Abstract: The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the invention comprises the following elements. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises a positive electrode comprising a positive active material, a negative electrode comprising a negative active material, and a porous polymer electrolyte interposed therebetween. The positive electrode, the negative electrode and the polymer electrolyte are fixed to each other. In the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, there is no gap between the electrodes and the porous polymer electrolyte layer. In this arrangement, the migration of lithium ion can be conducted extremely smoothly, giving an excellent high rate discharge performance. Further, a high safety can be provided when the battery is overcharged. It is further preferred that the positive electrode and/or negative electrode comprise therein a polymer which constitutes the polymer electrolyte.

Abstract: The following aspects (1) to (4) of the present invention can provide an electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery having excellent safety and charged storage properties and good high rate charge-discharge properties. (1) An electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery comprising a particulate active material having a porous film formed thereon. (2) An electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery comprising an active material having a filler held in pores. (3) An electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery comprising an active material which undergoes volumetric expansion and shrinkage during charge-discharge, having a filler held in pores. (4) The electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery according to Claus (1), wherein said porous film is an ionically-conductive film.

Abstract: In accordance with the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the invention and the process for the preparation thereof, charging is carried out with a combination of a positive electrode provided with excess lithium and a negative electrode in order to cause lithium to be deposited on the negative electrode. Accordingly, no oxidized surface film is interposed between lithium and the current collector of negative electrode or the negative active material layer as in the case where a metallic lithium foil is laminated on the negative electrode. In this arrangement, a battery having a small internal resistance can be provided. Since the deposition of lithium is conducted in the assembled battery, lithium does not come in contact with air, preventing the formation of a thick ununiform oxidized film on the surface thereof. Thus, the deposition of dendrite can be inhibited, making it possible to inhibit the drop of battery capacity and hence provide a battery having an excellent cycle life performance.

Abstract: The use of the Pb—Sn alloy containing Ag and Se of the present invention as a connecting part for connecting internal components makes it possible to improve the resistance of straps, poles and cell connectors to general corrosion and grain boundary corrosion, inhibit the occurrence of the stress corrosion cracking and enhance the alloy strength, thus providing a lead acid battery having an excellent reliability.

Abstract: An electrode for a fuel cell of the invention comprises a cation-exchange resin, carbon particles and a catalyst metal which is amorphous. The electrode has high activity, a high catalyst utilization and high CO tolerance and is highly active in the electrochemical oxidation reaction of methanol. Furthermore these qualities of the electrode were extremely improved when the catalyst metal was loaded mainly on sites where the surface of the carbon particles contacts proton-conductive passages in the cation-exchange resin. Consequently, a fuel cell with the electrode of the invention has a high output current and a long life, and can be produced at low cost.

Abstract: A porous solid polymer electrolyte-catalyst composite electrode according to the present invention contains: a solid polymer electrolyte; a catalyst particles; an electron-conductive material which is supported on a proton-conductive area in the solid polymer electrolyte.

Abstract: The positive active material for secondary battery according to the invention comprises O, Fe in an amount of higher than 25% by weight, and V in an amount of from higher than 0% by weight to less than 35% by weight. The positive active material, when it is free of lithium, exhibits the following main peaks by the X-ray diffractometry using CuK&agr; rays: a peak within a 2&thgr; range of from greater than 26° to less than 29°and a peak within a 2&thgr; range of from greater than 29° to less than 32°. The non-aqueous secondary battery having a positive electrode comprising this positive active material exhibits a high capacity and good cycle life performance and is inexpensive and environmentally friendly.

Abstract: A lead-acid battery electrode plate is manufactured by consecutively supplying a lead or lead alloy sheet; leaving a part in the vicinity of the center of the sheet as a non-expansion portion and expanding both sides like mesh to form a grid body; filling active material paste into the grid body; and cutting the grid body to predetermined dimensions. In the lead-acid battery electrode plate, the non-expansion portion forms a current collector part of the electrode plate along an expansion portion in an up and down direction of the electrode plate. One or more openings are made in a part of the non-expansion portion. A part of the non-expansion portion is projected above the position of an upper margin of the cut expansion portion as a current collector lug part. When the current collector lug part is placed upside, the expansion direction is the width direction of the electrode plate.

Abstract: A discharge lamp comprises an arc tube 6 made of a translucent ceramic dosed with a metallic halide. The discharge is conducted between electrodes 20 disposed in the arc tube 6. The arc tube 6 comprises a main tube body 11 having a large diameter portion 11A and a small diameter portion 11C, and a narrow tube 12 airtightly fixed to the small diameter portion 11C while penetrating the small diameter portion 11C. In the discharge lamp, supposing that L (mm) is the length of a protrusion from the main tube body of the narrow tube portion 12 and P (W) is the rated power of the discharge lamp, L and P satisfy the relationship (P+268.75)/31.25≦L≦(P+456.25)/31.25 and 200≦P≦450.

