Abstract: To provide a lithium secondary battery capable of suppressing short circuits and having high energy density and high output. An electrolyte medium for a lithium secondary battery includes a low dielectric constant solvent, a lithium salt, and a polyvalent cation salt. The polyvalent cation salt is dispersed as particles in the electrolyte medium and can flow without being immobilized. The electrolyte medium includes 20 mass % or less of a high dielectric constant solvent. A lithium secondary battery including the electrolyte medium for a lithium secondary battery can suppress short circuits and provide high energy density and high output.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a nitride phosphor. The method includes obtaining a first heat-treated product having a crystallite diameter of not less than 150 nm by subjecting a compound containing at least one rare-earth element selected from the group consisting of Y, La, Ce, Lu, and Gd to heat treatment at a temperature within a range of 800° C. to 1800° C.; and obtaining a second heat-treated product by subjecting a mixture containing the first heat-treated product and a raw material contained as required to heat treatment at a temperature within a range of 1200° C. to 1800° C. The raw material contains an M source containing at least one rare-earth element M selected from the group consisting of Y, Lu, and Gd; an La source; an Si source; and a Ce source. The mixture is prepared with the raw materials such that a fed composition is represented by a Formula of LawMxSi6Ny:Cez. In this Formula, w, x, y, and z satisfy 0.5?w?4.5, 0<x?1.5, 0?y?12, 0<z?1.5, 0.15<(x+z)<3.0, and 3.0?(w+x+z)?7.5.

Abstract: A lithium (Li) secondary battery having a Li buffer layer compressed between a Li metal anode and an electrolyte of the battery cell and a porous structure positioned between the Li metal anode and a current collector of the battery cell. The Li buffer layer is effective in preventing uncontrollable dendrite growth. The porous structure layer is effective in guiding the location of the Li deposition, thereby reducing the volume changes of the Li anode during the charge and discharge cycles of the lithium secondary battery.

Abstract: To provide a lithium secondary battery capable of suppressing short circuits and having high energy density and high output. An electrolyte medium for a lithium secondary battery includes a low dielectric constant solvent, a lithium salt, and a polyvalent cation salt. The polyvalent cation salt is dispersed as particles in the electrolyte medium and can flow without being immobilized. The electrolyte medium includes 20 mass % or less of a high dielectric constant solvent. A lithium secondary battery including the electrolyte medium for a lithium secondary battery can suppress short circuits and provide high energy density and high output.

Abstract: Provided are a ceramic complex having high light emission intensity and a method for producing the same. Proposed is a ceramic complex, including a rare earth aluminate fluorescent material having a composition represented by the following formula (I) and an aluminum oxide, wherein the content of the aluminum oxide is 70% by mass or more, the content of Na is 7 ppm by mass or less, the content of Si is 5 ppm by mass or less, the content of Fe is 3 ppm by mass or less, and the content of Ga is 5 pm by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the rare earth aluminate fluorescent material having a composition represented by the following formula (I) and the aluminum oxide. (Ln1-aCea)3Al5O12 ??(I) wherein Ln represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Gd, Lu, and Tb; and a satisfies 0<a?0.022.

Abstract: A method for producing a rare earth aluminate fluorescent material includes: subjecting a compound containing Ln that is at least one rare earth element to a first heat treatment at a temperature in a range of 1,000° C. or more and 1,600° C. or less; preparing a raw material containing an oxide containing Ln having a crystallite diameter of 1,500 ? or more obtained through the first heat treatment, a compound containing Ce, a compound containing Al, and optionally a compound containing Ga, having a chemical composition having a total molar ratio of Ln and Ce of 3, a total molar ratio of Al and Ga of a product of 5 and a parameter k of 0.95 or more and 1.05 or less, a molar ratio of Ce of a product of 3 and a parameter n of 0.005 or more and 0.050 or less, and a molar ratio of Ga of a product of a parameter m of 0 or more and 0.6 or less, the parameter k, and 5, and providing a mixture containing the raw material and a compound containing an alkaline earth metal element as a flux in an amount of 2.

Abstract: Provided are a ceramic complex having high light emission intensity and a method for producing the same. Proposed is a ceramic complex, including a rare earth aluminate fluorescent material having a composition represented by the following formula (I) and an aluminum oxide, wherein the content of the aluminum oxide is 70% by mass or more, the content of Na is 7 ppm by mass or less, the content of Si is 5 ppm by mass or less, the content of Fe is 3 ppm by mass or less, and the content of Ga is 5 pm by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the rare earth aluminate fluorescent material having a composition represented by the following formula (I) and the aluminum oxide. (Lni-aCea)3Al5O12 ??(I) wherein Ln represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Gd, Lu, and Tb; and a satisfies 0<a?0.022.

Abstract: To provide an electrolyte and a magnesium secondary battery that can embody a magnesium secondary battery having room-temperature operability and satisfactory cyclability. An electrolyte 13 including an organic solvent, magnesium salt and cyclic acid anhydride is provided. Cyclic acid anhydride is preferably contained at a concentration at least equimolar to magnesium salt, and is further preferably contained at a molar concentration 1.0 to 3.0 times that of magnesium salt. Further, a magnesium secondary battery 1 including these electrolyte 13 and a negative electrode 12 containing magnesium or magnesium alloy is provided.

