Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a negative electrode active material that can bring about improved charge/discharge cycle characteristics of nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cells that use silicon-containing particles as the negative electrode active material, and to provide a method for manufacturing the negative electrode active material. The method for manufacturing composite particles according to the present invention includes a mixing step and an annealing step. In the mixing step, a mixed powder is produced by mixing silicon phase-containing particles with a thermoplastic organic material powder. The mixed powder is annealed in the annealing step. The composite particles according to the present invention are obtained by this method for manufacturing composite particles.

Abstract: A modified natural graphite material which provides a negative plate having improved adhesion between a negative electrode mixture and a current collector has a circularity of at least 0.92 and at most 1.0 and an incident angle dependence S60/0 of the peak intensity ratio of at least 0.5 and at most 0.7 as determined by measurement of C K-edge X-ray absorption spectra using synchrotron radiation as an excitation source. It preferably satisfies at least one of the following conditions: an absolute specific gravity of at least 2.25 (g/cm3), a tap density of at least 1.0 g/cm3 and at most 1.4 g/cm3, and linseed oil absorption of at least 20 cm3/100 g and at most 50 cm3/100 g. A carbonaceous material may adhere to at least a portion of the surface of the graphite particles.

Abstract: A negative electrode material provided by the present invention capable of suppressing a decrease in charge acceptance and high temperature storage properties in an electrode with a high capacity and a high density is a mixed carbon material comprising carbon material A having cores of graphite powder with amorphous carbon and/or turbostratic carbon adhered to or coated on the surface of the cores and carbon material B which is graphite powder, the compressibility which is the density (g/cm3) of the material when 1.00 grams of the material are packed into a cylindrical mold with an inner diameter of 15 mm and compressed by applying a pressing force of 8.7 kN and reducing the pressing force to 0.15 kN is 1.60-1.78 g/cm3 for carbon material A and 1.75-1.85 g/cm3 for carbon material B, the compressibility of carbon material A is less than the compressibility of carbon material B, and the mixing ratio (carbon material A/carbon material B) is 1-9 as a mass ratio.

Abstract: Modified natural graphite particles intended for forming a negative electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery are characterized by having a circularity of at least 0.93 and at most 1.0 and a surface roughness of at most 1.5% with respect to the length of the particles. These modified natural graphite particles are obtained by a manufacturing method including a step of applying an impact force to natural graphite particles for pulverization and spheroidization to obtain intermediate particles having a circularity of at least 0.93 and at most 1.0, and a step of carrying out surface smoothing of the resulting intermediate particles by mechanical grinding treatment to obtain the modified natural graphite particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mixed carbon material which comprises carbon material A and carbon material B and which is a carbon material suitable for a negative electrode material which can provide a nonaqueous secondary battery having a low irreversible capacity and having a negative electrode with a high capacity and high charge acceptance. Carbon material A and carbon material B both have cores made of graphite powder and a surface carbon material in the form of at least one of amorphous carbon and turbostratic carbon adhered to or coated on at least a portion of the surface of the graphite powder. The compressed density is 1.80-1.90 g/cm3 for carbon material A alone, 1.45-1.65 g/cm3 for carbon material B alone, and 1.75-1.84 g/cm3 for the mixed carbon material.

Abstract: A carbon material suitable as a negative electrode material for a lithium ion battery which can suppress decomposition of a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, which has excellent compressibility capable of highly dense packing, and which can form an electrode of high capacity without worsening charge and discharge efficiency or cycling performance. Graphite powder A having an average particle diameter of 10-30 ?m and a specific surface area S1 of at most 12.5 m2/g and pitch powder B having a softening point of 80-180° C. and an average particle diameter of 15-150 ?m are mixed in proportions such that the mass ratio A/B is 98/2-95.5/4.5, and the resulting mixed powder is subjected to heat treatment in a stationary condition in an inert atmosphere at 900-1100° C. to carbonize the pitch and thereby manufacture a carbon material having carbon adhered to the surface of the above-described graphite powder. Carbon preferentially adheres to the edge planes of the graphite particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mixed carbon material which comprises carbon material A and carbon material B and which is a carbon material suitable for a negative electrode material which can provide a nonaqueous secondary battery having a low irreversible capacity and having a negative electrode with a high capacity and high charge acceptance. Carbon material A and carbon material B both have cores made of graphite powder and a surface carbon material in the form of at least one of amorphous carbon and turbostratic carbon adhered to or coated on at least a portion of the surface of the graphite powder. The compressed density is 1.80-1.90 g/cm3 for carbon material A alone, 1.45-1.65 g/cm3 for carbon material B alone, and 1.75-1.84 g/cm3 for the mixed carbon material.

