Abstract: Hydrogen storage materials being inexpensive and having hydrogen absorption (storage) and desorption properties suitable for hydrogen storage are provided. The hydrogen storage materials have alloys with an elemental composition of Formula (1), a hydrogen storage container containing the hydrogen storage material, and a hydrogen supply apparatus including the hydrogen storage container: LaaCebSmcNidMe ??(1) wherein M is Mn or both of Mn and Co, a satisfies 0.60?a?0.90, b satisfies 0?b?0.30, c satisfies 0.05?c?0.25, d satisfies 4.75?d?5.20, e satisfies 0.05?e?0.40, a+b+c=1, and d+e satisfies 5.10?d+e?5.35.

Abstract: A low-cost hydrogen storage material has hydrogen absorption (storage) and desorption properties suitable for hydrogen storage. A hydrogen storage container including the hydrogen storage material and a hydrogen supply apparatus including the hydrogen storage container are disclosed. The hydrogen storage material includes an alloy having a specific elemental composition represented by Formula (1), in which, in a 1000×COMP image of a cross section of the alloy obtained by EPMA, a plurality of phases enriched with R are present, the phases having phase diameters of 0.1 ?m or more and 10 ?m or less, and 100 or more sets of combinations of two phases in the phases are present in a visual field of 85 ?m×120 ?m in the COMP image, the shortest separation distance between the two phases being 0.5 to 20 ?m. [Chem.

Abstract: This invention provides a regenerator material having a high specific heat, particularly in the temperature range of 10 to 25K, and a regenerator and a refrigerator comprising the regenerator material. The present invention specifically provides an HoCu-based regenerator material represented by general formula (1): HoCu2-xMx (1), wherein x is 0<x?1, and M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al and transition metal elements (excluding Cu), as well as a regenerator and a refrigerator comprising the regenerator material.

Abstract: Provided is a method for easily and inexpensively separating a rare earth element contained in an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Provided is an R-T-B-based magnet material alloy including an R2T14B phase which is a principal phase and R-rich phases which are phases enriched with the R, wherein the principal phase has primary dendrite arms and secondary dendrite arms diverging from the primary dendrite arms, and regions where the secondary dendrite arms have been formed constitute a volume fraction of 2 to 60% of the alloy, whereby excellent coercive force can be ensured in R-T-B-based sintered magnets even when the amount of heavy rare earth elements added to the alloy is reduced. The inter-R-rich phase spacing is preferably at most 3.0 ?m, and the volume fraction of chill crystals is preferably at most 1%. Furthermore, the secondary dendrite arm spacing is preferably 0.5 to 2.0 ?m, and the ellipsoid aspect ratio of R-rich phase is preferably at most 0.5.

Abstract: A Pd-supporting Zr-based composite oxide wherein by having a Zr-containing composite oxide support and Pd supported thereon and by showing, upon XAFS (X-ray absorption fine structure) analysis, a maximum peak in a Pd bond distance range of 2.500-3.500 ?, the maximum peak being located in a position of 3.050-3.110 ?.

Abstract: This invention provides a regenerator material having a high specific heat, particularly in the temperature range of 10 to 25K, and a regenerator and a refrigerator comprising the regenerator material. The present invention specifically provides an HoCu-based regenerator material represented by general formula (1): HoCu2-xMx (1), wherein x is 0<x?1, and M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Al and transition metal elements (excluding Cu), as well as a regenerator and a refrigerator comprising the regenerator material.

Abstract: Provided is a method for easily and inexpensively separating a rare earth element contained in an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Provided is cathode active material powder or a cathode that is capable of improving the cycle characteristics of nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable batteries at high voltage and exhibiting excellent capacity retention. The powder has a composition of: Lix?wNawCo1?yMyO2+z (0.950?x?1.100, 0<y?0.050, ?0.1?z?0.1, 0?w?0.020; M: rare earth elements, Ti, Zr, Mo, Mn, Ni, Cu, Al, Ga, etc), and a core-shell structure composed of a lithium-containing composite oxide region as core and a Li-ion-conductive oxide region as shell. The core contains Li, Co, and oxygen, and has Co concentration of not higher than 90% as calculated by formula: ((Co concentration on shell external surface)/(Co concentration at shell boundary of core/shell structure))×100. The shell is an amorphous layer containing La, Ti, Co, and oxygen, covering the core at least partly.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a magnetic refrigeration module. The method comprises: a step (1) of preparing a mixture powder A containing an La(Fe,Si)13-based alloy powder, an M powder, and optionally an organic binder, the La(Fe,Si)13-based alloy powder having a main phase with an NaZn13-type crystal structure, and the M powder containing a metal and/or an alloy and having a melting point of 1090° C. or lower; a step (2) of subjecting the mixture powder A to a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature close to the melting point of the M powder to obtain a sintered body B; and a step (3) of subjecting the sintered body B to a hydrogenation treatment in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

Abstract: Provided are a cathode active material that has improved crystal-structure stability during continuous or high-voltage charging of a nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable material, excellent cycle characteristics (capacity retention), and high capacity, as well as a cathode and a nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery containing the cathode active material. The cathode active material has a composition represented by formula (1): Lix?yNayCowAlaMgbMcO2+? wherein x, y, w, a, b, c, and ? each denotes particular values; and M stands for at least one element selected from Ca, Y, rare earth elements, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Ag, Zn, B, Ga, C, Si, Sn, N, P, S, F, and Cl; wherein the cathode active material is in the form of lithium-containing composite oxide particles having a compound adhered on a surface thereof, the compound containing at least one element selected from Al, Mg, and M.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerator material whose filling rate can be improved and falls within a suitable range, and which can thus easily reduce the pressure loss of a refrigerant gas in the regenerator; and a method for producing the regenerator material. The regenerator material of the present invention comprises a sintered body of rare earth element-containing particles, wherein the sintered body has a porosity of 30 to 40%. The regenerator material production method of the present invention comprises the step of sintering rare earth element-containing starting material particles, wherein D50 and D90/10 of the starting material particles are respectively 100 to 320 ?m and 1.5 to 2.5; wherein D10, D50, and D90 indicate the average particle sizes that respectively correspond to the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of the total number of particles in the particle size distribution curve.

