A catalyst includes at least one element X selected from the group consisting of Groups 3 to 6 of the Periodic Table, and at least one element Z selected from the group consisting of Group 14 elements. The catalyst is flaky and has pores in a thickness direction. A catalyst that is capable of suppressing an overreaction to a polymer and producing a diene compound, particularly butadiene, at a high yield can be provided.

A catalyst includes at least one element X selected from the group consisting of Groups 3 to 6 of the Periodic Table, and at least one element Z selected from the group consisting of Group 14 elements. The catalyst is flaky and has pores in a thickness direction. A catalyst that is capable of suppressing an overreaction to a polymer and producing a diene compound, particularly butadiene, at a high yield can be provided.

Disclosed are a method for preparing a ceramic material including a compound of a formula of A.sub.2B.sub.xO.sub.y and a ceramic material prepared by the method. The method includes: mixing a first oxide of AO.sub.m and a second oxide of BO.sub.n to obtain a mixture, ball-milling the mixture until a particle size of the mixture is not greater than 1 μm with a medium selected from a group consisting of ethanol, acetone, deionized water and a combination thereof, to obtain a powder, drying the powder at a temperature in a range of 60 to 80° C., and sintering the powder with a laser irradiation having a laser wavelength of 980 nm, an irradiation power ranging from 50 to 1500 W and an irradiation period of 3 s to 8 min to obtain the ceramic material.

Disclosed are a method for preparing a ceramic material including a compound of a formula of A.sub.2B.sub.xO.sub.y and a ceramic material prepared by the method. The method includes: mixing a first oxide of AO.sub.m and a second oxide of BO.sub.n to obtain a mixture, ball-milling the mixture until a particle size of the mixture is not greater than 1 μm with a medium selected from a group consisting of ethanol, acetone, deionized water and a combination thereof, to obtain a powder, drying the powder at a temperature in a range of 60 to 80° C., and sintering the powder with a laser irradiation having a laser wavelength of 980 nm, an irradiation power ranging from 50 to 1500 W and an irradiation period of 3 s to 8 min to obtain the ceramic material.

Amorphous silica-titania composite oxide powder is powder untreated with a surface treatment agent and consisting of amorphous silica-titania composite oxide particles, wherein: a refractive index at a measurement wavelength of 589 nm is not less than 1.46; a volume-based cumulative 50% diameter is 0.1 μm to 2.0 μm; and a content of particles having a particle size of not less than 5.0 μm is not more than 10 ppm, and wherein, in a case where the powder is dried in an atmospheric air at 110° C. for 12 hours, and powder thus dried is stored for 24 hours at a temperature of 25° C. and a relative humidity of 85% so as to absorb moisture, a water absorption rate is not more than 0.8% by mass as calculated from a mass X before moisture absorption and a mass Y after the moisture absorption in accordance with the formula: (Y−X)/X×100.

A positive electrode active substance for a secondary cell, where the positive electrode active substance is capable of suppressing adsorption of water effectively in order to obtain a high-performance lithium ion secondary cell or sodium ion secondary cell. The positive electrode active substance contains 0.3 to 5 mass % of graphite, 0.1 to 4 mass % of carbon obtained by carbonizing a water-soluble carbon material, or 0.1 to 5 mass % of a metal fluoride is supported on a composite containing a compound which contains at least iron or manganese, where the compound is represented by formula (A) LiFe.sub.aMn.sub.bM.sub.cPO.sub.4, formula (B) Li.sub.2Fe.sub.dMn.sub.eN.sub.fSiO.sub.4, or formula (C) NaFe.sub.gMn.sub.hQ.sub.iPO.sub.4, and carbon obtained by carbonizing a cellulose nanofiber.

A positive electrode active substance for a secondary cell, where the positive electrode active substance is capable of suppressing adsorption of water effectively in order to obtain a high-performance lithium ion secondary cell or sodium ion secondary cell. The positive electrode active substance contains 0.3 to 5 mass % of graphite, 0.1 to 4 mass % of carbon obtained by carbonizing a water-soluble carbon material, or 0.1 to 5 mass % of a metal fluoride is supported on a composite containing a compound which contains at least iron or manganese, where the compound is represented by formula (A) LiFe.sub.aMn.sub.bM.sub.cPO.sub.4, formula (B) Li.sub.2Fe.sub.dMn.sub.eN.sub.fSiO.sub.4, or formula (C) NaFe.sub.gMn.sub.hQ.sub.iPO.sub.4, and carbon obtained by carbonizing a cellulose nanofiber.

A dust core that can significantly reduce the iron loss is provided. The dust core of the present invention includes soft magnetic particles comprising pure iron or an iron alloy and a grain boundary layer existing between adjacent soft magnetic particles. The grain boundary layer has a compound layer comprising M.sub.xFe.sub.2-xSiO.sub.4 (0≤x≤1, M: one or more types of metal elements that serve as divalent cations). Such a dust core is obtained by annealing a compact. The compact is obtained by compression-molding a powder for magnetic cores. In the powder for magnetic cores, coating layers that coat the surfaces of soft magnetic particles are each composed of a composite phase in which spinel-type ferrite represented by M.sub.yFe.sub.3-yO.sub.4 (0≤y≤1, M: one or more types of metal elements that serve as divalent cations) is dispersed on a surface of a silicone resin or inside the silicone resin. The dust core after annealing exhibits a high specific resistance due to the grain boundary layer having the compound layer and can reduce both the eddy-current loss and the hysteresis loss.

The present invention relates to novel microporous zirconium silicate compositions that are formulated to remove toxins, e.g. potassium ions, from the gastrointestinal tract at an elevated rate without causing undesirable side effects. The preferred formulations are designed avoid increase in pH of urine in patients and/or avoid potential entry of particles into the bloodstream of the patient. Also disclosed is a method for preparing high purity crystals of UZSi-9 exhibiting an enhanced level of potassium exchange capacity. These compositions are particularly useful in the therapeutic treatment of hyperkalemia.

The present invention relates to novel microporous zirconium silicate compositions that are formulated to remove toxins, e.g. potassium ions, from the gastrointestinal tract at an elevated rate without causing undesirable side effects. The preferred formulations are designed avoid increase in pH of urine in patients and/or avoid potential entry of particles into the bloodstream of the patient. Also disclosed is a method for preparing high purity crystals of UZSi-9 exhibiting an enhanced level of potassium exchange capacity. These compositions are particularly useful in the therapeutic treatment of hyperkalemia.