A positive-electrode active material contains a compound that has a crystal structure belonging to a space group FM3-M and that is represented by the composition formula (1):

Li.sub.xA.sub.yMe.sub.zO.sub.F.sub.(1)

wherein A denotes Na or K, Me denotes one or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V, and Cr, and the following conditions are satisfied. 1.7x+y2.2 0<y0.2 0.8z1.3 12.5 0.52

A battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte. The positive electrode active material contains a compound which has a crystal structure belonging to the space group FM3-M and which is represented by the following formula:

Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.F.sub.(1)

where Me is one or more selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V and Cr and the conditions 1.7x2.2, 0.8y1.3, 12.5, and 0.52 are satisfied.

A battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution including a nonaqueous solvent. The positive electrode active material includes a compound having a crystal structure belonging to a space group FM3-M and represented by Compositional Formula (1): Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.F.sub., where, Me is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V, and Cr; and subscripts x, y, , and satisfy the following requirements: 1.7x2.2, 0.8y1.3, 12.5, and 0.52. The nonaqueous solvent includes a solvent having at least one fluoro group.

A battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution including an additive. The positive electrode active material includes a compound having a crystal structure belonging to a space group FM3-M and represented by Compositional Formula (1): Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.F.sub., where, Me is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V, and Cr; and subscripts x, y, , and satisfy the following requirements: 1.7x2.2, 0.8y1.3, 12.5, and 0.52. The additive is at least one selected from dinitrile compounds and diisocyanate compounds.

A battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution including an additive. The positive electrode active material includes a compound having a crystal structure belonging to a space group FM3-M and represented by Compositional Formula (1): Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.F.sub., where, Me is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, B, Ce, Si, Zr, Nb, Pr, Ti, W, Ge, Mo, Sn, Bi, Cu, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr, Y, Zn, Ga, Er, La, Sm, Yb, V, and Cr; and subscripts x, y, , and satisfy the following requirements: 1.7x2.2, 0.8y1.3, 12.5, and 0.52. The additive is at least one selected from dinitrile compounds and diisocyanate compounds.

A method for producing lithium manganese oxide that is a precursor of a lithium adsorbent under atmospheric pressure is provided. The method for producing a precursor of a lithium adsorbent comprises tire following steps (1) to (3): (1) A 1.sup.st mixing step of mixing a manganese salt and alkali hydroxide, so as to obtain a 1.sup.st slurry containing manganese hydroxide; (2) a 2.sup.nd mixing step of adding lithium hydroxide to the 1.sup.st slurry and then mixing the mixture to obtain a 2.sup.nd slurry; and (3) an oxidation step of adding an oxidizing agent to the 2.sup.nd slurry, so as to obtain a precursor of a lithium adsorbent.
The method for producing a precursor of a lithium adsorbent comprises these steps, so that a precursor of a lithium adsorbent can be produced under atmospheric pressure. Therefore, a precursor of a lithium adsorbent can be produced at a limited cost.

Layered electrode materials, positive electrodes, rechargeable zinc batteries, and methods are provided. A layered electrode material for use in a rechargeable zinc battery includes a plurality of active metal slab layers in a layered configuration. The active metal slab layer includes a plurality of redox active metal centers and a closely-packed anionic sublattice. A plurality of interlamellar spaces separate adjacent active metal slab layers in the layered configuration. The interlamellar space includes at least one pillar species. The layered electrode material has a combined average metal oxidation state in a range of +3 to +4 in an initial charged state. The layered electrode material accepts solvated zinc cations via intercalation into the interlamellar space upon reduction.

The present invention relates to a method of producing metal nanoparticles and metal sulfide nanoparticles using a recombinant microorganism co-expressing metallothionein and phytochelatin synthase, which are heavy metal-adsorbing proteins, and to the use of metal nanoparticles and metal sulfide nanoparticles synthesized by the method. The present invention provides a method for synthesizing metal nanoparticles which have been difficult to synthesize by conventional biological methods. The present invention makes it possible to synthesize metal nanoparticles in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner, and also makes it possible to synthesize metal sulfide nanoparticles. In addition, even metal nanoparticles which could have been produced by conventional chemical or biological methods are produced in a significantly increased yield by use of the method of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a method of producing metal nanoparticles and metal sulfide nanoparticles using a recombinant microorganism co-expressing metallothionein and phytochelatin synthase, which are heavy metal-adsorbing proteins, and to the use of metal nanoparticles and metal sulfide nanoparticles synthesized by the method. The present invention provides a method for synthesizing metal nanoparticles which have been difficult to synthesize by conventional biological methods. The present invention makes it possible to synthesize metal nanoparticles in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner, and also makes it possible to synthesize metal sulfide nanoparticles. In addition, even metal nanoparticles which could have been produced by conventional chemical or biological methods are produced in a significantly increased yield by use of the method of the present invention.

A positive-electrode active material contains a compound represented by the following composition formula (1):
Li.sub.xMe.sub.yO.sub.X.sub.(1) where Me denotes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ni, Co, Fe, Al, Sn, Cu, Nb, Mo, Bi, Ti, V, Cr, Y, Zr, Zn, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Pt, Au, Ag, Ru, Ta, W, La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Dy, and Er, X denotes two or more elements selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, N, and S, and x, y, , and satisfy 0.75x2.25, 0.75y1.50, 1<3, and 0<2, respectively. A crystal structure of the compound belongs to a space group Fm-3m.