Abstract: A negative electrode material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention is a negative electrode material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery capable of reversibly absorbing and desorbing lithium, and it includes a solid phase A and a solid phase B that have different compositions and has a structure in which the surface around the solid phase A is entirely or partly covered by the solid phase B. The solid phase A contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, tin and zinc, and the solid phase B contains the above-described at least one element contained in the solid phase A, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Group IIA elements, transition elements, Group IIB elements, Group IIIB elements and Group IVB elements. The atomic arrangement and structure (e.g.

Abstract: Battery-driven electronic equipment includes a battery, a first load that is driven by the battery and subjected to time division, a second load that is driven by the battery, capable of being operated during an interval between periods in which the first load is subjected to the time division, and a control portion for controlling the first load and the second load so that a first driving period in which the first load is driven by the battery and a second driving period in which the second load is driven by the battery do not overlap each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rechargeable negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising an alloy material which absorbs lithium during charge and desorbs lithium during discharge, and having a long cycle life. The negative electrode includes an alloy having a hexagonal closest packing structure and a Ni2In type structure composed of at least two elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode, which contains at least one organic sulfide compound selected from the group consisting of a thiolato compound and a thiol compound, and at least one selected from the group consisting of sulfur and a lithium sulfide represented by Formula (1): (LixS)n, where 0<x≦2 and n>0, a method of manufacturing the positive electrode, and a lithium battery using the positive electrode. Compared with the prior art lithium battery, the lithium battery using the positive electrode of the present invention has a greater capacity and a higher voltage. The positive electrode of the present invention effectively suppresses escape of the positive electrode active material from the positive electrode during charge and discharge operations and thus actualizes a secondary battery of high energy density having a less decrease in service capacity.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing an alloy particle capable of absorbing and desorbing lithium in the negative electrode has a short cycle life and is insufficient in high-rate discharge characteristics, since the alloy particle is pulverized during charge/discharge cycles. In order to solve this problem, a negative electrode is employed, which comprises an alloy particle containing: at least two selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semimetal elements; oxygen; and nitrogen. It is preferred that the alloy particle have a phase A capable of electrochemically absorbing and desorbing lithium ion and a phase B having lithium ion conductivity or lithium ion permeability and that the phase B contain larger amounts of oxygen and nitrogen than the phase A.

Abstract: A solid solution represented by the formula (1): LixM1yM2z is used as a negative electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a chargeable and dischargeable positive electrode, a non-aqueous electrolyte and a chargeable and dischargeable negative electrode. In the formula (1), M1 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Fe, and M2 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si and Sn, and 0≦x<10, 0.1≦y≦10 and z=1.

Abstract: To obtain a nonaqueous secondary battery having a large capacity and a smell irreversible capacity while maintaining cycle characteristics, a composite particle comprising a core particle composed of a solid phase A and a coating layer composed of a solid phase B covering at least a part of the core particle is used for the negative electrode of a nonaqueous secondary battery, and at least one of the solid phase A and the solid phase B is made amorphous.

Abstract: Disclosed is a negative electrode active material offering a long life non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery with high energy density that shows excellent cycle life characteristics. The negative electrode active material comprises a compound represented by the formula DSnO3 wherein D represents at least one selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rechargeable negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising an alloy material which absorbs lithium during charge and desorbs lithium during discharge, and having a long cycle life. The negative electrode includes an alloy having a hexagonal closest packing structure and a Ni2In type structure composed of at least two elements.

Abstract: The disclosure is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of high energy density and long life exhibiting an excellent charge and discharge cycle life. The battery comprises a rechargeable positive electrode, a rechargeable negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, the negative electrode including a compound represented by the formula Li&kgr;MX&agr;, where X represents at least one selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine and M represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Sn, Si, Ge, Pb, Bi, P, B, Ga, In, Al, As, Sb, Zn, Ir, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba and where 0≦&kgr;<10 and 2<&agr;<12.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an improved negative electrode is disclosed. The negative electrode comprises alloy particles having a composition represented by the formula: LixM1aM2  (1) wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from the element group m1 consisting of Ti, Zr, V, Sr, Ba, Y, La, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Co, Ir, Ni, Cu and Fe, M2 represents at least one element selected from the element group m2 consisting of Mg, Ca, Al, In, Si, Sn, Pb, Sb and Bi, M1 and M2 represent different elements each other, and wherein 0≦x≦10, 0.1≦a≦10, with the proviso that 2≦a≦10 when M1 is composed only of Fe, and having at least two phases which are different in composition each other.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is disclosed, which hardly causes deterioration of its properties at high temperatures. The battery has a chargeable and dischargeable cathode, a chargeable and dischargeable anode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte and includes a substance which produces water with an increase in temperature in any one of the cathode, the anode, the non-aqueous electrolyte, other elements, and voids in the battery. Examples of the substance which produces water include hydroxides and compounds having water of crystallization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having an anode active material with a high capacity and excellent cycle characteristics. The active material comprises a salt of a metal or a semi-metal and a compound selected from the group consisting of oxo-acids, thiocyanic acid, cyanogen, and cyanic acid, wherein each said oxo-acid comprises an element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, sulfur, carbon, boron, phosphorus, selenium, tellurium, tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, chromium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, manganese, and vanadium, salts of said oxo-acids of phosphorus and boron being restricted to hydrogenphosphates and hydrogenborates.

