The present invention relates to the use of haloapatites as catalysts of the dehydration reaction of α-hydroxylated carboxylic acids or acid esters, in particular of lactic acid or of methyl lactate, and also to a process for producing unsaturated carboxylic acids or acid esters, in particular acrylic acid or methyl acrylate, in the gas phase in a stainless steel reactor, in the presence of such a catalyst.

The present invention relates to the use of haloapatites as catalysts of the dehydration reaction of α-hydroxylated carboxylic acids or acid esters, in particular of lactic acid or of methyl lactate, and also to a process for producing unsaturated carboxylic acids or acid esters, in particular acrylic acid or methyl acrylate, in the gas phase in a stainless steel reactor, in the presence of such a catalyst.

A lithium ion secondary battery has, as a positive electrode active material into and from which lithium ions can be intercalated and deintercalated, a lithium oxide represented by Formula Li(1+y)CoPO.sub.4X(y) (in the formula, X is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I, and y lies in the range of 1<y≤2).

A lithium ion secondary battery has, as a positive electrode active material into and from which lithium ions can be intercalated and deintercalated, a lithium oxide represented by Formula Li(1+y)CoPO.sub.4X(y) (in the formula, X is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I, and y lies in the range of 1<y≤2).

To provide a manufacturing method with which lithium difluorophosphate powder can be recovered from a lithium difluorophosphate solution. A method for manufacturing lithium difluorophosphate powder is used which includes the steps of precipitating solid lithium difluorophosphate by adding a poor solvent to a solution in which lithium difluorophosphate is dissolved in a main solvent, and obtaining lithium difluorophosphate powder by solid-liquid separation of the solid lithium difluorophosphate from the liquid containing the main solvent and the poor solvent, wherein the relational expression between the octanol/water partition coefficient P.sub.P of the main solvent and the octanol/water partition coefficient P.sub.A of the poor solvent is defined by the following formula (1). (1): P.sub.A≧−4/3×P.sub.P+1.2

To provide a manufacturing method with which lithium difluorophosphate powder can be recovered from a lithium difluorophosphate solution. A method for manufacturing lithium difluorophosphate powder is used which includes the steps of precipitating solid lithium difluorophosphate by adding a poor solvent to a solution in which lithium difluorophosphate is dissolved in a main solvent, and obtaining lithium difluorophosphate powder by solid-liquid separation of the solid lithium difluorophosphate from the liquid containing the main solvent and the poor solvent, wherein the relational expression between the octanol/water partition coefficient P.sub.P of the main solvent and the octanol/water partition coefficient P.sub.A of the poor solvent is defined by the following formula (1). (1): P.sub.A≧−4/3×P.sub.P+1.2

The present invention provides a nonaqueous electrolytic solution that provides an electric double layer capacitor having excellent durability. The nonaqueous electrolytic solution of the present invention is a nonaqueous electrolytic solution for electric double layer capacitors prepared by dissolving a quaternary ammonium salt as an electrolyte in a nonaqueous solvent, and the nonaqueous electrolytic solution has an alkali metal cation concentration of 0.1 to 30 ppm.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for producing a cathode for a secondary battery, where lithium manganese fluorophosphate such as Li.sub.2MnPO.sub.4F can be used as an electrode material. Li.sub.2MnPO.sub.4F is prepared by chemical intercalation of lithium, and can be used as an electrode material, and a non-lithium containing material can then be used as an anode material for manufacturing of a full cell. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a carbon coating for a cathode material for a lithium battery, which has improved electrical conductivity.

Disclosed are compositions and methods for producing a cathode for a secondary battery, where lithium manganese fluorophosphate such as Li.sub.2MnPO.sub.4F can be used as an electrode material. Li.sub.2MnPO.sub.4F is prepared by chemical intercalation of lithium, and can be used as an electrode material, and a non-lithium containing material can then be used as an anode material for manufacturing of a full cell. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a carbon coating for a cathode material for a lithium battery, which has improved electrical conductivity.

Methods and compositions are provided for treatment of an apatite-based resin from which retained solutes have been eluted by an elution buffer that contains an alkali metal salt with solutions of calcium ion, phosphate ion, and hydroxide separately from any sample loading and elution buffers. The treatment solutions restore the resin, reversing the deterioration that is caused by the alkali metal salt in the elution buffer.