Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte including at least one ionically conducting salt, especially a lithium salt, a non-aqueous, anhydrous solvent for the ionically conductive salt, and at least one oxide in a particulate form, said oxide being selected such that it is not soluble in said solvent and such that it is water-free. The electrolyte can be used in a primary or secondary lithium battery, in a supercapacitor, in an electro-chromic display or in a solar cell.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of materials comprises the steps of: a) taking a first material comprising a compound of a first metal or of a first metal alloy, b) inserting said first material into an electrochemical cell as a first electrode, the electrochemical cell including a second electrode including a second metal different from a metal incorporated in the first material and an electrolyte adapted to transport the second metal to the first electrode and insert it into the first material by a current flowing in an external circuit resulting in the formation of a compound of the second metal in the first electrode material, the method being characterized by the step of treating the first electrode material after formation of the compound of the second metal to chemically remove at least some of the compound of the second metal to leave a material with a nanoporous structure.

Abstract: A method for driving an electronically controlled lighting means operating device, by evaluating an output signal of a motion sensor which is connected to a supply voltage and outputs the supply voltage as an output signal as a function of the detection of a motion, and setting the electronically controlled lighting means operating device to one of a plurality of predetermined dimming levels as a function of an output signal of the motion sensor. At least one of the predetermined dimming levels is programmed or the output signal of the motion sensor is detected at a control input of a digital interface of the operating device.

Abstract: A material in particular for use in electrochemical cells or supercapacitors comprises a poorly conducting active material of relatively low conductivity having regular or irregular passages having average cross-sectional dimensions generally in the size range from 5 ?m to 200 nm and interconnected mesopores having average cross-sectional dimensions in the size range from 2 to 50 nm. The active material is covered with a network of an electronically conductive metal oxide of relatively high conductivity extending into said mesopores. Also claimed is a method of manufacturing such a material.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte is disclosed. Exemplary embodiments include at least one ionically conducting salt, especially a lithium salt, a non-aqueous, anhydrous solvent for the ionically conductive salt, the solvent being selected to achieve a degree of dissociation of the ionically conductive salt in the non-aqueous solvent, at least one oxide in a particulate form, the oxide being selected such that it is not soluble in the solvent and such that it is water-free. The electrolyte can be used in a primary or secondary lithium battery, in a supercapacitor, in an electro-chromic display or in a solar cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a water treatment device for a passenger aircraft including a water inlet port, a water outlet port, a pipe for connecting the water inlet port to the water outlet port, a filtration device located in the pipe and an electronic control device, wherein the electronic control device is adapted to monitor at least one parameter associated with the status of the filtration device: volume of water flowing through the filtration device on the basis of a corresponding measuring signal; time period after a filter exchange in the filtration device; and/or pressure loss over the filtration device on the basis of a corresponding measuring signal; and, if the monitored parameter fulfils certain criteria, to determine a filter exchange request and to output a filter exchange signal.

Abstract: An extremely high-performance polyaniline electrode was prepared by potentiostatic deposition of aniline on hierarchically porous carbon monolith (HPCM), which was carbonized from mesophase pitch. A capacitance value of 2200 F g?1 of polyaniline was obtained at a power density of 0.47 kW kg?1 and an energy density of 300 Wh kg?1. This active material deposited on HPCM also has an advantageous high stability. These superior advantages can be attributed to the backbone role of HPCM. This method also has the advantages of not introducing any binder, thus contributing to the increase of ionic conductivity and power density. High specific capacitance, high power and energy density, high stability, and low cost of active material make it very promising for supercapacitors.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a porous electrically conductive carbon material having interconnected pores in first and second size ranges from 10 ?m to 100 nm and from less than 100 nm to 3 nm and a graphene structure and to diverse uses of the material such as an electrode in a lithium-ion battery and a catalyst support, e.g. for the oxidation of methanol in a fuel cell. The carbon material has been heat treated to effect conversion to non-graphitic carbon with the required degree of order at a temperature in the range from 600° C. to 1000° C. A lithium-ion battery and an electrode for a lithium-ion battery are also claimed.

Abstract: Hydrolytically and thermo-oxidatively stable sulfonated polyarylenes include the structural element —X—Ar(SO3M)n-Y—. The aromatic ring carrying the sulfonic acid group is substituted exclusively by electron-acceptor bridge groups X and Y and, if applicable, by other non-electron-donor substituents. Their synthesis and application are also included.

Abstract: The description relates to the use of at least one transition metal halide with a binder, e.g. at least one of PVDF, PTFE, PAN and ETDM and optionally with at least one conductive additive such as carbon black, graphite, metal powder and metal fibres as an electrode in an Li-based electrochemical energy storage device. Further electrode materials are also described based on ruthenium oxide, molybdenum oxide, a nano-composite composed of transition metal and lithium fluoride or lithium oxide clusters with a typical grain size of 1-10 mm.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte is disclosed. Exemplary embodiments include at least one ionically conducting salt, especially a lithium salt, a non-aqueous, anhydrous solvent for the ionically conductive salt, the solvent being selected to achieve a degree of dissociation of the ionically conductive salt in the non-aqueous solvent, at least one oxide in a particulate form, the oxide being selected such that it is not soluble in the solvent and such that it is water-free. The electrolyte can be used in a primary or secondary lithium battery, in a supercapacitor, in an electro-chromic display or in a solar cell.

Abstract: Proton conductors comprising from 1 to 99% by weight of an acid and from 99 to 1% by weight of a nonaqueous amphoteric material which are thermally stable from −50° C. to 400° C. and have a proton conductivity of ≧10−5 S/cm. The invention further relates to membranes comprising the proton conductors of the invention, processes for preparing the membranes and their use in electrochromic cells, secondary batteries and electrochromic displays.

Abstract: The invention relates to a a reference electrode for electrolytic cells, comprising a combination of (a) titanium dioxide and an alkali-metal or alkaline-earth-metal titanate or (b) tin dioxide and an alkali-metal or alkaline-earth-metal stannate as a homogeneous mixture.

Abstract: Polycrystalline high-T.sub.c superconductors of the formula M.sub.m E.sub.e RO.sub.x, which contain grains which are crystallographically aligned to the greatest possible extent, where M is at least one trivalent element such as a lanthanide element, E is at least one divalent element such as an alkaline earth element and R is at least one transition metal such as Cu, and x denotes the proportion of oxygen, are obtained by substituting a part of the alkaline earth element by a foreign element, preferably an alkali-metal element, which is no longer present in the product after the reaction sintering and sintering except for contents in the ppm to parts per thousand range and brings about the orientation effect. This produces a material which contains a slight deficit of E and optionally M, has an unaltered critical temperature and is substantially more resistant to external agents than equivalent known materials. A post-treatment in a stream of air or oxygen is unnecessary.