Abstract: This negative electrode for secondary batteries is provided with a negative electrode mixture layer which comprises a binder material and a negative electrode active material that contains graphite particles and an Si-containing material; the Si-containing material contains an Si-containing material A which comprises a carbon phase and silicon particles that are dispersed in the carbon phase; in cases where the negative electrode mixture layer is divided into equal halves in the thickness direction, the average intraparticle void fraction of the graphite particles contained in the upper half region is 13% or less, and is smaller than the average intraparticle void fraction of the graphite particles contained in the lower half region.

Abstract: This negative electrode for a secondary battery comprises a negative electrode mixture layer that includes: a negative electrode active material containing graphite particles and a Si-containing material; and a binder. The Si-containing material includes a Si-containing material A that includes a carbon phase and silicon particles dispersed in the carbon phase. The graphite particles include graphite particles A with 5% or less particle internal porosity, and the content of the graphite particles A is at least 10% by mass with respect to the total mass of the negative electrode active material. The content of the Si-containing material A is at least 1% by mass with respect to the total mass of the negative electrode active material.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte, while being characterized in that: the negative electrode comprises a negative electrode active material that contains an Si-containing material; the Si-containing material contains a first Si-containing material which comprises a silicate phase and silicon particles that are dispersed in the silicate phase, and a second Si-containing material which comprises a carbon phase and silicon particles that are dispersed in the carbon phase; and the difference between the initial charge/discharge efficiency (Efc) of the positive electrode and the initial charge/discharge efficiency (Efa) of the negative electrode, namely (Efc?Efa) satisfies 1%<(Efc?Efa)<8%.

Abstract: An energy converter is formed by bonding a solid soft magnetic material and a solid magnetostrictive material. A vibration power generator is configured to generate power by means of the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced by the vibration of a vibration unit configured using the energy converter. A force sensor device includes a force detection unit that detects magnetization change resulting from the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced when a sensor unit configured using the energy converter deforms, and determines force acting on the sensor unit on the basis of the detected magnetization change. An actuator is configured to vibrate the vibration unit configured using the energy converter by means of the magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material.

Abstract: An energy converter is formed by bonding a solid soft magnetic material and a solid magnetostrictive material. A vibration power generator is configured to generate power by means of the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced by the vibration of a vibration unit configured using the energy converter. A force sensor device includes a force detection unit that detects magnetization change resulting from the inverse magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material produced when a sensor unit configured using the energy converter deforms, and determines force acting on the sensor unit on the basis of the detected magnetization change. An actuator is configured to vibrate the vibration unit configured using the energy converter by means of the magnetostriction effect of the magnetostrictive material.