Abstract: A rechargeable battery having an anode comprising a powdery composite material said powdery composite material comprising a plurality of powdery composites having a structure comprising a core whose surface is covered by a coat layer, said core comprising an alloy particle of an alloy capable of reversibly storing and releasing hydrogen as a main component, said alloy containing at least one kind of a metal element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti and V as a main constituent element, and said coat layer comprising a hydrous oxide (including a hydroxide) of a metal element having an affinity with oxygen which is greater than that of any of said metal elements as the main constituent element of said alloy.

Abstract: A method for producing nano-carbon materials, having a step wherein a starting material comprising one or more kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated hydrocarbons, saturated cyclic hydrocarbons, and alcohols whose atomic ratio of the component carbon to the component oxygen is more than 2.0 and a catalyst are together treated at a temperature in a range of from 100 to 800° C. while being compressed at a pressure in a range of from 0.2 to 60 MPa, where said starting material is converted into a supercritical fluid or a subcritical fluid while said supercritical fluid or said subcritical fluid being contacted with said catalyst, or a step wherein said starting material, said catalyst and a supplementary material capable of functioning as a reaction promotion medium are together treated at a temperature in a range of from 100 to 800° C. while being compressed at a pressure in a range of from 0.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrode material for a rechargeable lithium battery, comprising the steps of mixing a metal compound (a) of a metal (a?) capable of being electrochemically alloyed with lithium, a transition metal compound (b) of a transition metal (b?) and a complexing agent (c) with a solvent (d) to obtain a mixed solution, mixing a reducing agent (e) with said mixed solution to obtain a mixture, and oxidizing said reducing agent in said mixture to reduce ion of said metal (a?) and ion of said transition metal (b?) to obtain an amorphous alloy material capable of being electrochemically alloyed with lithium as said electrode material. An electrode structural body in which said electrode material is used, and a rechargeable lithium battery in which said electrode material is used.

Abstract: A detecting method for detecting internal resistance of an inspective rechargeable battery when said inspective rechargeable battery is charged by the constant current-constant voltage charging regime, said detecting method comprising at least a step (a) wherein an accumulated, charged electricity quantity of said inspective rechargeable battery in the constant voltage charging mode is obtained and a step (b) wherein said charged electricity quantity of said inspective rechargeable battery obtained in the constant voltage charging mode in said step (a) is referred to previously acquired data of a normal rechargeable battery, which corresponds to said inspective rechargeable battery, with respect to relationships of charged electricity quantities Qcv thereof versus internal resistances thereof when increased or decreased or their increased or decreased magnitudes in the constant voltage charging mode.

Abstract: An ionic conduction structural member with a high ionic conductivity and a high charge/discharge efficiency and a secondary battery using the same are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides: an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery containing lithium boron mixed oxide having a monoclinic LiBO2 structure and represented by a chemical formula LiB1-xDxO2-yEy (wherein, D represents a substitution element of boron B, E represents a substitution element of oxygen O, 0<x<0.5, and 0?y<0.1); an electrode structure employing the electrode material; and a lithium secondary battery having the electrode structure. Accordingly, the present invention provides: an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery having a voltage of 3.0 V (vs. Li/Li+) or more, a usable capacity exceeding 200 mAh/g, and a high energy density; an electrode structure employing the electrode material; and a lithium second battery having the electrode structure.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrode material for a rechargeable lithium battery, comprising the steps of mixing a metal compound (a) of a metal (a′) capable of being electrochemically alloyed with lithium, a transition metal compound (b) of a transition metal (b′) and a complexing agent (c) with a solvent (d) to obtain a mixed solution, mixing a reducing agent (e) with said mixed solution to obtain a mixture, and oxidizing said reducing agent in said mixture to reduce ion of said metal (a′) and ion of said transition metal (b′) to obtain an amorphous alloy material capable of being electrochemically alloyed with lithium as said electrode material. An electrode structural body in which said electrode material is used, and a rechargeable lithium battery in which said electrode material is used.

Abstract: There are provided an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which comprises alloy particles comprising silicon as a major component and having an average particle diameter of 0.02 &mgr;m to 5 &mgr;m, wherein the size of a crystallite of the alloy is not less than 2 nm but no more than 500 nm and an intermetallic compound containing at least tin is dispersed in a silicon phase and an electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which comprises alloy particles comprising silicon as a major component and having an average particle diameter of 0.02 &mgr;m to 5 &mgr;m, wherein the size of a crystallite of the alloy is not less than 2 nm but no more than 500 nm and an at least one intermetallic compound containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, indium, antimony, bismuth and lead is dispersed in a silicon phase.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a powder material comprising a compound which electrochemically intercalates and deintercalates a lithium ion, wherein the powder material is comprised mainly of a compound containing at least an oxygen element, a sulfur element and at least one transition metal element.

Abstract: There is provided a lithium secondary battery with a negative electrode which comprises a negative electrode active material layer comprising alloy particles comprising silicon and tin and having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 2 &mgr;m as an active material, and a negative electrode current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material layer has a storage capacity of 1,000 to 2,200 mAh/g and a density of 0.9 to 1.5 g/cm3 and which thereby has a high capacity and a good cycle-characteristic. Thus, a lithium secondary battery having a high capacity and a long life and so designed as to exhibit these characteristics at the same time is provided.

