A battery monitoring device includes a first coil positioned within a cell of a battery, a second coil positioned to be magnetically coupled to the first coil through active material that is contained within the cell, and a controller that is configured to apply an electrical current to one of the first and second coils, detect induced electrical current in the other of the first and second coils, and determine a state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery based on the induced electrical current.

A battery monitoring device includes a first coil positioned within a cell of a battery, a second coil positioned to be magnetically coupled to the first coil through active material that is contained within the cell, and a controller that is configured to apply an electrical current to one of the first and second coils, detect induced electrical current in the other of the first and second coils, and determine a state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery based on the induced electrical current.

Provided is an anode active material layer for a lithium battery. This layer comprises multiple particulates of an anode active material, wherein at least a particulate is composed of one or a plurality of particles of a high-capacity anode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of elastomeric material that has a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10.sup.−7 S/cm (preferably no less than 10.sup.−5 S/cm) at room temperature and an encapsulating shell thickness from 1 nm to 10 μm, and wherein the high-capacity anode active material (e.g. Si, Ge, Sn, SnO.sub.2, Co.sub.3O.sub.4, etc.) has a specific capacity of lithium storage greater than 372 mAh/g (the theoretical lithium storage limit of graphite).

A battery 2 includes an outer can 10 and an electrode group 22 that is housed in the outer can 10 together with an alkaline electrolytic solution, in which a positive electrode 24 included in the electrode group 22 includes a positive electrode substrate and a positive electrode mixture supported on the positive electrode substrate, the positive electrode mixture includes nickel hydroxide, yttrium oxide serving as a first additive, and niobium oxide or titanium oxide serving as a second additive, a total amount of the first additive and the second additive is 0.1 parts by mass or more and 2.5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the nickel hydroxide, a mass ratio of the first additive and the second additive is in a relationship of 1:0.2 to 5, and the positive electrode mixture after an activation treatment has a resistivity of 1 Ω.Math.m or more and 10 Ω.Math.m or less.

A battery 2 includes an outer can 10 and an electrode group 22 that is housed in the outer can 10 together with an alkaline electrolytic solution, in which a positive electrode 24 included in the electrode group 22 includes a positive electrode substrate and a positive electrode mixture supported on the positive electrode substrate, the positive electrode mixture includes nickel hydroxide, yttrium oxide serving as a first additive, and niobium oxide or titanium oxide serving as a second additive, a total amount of the first additive and the second additive is 0.1 parts by mass or more and 2.5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the nickel hydroxide, a mass ratio of the first additive and the second additive is in a relationship of 1:0.2 to 5, and the positive electrode mixture after an activation treatment has a resistivity of 1 Ω.Math.m or more and 10 Ω.Math.m or less.

A lithium-ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode containing an active material, and an electrolytic solution, in which the active material contains, as constituent elements, Si, O, and at least one element M1 selected from Li, C, Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ge, Zr, Mo, Ag, Sn, Ba, W, Ta, Na, and K, and the atomic ratio x (O/Si) of O to Si is 0.5≦x≦1.8.

A storage medium and an inert material, either integrated into the storage medium or existing as a separate phase in the storage medium, form a storage structure. The inert material at least partially contains or is formed by a polymorphous inert material. The polymorphous inert material has at least one polymorphous phase transition in the range between ambient temperature and maximum operating temperature of the solid electrolyte battery. The polymorphous phase transition induces a distortion of the lattice structure of the inert material, thus causing a change in the specific volume and acting on the surrounding grains of the storage medium. A mechanical coupling of the stresses triggered by the phase transition of the inert material causes the neighboring grains of the storage medium to break apart, such that new reactive zones become available in the storage medium, thereby regenerating the solid electrolyte battery.

A secondary battery includes: a first oxide semiconductor having a first conductivity type; a first charging layer disposed on the first oxide semiconductor layer, and composed by including a first insulating material and a second oxide semiconductor having the first conductivity type; a second charging layer disposed on the first charging layer; a third oxide semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type disposed on the second charging layer; and a hydroxide layer disposed between the first charging layer and the third oxide semiconductor layer, and containing a hydroxide of a metal constituting the third oxide semiconductor layer. The highly reliable secondary battery is capable of improving an energy density and increasing battery characteristics (electricity accumulation capacity).

A secondary battery includes: a first oxide semiconductor having a first conductivity type; a first charging layer disposed on the first oxide semiconductor layer, and composed by including a first insulating material and a second oxide semiconductor having the first conductivity type; a second charging layer disposed on the first charging layer; a third oxide semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type disposed on the second charging layer; and a hydroxide layer disposed between the first charging layer and the third oxide semiconductor layer, and containing a hydroxide of a metal constituting the third oxide semiconductor layer. The highly reliable secondary battery is capable of improving an energy density and increasing battery characteristics (electricity accumulation capacity).

A method is provided for synthesizing metal cyanometallate (MCM). The method provides a solution of A.sub.XM1.sub.Y(CN).sub.Z; where “A” is selected from a first group of metals and M1 is selected from a second group of metals. The method adds a material including M2 to the solution to form a liquid phase material that may be either a suspension or a solution. M2 is selected from the second group of metals. The method adds acid to the liquid phase material. The addition of acid to the liquid phase material decomposes the M2 material into M2-ions. Simultaneous with the addition of the acid, a precipitate of A.sub.NM1.sub.PM2.sub.Q(CN).sub.R.FH.sub.2O is formed, where N is in a range of 1 to 2. A variation of the above-described synthesis method is also provided.