Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy suitable for a negative electrode of an alkaline storage battery is provided. The hydrogen storage alloy provided is a hydrogen storage alloy used for an alkaline storage battery that has, as a main phase, one or two crystal structures selected from an A2B7-type structure and an AB3-type structure, and that is represented by a general formula: (La1-a-bCeaSmb)1-cMgcNidAleCrf (where suffixes a, b, c, d, e, and f in this formula (1) meet the following conditions: 0<a?0.15; 0?b?0.15; 0.17?c?0.32; 0.02?e?0.10; 0?f?0.05; and 2.95?d+e+f?3.50.

Abstract: An air electrode catalyst for an air secondary battery includes a pyrochlore-type composite oxide having two or more crystal structures having a different amount of oxygen. A battery, according to some embodiments, includes an electrode group including an air electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator therebetween, and a container accommodating the electrode group along with an alkali electrolyte solution, wherein the air electrode includes the air electrode catalyst. The air electrode catalyst may have a pyrochlore-type composite oxide having a crystal structure represented by Bi2Ru2O6.92 and a crystal structure represented by Bi2Ru2O7.33.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy suitable for a negative electrode of an on-board alkaline storage battery, an alkaline storage battery using this hydrogen storage alloy, and a vehicle; wherein a fine-grained hydrogen storage alloy is used for an alkaline storage battery that has a crystal structure of an A2B7-type structure as a main phase and is represented by a general formula: (La1-aSma)1-bMgbNicAldCre (where suffixes a, b, c, d, and e meet the following conditions: 0?a?0.35, 0.15?b?0.30, 0.02?d?0.10, 0?e?0.10, 3.20?c+d+e?3.50, and 0<a+e), and an alkaline storage battery using this hydrogen storage alloy for a negative electrode. A vehicle also includes this alkaline storage battery as an electricity supply source for a motor.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy suitable for a negative electrode of an on-board alkaline storage battery, and an alkaline storage battery using the alloy, which has an AB3-type crystal structure as a main phase, represented by: (SmxLayRz)1?a?bMgaTbNicCodMe. (R is selected from Pr, Nd; T is selected from Ti, Zr, Hf; M is selected from V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Cu, Al, Si, P, B; the following conditions are met: 0<x<1.0, 0<y<1.0, 0.8?x+y?1.0, x+y+z=1.0; 0.93?(x?y)·(1?a?b)+4.5(a+b)?1.62, 0<a?0.45, 0?b?0.05, 0?d?0.7, 0?e?0.15, 2.85?c+d+e?3.15 and 0.01?d+e).

Abstract: Magnesium-based hydrogen storage alloys having metallic magnesium (Mg) and a magnesium-containing intermetallic compound (MgxMy wherein y is 1?x) and containing not less than 60 mass-% of magnesium in total, and having a phase of a primarily crystallized magnesium-containing intermetallic compound in its solidification structure.

Abstract: [Object] A safe hydrogen storage tank in a highly reliable form where it is difficult for fatigue failure to occur is provided as a hydrogen storage tank where a cartridge is filled with a hydrogen occluding substance and contained within an integrally molded liner made of a metal.

Abstract: In order to accurately and efficiently alloy a Mg-REM-Ni based hydrogen-absorbing alloy in accordance with a target composition, which was difficult in the industrial production by the conventional technique, a rare earth element starting material and a nickel starting material are firstly melted in a melting furnace to form a melt of REM-Ni alloy, and then a magnesium starting material is added to the alloy melt and an interior of the melting furnace is kept at a given pressure to form a melt of Mg-REM-Ni alloy, and thereafter the alloy melt is cooled and solidified at a given cooling rate to produce a Mg-REM-Ni based hydrogen-absorbing alloy.

Abstract: In a method for producing an alloy containing a metal of a low melting point, a low boiling point and a high vapor pressure such as Mg, Ca, Li, Zn, Mn, Sr or the like, a helium containing gas is used as an atmosphere gas for the melting. As a result, the alloy containing the above metal can be produced as an alloy having a targeted chemical composition precisely and safely at a low cost without causing the risk of firing, contamination or the like by active metal fine powder being vaporized. Furthermore, by using the helium containing gas as the atmosphere gas, the quench-solidification of the molten metal can be conducted due to a high thermal conductivity inherent to the helium gas, so that a special alloy can be produced even by the usual melting apparatus.

Abstract: In order to accurately and efficiently alloy a Mg-REM-Ni based hydrogen-absorbing alloy in accordance with a target composition, which was difficult in the industrial production by the conventional technique, a rare earth element starting material and a nickel starting material are firstly melted in a melting furnace to form a melt of REM-Ni alloy, and then a magnesium starting material is added to the alloy melt and an interior of the melting furnace is kept at a given pressure to form a melt of Mg-REM-Ni alloy, and thereafter the alloy melt is cooled and solidified at a given cooling rate to produce a Mg-REM-Ni based hydrogen-absorbing alloy.

Abstract: Magnesium-based hydrogen storage alloys comprise metallic magnesium (Mg) and a magnesium-containing intermetallic compound (MgxMy wherein y is 1-x) and contain not less than 60 mass-% of magnesium in total, and have a phase of a primarily crystallized magnesium-containing intermetallic compound in its solidification structure.

Abstract: There is provided a metal hydride negative electrode having excellent discharge characteristics at the beginning of a charge and discharge cycle, excellent gas absorptivity during charge, and an excellent cycle life, and a method for producing the same without the need of any complicated producing processes. The metal hydride negative electrode (1) is used for a nickel hydride cell, and comprises a substrate (2) and a negative electrode plate (3) which is formed by applying a hydrogen absorbing alloy composition containing a hydrogen absorbing alloy powder, a conductive material, a binder and a dispersing agent on the substrate, wherein the negative electrode plate has a surface portion (4) which has a predetermined water repellent rate and a plurality of convex portions.

