Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery comprising at least a cathode, a separator, an anode, and an electrolyte or electrolyte solution integrated in a battery housing, is characterized by a cathode constituted of a specific powdery cathode active material having a large specific surface area and a primary particle size of 0.5 &mgr;m or less. The cathode active material is obtained by mixing a salt of a transition metal in and dissolving the salt in an aqueous solution containing at least a water-soluble polymer material to obtain an intermediate, and baking the intermediate to form said powdery cathode active material for use as the cathode active material of said cathode.

Abstract: An electrode material for a rechargeable lithium battery, characterized in that said electrode material comprises a fine powder of a silicon-based material whose principal component is silicon element, said fine powder having an average particle size (R) in a range of 0.1 &mgr;m≦R<0.5 &mgr;m. An electrode structural body for a rechargeable lithium battery, having an electrode material layer comprising said silicon-based material fine powder. A rechargeable lithium battery whose anode comprising said electrode structural body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a powder material comprising a compound which electrochemically intercalates and deintercalates a lithium ion, wherein the powder material is comprised mainly of a compound containing at least an oxygen element, a sulfur element and at least one transition metal element.

Abstract: A chlorine-containing resin composition for covering an electric wire of the present invention, has a heat stability of not less than 240 minutes and a volume resistivity of 5.0×1013 to 1.

Abstract: A highly reliable rechargeable battery comprising an anode, a separator, a cathode, an electrolyte or an electrolyte solution, and a housing, characterized in that said anode is structured to have a size which is greater than that of said cathode. The rechargeable battery provides an increased energy density and has a prolonged charging and discharging cycle life, in which a dendrite causing a reduction in the battery performance, which is generated upon operating charging in the conventional rechargeable battery, is effectively prevented from generating or from growing in the case where it should be generated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a safe immortalized bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell obtained by transferring a cell proliferation factor gene inserted between a pair of site-specific recombination sequences to a bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising at least a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte, and utilizing oxidizing and reducing reactions of lithium ions for charging and discharging, wherein an electrode having an active material which has at least an amorphous phase and a half value width not smaller than 0.48 degrees of a peak having a highest diffraction intensity at 2&thgr; on an X-ray diffractometric chart traced at a diffraction intensity at an X-ray diffraction angle of 2&thgr;, and is made of a material which has an amorphous phase and contains at least one element selected from among cobalt, nickel, manganese and iron is used as the negative electrode and/or the positive electrode.

Abstract: A secondary cell having a long cycle lifetime and a superior charge and discharge performance is provided with an electrode having a collector having a metal matrix 301 having micropores 302 with an average diameter not larger than 3 microns. The micropores 302 is formed by utilizing reduction reaction of a metal.

Abstract: A catalyst for reacting hydrocarbon with steam according to the present invention, has a specific surface area of 40 to 300 m2/g, and comprises:

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising at least a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte, and utilizing oxidizing and reducing reactions of lithium ions for charging and discharging, wherein an electrode having an active material which has at least an amorphous phase and a half value width not smaller than 0.48 degrees of a peak having a highest diffraction intensity at 2&thgr; on an X-ray diffractometric chart traced at a diffraction intensity at an X-ray diffraction angle of 2&thgr;, and is made of a material which has an amorphous phase and contains at least one element selected from among cobalt, nickel, manganese and iron is used as the negative electrode and/or the positive electrode.

Abstract: A chlorine-containing resin composition for covering an electric wire of the present invention, has a heat stability of not less than 240 minutes and a volume resistivity of 5.0×1013 to 1.0×1016 &OHgr;·cm when measured according to JIS K6723, and comprises: 100 parts by weight of a chlorine-containing resin, and 1.5 to 10 parts by weight of Mg—Al-based hydrotalcite-type particles having a composition represented by the formula: [MgxCay]·Alz·(OH)2·An−p·mH2O  wherein 0.2≦z/(x+z)≦0.6; 0.01≦y/(x+z)≦0.20; x+y+z=1; p=(2(x+y−1)+3z)/n; A is a n-valent anion; and m is more than 0 and not more than 0.75, having a plate surface diameter of 0.1 to 1.0 &mgr;m and a thickness of 0.02 to 0.08 &mgr;m, and containing calcium at a molar ratio of Ca to a sum of Mg and Al of 0.01:1 to 0.

