Provided is a lithium ion battery whose manufacturing process is simple and which has high energy density and heat resistance. A lithium ion battery capable of storing and releasing lithium ions, and being provided with a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode having irreversible capacity at the initial charge/discharge, and having a structure in which void portions in the separator are filled with a nonaqueous electrolytic solution including lithium ions, wherein a positive electrode active material contained in the positive electrode has a first charge-discharge efficiency of 80% to 90% when charged/discharged using metal Li as an counter electrode; a negative electrode active material contained in the negative electrode includes a mixed material of a silicon compound and a carbon material; in the negative electrode, lithium corresponding to an irreversible capacity at the initial charge/discharge is not doped; a capacity ratio of the negative electrode to the positive electrode at the initial electric charge capacity of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is 0.95 or more and 1 or less; the positive electrode binder contained in the positive electrode is an aqueous binder; the negative electrode binder contained in the negative electrode is a polyimide; and the nonaqueous electrolyte contains lithium bis(oxalate) borate.

Provided is a lithium ion battery whose manufacturing process is simple and which has high energy density and heat resistance. A lithium ion battery capable of storing and releasing lithium ions, and being provided with a separator between a positive electrode and a negative electrode having irreversible capacity at the initial charge/discharge, and having a structure in which void portions in the separator are filled with a nonaqueous electrolytic solution including lithium ions, wherein a positive electrode active material contained in the positive electrode has a first charge-discharge efficiency of 80% to 90% when charged/discharged using metal Li as an counter electrode; a negative electrode active material contained in the negative electrode includes a mixed material of a silicon compound and a carbon material; in the negative electrode, lithium corresponding to an irreversible capacity at the initial charge/discharge is not doped; a capacity ratio of the negative electrode to the positive electrode at the initial electric charge capacity of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is 0.95 or more and 1 or less; the positive electrode binder contained in the positive electrode is an aqueous binder; the negative electrode binder contained in the negative electrode is a polyimide; and the nonaqueous electrolyte contains lithium bis(oxalate) borate.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing nanocellulose comprising the steps of: a) providing a cellulose-containing material wherein the cellulose-containing material contains less than 20 wt. % water, b) contacting the cellulose-containing material with oxalic acid dihydrate, and heating above the melting point of the oxalic acid dihydrate, to obtain cellulose oxalates, c) washing the mixture, d) preparing a suspension comprising the washed material from step c) and e) recovering nanocellulose from the suspension. The present invention relates also to a method of manufacturing nanocellulose intermediate which comprises the above described steps a)-c). The methods disclosed in the present invention are quick, simple, and direct. Pulp can be used as raw material. A considerable amount of free carboxyl groups are introduced. A high yield can be obtained. The methods are inexpensive.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing nanocellulose comprising the steps of: a) providing a cellulose-containing material wherein the cellulose-containing material contains less than 20 wt. % water, b) contacting the cellulose-containing material with oxalic acid dihydrate, and heating above the melting point of the oxalic acid dihydrate, to obtain cellulose oxalates, c) washing the mixture, d) preparing a suspension comprising the washed material from step c) and e) recovering nanocellulose from the suspension. The present invention relates also to a method of manufacturing nanocellulose intermediate which comprises the above described steps a)-c). The methods disclosed in the present invention are quick, simple, and direct. Pulp can be used as raw material. A considerable amount of free carboxyl groups are introduced. A high yield can be obtained. The methods are inexpensive.

Provided are a polylactide-grafted cellulose nanofiber that is suitable as a molding material, and a production method thereof. A polylactide-grafted cellulose nanofiber includes grafted cellulose having a graft chain bonding to cellulose constituting a cellulose nanofiber, wherein the graft chain is a polylactide, and a ratio of an absorbance derived from C═O of the polylactide to an absorbance derived from O—H of the cellulose on an infrared absorption spectrum is no less than 0.01 and no greater than 1,000. In addition, a production method of a polylactide-grafted cellulose nanofiber includes carrying out graft polymerization of a lactide to cellulose constituting a cellulose nanofiber in the presence of an organic polymerization catalyst which includes an amine and a salt obtained by reacting the amine with an acid. As the organic polymerization catalyst, 4-dimethylaminopyridine and 4-dimethylaminopyridinium triflate are preferred.

Provided is low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose from which a granulation product having an adequate particle size can be obtained in a wet granulation method and a tablet having excellent compactibility and disintegrability can be obtained. More specifically, provided is low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a hydroxypropoxyl content of from 5 to 16% by weight and a water-soluble content of less than 2% by weight, wherein a weight ratio of water to the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose giving a maximum torque is from 3 to 5 as determined while adding one part by weight of water per minute to one part by weight of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose under mixing with biaxial mixing blades. Also provided are a solid preparation including the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, and the like.

Provided is low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose from which a granulation product having an adequate particle size can be obtained in a wet granulation method and a tablet having excellent compactibility and disintegrability can be obtained. More specifically, provided is low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose having a hydroxypropoxyl content of from 5 to 16% by weight and a water-soluble content of less than 2% by weight, wherein a weight ratio of water to the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose giving a maximum torque is from 3 to 5 as determined while adding one part by weight of water per minute to one part by weight of the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose under mixing with biaxial mixing blades. Also provided are a solid preparation including the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose, and the like.

The present disclosure generally relates to open chain modified cellulosic pulps and methods for making and using the same. More specifically, the open chain modified cellulosic pulps described herein may be made by oxidation of a cellulosic pulp, followed by reduction of the oxidized groups, resulting in a modified pulp having an improved open chain configuration that may be more efficiently converted into cellulosic derivative products. This disclosure further relates to improved cellulosic derivative products made therefrom, for example, cellulose esters, cellulose ethers, and regenerated cellulose products.

The present disclosure generally relates to open chain modified cellulosic pulps and methods for making and using the same. More specifically, the open chain modified cellulosic pulps described herein may be made by oxidation of a cellulosic pulp, followed by reduction of the oxidized groups, resulting in a modified pulp having an improved open chain configuration that may be more efficiently converted into cellulosic derivative products. This disclosure further relates to improved cellulosic derivative products made therefrom, for example, cellulose esters, cellulose ethers, and regenerated cellulose products.

Regioselectively substituted cellulose esters having a plurality of aryl-acyl substituents and a plurality of alkyl-acyl substituents are disclosed along with methods for making the same. Such cellulose esters may be suitable for use in optical films, such as optical films having certain Nz values, A optical films, and/or +C optical films. Optical films prepared employing such cellulose esters have a variety of commercial applications, such as, for example, as compensation films in liquid crystal displays and/or waveplates in creating circular polarized light used in 3-D technology.