Abstract: A gel electrolyte secondary cell includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a gel electrolyte. The negative electrode includes a current collector, and a mixture of powders of a graphite carbonaceous material and a binder. The powders of the graphite carbonaceous material include sintered meso-carbon micro-beads. The gel electrolyte includes an electrolyte salt, a non-aqueous solvent and a high-molecular weight material. The non-aqueous solvent includes propylene carbonate and ethylene carbonate. A content of propylene carbonate ranges from 35 mol % to 75 mol %. The binder is in an amount 1 to 20 wt % based on total weight of the powders of the graphite carbonaceous material. The meso-carbon micro-beads can suitably decrease the impedance and the discharge capacity loss, thereby increasing the discharging capacity and/or charging/discharging efficiency of the gel electrolyte secondary cell.

Abstract: A gel electrolyte secondary cell in which discharge capacity loss can be suppressed even with the use of a graphitized carbonaceous material of a small particle size as a negative electrode material to assure low impedance, superior cell voltage and load characteristics and high charging/discharging efficiency. To this end, a graphitized carbonaceous material prepared by firing meso-carbon micro-beads is used as a material for a negative electrode.

Abstract: Electronic devices are intended to be small-sized and lightweight. A fuel cell 54 is provided for a power supply adapter 3. Power generated by the fuel cell 54 can be supplied to an electronic device 2. Accordingly, the electronic device 2 can be made more compact and lightweight than a conventional electronic device mounted with a fuel cell as a power supply source.

Abstract: An electrolyte with high ion conductivity, a process for producing the same and a battery using the same, and a compound for the electrolyte. The electrolyte is set between a negative electrode and a positive electrode. The electrolyte includes a first polymer compound, a second polymer compound and light metal salt. The first polymer compound has a three-dimensional network structure formed by bridging bridgeable compounds with the bridge groups, which contributes to the high mechanical intensity of the electrolyte. The second polymer compound has no bridge groups and dissolves light metal salt. Each of the first and the second polymer compounds has an ether bond. The first and the second polymer compounds form a semi-interpenetrating polymer network, and achieve higher ion conductivity than that of each polymer compound.

Abstract: A battery with a high capacity and superior cycle characteristics, and an anode active material used for it are provided. An anode active material contains tin as a first element, a second element, and a third element. The second element is at least one from the group consisting of boron, carbon, aluminum, and phosphorus, and the third element is at least one from the group consisting of silicon, magnesium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, silver, indium, cerium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, and bismuth. The content of the second element in the anode active material is from 9.8 wt % to 49 wt %.

Abstract: A battery with a high capacity and superior cycle characteristics, and an anode active material used for it are provided. An anode active material contains tin as a first element, a second element, and a third element. The second element is at least one from the group consisting of boron, carbon, aluminum, and phosphorus, and the third element is at least one from the group consisting of silicon, magnesium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, silver, indium, cerium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, and bismuth. The content of the second element in the anode active material is from 9.8 wt % to 49 wt %.

Abstract: Electronic devices are intended to be small-sized and lightweight. A fuel cell 54 is provided for a power supply adapter 3. Power generated by the fuel cell 54 can be supplied to an electronic device 2. Accordingly, the electronic device 2 can be made more compact and lightweight than a conventional electronic device mounted with a fuel cell as a power supply source.

Abstract: An electrolyte with high ion conductivity, a process for producing the same and a battery using the same, and a compound for the electrolyte. The electrolyte is set between a negative electrode and a positive electrode. The electrolyte includes a first polymer compound, a second polymer compound and light metal salt. The first polymer compound has a three-dimensional network structure formed by bridging bridgeable compounds with the bridge groups, which contributes to the high mechanical intensity of the electrolyte. The second polymer compound has no bridge groups and dissolves light metal salt. Each of the first and the second polymer compounds has an ether bond. The first and the second polymer compounds form a semi-interpenetrating polymer network, and achieve higher ion conductivity than that of each polymer compound.

Abstract: A carbonaceous electrode having improved capacities for doping and dedoping of a cell active substance, such as lithium, and suitable for a non-aqueous solvent secondary battery, is constituted by a carbonaceous material having a true density as measured by a butanol substitution method of at most 1.46 g/cm3, a true density as measured by a helium substitution method of at least 1.7 g/cm3, a hydrogen-to-carbon atomic ratio H/C of at most 0.15 as measured according to elementary analysis, a BET specific surface area of at most 50 m2/g as measured by nitrogen adsorption BET method, and a carbon dioxide adsorption capacity of at least 10 ml/g. The carbonaceous material is advantageously produced by carbonizing an organic material originated from bamboo genera of family Gramineae, particularly genus Pleioblastus or Bambusa, at 1000-1400° C. under a reduced pressure or under a flowing inert gas stream to provide an appropriate porous structure.

Abstract: A lithium cell, having positive and negative electrodes capable of occluding and releasing lithium and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The cell of the present invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a gelated electrolyte composed of a polyacrylonitrile containing high molecular material, a &ggr;-caprolactone containing non-aqueous solvent and an electrolyte salt mainly comprised of LiPF6, with the content of &ggr;-caprolactone in the gelated electrolyte being 30 mol % or less. With the gelated electrolyte composed of the polyacrylonitrile containing high molecular material, non-aqueous solvent and the electrolyte salt mainly composed of LiPF6, a carbide film is formed on the electrode surface, on contact with the flame, as a result of the carbonization of the high molecular material and the carbonization accelerating operation of LiPF6. This carbide film inhibits inflammation for realizing superior combustion retardant properties.

Abstract: A gel electrolyte secondary cell in which discharge capacity loss can be suppressed even with the use of a graphitized carbonaceous material of a small particle size as a negative electrode material to assure low impedance, superior cell voltage and load characteristics and high charging/discharging efficiency. To this end, a graphitized carbonaceous material prepared by firing meso-carbon micro-beads is used as a material for a negative electrode 9.

Abstract: A non-aqueous liquid electrolyte secondary cell employs a vanadium-containing lithium cobalt composite oxide Li.sub.x V.sub.y Co.sub.1-y O.sub.2, where 1.00.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1.10 and 0.01.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.04, is employed as an active material for the positive electrode. Since the vanadium-containing lithium cobalt composite oxide is highly developed in its laminar crystal structure and has a larger grain size, the non-aqueous liquid crystal secondary cell is produced which is high in electrode bulk density and superior in storage characteristics by employing the vanadium-containing lithium cobalt composite oxide as the active material for the positive electrode.