Abstract: Provided is a novel palladium catalyst capable of efficiently purifying carbon monoxide (CO) and total hydrocarbons (THC) under a fuel-rich atmosphere even when palladium (Pd) is used as a catalyst active component. Proposed is a palladium monolayer catalyst for an exhaust gas from a saddle-riding-type vehicle, which is an exhaust gas purification catalyst for a saddle-riding-type vehicle to be installed in an exhaust gas passage in an internal combustion engine. The palladium monolayer catalyst includes a substrate, and a catalyst layer that has the form of a monolayer and contains palladium acting as a catalyst active component, an inorganic porous body acting as a catalyst carrier, ceria (CeO2) particles acting as a promoter component, and barium.

Abstract: Provided is a palladium catalyst in which palladium (Pd) is used as a catalyst active component, and particularly a novel palladium catalyst which can purify CO and THC with high efficiency even under a fuel-rich atmosphere having a high space velocity (SV). Proposed is a palladium catalyst having a substrate and a catalyst layer that contains palladium acting as a catalyst active component, an inorganic porous material acting as a catalyst support and ceria (CeO2) particles acting as a promoter component, in which a mass ratio (Pd/CeO2) of a content of the palladium in the catalyst layer to a content of the ceria particles in the catalyst layer is 0.0014 to 0.6000.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy is provided which has an extremely low Co content, and can maintain the drain (power) performance (especially pulse discharge characteristics), activity (degree of activity), and life performance at high levels. The hydrogen storage alloy is manufactured by weighing and mixing every material for the hydrogen storage alloy so as to provide an alloy composition represented by the general formula MmNiaMnbAlcCod or MmNiaMnbAlcCodFee, and controlling the manufacturing method and manufacturing conditions so that both the a-axis length and the c-axis length of the crystal lattice are in a predetermined range. Although it is sufficient if the a-axis length of the crystal lattice is 499 pm or more and the c-axis length is 405 pm or more, by further specifying the a-axis length and c-axis length depending on the values of ABx, a hydrogen storage alloy having high durability can be provided.

Abstract: Provided is a palladium catalyst in which palladium (Pd) is used as a catalyst active component, and particularly a novel palladium catalyst which can purify CO and THC with high efficiency even under a fuel-rich atmosphere having a high space velocity (SV). Proposed is a palladium catalyst having a substrate and a catalyst layer that contains palladium acting as a catalyst active component, an inorganic porous material acting as a catalyst support and ceria (CeO2) particles acting as a promoter component, in which a mass ratio (Pd/CeO2) of a content of the palladium in the catalyst layer to a content of the ceria particles in the catalyst layer is 0.0014 to 0.6000.

Abstract: Provided is a novel palladium catalyst capable of efficiently purifying carbon monoxide (CO) and total hydrocarbons (THC) under a fuel-rich atmosphere even when palladium (Pd) is used as a catalyst active component. Proposed is a palladium monolayer catalyst for an exhaust gas from a saddle-riding-type vehicle, which is an exhaust gas purification catalyst for a saddle-riding-type vehicle to be installed in an exhaust gas passage in an internal combustion engine. The palladium monolayer catalyst includes a substrate, and a catalyst layer that has the form of a monolayer and contains palladium acting as a catalyst active component, an inorganic porous body acting as a catalyst carrier, ceria (CeO2) particles acting as a promoter component, and barium.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy is provided which has an extremely low Co content, and can maintain the drain (power) performance (especially pulse discharge characteristics), activity (degree of activity), and life performance at high levels. The hydrogen storage alloy is manufactured by weighing and mixing every material for the hydrogen storage alloy so as to provide an alloy composition represented by the general formula MmNiaMnbAlcCod or MmNiaMnbAlcCodFee, and controlling the manufacturing method and manufacturing conditions so that both the a-axis length and the c-axis length of the crystal lattice are in a predetermined range. Although it is sufficient if the a-axis length of the crystal lattice is 499 pm or more and the c-axis length is 405 pm or more, by further specifying the a-axis length and c-axis length depending on the values of ABx, a hydrogen storage alloy having high durability can be provided.

