A battery includes a fluid negative electrode and a fluid positive electrode separated by a solid electrolyte at least when the electrodes and electrolyte are at an operating temperature. The solid electrolyte includes ions of the negative electrode material forming the fluid negative electrode and has a softness less than beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) ceramics. In one example, the fluid negative electrode comprises lithium (Li), the fluid positive electrode comprises sulfur (S) and the solid electrolyte comprises lithium iodide (LiI).

A positive electrode for an all-solid secondary battery, comprising a positive electrode active material expressed by A.sub.2S.AX, wherein

A is an alkali metal; and

X is selected from I, Br, Cl, F, BF.sub.4, BH.sub.4, SO.sub.4, BO.sub.3, PO.sub.4, O, Se, N, P, As, Sb, PF.sub.6, AsF.sub.6, ClO.sub.4, NO.sub.3, CO.sub.3, CF.sub.3SO.sub.3, CF.sub.3COO, N(SO.sub.2F).sub.2 and N(CF.sub.3SO.sub.2).sub.2.

A production method for a cathode material of a lithium sulfur battery includes, in sequence: a step of preparing a first dispersed solution in which a carbon particle is dispersed in a lithium sulfate solution; a step of adding a solvent in the first dispersed solution, the solvent being a solvent in which lithium sulfate is insoluble; a step of separating a precursor particle from the first dispersed solution in which the solvent is added; and a step of changing the precursor particle into a cathode active material particle by heating the precursor particle under an inert atmosphere.

A positive electrode for a secondary battery which enables both good battery characteristics and electrode strength at a predetermined level, a secondary battery, and a method for fabricating the positive electrode for a secondary battery are provided. The positive electrode for a secondary battery includes a current collector and an active material layer over the current collector. The active material layer includes an active material, graphene, and a binder. A carbon layer is on a surface of the active material. The proportion of the graphene in the active material layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 wt % and less than or equal to 1.0 wt %.

A positive electrode for a secondary battery which enables both good battery characteristics and electrode strength at a predetermined level, a secondary battery, and a method for fabricating the positive electrode for a secondary battery are provided. The positive electrode for a secondary battery includes a current collector and an active material layer over the current collector. The active material layer includes an active material, graphene, and a binder. A carbon layer is on a surface of the active material. The proportion of the graphene in the active material layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 wt % and less than or equal to 1.0 wt %.

A sulfur-carbon composite in which sulfur is combined with porous carbon is provided. In the sulfur-carbon composite, a mass loss ratio X at 500° C. in thermal mass analysis and a mass ratio Y of sulfur/(sulfur+carbon) in an observation visual field at a magnification of 1000 in SEM-EDS quantitative analysis satisfy the relationship of |X/Y−1|≦0.12, and porous carbon has a mean pore diameter of 1 to 6 nm, and a specific surface area of 2000 m.sup.2g.sup.−1 or more and 3000 m.sup.2g.sup.−1 or less.

A lithium transition metal phosphate material comprising lithium iron phosphate doped with very precise amounts of aluminium dopant, the material having formula Li.sub.yFe.sub.1-xAl.sub.xPO.sub.4, in which 0.8≤y≤1.2 and 0.0120≤x≤0.0180. When x is within this range, the capacity of the material can be improved, and good or excellent distribution of aluminium in the lithium metal phosphate is observed.

A lithium transition metal phosphate material comprising lithium iron phosphate doped with very precise amounts of aluminium dopant, the material having formula Li.sub.yFe.sub.1-xAl.sub.xPO.sub.4, in which 0.8≤y≤1.2 and 0.0120≤x≤0.0180. When x is within this range, the capacity of the material can be improved, and good or excellent distribution of aluminium in the lithium metal phosphate is observed.

An aspect of the present invention is an electrode which includes an active material layer, and an insulating layer layered on a surface of the active material layer, in which the insulating layer contains a filler and a first binder, and a content of the first binder in the insulating layer is 8% by mass or more. Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode which includes an active material layer, and an insulating layer layered on a surface of the active material layer, in which the insulating layer is a dry coating product containing a filler and a binder. Still another aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an electrode, which includes the steps of forming an active material layer, and laminating an insulator containing a filler and a binder on a surface of the active material layer to form an insulating layer, in which the insulator does not contain a solvent.

An aspect of the present invention is an electrode which includes an active material layer, and an insulating layer layered on a surface of the active material layer, in which the insulating layer contains a filler and a first binder, and a content of the first binder in the insulating layer is 8% by mass or more. Another aspect of the present invention is an electrode which includes an active material layer, and an insulating layer layered on a surface of the active material layer, in which the insulating layer is a dry coating product containing a filler and a binder. Still another aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an electrode, which includes the steps of forming an active material layer, and laminating an insulator containing a filler and a binder on a surface of the active material layer to form an insulating layer, in which the insulator does not contain a solvent.