Abstract: An active material having high capacity and excellent charging/discharging cycle durability at high potential is provided. The active material has a layered structure and is represented by the following composition formula (1): LiyNiaCobMncMdOxFz1Pz2??(1) wherein the element M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Zr, Ti, Fe, Mg, Nb, Ba and V, and 1.9?(a+b+c+d+y)?2.1, 1.0?y?1.3, 0<a?0.3, 0?b?0.25, 0.3?c?0.7, 0?d?0.1, 0.07?z1?0.15, 0.01?z2?0.1, and 1.9?(x+z1)?2.1 are satisfied.

Abstract: To provide an active material with high capacity, high initial charge-discharge efficiency, and high average discharge voltage. An active material according to the present invention includes a first active material and a second active material, wherein the ratio (?) of the second active material (B) to the total amount by mole of the first active material (A) and the second active material (B) satisfies 0.4 mol %???18 mol % [where ?=(B/(A+B))×100].

Abstract: To provide an active material from which a sufficient discharge capacity is obtained, an electrode containing the active material, a lithium secondary battery including the electrode, and a method for making an active material. A method for making an active material includes a temperature elevation step of heating a mixture containing a lithium source, a pentavalent vanadium source, a phosphoric acid source, water, and a reductant in a hermetically sealed container at a temperature elevation rate T1 from 25° C. to 110° C. and then at a temperature elevation rate T2 from 110° C. to a designated temperature of 200° C. or more, in which T1>T2; T1=0.5 to 10° C./min; and T2=0.1 to 2.2° C./min.

Abstract: To provide an active material having high capacity and excellent cycle characteristics. An active material has a layered crystal structure and is expressed by a compositional formula (1) LiyNiaCobMncMdOx (1), where the element M is at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Zr, Ti, Fe, Mg, Nb, Ba, and V; 1.9?(a+b+c+d+y)?2.1; 1.05?y?1.35; 0<a?0.3; 0<b?0.25; 0.3?c?0.7; 0?d?0.1; and 1.9?x?2.1, and wherein 0.69?Ni?/Ni??0.85, where Ni? is the Ni composition amount at a center portion of the active material primary particle, and Ni? is the Ni composition amount in the vicinity of a surface (in a width of 30 nm from the surface).

Abstract: The method of manufacturing an active material in accordance with the first aspect of the invention yields an active material containing LiVOPO4 capable of improving the cycle characteristic of a battery. Methods of manufacturing active materials in accordance with the second, third, and fourth aspects of the present invention yield active materials containing LiVOPO4 capable of improving the discharge capacity of a battery.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an active material, capable of improving the discharge capacity of a lithium ion secondary battery is provided. The method for manufacturing an active material according to the present invention includes a first step of heating a mixture solution including a lithium source, a phosphate source, a vanadium source, and water under pressure to generate a precursor in the mixture solution, and adjusting the pH of the mixture solution including the precursor to be 6 to 8; and a second step of heating the precursor at 425 to 650° C. after the first step to generate an active material.

Abstract: An active material capable of improving the discharge capacity of a lithium ion secondary battery is provided. The active material of the present invention includes LiVOPO4 and one or more metal elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Nb, Ag, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zr, Na, K, B, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Si, Be, Ti, and Mo.

Abstract: An active material has a layered structure and a composition represented by the following formula (1) LiyNiaCobMncMdOx . . . (1), wherein M is at least one selected from Al, Si, Zr, Ti, Fe, Mg, Nb, Ba and V, and a, b, c, d, x and y satisfy 1.9?(a+b+c+d+y)?2.1, 1.0<y?1.3, 0<a?0.3, 0<b?0.25, 0.3?c?0.7, 0?d?0.1, and 1.9?x?2.1. The active material has a ratio of the half width FWHM003 of a diffraction peak at a (003)-plane to the half width FWHM104 of a diffraction peak at a (104)-plane represented by the formula (2) FWHM003/FWHM104?0.57 . . . (2), and an average primary particle diameter of 0.2 to 0.5 ?m.

Abstract: A positive electrode material for a lithium ion secondary battery contains a first compound represented by Li3V2(PO4)3 and one or more second compounds selected from vanadium oxide and lithium vanadium phosphate.

Abstract: An active material having high capacity and excellent charging/discharging cycle durability at high potential is provided. The active material has a layered structure and is represented by the following composition formula (1): LiyNiaCobMncMdOxFz1Pz2 ??(1) wherein the element M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Zr, Ti, Fe, Mg, Nb, Ba and V, and 1.9?(a+b+c+d+y)?2.1, 1.0?y?1.3, 0<a?0.3, 0?b?0.25, 0.3?c?0.7, 0?d?0.1, 0.07?z1?0.15, 0.01?z2?0.1, and 1.9?(x+z1)?2.1 are satisfied.

Abstract: Active material is obtained by sintering a precursor, has a layered structure and is represented by the following formula (1). The temperature at which the precursor becomes a layered structure compound in its sintering in atmospheric air is 450° C. or less. Alternatively, the endothermic peak temperature of the precursor when its temperature is increased from 300° C. to 800° C. in its differential thermal analysis in the atmospheric air is 550° C. or less. LiyNiaCobMncMdOxFz??(1) In formula (1), the element M is at least one of Al, Si, Zr, Ti, Fe, Mg, Nb, Ba, and V and 1.9?(a+b+c+d+y)?2.1, 1.0?y?1.3, 0<a?0.3, 0?b?0.25, 0.3?c?0.7, 0?d?0.1, 1.9?(x+z)?2.0, and 0?z?0.15 are satisfied.

