Abstract: The main object of the disclosure is to provide electrode active material Si particles that can inhibit fluctuation in constraining pressure of a battery during charge-discharge. The electrode active material Si particles have clathrate-type Si and diamond-type Si in the same particles. The electrode active material Si particles preferably comprise diamond-type Si at an area % of 0.05 to 11.00 with respect to the entire electrode active material Si particles. Preferably, the clathrate-type Si at least partially has a clathrate type II structure. The electrode active material Si particles preferably have a porous structure.

Abstract: Negative electrode active material particles of the present disclosure are Si particles with pores inside primary particles and having a clathrate type crystalline phase, and satisfying the following relationship: 0.061?V/W. Here, V is a volume of pores having a pore diameter of 10 nm or less and W is a half width of a peak at 2?=31.72°±0.50° in an X-ray diffraction test using CuK?.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides primarily a negative electrode active material with reduced volume change during charge-discharge. The negative electrode active material of the disclosure consists of clathrate-type Si particles comprising one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Mo, Fe, Zn, Mg, Pd, Zr, Ag, Co, Cr, Nb and V. A negative electrode active material layer according to the disclosure comprises the negative electrode active material of the disclosure, and a lithium-ion battery of the disclosure comprises the negative electrode active material layer of the disclosure.

Abstract: A negative electrode body of the present disclosure is a negative electrode body for a lithium ion battery having a negative electrode current collector layer and a negative electrode active material layer, wherein the negative electrode active material layer contains Si particles having a clathrate type structure as a negative electrode active material, wherein the negative electrode active material layer contains 0.850 mass % to 5.000 mass % of Al with respect to a mass of the negative electrode active material layer, and wherein the Si particles contain 0.040 mass % to 0.250 mass % of Al with respect to a mass of the Si particles.

Abstract: Provided is a negative electrode active material that contains silicon clathrate II and that is suitable for a negative electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery. The negative electrode active material includes a silicon material in which silicon clathrate II represented by composition formula NaxSi136 (0?x?10) is contained and a volume of a pore having a diameter of not greater than 100 nm is not less than 0.025 cm3/g.

Abstract: Provided are an electrolytic solution suitable for a lithium ion secondary battery that includes a positive electrode which has a positive electrode active material having an olivine structure, and includes a negative electrode having graphite as a negative electrode active material, and a superior lithium ion secondary battery having the electrolytic solution. The lithium ion secondary battery includes: a positive electrode that includes a positive electrode active material having an olivine structure; a negative electrode having graphite as a negative electrode active material; and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution contains LiPF6, a cyclic alkylene carbonate selected from ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate, methyl propionate, and an additive that starts reductive degradation at a potential higher than a potential at which the above components of the electrolytic solution start reductive degradation.

Abstract: A main object of the present disclosure is to provide an active material wherein a volume variation due to charge/discharge is small. The present disclosure achieves the object by providing an active material comprising a silicon clathrate II type crystal phase, including a void inside a primary particle, and a void amount A of the void with a fine pore diameter of 100 nm or less is more than 0.15 cc/g and 0.40 cc/g or less.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a negative electrode active material includes: an alloying step of causing an Na source and an Si source to react to produce an Na—Si alloy containing Na and Si; and a silicon clathrate production step of heating the Na—Si alloy and reducing an amount of Na in the Na—Si alloy to produce a type-II silicon clathrate. Porous Si with a BET specific surface area of 20 m2/g or more is used as the Si source.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor that forms a toner image; a light emission element that exposes the photoreceptor; at least one light emission controller that controls light emission of the light emission element; and a hardware processor that transmits a signal including a control parameter for controlling the light emission element with respect to the light emission controller, wherein the light emission controller stops light emission control over the light emission element according to communication that receives the signal including the control parameter from the hardware processor.