Abstract: Magnesium-based hydrogen storage alloys comprise a metallic magnesium (Mg) and a magnesium-containing intermetallic compound (MgxMy wherein y is 1-x) and contain not less than 60 mass % of magnesium in total, and have a phase of a primarily crystallized magnesium-containing intermetallic compound in its solidification structure.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an iron base Si--Mn alloy or an iron base Si--Mn--Ni alloy which can be easily crushed and can be manufactured in large quantity, and alloy powder thereof.An iron base Si--Mn--Ni alloy having good crushability and alloy powder thereof, comprising:C: 0.40 to 1.20% by weight,Si: 5.0 to 12.0% by weight,Mn: 19.0 to 42.0 % by weight, or Ni: not more than 30% by weight, and the balance being Fe, with the following equations satisfied: Si.gtoreq.11.89-2.92 C-0.077 Mn, Vickers hardness (Hv).gtoreq.550, and area ratio of dendrite structure .ltoreq.50%.An iron base Si--Mn--Ni alloy having good crushability and alloy powder thereof, comprising:C: 0.40 to 1.20% by weight,Si: 5.0 to 12.0% by weight,Mn: 19.0 to 42.0% by weight, or Ni: not more than 30% by weight, and the balance being Fe, with the following equations satisfied: Si.ltoreq.8.3 C+0.14 Mn, and relative permeability (.mu.).ltoreq.1.10.

Abstract: Electrolytic manganese dioxide having a BET specific surface area of less than 30 m.sup.2 /g and a suspensiveness of less than 50 mg/liter is used for alkaline manganese batteries and manganese batteries to make them excellent both in initial performance and storability. The electrolytic manganese dioxide may be made by a suspension method or a clarification method.

Abstract: To provide a hydrogen storage alloy usable as a negative electrode having a long life and good high-discharge characteristics. Hydrogen storage alloy for cell wherein its general expression is as follows:RNi.sub.a Co.sub.b Al.sub.c Mn.sub.d Fe.sub.e(where R is a mixture of rare earth elements and contains 25.about.75 wt. % La; 3.7.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.4.0, 0.1.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.4, 0.20.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.0.4, 0.30.ltoreq.d.ltoreq.0.45, 0.2.ltoreq.e.ltoreq.0.4, 0.5.ltoreq.b+c.ltoreq.0.7, and 5.0.ltoreq.a+b+c+d+e.ltoreq.5.0).

Abstract: As a technique of stably producing a crystalline spinel type LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4 having a large specific surface area by microscopically uniform mixing at atomic level of constitutional elements without causing crystal defects, there is proposed a method wherein water-soluble lithium salt and manganese nitrate (Mn(NO.sub.3).sub.2) are dissolved in water and then non-ion water-soluble high polymer containing no metal ion is added as a cation carried body to the resulting aqueous mixed solution and thereafter water is removed from the aqueous mixed solution under heating, preferably at a temperature of not lower than 100.degree. C. to synthesize crystalline spinel type LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4.

Abstract: Manganese byproducts produced in the course of manufacturing electrolytic manganese dioxide provide a novel manganese fertilizer having a fertilizer response that can operate both instantaneously and slow-release. A manganese fertilizer contains manganese byproducts and has 3 to 20 wt % citric acid-soluble manganese (C--MnO) and 0.5 to 7.0 wt % water-soluble manganese (W--MnO).

Abstract: There is provided manganese dioxide to be suitably used for alkaline manganese batteries and manganese batteries to make them excellent both in the initial performance and the storability. There is also provided a method of manufacturing such manganese dioxide. The electrolytic manganese dioxide has a BET specific surface area of less than 30 m.sup.2 /g (preferably less than 27 m.sup.2 /g) and a suspensiveness of less than 50 mg/liter. A method of manufacturing electrolytic manganese dioxide may be a suspension method, wherein manganese oxide is suspended at a rate of 0.01 to 0.2 g/liter in an electrolytic bath containing sulfuric acid at a concentration of 0.4 to 0.55 mol/liter and electrolyzed to produce electrolytic manganese dioxide with an anodic current density of 0.4 to 3.0 A/dm.sup.2 and an electrolytic temperature of 93.degree. to 103.degree. C., the relationship between the anodic current density and the electrolytic temperature being expressed by 103.gtoreq.y.gtoreq.1.67x+92.

Abstract: To provide a raw material for high oxygen chromium targets containing oxygen in a form capable of effectively preventing the dust ejection phenomenon. A raw material for high oxygen chromium targets comprising chromium crystalline particles dispersed in metallic chromium wherein at least a portion of the surface of all the crystals constituting the oxide crystalline particles is in contact with the matrix of the metallic chromium. A method of producing a raw material for high oxygen chromium targets comprising chromium oxide crystalline particles dispersed in metallic chromium characterized by heat-treating metallic chromium containing a solid solution of oxygen or oxide particles as a starting material, and precipitating or crystal-growing the oxygen or oxide particles as chromium oxide crystalline particles having a particle size of 0.1 to 100 .mu.m, thereby obtaining a raw material for chromium targets.

Abstract: An EL lamp having a higher luminescence efficiency and a process for manufacturing the same are provided. The EL element includes an aluminum foil having at least one specularly polished surface, an anodized oxide film formed on the specularly polished surface of the aluminum foil, a light emitting EL layer formed directly on the film, and a transparent electrode formed on the light emitting EL layer. The process for manufacturing an EL lamp includes the steps of polishing specularly at least one of the surfaces of an aluminum foil, forming an anodized oxide film on the specularly polished surface of the aluminum foil, and forming directly on the aluminum oxide film a light emitting EL layer and a transparent electrode.