Set forth herein are processes for making lithium-stuffed garnet oxides (e.g., Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12, also known as LLZO) that have passivated surfaces comprising a fluorinate and/or an oxyfluorinate species. These surfaces resist the formation of oxides, carbonates, hydroxides, peroxides, and organics that spontaneously form on LLZO surfaces under ambient conditions. Also set forth herein are new materials made by these processes.

The present disclosure relates to methodologies, systems and apparatus for generating lithium ion battery materials. Starting materials are combined to form a homogeneous precursor solution including lithium, and a droplet maker is used to generate droplets of the precursor solution having controlled size. These droplets are introduced into a microwave generated plasma, where micron or sub-micron scale lithium-containing particles are formed. These lithium-containing particles are collected and formed into a slurry to form lithium ion battery materials.

A composite cathode active material for a lithium battery, the composite cathode active material including: a lithium composite oxide; and a coating layer disposed on at least a portion of the lithium composite oxide and including a composite including ZrP.sub.2O.sub.7 and LiZr.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3, wherein the composite including ZrP.sub.2O.sub.7 and LiZr.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3 is a reaction product of an acid treated a zirconium precursor, a phosphorus precursor, and the lithium composite oxide.

The present invention provides, as a lithium-containing transition metal oxide, a substance which is given by the chemical compositional formula Li.sub.4M.sub.5O.sub.12 (M=Cr, Co, or Zr) and has a spinel-type crystal structure. Provided is a lithium ion secondary cell having a positive electrode configured from a lithium-containing transition metal oxide which has a spinel-type crystal structure and has the chemical compositional formula Li.sub.4M.sub.5O.sub.12 (M=Cr or Co). The present invention further provides a lithium ion secondary cell having a negative electrode configured from a lithium-containing transition metal oxide which has a spinel-type crystal structure and has the chemical compositional formula Li.sub.4M.sub.5O.sub.12 (M=Zr).

The invention relates to a fluorination process consisting in bringing an inorganic compound M into contact with an atmosphere comprising difluorine gas, the inorganic compound M being a garnet based on the elements Li, La, Zr, A and O and for which the relative composition of the Li, La, Zr and A cations corresponds to the formula (I): Li.sub.xLa.sub.3Zr.sub.zA.sub.w.

A solid ionic conducting material for use in an electrochemical device comprises an oxyhydroxide or hydrated oxide derived from of an oxide with a perovskite, Brownmillerite, layered oxide, and/or K.sub.4CdCl.sub.6 structure, the elemental composition of the initial oxide being selected to provide suitable conduction properties for the derived anhydrous or hydrated oxyhydroxide or hydrated oxide. A method of making such a solid ionic conducting material, including treatment with water, and an electrochemical device incorporating such a solid ionic conducting material (optionally as an electrolyte) are also disclosed.

A dispersion liquid contains fine particles of core-shell type inorganic oxide that have high dispersion stability and transparency and allow for excellent light resistance and weather resistance by being mixed in a coating film. The fine particles are produced by treating the surfaces of (a) fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide serving as core particles with a hydrate and/or an oxide of a metal element such as zirconium to provide surface-treated particles or fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide having (b) an intermediate layer and by covering the surfaces of the surface-treated particles to form (c) a shell layer with a composite oxide of silicon and at least one metal element selected from aluminum, zirconium, and antimony.

A dispersion liquid contains fine particles of core-shell type inorganic oxide that have high dispersion stability and transparency and allow for excellent light resistance and weather resistance by being mixed in a coating film. The fine particles are produced by treating the surfaces of (a) fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide serving as core particles with a hydrate and/or an oxide of a metal element such as zirconium to provide surface-treated particles or fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide having (b) an intermediate layer and by covering the surfaces of the surface-treated particles to form (c) a shell layer with a composite oxide of silicon and at least one metal element selected from aluminum, zirconium, and antimony.

Provided is a barium compound structure including: a plurality of first compound particles containing a barium compound that is crystalline and is different from barium sulfate; a binding part covering a surface of each of the plurality of first compound particles and containing barium sulfate that is crystalline; and a plurality of second compound particles containing a compound that contains silicon. The first compound particles are bound through at least one of the binding part or the plurality of second compound particles.

Provided is a barium compound structure including: a plurality of first compound particles containing a barium compound that is crystalline and is different from barium sulfate; a binding part covering a surface of each of the plurality of first compound particles and containing barium sulfate that is crystalline; and a plurality of second compound particles containing a compound that contains silicon. The first compound particles are bound through at least one of the binding part or the plurality of second compound particles.