Abstract: There is provided a lithium secondary battery having a high capacity and excellent high-rate discharge characteristic and charge/discharge cycle characteristic. The lithium secondary battery comprises a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an ionic conductor, wherein the positive electrode comprises lithium metal composite oxide particles; the lithium metal composite oxide particles comprise a plurality of secondary particles in an elongated shape each comprised of a plurality of primary particles with an average particle size of 0.1 to 1 &mgr;m so aggregated as to form a void therebetween; and the secondary particle is columnar or planar and has an average size in a long length direction of 5 to 15 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An electrode material for an anode of a rechargeable lithium battery, containing a particulate comprising an amorphous M·A·X alloy with a substantially non-stoichiometric ratio composition. In the formula M·A·X, M indicates at least one kind of an element selected from a group consisting of Si, Ge, and Mg, A indicates at least one kind of an element selected from a group consisting of transition metal elements, and X indicates at least one kind of an element selected from a group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca, La, Ce, C, P, B, Bi, Sb, Al, In, and Zn, where the element X is optionally present and the content of the constituent element M of the amorphous M·A·X alloy is M/(M+A+X)=20 to 80 atomic %.

Abstract: A detecting method for detecting internal information of an inspective rechargeable battery when said inspective rechargeable battery is charged by a constant current-constant voltage charging regime, comprising at least a step (A) of measuring an elapse of time (t) from the time when a constant current charging mode at a constant current value I0 is shifted to a constant voltage charging mode at a constant voltage Vmax and measuring a charge current value I in the constant voltage charging mode, a step (B) of obtaining a period of time from said shift time to the constant voltage charging in the constant voltage charging mode until the time when said charge current value I0 in the constant voltage charging mode reaches a given current value IM, and a step (C) of obtaining an electricity quantity charged in the constant voltage charging mode with respect to the inspective rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A nickel-series rechargeable battery whose cathode active material comprising a material containing an amorphous phase-bearing nickel hydroxide particulate which in X-ray diffraction using K&agr;-rays of Cu as a radiation source, has a diffraction peak of a (001) face appeared near a diffraction angle 2&thgr;=19° having a half-value width of more than 1.2° and has a diffraction peak of a (101) face appeared near a diffraction angle 2&thgr;=38° having a half-value width of more than 1.5°. A process for the production of said rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising at least a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte, and utilizing oxidizing and reducing reactions of lithium ions for charging and discharging, wherein an electrode having an active material which has at least an amorphous phase and a half value width not smaller than 0.48 degrees of a peak having a highest diffraction intensity at 2&thgr; on an X-ray diffractometric chart traced at a diffraction intensity at an X-ray diffraction angle of 2&thgr;, and is made of a material which has an amorphous phase and contains at least one element selected from among cobalt, nickel, manganese and iron is used as the negative electrode and/or the positive electrode.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery comprising at least a cathode, a separator, an anode, and an electrolyte or electrolyte solution integrated in a battery housing, is characterized by a cathode constituted of a specific powdery cathode active material having a large specific surface area and a primary particle size of 0.5 &mgr;m or less. The cathode active material is obtained by mixing a salt of a transition metal in and dissolving the salt in an aqueous solution containing at least a water-soluble polymer material to obtain an intermediate, and baking the intermediate to form said powdery cathode active material for use as the cathode active material of said cathode.

Abstract: An electrode material for a rechargeable lithium battery, characterized in that said electrode material comprises a fine powder of a silicon-based material whose principal component is silicon element, said fine powder having an average particle size (R) in a range of 0.1 &mgr;m≦R<0.5 &mgr;m. An electrode structural body for a rechargeable lithium battery, having an electrode material layer comprising said silicon-based material fine powder. A rechargeable lithium battery whose anode comprising said electrode structural body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a powder material comprising a compound which electrochemically intercalates and deintercalates a lithium ion, wherein the powder material is comprised mainly of a compound containing at least an oxygen element, a sulfur element and at least one transition metal element.

Abstract: A highly reliable rechargeable battery comprising an anode, a separator, a cathode, an electrolyte or an electrolyte solution, and a housing, characterized in that said anode is structured to have a size which is greater than that of said cathode. The rechargeable battery provides an increased energy density and has a prolonged charging and discharging cycle life, in which a dendrite causing a reduction in the battery performance, which is generated upon operating charging in the conventional rechargeable battery, is effectively prevented from generating or from growing in the case where it should be generated.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising at least a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte, and utilizing oxidizing and reducing reactions of lithium ions for charging and discharging, wherein an electrode having an active material which has at least an amorphous phase and a half value width not smaller than 0.48 degrees of a peak having a highest diffraction intensity at 2&thgr; on an X-ray diffractometric chart traced at a diffraction intensity at an X-ray diffraction angle of 2&thgr;, and is made of a material which has an amorphous phase and contains at least one element selected from among cobalt, nickel, manganese and iron is used as the negative electrode and/or the positive electrode.