Abstract: A fuel cell includes plural gas flow channels, a switching device, and a variable gas flow channel with the function of switching the connection between one gas flow channel and another gas flow channel from series to parallel or from parallel to series.

Abstract: The positive active material for a secondary battery of the present invention is ?-FeOOH containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, P, S, Li, Na, K, Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Pb and Sn which shows a diffraction peak from the (110) plane having a half width Y satisfying 0.3°<Y (2?) when subjected to the X-ray diffractometry with the CuK? ray. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising as a positive active material such low-crystalline ?-FeOOH exhibits an excellent cycle life performance as compared with a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a high-crystalline ?-FeOOH as a positive active material.

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: 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 including a particulate active material having a porous film formed thereon. (2) An electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery including an active material having a filler held in pores. (3) An electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte battery including 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 aspect (1), wherein the porous film is an ionically-conductive film.

Abstract: The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention comprises, e.g., a positive electrode 6, a negative electrode 5, a polymer membrane 1 containing carbon powder or the like, and a separating membrane layer 7 for preventing shortcircuiting. A carbon powder, silicon powder, tin powder or aluminum powder 2 contained in the polymer membrane 1 containing carbon powder or the like absorbs as a lithium-absorbing material metallic lithium powders 3 or metallic lithium dendrite 4 which has been produced from the negative electrode 5 due to charge or discharge and takes no part in charge or discharge. This lithium-absorbing material is less reactive than the metallic lithium powders 3 or metallic lithium dendrite 4 and thus enhances the safety of the battery and controls shortcircuiting between the positive electrode and the negative electrode due to metallic lithium dendrite, making it possible to drastically improve charge and discharge cycle life performance.

Abstract: A fuel cell composed with a plural gas flow channels, a switching device, and a variable gas flow channel with the function of to switch connection between one gas flow channel and another one from series to parallel or from parallel to series.

Abstract: In a process for producing an electrode of a nonaqueous electrolyte battery, an electrode and a polymer paste are prepared. The electrode is made of a metal as a current collector and an active material layer thereon. The polymer paste has a polymer dissolved in a solvent soluble in water. The polymer paste is allowed to be held in the electrode. Thereafter, the solvent is extracted from the polymer paste with an aqueous solution containing an alcohol, phosphorous or phosphorous compound.

Abstract: The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention comprises, e.g., a positive electrode 6, a negative electrode 5, a polymer membrane 1 containing carbon powder or the like, and a separating membrane layer 7 for preventing shortcircuiting. A carbon powder, silicon powder, tin powder or aluminum powder 2 contained in the polymer membrane 1 containing carbon powder or the like absorbs as a lithium-intercalating material lithium powders 3 or dendrite 4 which has been produced from the negative electrode 5 due to charge or discharge and takes no part in charge or discharge. This lithium-intercalating material is less reactive than the lithium powders 3 or dendrite 4 and thus enhances the safety of the battery and controls shortcircuiting between the positive electrode and the negative electrode due to dendrite, making it possible to drastically improve charge and discharge cycle life performance.

Abstract: The following aspects (1) to (4) of the present invention can provide an electrode for a 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 a nonaqueous electrolyte battery according to embodiment (1), wherein said porous film is an ionically-conductive film.

Abstract: The positive active material for a secondary battery of the present invention is &bgr;-FeOOH containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of B, P, S, Li, Na, K, Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Pb and Sn which shows a diffraction peak from the (110) plane having a half width Y satisfying 0.3°<Y (2&thgr;) when subjected to the X-ray diffractometry with the CuK&agr; ray. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising as a positive active material such low-crystalline &bgr;-FeOOH exhibits an excellent cycle life performance as compared with a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising a high-crystalline &bgr;-FeOOH as a positive active material.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for high voltage lithium battery which is represented by general formula LixMn2−yMyO4 LixMn2−yMyO4 (M: a 2-valency metal (Ni, Co, Fe, Mg, Zn), with 0.45≦y≦0.60, 0≦x≦1) having cubic spinel structure of lattice constant within 8.190 angstrom. Such an active material is manufactured by employing sol-gel process wherein one of inorganic salt, hydroxide and organic acid salt of lithium or a mixture of these for Li, one of inorganic salt and organic acid salt of manganese or a mixture of these for Mn, and one of inorganic salt and organic acid salt of the selected metal or a mixture of these for M are used as the starting materials for synthesis, ammonia water is added to the solutions of these starting materials in alcohol or water to obtain gelatinous material and the gelatinous material thus obtained is fired.

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: 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 positive electrode active material for high voltage lithium battery which is represented by general formula LixMn2-yMyO4 LixMn2-yMyO4 (M: a 2-valency metal (Ni, Co, Fe, Mg, Zn), with 0.45≦y≦0.60, 0≦x≦1) having cubic spinel structure of lattice constant within 8.190 angstrom. Such an active material is manufactured by employing sol-gel process wherein one of inorganic salt, hydroxide and organic acid salt of lithium or a mixture of these for Li, one of inorganic salt and organic acid salt of manganese or a mixture of these for Mn, and one of inorganic salt and organic acid salt of the selected metal or a mixture of these for M are used as the starting materials for synthesis, ammonia water is added to the solutions of these starting materials in alcohol or water to obtain gelatinous material and the gelatinous material thus obtained is fired.

Abstract: A positive electrode for a lithium battery wherein nickel oxyhydroxide is held in an electro-conductive three-dimensional porous material or a sintered nickel substrate and a lithium battery using it. When the three-dimensional porous material is used, the electric contact of the active material and the current collector is good, also the contact state of nickel oxyhydroxide particles, which are active materials, each other is good, further, the contact resistance among the particles is low, and also the diffusion of the lithium ion, which is the rate-determining step of the reaction, becomes easy among the particles.

Abstract: A positive active material contains lithium nickel-cobaltate, and its crystal structure is amorphous. The positive active material can further contain phosphorus. The cobalt in the positive active material can be present in a content in the range of 2 to 60 mol % (Co/(Ni+Co)). A lithium battery can contain the positive active material.

Abstract: A nonaqueous polymer cell according to the present invention contains a lithium ion conductive polymer having a porosity in the range of 10% to 80%. In the cell of the present invention, the electrolyte is held not only in the pores of the microporous polymer but also within the polymer itself. Consequently, lithium ions can move not only through the pores of the microporous polymer film but through the polymer itself. The cell of the present invention, which contains a microporous polymer having interconnected pores, shows greatly improved high-rate charge/discharge characteristics especially when the microporous polymer is used in combination with an electrode comprising an active material which expands and contracts upon charge and discharge, because volume changes of the active material cause flows of the electrolyte through the pores of the microporous polymer and the flows carry lithium ions.

Abstract: Lithium compound and nickel oxyhydroxide containing a transition metal (Me) such as V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn and Co are suspended in water or in an organic solvent, and the solution is reacted with each other in an autoclave by a hydrothermal method to thereby synthesize transition metal-containing lithium nickelate.

Abstract: A positive active material for lithium battery, includes a lithium-containing amorphous nickel oxide represented by a chemical composition formula of Li.sub.x NiO.sub.2 ; wherein x is from greater than 0.25 to 2. Preferably, x is from greater than 1 to 2. More preferably, x is from greater than 1.4 to 2. The positive active material may contains cobalt from 2 to 60 mol % {(Co/(Ni+Co)}.

Abstract: An inexpensive positive electrode active material for lithium batteries which comprises lithium manganate having a hexagonal layered structure with space group of R3m and exhibits continuous discharge voltage characteristics between 4.5 V and 2 V for metallic lithium.