Abstract: Disclosed is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an excellent preservation characteristic at a high temperature and charging/discharging cycle characteristic. A rolled body in which a strip-shape positive electrode and negative electrode are rolled with a separator in-between is provided inside a battery can. The positive electrode contains LixMn2-yMayO4 (where, Ma is at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements other than Mn, and B) and LiNi1-zMbzO2 (where, Mb is at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements other than Ni, and B). By replacing part of Mn and Ni with other elements, the crystal structure can be stabilized. Thereby, the capacity retention ratio after preservation at a high temperature, and a heavy load discharging power under a high electric potential cutoff can be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an excellent preservation characteristic at a high temperature and charging/discharging cycle characteristic. A rolled body in which a strip-shape positive electrode and negative electrode are rolled with a separator in-between is provided inside a battery can. The positive electrode contains LixMn2-yMayO4 (where, Ma is at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements other than Mn, and B) and LiNi1-zMbzO2 (where, Mb is at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements other than Ni, and B). By replacing part of Mn and Ni with other elements, the crystal structure can be stabilized. Thereby, the capacity retention ratio after preservation at a high temperature, and a heavy load discharging power under a high electric potential cutoff can be improved.

Abstract: A trade-in battery system for purchasing used secondary batteries and selling the charged used secondary batteries, wherein the trade-in battery system comprises a purchasing step, a pre-storage deterioration inspection step, a charging step, a storage step, a packaging step, and a selling step.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided with a positive electrode including a positive-electrode active material, a negative electrode including a negative-electrode active material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution. The negative electrode further includes carbon fibers and carbon flakes. The synergistic effects of the improved retention of the electrolyte solution by the carbon fibers and the improved conductivity between the active material particles by the carbon flakes facilitate doping/undoping of lithium in a high-load current mode and increase the capacity of the battery in the high-load current mode.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided with a positive electrode including a positive-electrode active material, a negative electrode including a negative-electrode active material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution. The negative electrode further includes carbon fibers and carbon flakes. The synergistic effects of the improved retention of the electrolyte solution by the carbon fibers and the improved conductivity between the active material particles by the carbon flakes facilitate doping/undoping of lithium in a high-load current mode and increase the capacity of the battery in the high-load current mode.

Abstract: Carbon fiber having cross sectional shape which satisfies area replenishment rate of 0.8 or more is used as anode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Alternatively, since value of fractal dimension of cross section high order structure of the random radial type carbon fiber can be utilized as material parameter for evaluating the cross sectional structure, carbon fiber in which the value of the fractal dimension is caused to fall within the range from 1.1 to 1.8 and the crystallinity has been controlled such that it falls within reasonable range is used as anode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Further, carbon fiber having cross section high order structure such that the central portion is radial type structure and the surface layer portion is random radial type structure is used as anode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Furthermore, it is also effective to use carbon fiber having notch structure at the cross section.

Abstract: A graphite powder suitable for a negative electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery which assures a high discharging capacity not lower than 320 mAh/g is to be manufactured at a lower cost. Specifically, a graphite powder containing 0.01 to 5.0 wt % of boron and having a looped closure structure at an end of a graphite c-planar layer on the surface of a powder, with the density of the interstitial planar sections between neighboring closure structures being not less than 100/&mgr;m and not more than 1500/&mgr;m, and with d002 being preferably not larger than 3.3650 Å, is manufactured by (1) heat-treating a carbon material pulverized at an elevated speed before or after carbonization for graphization at temperature exceeding 1500° C. or by (2) heat-treating the carbon material pulverized before or after carbonization at a temperature exceeding 1500° C.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte battery has a spirally coiled electrode body (10) including a cathode (11) having a cathode active material and an anode (12) having an anode active material which are coiled through a separator (13) in a battery can (1). As the separator (13), is used a separator having a plurality of laminated microporous films made of polyolefine which have different film layer thickness and average pore size. Specially, the separator (13) has three or more layers of microporous films made of polyolefine laminated. Further, the outermost layer of the separator is made of porous polypropylene and at least one layer of inner layers is made of porous polyethylene. The total of the thickness of layers made of porous polyethylene is located within a range of 40% to 84% as thick as the thickness of the separator. Thus, the temperature of a battery can be controlled, a reliability is enhanced and a productivity and cyclic characteristics are improved.

Abstract: In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including anode and cathode consisting of material capable of doping/undoping of lithium, and non-aqueous electrolytic solution in which electrolyte is dissolved in non-aqueous solvent, flaky graphite having high crystallinity and high electron conductivity is added as conductive agent into the anode and the cathode. Further, granulated carbon or carbon black having specific material property is added as conductive agent in addition to the flaky graphite. Thus, non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having long cycle life time and high reliability can be obtained.