Abstract: A variable damping-force damper includes a cylinder tube filled with magnetic particles (MRF), a piston that is slidably disposed within the cylinder tube, a piston rod connected with the piston and is disposed so as to protrude out of one end of the cylinder tube and a rod guide that closes one end of the cylinder tube and slidably supports the piston rod. The cylinder tube has a Ni plating film whose Vickers hardness is 800 VHN or more on its inner peripheral surface and the piston slides relative to the Ni plating film. The rod guide has a structure having a predetermined base material portion and a fluorine resin contained Ni plating film that is treated by heat and is provided on the surface of the base material portion. The piston rod slides relative to the fluorine resin contained Ni plating film.

Abstract: A variable damping-force damper includes a cylinder tube filled with magnetic particles (MRF), a piston that is slidably disposed within the cylinder tube, a piston rod connected with the piston and is disposed so as to protrude out of one end of the cylinder tube and a rod guide that closes one end of the cylinder tube and slidably supports the piston rod. The cylinder tube has a Ni plating film whose Vickers hardness is 800 VHN or more on its inner peripheral surface and the piston slides relative to the Ni plating film. The rod guide has a structure having a predetermined base material portion and a fluorine resin contained Ni plating film that is treated by heat and is provided on the surface of the base material portion. The piston rod slides relative to the fluorine resin contained Ni plating film.

Abstract: A fuel tank structure for a vehicle using gaseous fuel, has a plurality of cylindrical tank main bodies communicating from one another. The plurality of cylindrical tank main bodies are disposed at a fuel tank mount portion in a state of being adjoined from one another.

Abstract: A natural gas engine capable of exhaust emission control over the entire temperature range and at low costs without requiring a complicated structure. An adsorbent (7) is disposed between a fuel tank (4) and a fuel supply port (5) on a suction air passage (2), and NMOG in the fuel gas supplied to the fuel tank (4) is adsorbed by the adsorbent (7) to purify the fuel gas in advance. When the temperature of a catalyst (11) disposed on an exhaust passage (3) reaches an activation temperature, the adsorbent (7) is heated by a heater (9) to a desorption temperature to desorb NMOG from the adsorbent (7) and purify the NMOG by the catalyst (11).

Abstract: An adsorbent for HC in an exhaust gas is an agglomerate of double-structure particles, each of which includes an HC-adsorbing zeolite core, and a ceramic coat wrapping the zeolite core and having a plurality of through-pores communicating with a plurality of pores in the zeolite core. Each of the double-structure particles is at least one of a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a single zeolite particle, and a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a plurality of zeolite particles. Each of the through-pores in the ceramic coat has such a shape that the HC is easy to flow into the through-pore and difficult to flow out of the through-pore.

Abstract: A fuel tank structure for a vehicle using gaseous fuel, has a plurality of cylindrical tank main bodies communicating from one another. The plurality of cylindrical tank main bodies are disposed at a fuel tank mount portion in a state of being adjoined from one another.

Abstract: A natural gas engine capable of exhaust emission control over the entire temperature range and at low costs without requiring a complicated structure. An adsorbent (7) is disposed between a fuel tank (4) and a fuel supply port (5) on a suction air passage (2), and NMOG in the fuel gas supplied to the fuel tank (4) is adsorbed by the adsorbent (7) to purify the fuel gas in advance. When the temperature of a catalyst (11) disposed on an exhaust passage (3) reaches an activation temperature, the adsorbent (7) is heated by a heater (9) to a desorption temperature to desorb NMOG from the adsorbent (7) and purify the NMOG by the catalyst (11).

Abstract: An adsorbent for HC in an exhaust gas is an agglomerate of double-structure particles, each of which includes an HC-adsorbing zeolite core, and a ceramic coat wrapping the zeolite core and having a plurality of through-pores communicating with a plurality of pores in the zeolite core. Each of the double-structure particles is at least one of a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a single zeolite particle, and a double-structure particle including the zeolite core comprising a plurality of zeolite particles. Each of the through-pores in the ceramic coat has such a shape that the HC is easy to flow into the through-pore and difficult to flow out of the through-pore.

Abstract: A granular active carbon for natural-gas occlusion is disclosed which can occlude natural gas at a relatively low pressure and has a high natural-gas occlusion capacity. The granular active carbon for natural-gas occlusion has first and second pores for the occlusion of constituent gas molecules of natural gas. The first pores each has a diameter d1, satisfying 2d<d1≦2.5d, while the second pores each has a diameter d2 satisfying 5d<d2≦6d, wherein d is the diameter of the constituent gas molecules.

Abstract: First, second and third fuel tanks 38a, 38b and 38c each packed with adsorbent 39 can be shaped to any desired forms and are installed within space regions 36a, 36b and 36c that are defined by two longitudinal frame beams 26 and 28 and four transverse frame beams 30b, 30c, 30d and 30e. These arrangements provide a space saving mounting structure of fuel tanks on automobiles fueled with natural gas.