least part of a surface of the base particle (14). Assuming that a maximum peak intensity at 600 cm?1 to 1400 cm?1 in an infrared absorption spectrum obtained by infrared spectroscopic measurement is 1, an intensity at 900 cm?1 is 0.30 or more, and a full width at half maximum of a peak near 1360 cm?1 in a Raman spectrum obtained by Raman spectroscopic measurement is 100 cm?1 or more.

Abstract: In nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that use silicon or silicon oxide as a negative electrode active material, the initial charge-discharge efficiency and the cycle characteristics are improved. A negative electrode active material particle (13a) is a particulate negative electrode active material used for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, and includes a base particle (14) composed of silicon or silicon oxide and a conductive coating layer (15) that coats at least part of a surface of the base particle (14). A pore (16) is formed in the particle. The pore (16) preferably includes an interfacial pore (16z) formed between the base particle (14) and the coating layer (15).

Abstract: [Problem] A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided that shows good cycle performance and good storage performance under high temperature conditions and exhibits high reliability even with a battery configuration featuring high capacity. A method of manufacturing the battery is also provided.

Abstract: In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using SiOX as a negative electrode active material, it is an object to improve initial charge-discharge efficiency and cycle properties. Provided is a negative electrode active material containing particles made of SiOX containing a lithium silicate phase, 50% to 100% of the surface of each particle made of SiOX being covered by carbon. The proportion of the number of moles of the lithium silicate phase to the number of moles of the particles made of SiOX is 0.5 mole percent to 25 mole percent. The average primary particle size of the particles made of SiOX is 1 ?m to 15 ?m.

Abstract: [Problem] A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided that shows good cycle performance and good storage performance under high temperature conditions and exhibits high reliability even with a battery configuration featuring high capacity. A method of manufacturing the battery is also provided.