Abstract: Carbon fiber having cross sectional shape which satisfies area replenishment rate of 0.8 or more is used as anode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Alternatively, since value of fractal dimension of cross section high order structure of the random radial type carbon fiber can be utilized as material parameter for evaluating the cross sectional structure, carbon fiber in which the value of the fractal dimension is caused to fall within the range from 1.1 to 1.8 and the crystallinity has been controlled such that it falls within reasonable range is used as anode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Further, carbon fiber having cross section high order structure such that the central portion is radial type structure and the surface layer portion is random radial type structure is used as anode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Furthermore, it is also effective to use carbon fiber having notch structure at the cross section.

Abstract: In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including an anode and a cathode consisting of material capable of doping/undoping of lithium, and non-aqueous electrolytic solution in which electrolyte is dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent, flaky graphite having high crystallinity and high electron conductivity is added as conductive agent into the anode and the cathode. Further, granulated carbon and carbon black having specific material property is added as conductive agent in addition to the flaky graphite. Thus, non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having long cycle life time and high reliability can be obtained.

Abstract: A non-aqueous lithium salt secondary battery includes an anode consisting of carbon material in which doping/undoping of lithium is permitted, a cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte in which lithium salt is dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent. The carbon material constituting the anode is crushed graphite material having true density of 2.1 g/cm3 or more and bulk density of 0.4 g/cm3 or more. It is necessary that the graphite material is powder having in which an average value of shape parameters indicated by the following expression is 125 or less: x=(L/T)·(W/T) x: shape parameter T: thickness of the portion thinnest in thickness of the powder L: length in a length axis direction of the powder W: length in a direction perpendicular to the length axis of the powder.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte battery having improved characteristics under a heavy load environment and incorporating nonaqueous electrolytic solution which contains vinylene carbonate in a proper quantity to improve conductivity of the nonaqueous electrolytic solution so that doping/dedoping of lithium ions is performed smoothly and, therefore, the internal resistance is decreased. Hence it follows that the initial capacity of the battery is enlarged and satisfactory heavy load characteristics are realized.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell which achieves satisfactory low temperature characteristics and high safety against overcharging in combination. The cell includes a lithium-containing cathode, an anode capable of doping and undoping lithium, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a separator. The separator is made up by a plurality of layers of a porous material or materials presenting micro-sized pores. The layers of the porous material or materials is formed of micro-porous separator materials representing different combinations of the porosity, melting point or material/compositions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a positive electrode material having improved charging/discharging cycle characteristic, shelf stability, and discharge load characteristic, and a secondary battery using the material. A rolled electrode body obtained by rolling strip-shaped positive and negative electrodes with a separator inbetween is provided on the inside of a battery can. The separator is impregnated with an electrolytic solution. The positive electrode contains a positive electrode material in which a coating portion is provided on the surface of a center portion made of a lithium composite oxide such as LiMn2O4. The coating portion is made of a conductive oxide such as ITO (indium tin oxide) or SnO2. The quantity of the coating portion is 0.001 mol to 0.1 mol per 1 mol of the center portion.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery incorporating a positive electrode containing a positive-electrode active material and a negative electrode containing a negative-electrode active material which are laminated through a separator and containing nonaqueous electrolytic solution enclosed therein, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a spinel manganese composite metal oxide serving as the positive-electrode active material, wherein the separator is constituted by paper having a thickness of 15 &mgr;m to 60 &mgr;m and permeability of 1 second/100 cc to 10 seconds/100 cc.

Abstract: The present invention improves cell characteristics at a low temperature. The negative electrode contains fiber carbon, which enables smooth doping and dedoping of lithium ions at a low temperature. Accordingly, the internal resistance value at a low temperature is reduced and the cell capacity value is increased.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises a cathode having a cathode active material capable of electrochemically doping/dedoping lithium, an anode having an anode active material capable of electrochemically doping/dedoping lithium and a nonaqueous electrolyte interposed between the cathode and the anode. The nonaqueous electrolyte includes at least one or more kinds of vinylene carbonate, methoxybenzene compounds or antioxidants. The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a good cyclic characteristic under any environment of low temperature, ambient temperature and high temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an excellent preservation characteristic at a high temperature and charging/discharging cycle characteristic.

Abstract: A carbonaceous electrode having improved capacities for doping and dedoping of a cell active substance, such as lithium, and suitable for a non-aqueous solvent secondary battery, is constituted by a carbonaceous material having a true density as measured by a butanol substitution method of at most 1.46 g/cm3, a true density as measured by a helium substitution method of at least 1.7 g/cm3, a hydrogen-to-carbon atomic ratio H/C of at most 0.15 as measured according to elementary analysis, a BET specific surface area of at most 50 m2/g as measured by nitrogen adsorption BET method, and a carbon dioxide adsorption capacity of at least 10 ml/g. The carbonaceous material is advantageously produced by carbonizing an organic material originated from bamboo genera of family Gramineae, particularly genus Pleioblastus or Bambusa, at 1000-1400° C. under a reduced pressure or under a flowing inert gas stream to provide an appropriate porous structure.