Abstract: A composite composition includes at least one organic polymer compound having biodegradability, vegetable fibers, and a hydrolysis inhibitor for the organic polymer compound having biodegradability.

Abstract: A composition that is advantageous not only in that it has biodegradability and flame retardancy, as well as mechanical strength, but also in that when disposed of the composition has few adverse effects on the natural environment. The composition is characterized in that it includes at least one organic polymer compound having biodegradability, a flame retardant additive, and a hydrolysis inhibitor for the organic polymer compound having biodegradability.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device, which is applied as a power supply of a versatile electric or electronic apparatus as a substitute for a standard cell, while attaining, by using flexible photoelectric converting devices, availability as the power supply of the electric or electronic apparatus normally requiring light energy such as sunlight, a photovoltaic device attachment using the photovoltaic device and the electric or electronic apparatus using the photovoltaic device attachment are disclosed.

Abstract: A biodegradable plastic material that can provide long-term reliability, even though being formed of a biodegradable polyester material, and a shaped article obtained therefrom. A biodegradable plastic material is treated with a compound being capable of reacting with active hydrogen in the biodegradable plastic, and a shaped biodegradable plastic article obtained from the material.

Abstract: A charging circuit includes a generator, a step-down circuit for reducing an output voltage of the generator to a predetermined voltage, a current controller for controlling a charging current that is supplied from the step-down circuit to a secondary battery, based on an amount of power generated by the generator, a mode selector for selecting charging modes, and a monitor for monitoring an amount of stored electricity. The step-down circuit receives an output of the generator, in charging, at a high voltage and a small current and is used to charge the battery at a low voltage and a large current.

Abstract: In a fresh water generating apparatus for condensing water content contained in air, there are provided a first heat exchanger having a refrigerant gas flow passage to which a compressed refrigerant gas is introduced, and on an outer side of which air is blown to condense the refrigerant gas, a second heat exchanger having a refrigerant liquid flow passage to which a refrigerant liquid discharged from the first heat exchanger is introduced after a pressure thereof is reduced, and on an outer side of which air is blown to cool the air and condense the water content to produce fresh water, and a power source for compressing the refrigerant gas and blowing the air.

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: By molding a biodegradable plastic material which is treated with a compound reactive to the active hydrogen in the biodegradable plastic material, a biodegradable plastic material and molding having long-term reliability are obtained.

Abstract: A negative electrode material and a battery which have an excellent cycle characteristic as well as a high capacity are provided. A positive electrode housed in an exterior can and a negative electrode housed in an exterior cup are laminated with a separator therebetween. An electrolytic solution of lithium salt dissolved in a solvent is poured into the inside of both the exterior can and the exterior cup. The negative electrode contains Mg2-xMIIxMI. MI expresses a first element such as Si, Sn, Ge, Pb, or the like. MII expresses a second element which is a metallic element, preferably Mn, Cu, Zn, or the like except both Mg and the first element. X is preferably in the range of 0.1≦x≦1.9. Substituting part of Mg by the second element MII can produce the distortion of the crystal structure, ease distortion accompanying the occluding/releasing lithium, and improve the charge and discharge efficiency and the cycle characteristic.

Abstract: A negative electrode active material includes a composition A-B-C containing a first element A which is at least one selected from copper and iron, a second element B which is at least one selected from silicon and tin, and a third element C which is at least one selected from the group consisting of indium, antimony, bismuth, and lead. A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a negative electrode containing the negative electrode active material, a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The nonaqueous electrolyte battery has a large discharge capacity and excellent cycle performance.

Abstract: In a fresh water generating apparatus for condensing water content contained in air, there are provided a first heat exchanger having a refrigerant gas flow passage to which a compressed refrigerant gas is introduced, and on an outer side of which air is blown to condense the refrigerant gas, a second heat exchanger having a refrigerant liquid flow passage to which a refrigerant liquid discharged from the first heat exchanger is introduced after a pressure thereof is reduced, and on an outer side of which air is blown to cool the air and condense the water content to produce fresh water, and a power source for compressing the refrigerant gas and blowing the air.

Abstract: Gateway service provider 20 acquires and stores personal data of user 10 and device data of devices owned by user 10 when home gateway 11 is registered. Then, gateway service provider 20 sends such information or services based on the information to customer company 40A and in return receives payment from customer company 40A. As a result, customer company 40A can provide articles, contents and services to user 10.

Abstract: A heat pump type air conditioner comprising: an exterior unit including an exterior heat exchanger, a plurality of compressors, a four-way valve, an exterior expansion device, and an injection circuit for injecting the liquid refrigerant into each of the plurality of compressors; and a plurality of interior units, each of which includes an interior heat exchanger, connected to the exterior unit. The exterior unit further comprises device for controlling flow rate of the liquid refrigerant to be injected in accordance with number of the plurality of interior units.

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 non-aqueous electrolyte cell equipped with an anode made of a carbonaceous material capable of intercalating and deintercalating light metal ions and imparted with high capacity characteristics and favorable cyclic properties, wherein the carbonaceous material is obtained by irradiating the carbonaceous material, in a gaseous atmosphere, with an electron beam, accelerated in high vacuum.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of safely producing a high quality negative electrode material composed of a mixture of a non-carbon material and a carbon material, a negative electrode using the negative electrode material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte battery using the negative electrode. The high quality negative electrode is produced by pulverizing and classifying each of the non-carbon material and the carbon material in an inert gas atmosphere, and further mixing them to each other in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A material for a negative electrode capable of preventing change in the volume of an active material occurring when lithium is doped/dedoped to improve resistance against cycle operations. A material for a negative electrode contains a mixture of a non-carbon material and a carbon material, wherein when an assumption is made that the average particle size of the non-carbon material is RM and the average particle size of the carbon material is RC, the ratio RM/RC is not higher than one, and when an assumption is made that the weight of the non-carbon material is WM and the weight of the carbon is WC, the ratio WM/WC is not higher than one or a mixture of a silicon compound and a carbon material, wherein when an assumption is made that the average particle size of the silicon compound is RSi and the average particle size of the carbon material is RC, the ratio RSi/RC is not higher than one.

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: An optical apparatus having counter electrodes of ITO and working electrodes formed from a conductive paste prepared by dispersing silver or carbon conductive particles in a binder or a sintered material obtained by sintering silver or carbon conductive particles. The counter electrodes can be formed into a structure free of sharp edges which can cause a concentration of electric fields.