Abstract: In a method of producing a positive active material for a lithium battery, a compound represented by the chemical formula HxLiyMO2 in a solution containing lithium ions is chemically oxidized, where 0≦x≦2, 0≦y≦2, 1<(x+y)≦2, and M is one or two kinds of transition metals selected from Co and Ni.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte battery, a negative electrode terminal is fixed to an insulating ceramic material with filler materials for brazing mainly composed of copper and insulation-sealed to an opening of a metallic exterior member with the ceramic material being provided interposed therebetween. A positive electrode terminal fixed to an insulating ceramic material with an aluminum alloy-based filler materials for brazing and insulation-sealed to the opening in the metallic exterior member.

Abstract: In a process for producing a nickel compound containing lithium, a first substance comprising one selected from the group consisting of lithium and lithium compound and a second substance comprising at least one of nickel oxyhydroxide and a derivative thereof are reacted in an organic solvent.

Abstract: A lead-acid battery electrode plate is manufactured by consecutively supplying a lead or lead alloy sheet; leaving a part in the vicinity of the center of the sheet as a non-expansion portion and expanding both sides like mesh to form a grid body; filling active material paste into the grid body; and cutting the grid body to predetermined dimensions. In the lead-acid battery electrode plate, the non-expansion portion forms a current collector part of the electrode plate along an expansion portion in an up and down direction of the electrode plate. One or more openings are made in a part of the non-expansion portion. A part of the non-expansion portion is projected above the position of an upper margin of the cut expansion portion as a current collector lug part. When the current collector lug part is placed upside, the expansion direction is the width direction of the electrode plate.

Abstract: An active material of formula LiCu1+xPO4 (0≦x≦1) which could be used as cathode material in lithium primary and secondary batteries.

Abstract: A nickel hydroxide positive active material for an alkaline battery contains nickel hydroxide powder having a nickel valence of greater than 2; and a cobalt compound having a cobalt valence of greater than 2, which is formed on the surface of said nickel hydroxide powder. For example, the surface of nickel oxyhydroxide powder is covered by cobalt oxyhydroxide layer. This positive active material is used as a starting material to produce an electrode by retaining it in a three-dimensional porous material.

Abstract: In a valve regulated type lead-acid battery, a positive plate includes a positive grid made of Pb—Ca alloy and a positive active material containing Sb in the range of 0.005% to 1.0% both inclusive per weight of the positive active material; wherein a density of the positive active material is not lower than 3.75 g/cc after formation.

Abstract: A metallic ring is insulatedly sealed around each of the positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal, previously, by the glass hermetic seal and ceramic hermetic seal in such a manner that it is sealed into the opening hole of the cover plate of a battery case. In this case, in order to prevent the corrosion of a metallic brazer which may occur in the ceramic hermetic seal and improve the workability, the ceramic material is brazed around the negative electrode terminal through a Au—Cu brazer or P—Cu brazer.

Abstract: A nickel hydroxide positive active material for an alkaline battery contains nickel hydroxide powder having a nickel valence of greater than 2; and a cobalt compound having a cobalt valence of greater than 2, which is formed on the surface of said nickel hydroxide powder. For example, the surface of nickel oxyhydroxide powder is covered by cobalt oxyhydroxide layer. This positive active material is used as a starting material to produce an electrode by retaining it in a three-dimensional porous material.

Abstract: A plurality of battery modules are provided for each module monitoring unit. When a battery module is normal, a photo-FET of a photocoupler contained in a module monitoring unit 5 associated with the battery module is turned on. When it is abnormal, the photo-FET is turned off. Those photo-FETs, provided in association with the battery modules, are connected in series by two signal lines. A management unit detects whether the circuit including those signal lines is opened or closed, and finds an abnormal battery module on the basis of the detection.

Abstract: An artificial satellite is equipped with solar batteries and a non-aqueous electrolyte battery module for artificial satellite (i.e., a lithium battery). The non-aqueous electrolyte battery module is provided with a non-aqueous electrolyte battery, a temperature sensor, a charged state measurement sensor, and a computer for receiving signals output from the sensors. The managed temperature of the non-aqueous electrolyte battery in a solstice season is set so as to become equal to or lower than the managed temperature of the battery when the satellite is in the solstice season. The computer controls a temperature controller, thereby maintain the managed temperature of the battery within a given temperature range. The charged state of the lithium battery is controlled by means of turning on or off a charging switch under the control of computer. When the satellite is in the eclipse season, the managed charged state of the non-electrolyte battery is controlled so as to be a value of 50% or more.