Abstract: A negative electrode material provided by the present invention capable of suppressing a decrease in charge acceptance and high temperature storage properties in an electrode with a high capacity and a high density is a mixed carbon material comprising carbon material A having cores of graphite powder with amorphous carbon and/or turbostratic carbon adhered to or coated on the surface of the cores and carbon material B which is graphite powder, the compressibility which is the density (g/cm3) of the material when 1.00 grams of the material are packed into a cylindrical mold with an inner diameter of 15 mm and compressed by applying a pressing force of 8.7 kN and reducing the pressing force to 0.15 kN is 1.60-1.78 g/cm3 for carbon material A and 1.75-1.85 g/cm3 for carbon material B, the compressibility of carbon material A is less than the compressibility of carbon material B, and the mixing ratio (carbon material A/carbon material B) is 1-9 as a mass ratio.

Abstract: Carbon powder having low temperature calcined carbon derived from pitch adhered to a portion of the surface of natural graphite powder is obtained by solids mixing of natural graphite powder and pitch powder as a carbon precursor followed by heat treatment at 900-1500° C. to carbonize the pitch. The amount of pitch powder is such that the ratio V2/V1 of the pore volume V2 of pores having a diameter of 50-200 nm to the pore volume V1 of pores having a diameter of 2-50 nm in a pore size distribution curve obtained by analysis of the nitrogen desorption isotherm of the resulting carbon powder by the BJH method is at least 1. This carbon powder can be used as a negative electrode material for a nonaqueous secondary battery able to operate at low temperatures.

Abstract: A carbon material suitable as a negative electrode material for a lithium ion battery which can suppress decomposition of a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, which has excellent compressibility capable of highly dense packing, and which can form an electrode of high capacity without worsening charge and discharge efficiency or cycling performance. Graphite powder A having an average particle diameter of 10-30 ?m and a specific surface area S1 of at most 12.5 m2/g and pitch powder B having a softening point of 80-180° C. and an average particle diameter of 15-150 ?m are mixed in proportions such that the mass ratio A/B is 98/2-95.5/4.5, and the resulting mixed powder is subjected to heat treatment in a stationary condition in an inert atmosphere at 900-1100° C. to carbonize the pitch and thereby manufacture a carbon material having carbon adhered to the surface of the above-described graphite powder. Carbon preferentially adheres to the edge planes of the graphite particles.

Abstract: Carbon powder having low temperature calcined carbon derived from pitch adhered to a portion of the surface of natural graphite powder is obtained by solids mixing of natural graphite powder and pitch powder as a carbon precursor followed by heat treatment at 900-1500° C. to carbonize the pitch. The amount of pitch powder is such that the ratio V2/V1 of the pore volume V2 of pores having a diameter of 50-200 nm to the pore volume V1 of pores having a diameter of 2-50 nm in a pore size distribution curve obtained by analysis of the nitrogen desorption isotherm of the resulting carbon powder by the BJH method is at least 1. This carbon powder can be used as a negative electrode material for a nonaqueous secondary battery able to operate at low temperatures.

Abstract: A skew-toothed belt includes tension members, a tooth portion, and a back portion. The tooth portion and the back portion are located on opposite sides of an array of the tension members. The tooth portion is covered with a tooth cloth, which is arranged such that the weft thread extends substantially perpendicular to the tooth trace direction of each skewed tooth.

Abstract: A toothed belt having an endless rubber band formed with projecting tooth portions, the rubber band having tension members buried in parallel therein. A cloth cover is fastened to the toothed surface of the band. The cloth is formed of woven fibers, and one of the warp and woof fibers of the cloth has a high-adhesive characteristic, and has a greater exposed surface area on one side of the cloth, which side is fastened to the toothed surface. The other of the warp and woof is formed of a fiber having properties suited for the working environment, such as properties of abrasion resistance and low friction, these latter fibers having a greater exposed area on the other side of the cloth, which other side is positioned for engagement with a toothed pulley.