The present invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolytic solution prepared by dissolving an electrolyte salt in a nonaqueous solvent and an energy storage device, wherein the nonaqueous electrolytic solution includes LiPF.sub.2(—OC(═O)—C(═O)O—).sub.2 and at least one kind of a compound having a carbon-carbon triple bond represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR00001## (wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and optionally substituted with a halogen atom; and R.sup.3 represents a methyl group or an ethyl group. X represents a hydrogen atom or —CR.sup.1R.sup.2—OS(═O).sub.2—R.sup.3.).

The present invention provides a method of producing a lithium mixed metal oxide, a lithium mixed metal oxide and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The method includes a step of calcining a mixture of one or more compounds of M wherein M is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and manganese, and a lithium compound, in the presence of one or more inactive fluxes selected from the group consisting of a fluoride of A, a chloride of A, a carbonate of A, a sulfate of A, a nitrate of A, a phosphate of A, a hydroxide of A, a molybdate of A and a tungstate of A, wherein A is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Mg, Sr and Ba. The lithium mixed metal oxide contains nickel, cobalt and manganese, has a BET specific surface area of from 3 m.sup.2/g to 15 m.sup.2/g, and has an average particle diameter within a range of 0.1 μm or more to less than 1 μm, the diameter determined by a laser diffraction scattering method.

Provided is a method for preparing a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, the method comprising: mixing and reacting a nickel source, a cobalt source, and an aluminum source, ammonia water, sucrose, and a pH adjusting agent to prepare a mixed solution; drying and oxidizing the mixed solution to prepare a positive electrode active material precursor; and adding a lithium source to the positive electrode active material precursor and firing them to prepare a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery.

A storage element for a solid electrolyte battery is provided, having a main member of a porous ceramic matrix in which particles, that are made of a metal and/or a metal oxide and jointly form a redox couple, are embedded, the particles having a lamellar shape.

The invention is directed towards a battery. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a conductive additive and an electrochemically active cathode material. The electrochemically active cathode material includes a beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide. The beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide has a chemical formula. The chemical formula is Li.sub.xA.sub.yNi.sub.1+a−zM.sub.zO.sub.2.nH.sub.2O where x is from about 0.02 to about 0.20; y is from about 0.03 to about 0.20; a is from about 0 to about 0.2; z is from about 0 to about 0.2; and n is from about 0 to about 1. Within the chemical formula, A is an alkali metal. The alkali metal includes potassium, rubidium, cesium, and any combination thereof. Within the chemical formula, M comprises an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, a non-transition metal, and any combination thereof. The anode includes an electrochemically active anode material. The electrochemically active anode material includes zinc, zinc alloy, and any combination thereof.

The invention is directed towards a battery. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a conductive additive and an electrochemically active cathode material. The electrochemically active cathode material includes a beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide. The beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide has a chemical formula. The chemical formula is Li.sub.xA.sub.yNi.sub.1+a−zM.sub.zO.sub.2.nH.sub.2O where x is from about 0.02 to about 0.20; y is from about 0.03 to about 0.20; a is from about 0 to about 0.2; z is from about 0 to about 0.2; and n is from about 0 to about 1. Within the chemical formula, A is an alkali metal. The alkali metal includes potassium, rubidium, cesium, and any combination thereof. Within the chemical formula, M comprises an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, a non-transition metal, and any combination thereof. The anode includes an electrochemically active anode material. The electrochemically active anode material includes zinc, zinc alloy, and any combination thereof.

An alkaline electrochemical cell includes a cathode; a gelled anode having an anode active material and an electrolyte; and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode; wherein the separator includes a non-conductive, porous material having a mean pore size of about 1 micron to about 5 microns, a maximum pore size of about 19 microns, and an air permeability of about 0.5 cc/cm.sup.2/s to about 3.8 cc/cm.sup.2/s at 125 Pa.

Provided herein are energy storage device cathodes with high capacity electrochemically active material including compounds that include iron, fluorine, sulfur, and optionally oxygen. Batteries with active materials including a compound of the formula FeF.sub.aS.sub.bO.sub.c exhibit high capacity, high specific energy, high average discharge voltage, and low hysteresis, even when discharged at high rates. Iron, fluorine, and sulfur-containing compounds may be ionically and electronically conductive.

An energy storage device, such as a silver oxide battery, can include a silver-containing cathode and an electrolyte having an ionic liquid. An anion of the ionic liquid is selected from the group consisting of: methanesulfonate, methylsulfate, acetate, and fluoroacetate. A cation of the ionic liquid can be selected from the group consisting of: imidazolium, pyridinium, ammonium, piperidinium, pyrrolidinium, sulfonium, and phosphonium. The energy storage device may include a printed or non-printed separator. The printed separator can include a gel including dissolved cellulose powder and the electrolyte. The non-printed separator can include a gel including at least partially dissolved regenerate cellulose and the electrolyte. An energy storage device fabrication process can include applying a plasma treatment to a surface of each of a cathode, anode, separator, and current collectors. The plasma treatment process can improve wettability, adhesion, electron and/or ionic transport across the treated surface.

There is provided a Co-based 5-V spinel-type lithium manganese-containing complex oxide not only having an operating potential of 4.5 V or higher but also being capable of extending its capacity region of a 5.5 to 5.5 V region and being capable of enhancing its energy density as well. There is proposed a spinel-type lithium cobalt manganese-containing complex oxide having a crystal structure classified as a space group Fd-3m and being represented by the general formula [Li.sub.x(Co.sub.yMn.sub.3−x−y)O.sub.4−δ] (wherein 0.90≦x≦1.15 and 0.75≦y≦1.25), wherein the oxide has a crystallite size measured by a Rietveld method using the fundamental method of 100 nm to 200 nm, an interatomic distance of Li—O of 1.80 Å to 2.00 Å, and a strain of 0.20 to 0.50.