Abstract: The invention provides a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which employs, as a negative electrode active material, a carbide containing an alkali metal in a charged stage. The carbide used is an ionic bond type carbide, a covalent bond type carbide, or an intermetallic compound type carbide. The ionic bond type carbide is exemplified as Na.sub.2 C.sub.2, K.sub.2 C.sub.2, Cu.sub.2 C.sub.2, VC.sub.2, and the like. The covalent bond type carbide is exemplified as Cr.sub.4 C, and the like. The intermetallic compound type carbide is exemplified as Mn.sub.3 C, Mn.sub.23 C.sub.6, Mn.sub.7 C.sub.3, Fe.sub.2 C, FeC, Ni.sub.3 C, and the like. A highly reliable nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery with a high energy density and excellent cycle life characteristics can be obtained.

Abstract: A cathode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided. The cathode active material is a composite oxide with a spinel-type structure represented by the general formula Li.sub.2-x ?Mn.sub.2-y Li.sub.y !O.sub.4, wherein -0.1.ltoreq.x<1.0 and 0.3.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.35 and wherein the ?Mn.sub.2-y Li.sub.y ! in the general formula is positioned at an octahedral site coordinated by cubic close-packed oxygen ions.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a low manufacturing cost and a high energy density and being excellent in the high rate charge/discharge characteristic and in the characteristics in operation at high temperature provided by an improvement on its positive electrode active material is disclosed. The positive electrode active material comprises a specific compound wherein a part of nickel or lithium in LiNiO.sub.2 is substituted with another element in a specified range. The element for the substitution comprises Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al Cr, B and Co which may be employed solely or in combination.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is disclosed which has an anode comprising a carbon material. The carbon material contains at least one of 7-35 wt % sulfur, 6.5-25 wt % oxygen and 10.5-18.3 wt % nitrogen, provided that if the carbon material contains at least two of these elements, the total amount of the elements does not exceed 35 wt %.

Abstract: A positive electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte lithium secondary battery comprises an active material represented by the formula Li.sub.x A.sub.1-y M.sub.y O.sub.2 (wherein A represents at least one transition element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, and Ni, M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Al, In, Nb, Mo, W, Y, and Rh, and wherein 0.05.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1.1, and 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.5), a binder, a conductive agent and a current collector. The binder is selected from the group consisting of a copolymer comprising a tetrafluoroethylene unit and a hexafluoropropylene unit, a copolymer comprising a vinylidene fluoride unit, a copolymer comprising a propylene unit and a tetrafluoroethylene unit, and a polymer comprising a trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane unit.

Abstract: A process of making a negative electrode for a storage battery including a positive electrode capable of being reversibly charged and discharged, a nonaqueous electrolyte containing lithium salt, and a negative electrode is provided. The negative electrode is made of an inorganic carbon material which has an improved surface having a specific surface area sufficiently large enough to store the largest possible amount of lithium ions therein to provide the largest possible charge and discharge capacitances for the storage battery. The electrode is made by adding an acid to an inorganic carbon containing material to form a mixture, heating the mixture for at least 10 hours to obtain a carbon material having a specific surface area of more than 8.0 m.sup.2 /g and forming the electrode using the carbon material.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising a positive electrode a double oxide of lithium and nickel wherein said double oxide is formed by burning a mixture of a nickel compound such as nickel carbonate, and a lithium compound such as lithium nitrate, at an atomic ratio of Li/Ni of from >1.0 to 1.4, in either air or oxygen, and a method of manufacturing the same.