Abstract: A battery electrode comprising a porous polymeric material having at least a coating of an active material applied thereto. The battery electrode may be a 3-dimensional electrode.

Abstract: A porous membrane material comprising a porous membrane substrate coated with a thin, uniform coating of a metal or metal alloy. The membrane material can have high electrical conductivity. The membrane material can exhibit a very high ratio of electrical conductivity to thermal conductivity. The porous membrane substrate may be removed to form the membrane.

Abstract: An electrode material for a battery or for a capacitor, supercapacitor or a pseudo capacitor comprises a porous substrate coated with a coating comprising a conducting material and an active material, wherein the thickness of the coating is less than 1 micrometre and the volume fraction of active material is greater than 5%. In another aspect, the electrode material comprises a metallic network structure and an active material connected to the metallic structure, wherein the calculated volume fraction of active material is greater than 5%, and the surface area of the material is greater than 5 m2/g.

Abstract: A battery electrode comprising a porous polymeric material having at least a coating of an active material applied thereto. The battery electrode may be a 3-dimensional electrode.

Abstract: A catalyst of one or more complex oxides having a nominal composition as set out in formula (1): AxB1-y-zMyPzOn (1) wherein A is selected from one or more group III elements including the lanthanide elements or one or more divalent or monovalent cations; B is selected from one or more elements with atomic number 22 to 24, 40 to 42 and 72 to 75; M is selected from one or more elements with atomic number 25 to 30; P is selected from one or more elements with atomic number 44 to 50 and 76 to 83; x is defined as a number where 0<x?1; y is defined as a number where 0?y<0.5; and z is defined as a number where 0<z<0.2.

Abstract: A thermoelectric element for use in a thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric element includes a porous substrate coated with one or more materials, at least one of which is a thermoelectric material. There is also a method for making a thermoelectric element including providing a porous substrate and applying a coating of a thermoelectric material to the porous substrate.

Abstract: A method of producing porous complex oxides includes the steps of providing a mixture of a) precursor elements suitable to produce the complex oxide; or b) one or more precursor elements suitable to produce particles of the complex oxide and one or more metal oxide particles; and c) a particulate carbon-containing pore-forming material selected to provide pore sizes in the range of approximately 7 nm to 250 nm, and treating the mixture to (i) form the porous complex oxide in which two or more of the precursor elements from (a) above or one or more of the precursor elements and one or more of the metals in the metal oxide particles from (b) above are incorporated into a phase of the complex metal oxide and the complex metal oxide has grain sizes in the range of about 1 nm to 150 nm; and (ii) remove the pore-forming material under conditions such that the porous structure and composition of the complex oxide is substantially preserved. The method may be used to produce non-refractory metal oxides as well.

Abstract: A method for producing complex metal oxide having nano-sized grains that includes the steps of forming a mixture containing at least one metal cation dissolved in a solution and particulate material containing at least one further metal in the form of metal(s) or metal compound(s) and treating the mixture to form the complex metal oxide having nano-sized grains. The at least one further metal from the particulate material becomes incorporated into the complex metal oxide.

Abstract: A catalyst of one or more complex oxides having a nominal composition as set out in formula (1): AxB1-y-zMyPzOn (1) wherein A is selected from one or more group III elements including the lanthanide elements or one or more divalent or monovalent cations; B is selected from one or more elements with atomic number 22 to 24, 40 to 42 and 72 to 75; M is selected from one or more elements with atomic number 25 to 30; P is selected from one or more elements with atomic number 44 to 50 and 76 to 83; x is defined as a number where 0<x?1; y is defined as a number where 0?y<0.5; and z is defined as a number where 0<z<0.2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming a material of a metal oxide supported on a support particle by the steps of. a) providing a precursor mixture comprising a solution containing one or more metal cations and (i) a surfactant; or (ii) a hydrophilic polymer; with the precursor mixture further including support particles; and b) treating the precursor mixture from (a) above by heating to remove the surfactant or hydrophilic polymer and form metal oxide having nano-sized grains, wherein at least some of the metal oxide formed in step (b) is deposited on or supported by the support particles and the metal oxide has an oxide matrix that includes metal atoms derived solely from sources other than the support particles.

Abstract: A method for producing metal oxide particles having nano-sized grains is disclosed. A solution of metal cations is mixed with surfactant under conditions such that surfactant micelles are formed. This mixture is then heated to form the metal oxide particles; this heating step removing the surfactant, forming the metal oxide and creating the pore structure of the particles. The pore structures are disordered. This method is particularly advantageous for production of complex (multi-component) metal oxides in which the different atomic species are homogeneously dispersed.

Abstract: An aluminium-based alloy having 6.5-7.5 wt. % silicon and 0.35-0.50 wt. % magnesium as the major alloying elements and a method of manufacturing an article from the alloy are disclosed. The alloy is characterised by a microstructure in which &bgr; phase (Al5SiFe) that forms during heat treatment as a transformation product of &pgr; phase (Al8Si6Mg3Fe) is the sole or predominant iron-containing phase in the alloy.