A lead-based alloy containing alloying additions of bismuth, antimony, arsenic, and tin is used for the production of doped leady oxides, lead-acid battery active materials, lead-acid battery electrodes, and lead-acid batteries.

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 invention discloses use of a uranium-containing compound as a scintillator. The uranium-containing compound is a uranium-containing organic-inorganic hybrid compound or a uranium-containing inorganic compound. The uranium-containing organic-inorganic hybrid compound is a uranium-containing organic carboxylate or a uranium-containing organophosphate. The uranium-containing inorganic compound is a uranium-containing non-metallate, a uranium-containing metal salt, or a uranium-containing halide. The invention discloses the uranium-containing organic-inorganic compound or the uranium-containing inorganic compound having intrinsic scintillating ability, and provides a new concept and method for the development of (organic-inorganic, inorganic) scintillators of various chemical compositions and configurations with the uranium element.

The present invention has an object to provide a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery which not only suppresses gelation of a positive electrode mixed material paste upon producing the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery but also improves the stability thereof. Provided is the positive electrode active material represented by general formula Li.sub.sNi.sub.1−x−y−zCo.sub.xMn.sub.yM.sub.zO.sub.2+α (0≤x≤0.35, 0≤y≤0.35, 0≤z≤0.10, 0.95<s<1.30, and 0≤α≤0.2, and M represents at least one element selected from V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, W, and Al) and containing secondary particles formed by agglomeration of primary particles, wherein at least part of the surface of the primary particles thereof is covered with a lithium boron compound, and the amount of redundant lithium hydroxide of the positive electrode active material measured with a neutralization titration is at least 0.003% by mass and up to 0.5% by mass relative to the total of the positive electrode active material.

Methods of using sorbents to enhance the production of hydrogen from fuel, and related systems, are generally described. In some embodiments, the production of hydrogen from the fuel involves a reforming reaction and/or a gasification reaction combined with a water-gas shift reaction.

The subject matter described herein includes a method of separating a mixture of trivalent rare-earth elements, based on their reduction potential, and solubility in a divalent state. The method includes adding the mixture of trivalent rare-earth elements to a tetraborate salt with deionized water to form a salt mixture, grinding the salt mixture with boric acid to form a solid mixture, wetting the solid mixture with water to form a paste, heating the paste to form a resultant product, dissolving the resultant product, thereby creating a residual solid in aqueous solution, wherein the residual solid includes a second mixture of trivalent rare-earth elements, and the aqueous solution includes a substantially singular element of a divalent rare-earth element in an aqueous state, and removing the residual solid, thereby separating the divalent rare-earth element from the mixture of trivalent rare-earth elements.

The removal of acid gases (e.g., non-carbon dioxide acid gases) using sorbents that include salts in molten form, and related systems and methods, are generally described.

New formulation for pyrite scale removal from oil and gas wells and a method of pyrite scale removal are disclosed. The chemical formulation is composed of K.sub.2B.sub.4O.sub.7-4H.sub.2O, in a concentration of about 9-20 wt. % of the composition, preferably about 14 wt. % of the composition. The new formulation has the ability to dissolve pyrite without generation of the toxic H.sub.2S. Furthermore, the new formulation is cheaper and has very low corrosion rate compare to 15 wt. % HCl with corrosion inhibitor. The disclose method uses the disclosed new formulation to dissolve iron sulphide scale, performed at about 100-150 C. and about 500-2000 psi.

A lead-based alloy containing alloying additions of bismuth, antimony, arsenic, and tin is used for the production of doped leady oxides, lead-acid battery active materials, lead-acid battery electrodes, and lead-acid batteries.