A positive electrode material for a secondary battery, including a first positive electrode active material and a second positive electrode active material, wherein the first positive electrode active material and the second positive electrode active material consist of a lithium composite transition metal oxide including at least two or more transition metals selected from the group consisting of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co) and manganese (Mn) are provided. The average particle size (D.sub.50) of the first positive electrode active material is two or more times larger than that of the second positive electrode active material, and the first positive electrode active material has a concentration gradient in which at least one of Ni, Co or Mn contained in the lithium composite transition metal oxide has a concentration difference of 1.5 mol % or more between the center and the surface of a particle of the lithium composite transition metal oxide.

A cathode including: a cathode current collector; and a cathode active material layer disposed on the cathode current collector and including a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface and adjacent to the cathode current collector, wherein the cathode active material layer includes a cathode active material including a dopant, and wherein a concentration gradient of the dopant decreases in a direction from the first surface to the second surface.

A composite for use as an electrode, the composition comprising a uniformly distributed spontaneously formed segregated network of carbon nanotubes, metallic nanowires or a combination thereof, and a particulate active material, and in which the composite is free of carbon black and has no additional polymeric binder.

A composite for use as an electrode, the composition comprising a uniformly distributed spontaneously formed segregated network of carbon nanotubes, metallic nanowires or a combination thereof, and a particulate active material, and in which the composite is free of carbon black and has no additional polymeric binder.

Provided is a binder composition for lithium ion secondary battery electrode-use that reduces internal resistance of a lithium ion secondary battery while also providing the lithium ion secondary battery with excellent life characteristics. The binder composition contains a copolymer X and a solvent. The copolymer X is obtained from a monomer composition X that contains at least 20.0 mass % and no greater than 75.0 mass % of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid compound (A) composed of either or both of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salt, and at least 20.0 mass % and no greater than 75.0 mass % of a copolymerizable compound (B) that has an ethylenically unsaturated bond and a solubility of at least 7 g in 100 g of water at 20° C. The copolymer X has a degree of swelling in electrolysis solution of less than 120 mass %.

Provided is a binder composition for lithium ion secondary battery electrode-use that reduces internal resistance of a lithium ion secondary battery while also providing the lithium ion secondary battery with excellent life characteristics. The binder composition contains a copolymer X and a solvent. The copolymer X is obtained from a monomer composition X that contains at least 20.0 mass % and no greater than 75.0 mass % of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid compound (A) composed of either or both of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid salt, and at least 20.0 mass % and no greater than 75.0 mass % of a copolymerizable compound (B) that has an ethylenically unsaturated bond and a solubility of at least 7 g in 100 g of water at 20° C. The copolymer X has a degree of swelling in electrolysis solution of less than 120 mass %.

A device for monitoring the use of a pressure container system of a piece of equipment, such as a motor vehicle, is designed to ascertain equipment-side usage data relating to previous use of the pressure container system. The device is additionally designed to compare the equipment-side usage data with equipment-external usage data relating to the previous use of the pressure container system and to initiate one or more measures relating to further use of the pressure container system on the basis of the comparison.

A device for monitoring the use of a pressure container system of a piece of equipment, such as a motor vehicle, is designed to ascertain equipment-side usage data relating to previous use of the pressure container system. The device is additionally designed to compare the equipment-side usage data with equipment-external usage data relating to the previous use of the pressure container system and to initiate one or more measures relating to further use of the pressure container system on the basis of the comparison.

This negative electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is provided with a negative electrode mixture layer that contains a negative electrode active material and carbon nanotubes. The negative electrode active material contains a first negative electrode active material and a second negative electrode active material; the first negative electrode active material and the second negative electrode active material contain lithium silicate phases, each of which contains lithium, silicon and oxygen, and silicon particles that are dispersed in the lithium silicate phases; the molar ratios of oxygen to silicon (O/Si) in the lithium silicate phases are different from each other; the carbon nanotubes have a diameter of from 1 nm to 5 nm; and the ratio of the mass of the first negative electrode active material relative to the total mass of the first negative electrode active material and the second negative electrode active material is 60% or less.

This negative electrode for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is provided with a negative electrode mixture layer that contains a negative electrode active material and carbon nanotubes. The negative electrode active material contains a first negative electrode active material and a second negative electrode active material; the first negative electrode active material and the second negative electrode active material contain lithium silicate phases, each of which contains lithium, silicon and oxygen, and silicon particles that are dispersed in the lithium silicate phases; the molar ratios of oxygen to silicon (O/Si) in the lithium silicate phases are different from each other; the carbon nanotubes have a diameter of from 1 nm to 5 nm; and the ratio of the mass of the first negative electrode active material relative to the total mass of the first negative electrode active material and the second negative electrode active material is 60% or less.