Abstract: To provide an active material from which a sufficient discharge capacity is obtained, an electrode containing the active material, a lithium secondary battery including the electrode, and a method for making an active material. A method for making an active material includes a temperature elevation step of heating a mixture containing a lithium source, a pentavalent vanadium source, a phosphoric acid source, water, and a reductant in a hermetically sealed container at a temperature elevation rate T1 from 25° C. to 110° C. and then at a temperature elevation rate T2 from 110° C. to a designated temperature of 200° C. or more, in which T1>T2; T1=0.5 to 10° C./min; and T2=0.1 to 2.2° C./min.

Abstract: A dielectric device comprises a substrate made of a metal and an oxide dielectric layer mounted on a surface of the substrate. The surface of the substrate has metal oxide regions distributed like islands, while the oxide dielectric layer is in close contact with the substrate through the metal oxide regions. Since adhesion is higher in an area where the substrate and the oxide dielectric layer are in close contact with each other through the metal oxide regions distributed like islands on the surface of the substrate, the adhesion between the substrate and oxide dielectric layer in the dielectric device is enhanced. As compared with a case where a rough surface is formed on a metal foil, the metal oxide region and the substrate are inhibited from forming a rough surface, whereby leakage characteristics can be kept from being deteriorated by the rough surface.

Abstract: One capacitor fabrication process including metal layer forming a metal layer on one surface of a substrate, dielectric layer forming a dielectric layer on the metal layer, metal foil forming a metal foil on the dielectric layer, separating the noble metal layer from the dielectric layer, and electrode layer forming an electrode layer on the second surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface of the dielectric layer with the metal foil. Another capacitor fabrication process includes separation layer forming a separation layer on one surface of a substrate, dielectric layer forming a dielectric layer on the separation layer, metal foil forming a metal foil the dielectric layer, separating the substrate from the separation layer, and an electrode layer forming an electrode layer on the second surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface of said dielectric layer with the metal foil.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing an active material in accordance with the first aspect of the invention yields an active material containing LiVOPO4 capable of improving the cycle characteristic of a battery. Methods of manufacturing active materials in accordance with the second, third, and fourth aspects of the present invention yield active materials containing LiVOPO4 capable of improving the discharge capacity of a battery.

Abstract: A liquid level detection apparatus detecting a liquid level of a coolant stored in a coolant tank for an internal combustion engine, includes first and second electrodes immersed in the coolant and electrically connected to each other via the coolant when the liquid level of the coolant is higher than a predetermined position, a transmitter generating a sine wave including a specific frequency and equal amplitudes at positive and negative frequencies, the specific frequency being below a predetermined frequency, the transmitter sending the sine wave to one of the first and second electrodes, and a receiver including a band-pass filter receiving the sine wave outputted from the transmitter, via the other of the first and second electrodes to allow passage of the sine wave having the specific frequency, and a determination portion determining the liquid level of the coolant in accordance with the sine wave passed through the band-pass filter.

Abstract: A dielectric device comprises a substrate made of a metal and an oxide dielectric layer mounted on a surface of the substrate. The surface of the substrate has metal oxide regions distributed like islands, while the oxide dielectric layer is in close contact with the substrate through the metal oxide regions. Since adhesion is higher in an area where the substrate and the oxide dielectric layer are in close contact with each other through the metal oxide regions distributed like islands on the surface of the substrate, the adhesion between the substrate and oxide dielectric layer in the dielectric device is enhanced. As compared with a case where a rough surface is formed on a metal foil, the metal oxide region and the substrate are inhibited from forming a rough surface, whereby leakage characteristics can be kept from being deteriorated by the rough surface.

Abstract: One capacitor fabrication process including metal layer forming a metal layer on one surface of a substrate, dielectric layer forming a dielectric layer on the metal layer, metal foil forming a metal foil on the dielectric layer, separating the noble metal layer from the dielectric layer, and electrode layer forming an electrode layer on the second surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface of the dielectric layer with the metal foil. Another capacitor fabrication process includes separation layer forming a separation layer on one surface of a substrate, dielectric layer forming a dielectric layer on the separation layer, metal foil forming a metal foil the dielectric layer, separating the substrate from the separation layer, and an electrode layer forming an electrode layer on the second surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface of said dielectric layer with the metal foil.

Abstract: One capacitor fabrication process of the invention comprises a noble metal layer formation step of forming a noble metal layer on one surface of a substrate, a dielectric layer formation step of forming a dielectric layer on the noble metal layer, a metal foil formation step of forming a metal foil of 10 ?m or greater in thickness on the dielectric layer, a separation step of separating the noble metal layer from the dielectric layer at an interface, and an electrode layer formation step of forming an electrode layer on the second surface of the dielectric layer separated off by the separation step, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface of the dielectric layer with the metal foil formed thereon.

Abstract: One capacitor fabrication process of the invention comprises a noble metal layer formation step of forming a noble metal layer on one surface of a substrate, a dielectric layer formation step of forming a dielectric layer on the noble metal layer, a metal foil formation step of forming a metal foil of 10 ?m or greater in thickness on the dielectric layer, a separation step of separating the noble metal layer from the dielectric layer at an interface, and an electrode layer formation step of forming an electrode layer on the second surface of the dielectric layer separated off by the separation step, wherein the second surface faces away from the first surface of the dielectric layer with the metal foil formed thereon.