Abstract: There is provided a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode active material including a base particle containing Si and SiO2, a mixed phase coating that covers a surface of the base particle and contains SiO2 and carbon, and a carbon coating that covers a surface of the mixed phase coating. The base particle is preferably formed of SiOX (0.5?X?1.5). The mixed phase coating preferably contains carbon dispersed in a phase formed of SiO2. The cycle characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including negative electrode active material particles containing Si and SiO2 are improved.

Abstract: Provided is a method for synthesizing a protein, into which a nucleobase amino acid (NBA) is introduced at a desired position, that comprises: a step for preparing mRNA into which a modified codon is inserted at a desired position downstream of an initiation codon; and a step for translating the aforesaid mRNA into a protein in the presence of tRNA, said tRNA recognizing the modified codon and being acylated with the NBA. Also provided is a ribozyme that catalyzes the aminoacylation of tRNA and comprises two RNA molecules.

Abstract: There is provided a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode active material including a base particle containing Si and SiO2, a mixed phase coating that covers a surface of the base particle and contains SiO2 and carbon, and a carbon coating that covers a surface of the mixed phase coating. The base particle is preferably formed of SiOX (0.5?X?1.5). The mixed phase coating preferably contains carbon dispersed in a phase formed of SiO2. The cycle characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including negative electrode active material particles containing Si and SiO2 are improved.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing a silicon material, wherein the negative-electrode active material can constitute a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having high charge capacity, high initial charge/discharge efficiency, and good cycle characteristics. A negative-electrode active material particle according to an embodiment includes a lithium silicate phase represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) {0<z<2} and particles dispersed in the lithium silicate phase. Each of the particles includes a silicon (Si) core particle and a surface layer formed of an iron alloy containing Si (FeSi alloy). In an XRD pattern of the negative-electrode active material particle obtained by XRD measurement, a diffraction peak of the FeSi alloy at 2?=approximately 45 degrees has a half-width of 0.40 degrees or more, and a diffraction peak of a Si (111) plane at 2?=approximately 28 degrees has a half-width of 0.40 degrees or more.

Abstract: The initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that contains a silicon material as a negative-electrode active material are improved. A negative-electrode active material particle (10) according to an embodiment includes a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) {0<z<2} and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). The silicon particles (12) have a crystallite size of 40 nm or less. The crystallite size is calculated using the Scherrer equation from the half-width of the diffraction peak of the Si (111) plane in an XRD pattern obtained by XRD measurement of the negative-electrode active material particle 10.

Abstract: The initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that contains a silicon material as a negative-electrode active material are improved. A negative-electrode active material particle (10) according to an embodiment includes a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) {0<z<2} and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). A lithium silicate constituting the lithium silicate phase has a crystallite size of 40 nm or less. The crystallite size is calculated using the Scherrer equation from the half-width of a diffraction peak of a (111) plane of the lithium silicate in an XRD pattern obtained by XRD measurement of the negative-electrode active material particle 10.

Abstract: The initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that contains a silicon material as a negative-electrode active material are improved. A negative-electrode active material particle (10) according to an embodiment contains a base particle (13), which includes a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) {0<z<2} and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). The symmetry determined by an image analysis of a backscattered electron image of a cross section of the base particle (13) is 1.5 or less. The symmetry refers to the ratio (b/a) of the half width at half maximum b of a peak on the high-gray-scale side to the half width at half maximum a of the peak on the low-gray-scale side in a histogram of color distinction based on 256 gray levels for each pixel of the backscattered electron image.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing a silicon material as a negative electrode active material, the initial charge-discharge efficiency is improved. Negative electrode active material particles (10) according to an embodiment each contain a lithium silicate phase (11) represented by Li2zSiO(2+z) (where 0<z<2) and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the lithium silicate phase (11). In base particles (13) each containing the lithium silicate phase (11) and the silicon particles (12), preferably, a peak originating from SiO2 is not observed at 2?=25° in an XRD pattern obtained by XRD measurement of the particles.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a silicon material as a negative electrode active material has good discharge rate characteristics. A negative electrode according to an exemplary embodiment includes a negative-electrode current collector and a negative-electrode mixture layer formed on the current collector. The negative-electrode mixture layer contains graphite and a silicon material. A first region that extends from the surface of the mixture layer remote from the negative-electrode current collector in the thickness direction of the negative-electrode mixture layer and has a thickness equal to 40% of the thickness of the mixture layer contains a larger amount of the silicon material than a second region that extends from the surface of the mixture layer adjacent to the negative-electrode current collector and has a thickness equal to 40% of the thickness of the mixture layer. The first region has a lower density than the second region.

Abstract: The cycle characteristics of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery including negative electrode active material particles containing Si and SiO2 are improved. There is provided a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode active material including a base particle containing Si and SiO2, a mixed phase coating that covers a surface of the base particle and contains SiO2 and carbon, and a carbon coating that covers a surface of the mixed phase coating. The base particle is preferably formed of SiOX (0.5?X?1.5). The mixed phase coating preferably contains carbon dispersed in a phase formed of SiO2.

Abstract: Adhesion between particles in a negative electrode for non-aqueous secondary cells is improved for better cycle characteristics. A negative electrode for non-aqueous secondary cells contains silicon-containing particles and graphite particles as negative electrode active materials. The graphite particles have a first coating layer that contains carboxymethyl cellulose, and the first coating layer has an average thickness of 10 nm or more. The silicon-containing particles have a second coating layer that contains carboxymethyl cellulose, and the second coating layer has an average thickness of 10 nm or more.

