Abstract: Provided is a negative electrode active material for a battery, the negative electrode active material comprising an iron compound, the iron compound containing a salt of a polyoxygen anion with iron, wherein the polyoxygen anion has a first atom and an oxygen atom, the first atom is at least one type of atom selected from atoms belonging to Group 4, Group 5, Group 6, Group 13, and Group 14 in the periodic table of elements, and a molar ratio of the oxygen atom to the first atom in the polyoxygen anion is more than 1.

Abstract: This battery positive electrode active material contains at least one compound selected from nickel hydroxide, nickel oxyhydroxide and derivatives of these which cause a redox reaction during battery operation, or alternatively contains a metal oxide, or derivative thereof, which does not cause a redox reaction during battery operation, or an inorganic-organic hybrid compound formed by an organic polymer having a hydroxyl group chemically bonding with said metal oxide or derivative. In a diffraction intensity-angle diagram obtained by powder X-ray diffraction using CuK? radiation in a state in which the active material contains nickel hydroxide, the half-value width of the diffraction peak corresponding to the crystal 001 plane of the nickel hydroxide is greater than or equal to 2 (2?°) and preferably greater than or equal to 4 (2?°), or there is no diffraction peak.

Abstract: It is difficult to obtain a glassy, monolithic molded body of an inorganic oxide with a high melting point and softening point. Although molding by sintering is possible, it is hard to obtain a molded body which is transparent and has high barrier properties. Further, producing molded bodies with the sol-gel process is costly, and it is difficult to produce a molded bodies of large size. In this invention, a molded body principally composed of inorganic oxides is produced with a method that involves a step in which an inorganic-organic hybrid compound, formed by an organic polymer having a hydroxyl group chemically bonding with an inorganic oxide or a derivative thereof, is heated in an atmosphere in which oxygen is present, and the organic polymer component of the inorganic-organic hybrid compound is oxidized and removed.

Abstract: Catalytic materials, particularly membranes, exhibiting high activity, high stability and low metal leaching in a variety of chemical reactions, particularly selective hydrogenations of unsaturated organic compounds, are described. These membranes are inorganic/polymeric hybrid materials in which metal complex molecular catalysts are immobilized or metal nano-particle catalysts are embedded. More specifically, the catalytic materials of the present invention exhibit higher activity and selectivity, and can be used in more extensive kinds of organic solvents than the conventional hybrid catalytic materials due to improvement in the affinity to organic solvents by containing the specific polymeric additives.

Abstract: Catalytic materials with high activity in various chemical reactions as well as high durability are described. The catalytic materials are composed of specific, hybrid combinations of inorganic/polymeric compounds containing metal nano-particles therein, and can be easily reused with negligible catalysts leaching. They are particularly useful, but not limited to, the hydrogenation of substituted ?,? unsaturated acids or esters.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an anode that is supplied with a gas containing an anode active material for being oxidized, a cathode that is supplied with a liquid containing a nonvolatile cathode active material for being reduced, and an electrolyte membrane that separates the anode and the cathode, and the electrolyte membrane comprises an inorganic/organic hybrid compound that is formed by chemical bonding of polyvinyl alcohol with an inorganic compound including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of silicic acid compounds, a tungstic acid compounds, and zirconic acid compounds.

Abstract: Catalytic materials, particularly membranes, exhibiting high activity, high stability and low metal leaching in a variety of chemical reactions, particularly selective hydrogenations of unsaturated organic compounds, are described. These membranes are inorganic/polymeric hybrid materials in which metal complex molecular catalysts are immobilized or metal nano-particle catalysts are embedded. More specifically, the catalytic materials of the present invention exhibit higher activity and selectivity, and can be used in more extensive kinds of organic solvents than the conventional hybrid catalytic materials due to improvement in the affinity to organic solvents by containing the specific polymeric additives.

Abstract: Catalytic materials with high activity in various chemical reactions as well as high durability are described. The catalytic materials are composed of specific, hybrid combinations of inorganic/polymeric compounds containing metal nano-particles therein, and can be easily reused with negligible catalysts leaching. They are particularly useful, but not limited to, the hydrogenation of subsituted ?,? unsaturated acids or esters.

Abstract: A low cost, viable and modular method to prepare new, highly selective catalytic materials, especially “catalytic membranes”, is described. A method for the engineering and use of various types of reactors based on these catalytic membranes, even in a one-pot procedure, is also disclosed. The catalytic membranes are versatile, in terms of variety of chemical reactions promoted, and can be easily reused with negligible catalysts leaching. They are particularly useful, but not limited to, the asymmetric hydrogenation of substituted ?,? unsaturated acids or esters.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity which is cheap and exhibits high conductivity in an alkaline form, and stably keeps high conductivity because of a small amount of the leak of a compound bearing conductivity even in a wet state. The invention is useful in an electrochemical system using the solid electrolyte, such as a fuel cell. The solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity comprises a hybrid compound which contains at least polyvinyl alcohol and a zirconic acid compound, and also a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine, obtained by hydrolyzing a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt in a solution including water, polyvinyl alcohol, a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt and a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine coexist, removing a solvent and contacting with alkali.

