A mixed conductor, a method of preparing the same, and a cathode, a lithium-air battery, and an electrochemical device each including the mixed conductor. The mixed conductor is represented by Formula 1 and having electronic conductivity and ionic conductivity:
Li.sub.xMO.sub.2-δ  Formula 1 wherein, in Formula 1, M is a Group 4 element, a Group 5 element, a Group 6 element, a Group 7 element, a Group 8 element, a Group 10 element, a Group 11 element, a Group 12 element, or a combination thereof, and 0<x<1 and 0≤δ≤1 are satisfied.

A cutting implement including a metal substrate and a coating is provided. The coating has zirconium PVD (ZrCRTiNO), which provides protection against corrosion of the metal substrate. In some instances, the zirconium PVD provides protection from corrosion for at least 200 hours. A layer of titanium nitride (TiN) can be added to the coating to increase the hardness of the metal substrate. In such an embodiment, the layer of titanium nitride (TiN) is applied before the zirconium PVD (ZrCRTiNO). Titanium nitride (TiN) coated steel is 3 to 5 times harder than uncoated steel. Thus, a combination of titanium nitride (TiN) and zirconium PVD (ZrCRTiNO) as a coating on a metal substrate can increase the life of the metal substrate by providing increased hardness and anti-corrosive properties.

In relation to a Cu-based delafossite-type oxide that is effective as an exhaust gas purification catalyst, Cu is placed in a high catalytic activity low-valence state, whereby a novel Cu-based delafossite-type oxide having higher activity than in the past is provided. Proposed is a delafossite-type oxide for an exhaust gas purification catalyst that is represented by a general formula ABO.sub.2, wherein Cu and Ag are contained in the A site of the general formula, one or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Al, Cr, Ga, Fe, Co, Ni, In, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Y, V, and Ti are contained in the B site of the general formula, and Ag is contained at a ratio of 0.001 at. % or more and less than 20 at. % in the A site of the general formula.

An absorber coating is provided for solar heat power generation that has excellent thermal oxidation resistance and a high spectral absorptance and manufacturing method thereof. The absorber coating for solar heat power generation has a network structure of composite particles comprising: particles of metal oxide containing mainly two or more metals selected from Mn, Cr, Cu, Zr, Mo, Fe, Co and Bi, and titanium oxide partly or entirely coating on the surface of the particle of the metal oxide. The arithmetic mean estimation of the surface of the coating is 1.0 μm or more, and a ratio of a network area of the composite particle to a plane area of the coating is 7 or more.

A positive electrode active material for a sodium ion battery includes a sodium complex oxide of the formula Na.sub.4(M.sup.1.sub.aM.sup.2.sub.1a).sub.2O.sub.5 having an orthorhombic crystal structure, wherein M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 are each independently Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, V, or a combination there of provided that M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 are different from each other; and 0a1.

A positive electrode active material for a sodium ion battery includes a sodium complex oxide of the formula Na.sub.4(M.sup.1.sub.aM.sup.2.sub.1a).sub.2O.sub.5 having an orthorhombic crystal structure, wherein M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 are each independently Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, V, or a combination there of provided that M.sup.1 and M.sup.2 are different from each other; and 0a1.

A method for positive electrode active material for a secondary battery includes preparing a precursor by reacting a nickel raw material, a cobalt raw material and an M1 raw material; forming a first surface-treated layer including an oxide of Formula 2 below, on a surface of a core including a lithium composite metal oxide of Formula 1 below, by mixing the precursor with a lithium raw material and an M3 raw material, firing the resultant mixture; and forming a second surface-treated layer including a lithium compound of Formula 3 below, on the core with the first surface-treated layer formed thereon,
Li.sub.aNi.sub.1xyCo.sub.xM1.sub.yM3.sub.zM2.sub.wO.sub.2[Formula 1]
Li.sub.mM4O.sub.(m+n)/2[Formula 2]
Li.sub.pM5.sub.qA.sub.r[Formula 3]
wherein, in Formulae 1 to 3, A, M1 to M5, a, x, y, z, w, m, n, p, and q are the same as those defined in the specification.

Methods of forming spinel ferrite nanoparticles containing a chromium-substituted copper ferrite as well as properties (e.g. particle size, crystallite size, pore size, surface area) of these spinel ferrite nanoparticles are described. Methods of preventing or reducing microbe growth on a surface by applying these spinel ferrite nanoparticles onto the surface in the form of a suspension or an antimicrobial product are also described.

The present invention relates to Mn-activated luminescent materials, to a process for preparation thereof and to the use thereof as luminophores or conversion luminophores in light sources. The present invention further relates to a radiation-converting mixture comprising the luminescent material of the invention and a light source comprising the luminescent material of the invention or the radiation-converting mixture. The present invention further provides light sources, especially LEDs, and lighting units comprising a primary light source and the luminescent material of the invention or the radiation-converting mixture. The Mn-activated luminescent materials of the invention are especially suitable for creation of warm white light in LEDs.

Medical tubing can have a chromic material such that the medical tubing is configured to transition from a first state of color to a different, second state of color by application of a stimulus to the medical tubing.