Abstract: A negative electrode 10 for a nonaqueous secondary battery has an active material layer 12 containing active material particles 12a. The particles 12a are coated at least partially with a metallic material 13 having low capability of lithium compound formation. The active material layer 12 has voids located between the metallic material-coated particles 12a with a void fraction of 15% to 45%. The metallic material 13 on the surface of the particles is preferably present throughout the thickness of the active material layer. The active material particles 12a are preferably of a silicon-based material. The active material layer 12 preferably contains 1% to 3% by weight of an electroconductive carbon material based on the weight of the active material particles 12a.

Abstract: A negative electrode 10 for a nonaqueous secondary battery, has an active material layer 2 containing active material particles 2a. The active material layer 2 has a metallic material 4 deposited among the particles by electroplating. The negative electrode 10 has a large number of holes 5 open on at least one side thereof and extending through the thickness of the active material layer. The negative electrode 10 further has a pair of current collecting layers 3a and 3b adapted to be brought into contact with an electrolyte. The active material layer 2 is between the current collecting layers 3a and 3b. The holes 5 open on the negative electrode 10 preferably have an opening area ratio of 0.3% to 30%. At least one of the pair of the current collecting layers 3a and 3b preferably has a thickness of 0.3 to 10 ?m.

Abstract: A negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell includes a current collector an, formed on a surface or both surfaces thereof, an active material structure containing an electroconductive material with a low capability of forming a compound with lithium, and the active material structure includes 5% to 80% by weight of active material particles containing a material having a high capability for forming a compound with lithium. The active material structure can include an active material layer containing the active material particles and a surface-covering layer on the active material layer.

Abstract: A negative electrode 1 for nonaqueous secondary batteries characterized by having an active material layer 5 and a metallic lithium layer 3 both between a pair of current collecting surface layers 4. The negative electrode 1 has two negative electrode precursors 2 each composed of the current collecting surface layer 4 and the active material layer 5 on one side of the surface layer 4. The two negative electrode precursors 2 are united with their active material layers 5 facing each other and with the metallic lithium layer 3 sandwiched therebetween. A metallic material having low capability of forming a lithium compound penetrates through the whole thickness of the active material layer 5.

Abstract: A negative electrode (10) for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises an active material layer (12) containing a particle (12a) of an active material. At least a part of the surface of the particle (12a) is coated with a metal material (13) having a poor ability of forming a lithium compound. A void is formed between the particles (12a) that are coated with the metal material (13). The active material layer has a void ratio of 15 to 45%. Preferably, the metal material (13) is present over the entire area of such a part of the surface of the particle that extends in the thickness-wise direction of the active material layer. Also preferably, the particle (12a) of the active material is composed of a silicone material, and the active material layer (12) contains a conductive carbon material in an amount of 1 to 3% by weight relative to the weight amount of the particle (12a) of the active material.

Abstract: An electrode (10) characterized by an output terminal (9) being led out from the surface of a part where an active substance layer (3) exists when viewed from the thickness direction of the electrode. Active substance contained in the active substance layer (3) preferably comprises a material having a low electron conductivity. The electrode (10) preferably comprises a pair of current collecting surface layers (4) having a surface touching electrolyte, and at least one active substance layer (3) containing particles (2) of an active substance having a high lithium compound forming power and interposed between the surface layers (4). In the active substance layer (3), a metal material having a low lithium compound forming power permeates between the particles of active substance and the opposite sides are conducting electrically. The entire electrode preferably has a current collecting function as a whole.