Abstract: In Lithium secondary cells, alkali secondary cells and bromine-zinc secondary batteries capable of retarding the growth of a dendrite, which would occur at the time of charging thereof and result in performance degradation, and having high energy densities and long cycle lives, a method for forming a material of a negative electrode of such a secondary cell or battery and a method for handling the material of the negative electrode are provided. The secondary cell or battery is provided with positive and negative electrodes separated from each other by a separator in an electrolyte contained in a case. The negative electrode is made of metallic powder alloyed with at least an amphoteric metal which reacts with both of an acid and an alkali.

Abstract: An electrode structural body comprising a plate-like shaped collector having opposite surfaces and an electrode material layer formed an at least one of said opposite surfaces of said collector, wherein said electrode material layer contains 35% by weight or more of a grained host matrix material of 5 to 60 in average particle size. A rechargeable battery provided with said electrode structural body as an electrode thereof.

Abstract: The Mg—Al-based hydrotalcite-type particles according to the present invention have a plate surface diameter as large as from 0.1 to less than 1.0 &mgr;m, an adequate thickness ranging from 0.02 to 0.08 &mgr;m and a heat-resisting time of not less than 160 minutes when measured by a specific method, and are, therefore, suitable as a stabilizer for chlorine-containing resins.

Abstract: Hepatocyte cells that are reversibly immortalized and grown in culture, which are functional and safe for use in transplantation, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for immortalizing primary hepatocytes, expanding the population of immortalized hepatocytes in culture, then reversing the immortalization to produce hepatocytes that are functional and safe for use in transplantation.

Abstract: In a data demodulating method, predetermined input data is demodulated based upon a response characteristic of the partial response class 4; the demodulated input data is discrete-filtered to thereby produce filtering data; and the filtering data is maximum likelihood-decoded to thereby producing asymmetrical response data. Further, a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is arranged by using this data demodulating method.

Abstract: A highly reliable rechargeable battery comprising an anode, a separator, a cathode, an electrolyte or an electrolyte solution, and a housing, characterized in that said anode is structured to have a size which is greater than that of said cathode. The rechargeable battery provides an increased energy density and has a prolonged charging and discharging cycle life, in which a dendrite causing a reduction in the battery performance, which is generated upon operating charging in the conventional rechargeable battery, is effectively prevented from generating or from growing in the case where it should be generated.

Abstract: A secondary battery exhibiting a long cycle life and comprising a negative pole activating material made of lithium or zinc is provided, the battery at least having a negative pole made of lithium or zinc serving as the negative pole activating material, an electrolyte (electrolytic solution), a separator, a positive pole made of a positive pole activating material, a collecting electrode and a battery case, wherein at least the surface of the negative pole is covered with a film having a structure which allows ions relating to the battery reactions to pass through. Since growth of dendrite of lithium or zinc at the time of the charge can be prevented, short circuit between the negative pole and the positive pole can be prevented. Therefore, the charge/discharge cycle life can significantly be lengthened.

Abstract: A secondary battery exhibiting a long cycle life and comprising a negative pole activating material made of lithium or zinc is provided, the battery at least having a negative pole made of lithium or zinc serving as the negative pole activating material, an electrolyte (electrolytic solution), a separator, a positive pole made of a positive pole activating material, a collecting electrode and a battery case, wherein at least the surface of the negative pole is covered with a film having a structure which allows ions relating to the battery reactions to pass through. Since growth of dendrites of lithium or zinc at the time of charge can be prevented, short circuiting between the negative pole and the positive pole can be prevented. Therefore, the charge/discharge cycle life can significantly be lengthened.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery comprising at least a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte, and utilizing oxidizing and reducing reactions of lithium ions for charging and discharging, wherein an electrode having an active material which has at least an amorphous phase and a half value width not smaller than 0.48 degrees of a peak having a highest diffraction intensity at 2&thgr; on an X-ray diffractometric chart traced at a diffraction intensity at an X-ray diffraction angle of 2&thgr;, and is made of a material which has an amorphous phase and contains at least one element selected from among cobalt, nickel, manganese and iron is used as the negative electrode and/or the positive electrode.