The present invention provides a layered double hydroxide with improved conductivity, a layered double hydroxide and a composite material containing the layered double hydroxide. The layered double hydroxide is represented by the general formula: [Mg.sup.2+.sub.(1-y)M1.sup.+.sub.y].sub.1-x[Al.sup.3+.sub.(1-z)M2.sup.+.sub.z].sub.x(OH).sub.2A.sup.n.sub.x/n.mH.sub.2O, wherein 0.1x0.4, 0y0.95, and 0z0.95, provided that both y and z are not 0 at the same time; =1 or 2; =2 or 3; A.sup.n is an n-valent anion, provided that n is an integer of 1 or greater; m0; M1.sup.+ is a cation of at least one substituent element selected from monovalent elements, transition metal elements, and other elements with an ionic radius greater than that of Mg.sup.2+; and M2.sup.+ is a cation of at least one element selected from divalent elements, transition metals, and other elements with an ionic radius greater than that of Al.sup.3+.

The present invention relates to a composition for forming conductive patterns and a resin structure having a conductive pattern, capable of forming a conductive micropattern on various polymer resin products or resin layers using a simplified process and exhibiting excellent heat dissipation characteristics. The composition for forming conductive patterns comprises: a polymer resin; a non-conductive metal compound represented by a specific chemical formula; and a heat-dissipating material, wherein a metal nucleus is formed from the non-conductive metal compound by the irradiation of electromagnetic waves.

The metal complex oxide particles according to the present invention are represented by general formula MCu.sub.2O.sub.2 and include copper. M is at least one of the alkaline earth metals Sr and Ba, and the metal complex oxide particles have a particle size of 1 to 100 nm and are transparent. M may further include at least one of the alkaline earth metals Mg and Ca. These metal complex oxide particles are granular p-type inorganic oxide semiconductor particles which are transparent and have a narrow particle size distribution and a uniform particle size, with there being few coarse particles of 1 m or greater. In addition, a method for producing the metal complex oxide particles according to the present invention can easily and reliably produce transparent granular metal complex oxide particles.

A method for delithiating a lithium and transition metal nitride. The method involves mixing an oxidising agent with the lithium and transition metal nitride and recovering the material obtained. The transition metal may be Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or a mixture thereof. The material obtained by the method may be used as a negative electrode material for a lithium-ion battery.

Provided is a method for manufacturing nanostructured layered double hydroxides (LDHs) having a uniform size distribution with homogenous nano-disc morphology. Disclosed method has three main steps of: pretreatment of metal wires; wire-explosion in a liquid phase; and finally, centrifugation and drying the as-prepared colloidal products to obtain the LDHs nanostructured dried powder.

Layered double hydroxides having a high surface area (at least 125 m.sup.2/g) and the formula (I)

[M.sup.z+.sub.1-xM.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n-).sub.a/n.sup.+bH.sub.2O.c(AMO-solvent)(I)

wherein M and M are different and each is a charged metal cation (and must be present), z=1 or 2; y=3 or 4, 0<x<0.9, b is 0 to 10, c=0 to 10, X is an anion, n is the charge on the anion, and a=z(1x)+xy2; AMO-solvent is aqueous miscible organic solvent, may be prepared by a method which comprises a) precipitating a layered double hydroxide having the formula

[M.sup.z+.sub.1-xM.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n-).sub.a/n.sup.+bH.sub.2O wherein M, M, z, y, x, a, b and X are as defined above from a solution containing the cations of the metals M and M and the anion X.sup.n-; b) ageing the layered double hydroxide precipitate obtained in step a) in the original solution; c) collecting, then washing the layered double hydroxide precipitate; d) dispersing the wet layered double hydroxide in an AMO solvent so as to produce a slurry of the layered double hydroxide in the solvent; e) maintaining the dispersion obtained in step d); and f) recovering and drying the layered double hydroxide.

The high surface area products have low particle size and are particularly suitable for use as catalysts, catalyst supports, sorbents and coatings.

Please cancel the abstract of this application and replace it with the following amended abstract presented in clean form according to the procedures outlines in MPEP 714(II)(B): It is provided an alkali metal metalate compound with high magnetic exchange bias and ionic conductivity properties having the general formulae (I) A.sub.2[M.sup.1.sub.3-x M.sup.2.sub.x Z.sub.4] with A being one of Li, Na, K; M.sup.1, M.sup.2 being one or more of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn; Z being S or Se; x being 0-3, preferably 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3; whereby the compounds K.sub.2[Ni.sub.3S.sub.4], K.sub.2[Zn.sub.3S.sub.4], K.sub.2[Mn.sub.3S.sub.4], Na.sub.2[Mn.sub.3Se.sub.4] and K.sub.2[Ni.sub.3Se.sub.4] are exempted.

A superconductor wire includes: a superconducting laminate that includes: a substrate and an intermediate layer; a superconductor layer, and a metal stabilization layer which are laminated on the substrate; and an insulation coating layer that covers an outer surface of the superconducting laminate and is formed by baking a resin material. Further, a maximum height Rz of at least a part of the outer surface of the superconducting laminate covered with the insulation coating layer is 890 nm or less.

A nanocomposite having ionic conductivity and having the general formula CuO.Math.MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 wherein: copper oxide (CuO) is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 15 weight percent (wt. %) of the total weight of the nanocomposite; and, CuO is present as a monoclinic crystal phase within the nanocomposite, as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Copper nanoclusters (CuNCs), thymine-modified hyaluronic acid (TMHA), and poly(copper nanoclusters) (PCuNCs) are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the TMHA is represented by formula I, wherein the degree of substitution of thymine in the HA is in a range of 1-50%, and wherein n for GlcA-GlcNAc repeats is an integer, from 10 to 10,000.