Abstract: A main object of the present disclosure is to provide an active material wherein the volume variation of an electrode layer during charge/discharge may be suppressed. The present disclosure achieves the object by providing an active material used for an all solid state battery, the active material comprising at least Si, and in infrared spectrum, when a maximum peak intensity in 900 cm?1 or more and 950 cm?1 or less is regarded as I1, and a maximum peak intensity in 1000 cm?1 or more and 1100 cm?1 or less is regarded as I2, the I1 and the I2 satisfy 0.55?I2/I1?1.0, and 0.01?I1.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor that forms a toner image; a light emission element that exposes the photoreceptor; at least one light emission controller that controls light emission of the light emission element; and a hardware processor that transmits a signal including a control parameter for controlling the light emission element with respect to the light emission controller, wherein the light emission controller stops light emission control over the light emission element according to communication that receives the signal including the control parameter from the hardware processor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing part that is capable of housing a plurality of recording materials in such a manner that one recording material is put on another; a transport part that transports a recording material from the housing part; and a hardware processor that detects a kind of the recording material transported by the transport part, detects an amount of the recording materials housed in the housing part, detects replacement of recording materials housed in the housing part, or addition of recording materials in the housing part, on the basis of a result of the detection by the hardware processor, and, on the basis of a result of the detection by the hardware processor, switches whether or not to execute, by the hardware processor, the kind detection of the recording materials housed in the housing part.

Abstract: A controller causes a sensor unit to perform: a first operation for detecting a front end of a sheet; and a second operation for detecting a type of the sheet performed at a timing that is based on detection of the front end of the sheet in the first operation.

Abstract: Provided is a negative electrode active material that contains silicon clathrate II and that is suitable for a negative electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery. The negative electrode active material includes a silicon material in which silicon clathrate II represented by composition formula NaxSi136 (0?x?10) is contained and a volume of a pore having a diameter of not greater than 100 nm is not less than 0.025 cm3/g.

Abstract: A conveyor conveys a sheet along a conveyance path provided with an ultrasonic sensor, and includes: an updating member that successively updates a parameter indicating aged deterioration of the conveyor; a searcher that searches a look-up table storing pieces of noise data of noises predicted to be superimposed on a detection signal of the ultrasonic sensor in accordance with a degree of the aged deterioration, and obtains a piece of noise data corresponding to a current parameter value of the conveyor; and a signal processor that uses, for signal processing, a remaining portion of the detection signal of the ultrasonic sensor excluding a portion corresponding to the piece of noise data obtained by the searcher.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a polygon mirror that deflects a light beam, the image forming apparatus includes: an optical sensor arranged such that the light beam deflected by the polygon mirror enters the optical sensor; and a hardware processor that measures an output level of the optical sensor and calculates, as a remaining life of the polygon mirror, an operation time of the polygon mirror to when the output level becomes a threshold value in a case of assuming that the output level ongoingly changes at a rate of change over time that is a change amount of the output level per unit operation time of the polygon mirror, using the measured output level.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device including: a conveyance roller that conveys a sheet; a motor that rotationally drives the conveyance roller at a constant speed; a central processing unit (CPU) that: periodically acquires temperature increase rates for the motor from a start of sheet conveyance, the temperature increase rates depending on magnitudes of effective current applied to the motor, the effective current depending on loads during sheet conveyance; and estimates a current temperature of the motor based on a cumulative value calculated from the temperature increase rates and time elapsed from the start of sheet conveyance; and a controller that executes a motor temperature control based on the estimated temperature of the motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a polygon mirror that deflects a light beam includes: a light emitter that emits the light beam; an optical sensor that is disposed at a position on which the light beam deflected by the polygon mirror is incident; a detector that detects a minimum level being a light intensity level of the light beam, the lowest within a range detected by the optical sensor; a switcher that switches a light intensity level of the light beam emitted from the light emitter until the detector detects the minimum level; and a determiner that determines a degree of contamination of a component on an optical path of the light beam extending from the light emitter to the optical sensor, on the basis of the minimum level detected when the light intensity level is switched by the switcher.

Abstract: A stapling apparatus includes a sheet insertion portion that receives insertion of a sheet bundle, a stapler that staples the sheet bundle, a drive apparatus that drives the stapler, and a controller that controls the drive apparatus. The controller has the drive apparatus driven with first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in an on-line stapling mode in which the sheet bundle ejected from an image forming apparatus is stapled and has the drive apparatus driven with second electric power lower than maximum electric power that can be set as first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in a manual stapling mode in which the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion is stapled.

Abstract: The negative electrode includes a current collector, a negative electrode active material layer arranged on a surface of the current collector, and a protective layer arranged on a surface of the negative electrode active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer includes a first negative electrode active material having an aspect ratio defined as “a”/“b” to fall in a range of from two or more to eight or less when a length of the major axis is defined “a” and a length of the minor axis is defined “b.” The protective layer includes a ceramic powder.