Abstract: Solid electrolyte comprising organic compound containing the organic polymer with hydroxyl group, inorganic compound, and water intended to provide the solid electrolyte that is less susceptible to performance deterioration even under high temperatures of 100° C. or higher and the electrochemical system using the said solid electrolyte. It is a principal object of this invention to provide the basic means for producing the solid electrolyte comprising the hybrid compound where part of or all of the hydroxyl groups of the organic polymer with hydroxyl group are combined with at least one species of phosphoric acid and boric acid by immersing the hybrid compound in the solution containing at least one species of phosphoric acid and boric acid; otherwise by coating it with the said solution.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity comprising a hybrid compound of polyvinyl alcohol and a zirconic acid compound which can prohibit gelation of the raw material solution with keeping the concentration of the raw material solution of the solid electrolyte desirable for efficient manufacture of membranes, and provides the solid electrolyte which is inexpensive, and even functions in an alkaline form is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of hydrolyzing a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt in a solution including a solvent including water, polyvinyl alcohol, and the zirconium salt or the oxyzirconium salt, removing the solvent, and contacting with alkali. The hydrolysis may be carried out by heating to 50° C. or higher or by heating to 50° C. or higher at a pH of 7 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity which is cheap and exhibits high conductivity in an alkaline form, and stably keeps high conductivity because of a small amount of the leak of a compound bearing conductivity even in a wet state. The invention is useful in an electrochemical system using the solid electrolyte, such as a fuel cell. The solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity comprises a hybrid compound which contains at least polyvinyl alcohol and a zirconic acid compound, and also a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine, obtained by hydrolyzing a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt in a solution including water, polyvinyl alcohol, a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt and a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine coexist, removing a solvent and contacting with alkali.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a solid electrolyte and an electrochemical system using the solid electrolyte which has a little expansion (swelling) and whose strength does not decrease in case of positioning the solid electrolyte including a complex compound composed of an inorganic compound, polyvinyl alcohol, and water, in a wet condition. It is possible to use the solid electrolyte in a device such as a fuel cell or an electrolytic device used with the wet condition. The solid electrolyte has a little size variation even if humidity varies and has a low methanol permeability.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a high ion conductive solid electrolyte which uses organic and inorganic complex compound having water absorption and water resistance and to provide an electrochemical system using the high ion conductive solid electrolyte. The high ion conductive solid electrolyte is composed a complex compound including water that has zirconic acid compound and polyvinyl alcohol and compound having carboxyl group or metal salt of the compound having carboxyl group. An aqueous solution in which zirconium salt or oxyzirconnium salt and polyvinyl alcohol and compound having carboxyl group or metal salt of the compound having carboxyl group are dissolved is neutralized by alkali. After removing water used as solvent, unnecessary salts are removed from the neutralized solution. The high ion conductive solid electrolyte is obtained which is composed of the complex compound. Various electrochemical systems are obtained each of which use the high ion conductive solid electrolyte.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a low cost and highly ionic conductive solid electrolyte which is an organic-inorganic composite compound and is water-absorbing as well as water-resistive. Another object of the present invention is to provide electrochemical systems utilizing the above-mentioned electrolyte. The solid electrolyte of the present invention is a composite compound comprising tungstic and/or molybdic acid compound and polyvinylalcohol (PVA), and containing water. Tungstate and/or molybdate and other salt are neutralized by an acid in the aqueous solution dissolving PVA. Then, the water as the solvent of the aqueous solution is removed, and then the unnecessary salts are removed, thereby obtaining the composite compound.

Abstract: Solid electrolyte comprising organic compound containing the organic polymer with hydroxyl group, inorganic compound, and water intended to provide the solid electrolyte that is less susceptible to performance deterioration even under high temperatures of 100° C. or higher and the electrochemical system using the said solid electrolyte. It is a principal object of this invention to provide the basic means for producing the solid electrolyte comprising the hybrid compound where part of or all of the hydroxyl groups of the organic polymer with hydroxyl group are combined with at least one species of phosphoric acid and boric acid by immersing the hybrid compound in the solution containing at least one species of phosphoric acid and boric acid; otherwise by coating it with the said solution.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a high ion conductive solid electrolyte which uses organic and inorganic complex compound having water absorption and water resistance and to provide an electrochemical system using the high ion conductive solid electrolyte. The high ion conductive solid electrolyte is composed of a complex compound including water that has zirconic acid compound and polyvinyl alcohol. An aqueous solution in which zirconium salt or oxyzirconnium salt and polyvinyl alcohol are dissolved is neutralized by alkali. After removing water used as solvent, unnecessary salts are removed from the neutralized solution. The high ion conductive solid electrolyte is obtained which is composed of the complex compound having zirconic acid compound, polyvinyl alcohol, and water. Various electrochemical systems are obtained each of which use the high ion conductive solid electrolyte.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a solid electrolyte and an electrochemical system using the solid electrolyte which has a little expansion (swelling) and whose strength does not decrease in case of positioning the solid electrolyte including a complex compound composed of an inorganic compound, polyvinyl alcohol, and water, in a wet condition. It is possible to use the solid electrolyte in a device such as a fuel cell or an electrolytic device used with the wet condition. The solid electrolyte has a little size variation even if humidity varies and has a low methanol permeability.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a high ion conductive solid electrolyte which uses organic and inorganic complex compound having water absorption and water resistance and to provide an electrochemical system using the high ion conductive solid electrolyte. The high ion conductive solid electrolyte is composed a complex compound including water that has zirconic acid compound and polyvinyl alcohol and compound having carboxyl group or metal salt of the compound having carboxyl group. An aqueous solution in which zirconium salt or oxyzirconnium salt and polyvinyl alcohol and compound having carboxyl group or metal salt of the compound having carboxyl group are dissolved is neutralized by alkali. After removing water used as solvent, unnecessary salts are removed from the neutralized solution. The high ion conductive solid electrolyte is obtained which is composed of the complex compound. Various electrochemical systems are obtained each of which use the high ion conductive solid electrolyte.