Abstract: Disclosed is an R-T-B—Ga-based magnet material ahoy where R is at least one element selected from rare earth metals including Y and excluding Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu, and T is one or more transition metals with Fe being an essential element. The R-T-B—Ga-based magnet material alloy includes: an R2T14B phase 3 which is a principal phase, and an R-rich phase (1 and 2) which is a phase enriched with the R, wherein a non-crystalline phase 1 in the R-rich phase has a Ga content (mass %) that is higher than a Ga content (mass %) of a crystalline phase 2 in the R-rich phase. With this, it is possible to enhance the magnetic properties of rare earth magnets that are manufactured from the alloy and reduce variations in the magnetic properties thereof.

Abstract: A Pd-supporting Zr-based composite oxide wherein by having a Zr-containing composite oxide support and Pd supported thereon and by showing, upon XAFS (X-ray absorption fine structure) analysis, a maximum peak in a Pd bond distance range of 2.500-3.500 ?, the maximum peak being located in a position of 3.050-3.110 ?.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerator material having a high specific heat in a temperature range of 10K or higher (in particular, a temperature range of 10 to 20K), as well as a regenerator and a refrigerator provided with the regenerator material. Specifically, the present invention provides a regenerator material represented by general formula (1): Er1?xRxNi1+? (1), wherein x is 0<x<1, ? is ?1<?<1, and R is at least one member selected from Y and lanthanoids (excluding Er), as well as a regenerator and a refrigerator provided with the regenerator material.

Abstract: Provided are a composite oxide which is suitable as a co-catalyst for an exhaust gas purifying catalyst or the like, has high heat resistance, and has an excellent oxygen absorbing and desorbing capability at low temperatures and a method for producing the composite oxide. The composite oxide contains Ce and Zr, wherein the Ce content is 30 to 80 at % and the Zr content is 20 to 70 at %, based on the total of Ce and Zr being 100 at %, or further contains particular element M, wherein the Ce content is not less than 30 at % and less than 80 at %, the Zr content is not less than 20 at % and less than 70 at %, and the content of element M is more than 0 at % and not more than 15 at %, based on the total of Ce, Zr, and element M being 100 at %.

Abstract: Provided is an R-T-B-based magnet material alloy including an R2T14B phase which is a principal phase and R-rich phases which are phases enriched with the R, wherein the principal phase has primary dendrite arms and secondary dendrite arms diverging from the primary dendrite arms, and regions where the secondary dendrite arms have been formed constitute a volume fraction of 2 to 60% of the alloy, whereby excellent coercive force can be ensured in R-T-B-based sintered magnets even when the amount of heavy rare earth elements added to the alloy is reduced. The inter-R-rich phase spacing is preferably at most 3.0 ?m, and the volume fraction of chill crystals is preferably at most 1%. Furthermore, the secondary dendrite arm spacing is preferably 0.5 to 2.0 ?m, and the ellipsoid aspect ratio of R-rich phase is preferably at most 0.5.

Abstract: Rare earth-containing alloy flakes and a sintered magnet made of the same are provided, which alloy flakes are useful in the production of sintered magnets of which Br and HcJ may be excellent and well-balanced according to the Dy and/or Tb content. The rare earth-containing alloy flakes are R-TM-A-M-type alloy flakes which have a particular composition, and a structure having a Nd2Fe14B main phase and a boundary phase, the Fe content in the boundary phase is not more than 10 mass %, and a ratio of the total content (b) of Dy and Tb in the boundary phase to the total content (a) of Dy and Tb in the main phase is higher than 1.0, and are useful as a sintered magnet material.

Abstract: There is provided a steam reforming catalyst comprising a carrier and a catalyst supported thereon. The carrier contains a composite oxide containing Ce and Zr. The content of the Ce is not less than 1.0 mol and not more than 3.0 mol per 1 mol of the Zr. The catalyst contains Ni and Ti. The content of the Ni is not less than 70% and not more than 97% by mole, and the content of the Ti is not less than 3% and not more than 30% by mole, based on 100% by mole of the total of the Ni and Ti.

Abstract: An alloy flake production apparatus (1) includes a crystallinity control device (2) for controlling an alloy crystal structure of fed alloy flakes to a desired state, a cooling device (3) for cooling the alloy flakes discharged from the crystallinity control device (2), and a chamber for keeping these devices under reduced pressure or under an inert gas atmosphere. The crystallinity control device (2) has a rotary heating drum (21) in a cylindrical shape for heating the fed alloy flakes, and a switching device (23) for switching between storage and discharge of the alloy flakes fed to an inner wall side of the heating drum (21), so that long-time heat treatment is uniformly applied to the alloy flakes immediately after being made by ingot crushing. The heating drum (21) preferably has a scooping blade plate (22) for scooping up alloy flakes fed to the inner wall side with its rotation.