The invention discloses a composite negative active material ball, which includes an electrically conductive metal core, which is substantially without pores, and a plurality of silicon or silicon compound particles, which is distributed on the surface of electrically conductive metal core. Partial volume of the silicon or silicon compound particles are embedded into the electrically conductive metal core. The silicon or silicon compound particles can maintain the well contact of the electrically conductive metal core during alloying/dealloying with lithium. Therefore, the composite negative active material ball have good electrical transfer characteristics.

The present application provides systems, apparatuses, and methods for simultaneous processing of tow waster gases, namely H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2. In an exemplary process of this disclosure H.sub.2S is supplied to anode side of an electrochemical cell, while CO.sub.2 is supplied to the cathode side. As a result, valuable commercial products are produced. In particular, SO.sub.2 is harvested from the anode side, while synthesis gas, CO+H.sub.2) is harvested from the cathode side. An electric current is also produced, which can be supplied to a local utility grid.

The present application provides systems, apparatuses, and methods for simultaneous processing of tow waster gases, namely H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2. In an exemplary process of this disclosure H.sub.2S is supplied to anode side of an electrochemical cell, while CO.sub.2 is supplied to the cathode side. As a result, valuable commercial products are produced. In particular, SO.sub.2 is harvested from the anode side, while synthesis gas, CO+H.sub.2) is harvested from the cathode side. An electric current is also produced, which can be supplied to a local utility grid.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a substrate (2) which is coated with an alkali metal (1), in which method a promoter layer (3) which is composed of a material which reacts with the alkali metal (1) by at least partial chemical reduction of the promoter layer (3) is applied to a surface of the substrate (2) and a surface of the promoter layer (3) is acted on by an alkali metal (1) and then the alkali metal (1) is converted into the solid phase and a coating containing the alkali metal is formed.

A negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery, where the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode active material layer, a lithium layer that is positioned between the negative electrode current collector and the negative electrode active material layer, and a primer layer that is positioned between the negative electrode current collector and the lithium layer, and a manufacturing method thereof. This results in a simple method and a negative electrode with high capacity characteristics.

A high-capacity and long-life negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type for secondary rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery and a method for preparing the same are provided in the present invention. A chemical formula of the negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type is La.sub.1-x-yRe.sub.xMg.sub.y(Ni.sub.1-a-bAl.sub.aM.sub.b).sub.z, wherein Re is at least one of Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Y, and M is at least one of Ti, Cr, Mo, Nb, Ga, V, Si, Zn, Sn; 0≤x≤0.10, 0.3≤y≤0.5, 0<a≤0.05, 0≤b≤0.02, 2.3≤z<3.0. The negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type in the present invention has excellent charge-discharge capacity and cycle life. The negative electrode hydrogen storage material of La—Mg—Ni type can be applied in both common secondary rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery and secondary rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery with ultra-low self-discharge and long-term storage performance.

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a first separator disposed on one side of the surface of the negative electrode and having a thickness T1, and a second separator disposed on the other side of the surface of the negative electrode and having a thickness T2. The thickness T2 of the second separator is larger than the thickness T1 of the first separator. The first separator includes a first porous film having a porosity P1, and the second separator includes a second porous film having a porosity P2. At least one of the first separator and the second separator includes a heat resistant layer. The positive electrode, the first separator, the negative electrode and the second separator are wound together such that the first separator is arranged on the outer side and the second separator is arranged on the inner side.

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a first separator disposed on one side of the surface of the negative electrode and having a thickness T1, and a second separator disposed on the other side of the surface of the negative electrode and having a thickness T2. The thickness T2 of the second separator is larger than the thickness T1 of the first separator. The first separator includes a first porous film having a porosity P1, and the second separator includes a second porous film having a porosity P2. At least one of the first separator and the second separator includes a heat resistant layer. The positive electrode, the first separator, the negative electrode and the second separator are wound together such that the first separator is arranged on the outer side and the second separator is arranged on the inner side.

The present invention provides a binder for a secondary battery having excellent binding force. A binder for a secondary battery comprising a polymer compound, wherein the polymer compound contains repeating units represented by formulae (1), (2), and (3):

##STR00001##

in formula (1). R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and M is a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom; and in formula (3), R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and

when a total ratio of repeating units constituting the polymer compound is taken as 100 mol %, a total ratio of the repeating unit represented by formula (3) is 2 mol % or more and 20 mol % or less.

A first negative electrode mixture layer contains a first negative electrode active material and a first water-soluble polymer material; and a second negative electrode mixture layer contains a second negative electrode active material and a second water-soluble polymer material. The ratio of the amount (S1) of the first water-soluble polymer material present on the surface of the first negative electrode active material to the amount (V1) of the first water-soluble polymer material present in voids among particles of the first negative electrode active material, namely S1/V1 is larger than the ratio of the amount (S2) of the second water-soluble polymer material present on the surface of the second negative electrode active material to the amount (V2) of the second water-soluble polymer material present in voids among particles of the second negative electrode active material, namely S2/V2.