Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to liquid metal pastes that can be used as thermal interface materials. In one implementation, a liquid metal paste configured to be applied as a thermal interface material between electronic components, includes: 92.5 wt % of 99.9 wt % of a liquid gallium or liquid gallium alloy; and 0.1 wt % to 7.5 wt % of a powder of metal particles, the metal particles including Ag, Au, Cu, W, Ti, Cr, Ni, Cu or Ni. The liquid metal paste can also include an organic compound coating a surface of the metal particles, the organic compound configured to prevent the metal particles from forming an intermetallic compound with the liquid gallium or liquid gallium alloy.

A negative electrode active material for an electric device includes an alloy containing Si in a range from 23% to 64% exclusive, Sn in a range from 4% to 58% inclusive, Zn in a range from 0% to 65% exclusive, and inevitable impurities as a residue. The negative electrode active material can be obtained with a multi DC magnetron sputtering apparatus by use of, for example, silicon, tin and zinc as targets. An electric device such as a lithium ion secondary battery employing the negative electrode active material can improve cycle life of the battery and ensure a high capacity and high cycle durability.

A negative electrode active material for an electric device includes an alloy containing Si in a range from 23% to 64% exclusive, Sn in a range from 4% to 58% inclusive, Zn in a range from 0% to 65% exclusive, and inevitable impurities as a residue. The negative electrode active material can be obtained with a multi DC magnetron sputtering apparatus by use of, for example, silicon, tin and zinc as targets. An electric device such as a lithium ion secondary battery employing the negative electrode active material can improve cycle life of the battery and ensure a high capacity and high cycle durability.

The present invention pertains to an Al—Mg—Si-based aluminum alloy plate comprising, by mass, 0.20-1.50% of Mg, 0.30-2.00% of Si, and 0.005-0.500% of Sn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is characterized in having a structure in which, from among all crystallized substances having a circle-equivalent diameter within the range of 0.3-20 μm as measured using a 500×-magnification SEM, crystallized substances containing Sn identified by an X-ray spectrometer have an average number density in the range of 10 per mm.sup.2 to 2,000 per mm.sup.2, the proportion of the aforementioned average number density of the crystallized substances containing Sn in relation to the average number density of all crystallized substances having the circle-equivalent diameter being within the range of 0.3-20 μm is 70% or above. With this aluminum alloy plate, it is possible to improve filiform corrosion resistance without inhibiting moldability or BH properties after room-temperature aging.

The present invention pertains to an Al—Mg—Si-based aluminum alloy plate comprising, by mass, 0.20-1.50% of Mg, 0.30-2.00% of Si, and 0.005-0.500% of Sn, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the aluminum alloy plate is characterized in having a structure in which, from among all crystallized substances having a circle-equivalent diameter within the range of 0.3-20 μm as measured using a 500×-magnification SEM, crystallized substances containing Sn identified by an X-ray spectrometer have an average number density in the range of 10 per mm.sup.2 to 2,000 per mm.sup.2, the proportion of the aforementioned average number density of the crystallized substances containing Sn in relation to the average number density of all crystallized substances having the circle-equivalent diameter being within the range of 0.3-20 μm is 70% or above. With this aluminum alloy plate, it is possible to improve filiform corrosion resistance without inhibiting moldability or BH properties after room-temperature aging.

A silicide-based alloy material and a device in which the silicide-based alloy material is used are disclosed. The silicide-based alloy material can reduce environmental impact and provide high thermoelectric FIGURE of merit at room temperature. Provided is a silicide-based alloy material comprising, as major components, silver, barium and silicon, wherein atomic ratios of elements that constitute the alloy material are as follows: 9 at %≤Ag/(Ag+Ba+Si)≤27 at %, 20 at %≤Ba/(Ag+Ba+Si)≤53 at %, and 37 at %≤Si/(Ag+Ba+Si)≤65 at %, where Ag represents a content of the silver, Ba represents a content of the barium and Si represents a content of the silicon, and the silicide-based alloy material has an average grain size of less than or equal to 20 μm.

A negative electrode active material includes a silicon-based alloy represented by Si-M.sub.1-M.sub.2-C—B, wherein M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are different from each other and are each independently selected from magnesium, aluminum, titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, germanium, manganese, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, silver, tin, tantalum, and tungsten. In the silicon-based alloy, Si is in a range of about 50 at % to about 90 at %, M.sub.1 is in a range of about 10 at % to about 50 atom %, and M.sub.2 is in a range of 0 at % to about 10 at %, based on a total number of Si, M.sub.1, and M.sub.2 atoms. C is in a range of about 0.01 to about 30 parts by weight, and B is in a range of 0 to about 5 parts by weight, based on a total of 100 parts by weight of Si, M.sub.1, and M.sub.2.

A negative electrode active material includes a silicon-based alloy represented by Si-M.sub.1-M.sub.2-C—B, wherein M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are different from each other and are each independently selected from magnesium, aluminum, titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, germanium, manganese, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, silver, tin, tantalum, and tungsten. In the silicon-based alloy, Si is in a range of about 50 at % to about 90 at %, M.sub.1 is in a range of about 10 at % to about 50 atom %, and M.sub.2 is in a range of 0 at % to about 10 at %, based on a total number of Si, M.sub.1, and M.sub.2 atoms. C is in a range of about 0.01 to about 30 parts by weight, and B is in a range of 0 to about 5 parts by weight, based on a total of 100 parts by weight of Si, M.sub.1, and M.sub.2.

There is provided a connection structure of a circuit member including: a first circuit member having a first main surface provided with a first electrode; a second circuit member having a second main surface provided with a second electrode; and a joining portion which is interposed between the first main surface and the second main surface, in which the joining portion has a solder portion which electrically connects the first electrode and the second electrode to each other, in which the solder portion contains a bismuth-indium alloy, and in which an amount of bismuth contained in the bismuth-indium alloy exceeds 20% by mass and is equal to or less than 80% by mass.

There is provided a connection structure of a circuit member including: a first circuit member having a first main surface provided with a first electrode; a second circuit member having a second main surface provided with a second electrode; and a joining portion which is interposed between the first main surface and the second main surface, in which the joining portion has a solder portion which electrically connects the first electrode and the second electrode to each other, in which the solder portion contains a bismuth-indium alloy, and in which an amount of bismuth contained in the bismuth-indium alloy exceeds 20% by mass and is equal to or less than 80% by mass.