A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present invention is provided with a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte. A negative electrode active material contained in the negative electrode contains a zinc manganese alloy that is represented by general formula MnZn.sub.x (3≤x≤13).

A laminated body includes: a porous base material containing a polyolefin-based resin as a main component; and a porous layer which is disposed on at least one surface of the porous base material and which contains a polyvinylidene fluoride-based resin, the laminated body being arranged so that: a diminution rate of diethyl carbonate dropped on the porous base material is 15 sec/mg to 21 sec/mg; a spot diameter of the diethyl carbonate 10 seconds after the diethyl carbonate was dropped on the porous base material is not less than 20 mm; and the polyvinylidene fluoride-based resin containing crystal form α in an amount of not less than 36 mol % with respect to 100 mol % of a total amount of the crystal form α and crystal form β contained in the polyvinylidene fluoride-based resin. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator made of the laminated body is not easily curled.

The present invention is provided to reduce the influence of expansion and contraction of an active material, form a favorable interface between the solid electrolyte and the active material, and increase ion conductivity in the electrolyte, thereby obtaining a wide operation temperature range. A secondary battery composite electrolyte includes an inorganic compound having an Li ion conductivity at room temperature that is 1×10.sup.−10 S/cm or more and having particle diameter of 0.05 μm or more and less than 8 μm, and an organic electrolyte. The weight ratio between the organic electrolyte and the inorganic compound is 0.1% or more and 20% or less.

The present invention is provided to reduce the influence of expansion and contraction of an active material, form a favorable interface between a solid electrolyte and an active material, and improve the high temperature durability and cycle lifespan of a battery. A secondary battery composite electrolyte includes an inorganic compound having an Li ion conductivity at 25° C. that is less than 1×10.sup.−10 S/cm and an organic electrolyte. The weight ratio between the organic electrolyte and the inorganic compound is 0.1% or more and 20% or less.

Provided is a novel method of preparing a negative electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, which contains silicon and is capable of improving cycle characteristics and is also capable of suppressing aggregation of active material particles in a slurry. After formation of a molten liquid by any one of methods (i) to described in the specification, the molten liquid is micronized by atomization or liquid quenching, thereby forming a micronized active material in the form of powder, and the micronized active material is pulverized and classified in a nitrogen atmosphere in which air is present in an amount of less than 1%, and the balance is composed of nitrogen, to thereby adjust the particle size of the micronized active material.

A positive electrode active material that can achieve high thermal stability at low cost is provided.

Provided is a positive electrode active material for a lithium ion secondary battery, the positive electrode active material containing a lithium-nickel-manganese composite oxide, in which metal elements constituting the lithium-nickel-manganese composite oxide include lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), and optionally zirconium (Zr), an amount of substance ratio of the elements is represented as Li:Ni:Mn:Co:Zr:Ti:Nb=a:b:c:d:e:f:g (provided that, 0.97≤a≤1.10, 0.80≤b≤0.88, 0.04≤c≤0.12, 0.04≤d≤0.10, 0≤e≤0.004, 0.003<f≤0.030, 0.001<g≤0.006, and b+c+d+e+f+g=1), in the amount of substance ratio, (f÷g)≤0.030 and f>g are satisfied, and an amount of lithium to be eluted in water when the positive electrode active material is immersed in water is 0.20% by mass or less with respect to the entire positive electrode active material.

An electrolyte composition containing (i) at least one aprotic organic solvent; (ii) at least one conducting salt; (iii) acetic acid 2-[(methoxycarbonyl)oxy] methyl ester; and (vi) optionally one or more additives.

A structure for use in an energy storage device, the structure comprising a backbone system extending generally perpendicularly from a reference plane, and a population of microstructured anodically active material layers supported by the lateral surfaces of the backbones, each of the microstructured anodically active material layers having a void volume fraction of at least 0.1 and a thickness of at least 1 micrometer.

Provided is a binder for a non-aqueous secondary battery that has excellent preservation stability and binding capacity, and that can suppress viscosity elevation of a slurry composition. The binder for a non-aqueous secondary battery contains a particulate polymer and water. The particulate polymer has a degree of swelling in an aqueous medium at pH 5 of less than a factor of 2 and has a degree of swelling in an aqueous medium at pH 8 of at least a factor of 2 and no greater than a factor of 7.

Provided are a structure for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries in which at least one of a cathode with a separator and an anode with a separator are strongly adhered, an aqueous latex used to obtain the structure for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, and a separator/intermediate layer laminate.

The aqueous latex according to the present invention contains polymer particles dispersed in water, the polymer particles containing a copolymer comprising a structural unit derived from an unsaturated dibasic acid, and/or a structural unit derived from an unsaturated dibasic acid monoester, and a structural unit derived from a vinylidene fluoride-based monomer, the aqueous latex being used in production of an intermediate layer to be provided in a structure for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries having a cathode, an anode, and a separator laminated between the cathode and the anode, the intermediate layer being provided in at least one of between the cathode and the separator and between the anode and the separator.