Abstract: A negative electrode 10 for a nonaqueous secondary battery has an active material layer 12 containing active material particles 12a. The particles 12a are coated at least partially with a coat of a metallic material 13 having low capability of lithium compound formation. The active material layer 12 has voids formed between the metallic material-coated particles 12a. When the active material layer 12 is imaginarily divided into equal halves in its thickness direction, the amount of the metallic material 13 is smaller in the half closer to the negative electrode surface than in the other half farther from the negative electrode surface. The weight ratio of [the particles/the metallic material] in the half closer to the negative electrode surface is preferably higher than that in the other half farther from the negative electrode surface.

Abstract: A process of producing a nonaqueous secondary battery comprising the steps of disposing a separator between a member containing a silicon-based material and a positive electrode, together with interposing a metallic lithium layer between the separator and the member to obtain an assembly, and aging the resulting assembly for a prescribed period of time to alloy lithium with the silicon-based material. Lithium alloying is preferably performed to a degree such that the amount of lithium in the silicon-based material is 5% to 50% based on the theoretical initial charge capacity of silicon. When the positive electrode has a lithium-containing active material for positive electrode, lithium alloying is preferably performed to a degree satisfying formula (1): 4.

Abstract: An anode for a nonaqueous secondary battery comprising a current collector having formed thereon a first covering layer containing tin, a tin alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy and a second covering layer containing a metal having low capability of forming a lithium compound in that order. The anode may have an additional first covering layer formed on the second covering layer. A covering layer containing a copper etc. may be formed as an uppermost layer. Each layer can be formed by heat treating to get desired property. As heat treatment can be done in a short time, it has a great cost merit.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy is provided which, when used in a battery, has high drain (power) performance and charge acceptance that are excellent, and in addition, cracks are few, and cycle life performance are excellent, to be used in large batteries, in particular for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, high-power use, and the like. The hydrogen storage alloy is a hydrogen storage alloy having phase conversion accompanying the variation of hydrogen storage capacity (H/M) and is in a single phase or in a state close to a single phase when the above-mentioned hydrogen storage capacity (H/M) is in a range of 0.3 to 0.7 or 0.4 to 0.6.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy is provided which has an extremely low Co content, and can maintain the drain (power) performance (especially pulse discharge characteristics), activity (degree of activity), and life performance at high levels. The hydrogen storage alloy is manufactured by weighing and mixing every material for the hydrogen storage alloy so as to provide an alloy composition represented by the general formula MmNiaMnbAlcCod or MmNiaMnbAlcCodFee, and controlling the manufacturing method and manufacturing conditions so that both the a-axis length and the c-axis length of the crystal lattice are in a predetermined range. Although it is sufficient if the a-axis length of the crystal lattice is 499 pm or more and the c-axis length is 405 pm or more, by further specifying the a-axis length and c-axis length depending on the values of ABx, a hydrogen storage alloy having high durability can be provided.

Abstract: The positive or negative electrode of a secondary battery has a first and a second surface that are electro-conductive and adapted to be brought into contact with an electrolyte. The electrode has an active material layer containing active material particles between the first and second surfaces. The electrode has a large number of microvoids open on the first and second surfaces and leading to the active material layer. A current collecting surface layer preferably has a thickness of 0.3. to 20 ?m. The active material layer is preferably formed by applying an electro-conductive slurry containing the active material particles. The current collecting surface layer is preferably formed by electroplating.

Abstract: A negative electrode for nonaqueous secondary batteries is disclosed. The negative electrode has a pair of current collecting surface layers of which the surfaces are adapted to be brought into contact with an electrolyte and at least one active material layer interposed between the surface layers. The active material layer contains particles of an active material having high capability of forming a lithium compound. The material constituting the surfaces is preferably present over the whole thickness of the active material layer to electrically connect the surfaces so that the electrode exhibits a current collecting function as a whole. The surface layers each preferably have a thickness of 0.3 to 10 ?m.

Abstract: The invention provides an electrode as a cathode or an anode of a secondary battery. The electrode has a first and a second surface that are electrically conductive and adapted to be brought into contact with an electrolytic solution. The electrode has an active material layer containing active material particles between the first and second surfaces. The electrode has a large number of microvoids open on the first and second surfaces and leading to the active material layer.