Abstract: Gas evolution during the high-temperature storage of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is suppressed to improve the high-temperature storage characteristics of the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery contains silicon-containing particles and graphite particles. A covering layer is disposed on each of the graphite particles. The covering layer contains a first covering material and a second covering material, the first covering material containing particles that can be made to swell with a non-aqueous electrolytic solution, the second covering material containing a water-soluble polymer material. The first covering material is disposed on a surface of each of the graphite particles. The mass ratio of the second covering material to the first covering material is higher than 1.

Abstract: In a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which SiOx is used as a negative electrode active material, initial charge/discharge efficiency and cycle characteristics are improved. Provided is a negative electrode active material, containing particles made of SiOx (0.5?X?1.5), for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. In the negative electrode active material, amorphous carbon is stuck on carbon coatings. The particles made of SiOx preferably have a size of 1 ?m to 15 ?m. Particles of amorphous carbon preferably have a size of 0.01 ?m to 1 ?m. One hundred percent of the surface of SiOx is preferably covered by the carbon coatings.

Abstract: In nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that use silicon oxide as a negative electrode active material, the cycle characteristics are improved. A negative electrode active material (13a) includes a base particle (14) composed of silicon oxide and a coating layer (15) that is composed of a conductive carbon material and coats at least part of a surface of the base particle (14). Assuming that a maximum peak intensity at 600 cm?1 to 1400 cm?1 in an infrared absorption spectrum obtained by infrared spectroscopic measurement is 1, an intensity at 900 cm?1 is 0.30 or more, and a full width at half maximum of a peak near 1360 cm?1 in a Raman spectrum obtained by Raman spectroscopic measurement is 100 cm?1 or more.

Abstract: A stator manufacturing method involving a coil arrangement process, a coil deformation process, and a coil insertion process. During the coil arrangement process, a plurality of annular conductors constituting the coil are disposed in a coil holder such that a first portion of each of the annular conductors is inserted into a first catching gap formed between the blades, a second portion of each of the annular conductors is inserted into a second catching gap that is away from the first catching gap by a predetermined pitch. During the coil deformation process the coupling portion of each of the plurality of annular conductors is deformed by moving the coil pusher in the axial direction along the blades. During the coil insertion process the first and second portion of each of the annular conductors are inserted into the slots by further moving the coil pusher in the axial direction.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery including a negative electrode made by depositing a noncrystalline thin film composed entirely or mainly of silicon on a current collector, a positive electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte, characterized in that said nonaqueous electrolyte contains carbon dioxide dissolved therein.

Abstract: A method for producing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell by preparing a positive electrode by applying a positive electrode mixture onto a positive electrode core material, the mixture containing a positive electrode active material mainly made of a lithium nickel composite oxide and a binding agent containing polyvinylidene fluoride; measuring the amount of carbon dioxide gas generated when a layer of the positive electrode mixture is removed out of the positive electrode and the layer is heated to 200° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower in an inactive gas atmosphere; selecting a positive electrode satisfying the following formulas: y<(0.27x?51)/1000000(200?x<400)??formula 1 y<57/1000000(400?x?1500)??formula 2 where x is a heating temperature (° C.) and y is the amount of carbon dioxide gas (mole/g) per 1 g of the lithium nickel composite oxide measured; and preparing the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell by using the positive electrode selected.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which has a negative electrode containing silicon as a negative active material, a positive electrode containing a positive active material, a nonaqueous electrolyte and a separator. Characteristically, an additive which retards oxidation of silicon during operation of the battery is contained either in an interior or surface portion of the positive electrode, in an interior or surface portion of the negative electrode, or in an interior or surface portion of the separator.

Abstract: A method for producing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell by preparing a positive electrode by applying a positive electrode mixture onto a positive electrode core material, the mixture containing a positive electrode active material mainly made of a lithium nickel composite oxide and a binding agent containing polyvinylidene fluoride; measuring the amount of carbon dioxide gas generated when a layer of the positive electrode mixture is removed out of the positive electrode and the layer is heated to 200° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower in an inactive gas atmosphere; selecting a positive electrode satisfying the following formulas: y<(0.27x?51)/1000000(200?x<400)??formula 1 y<57/1000000(400?x?1500)??formula 2 where x is a heating temperature (° C.) and y is the amount of carbon dioxide gas (mole/g) per 1 g of the lithium nickel composite oxide measured; and preparing the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell by using the positive electrode selected.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material quality judgment method that can easily and accurately judge the quality of a positive electrode active material used in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell without having to complete the positive electrode. The positive electrode active material quality judgment method includes: heating a positive electrode active material mainly made of a lithium nickel composite oxide to a temperature x (° C.) of 200° C. or higher and 1500° C. or lower; measuring the amount of carbon dioxide gas occurring from the heating; and the positive electrode active material as a suitable positive electrode active material when the positive electrode active material satisfies formulas 1 and 2: y<(0.27x?51)/1000000(200?x<400)??formula 1 y<57/1000000(400?x?1500)??formula 2 where x is the heating temperature x (° C.) and y is the amount of carbon dioxide gas (mole/g) occurring per 1 g of the positive electrode active material in the heating to the heating temperature x (° C.).