Materials are presented of the formula:

A.sub.xM.sub.yM.sup.i.sub.ziO.sub.2d, where A is sodium or a mixed alkali metal including sodium as a major constituent; x>0; M is a metal or germanium; y>0; M.sup.i, for i=1, 2, 3 . . . n, is a transition metal or an alkali metal; z.sub.i0 for each i=1, 2, 3 . . . n; 0<d0.5; the values of x, y, z.sub.i and d are such as to maintain charge neutrality; and the values of x, y, z.sub.i and d are such that x+y+z.sub.i>2d.

The formula includes compounds that are oxygen deficient. Further the oxidation states may or may not be integers i.e. they may be whole numbers or fractions or a combination of whole numbers and fractions and may be averaged over different crystallographic sites in the material. Such materials are useful, for example, as electrode materials in rechargeable battery applications. Also presented is a method of preparing a compound having the formula A.sub.xM.sub.yM.sup.i.sub.ziO.sub.2d.

A thermoelectric material containing a dichalcogenide compound represented by Formula 1 and having low thermoelectric conductivity and high Seebeck coefficient:

R.sub.aT.sub.bX.sub.2-nY.sub.n (1)

wherein R is a rare earth element, T includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Group 1 elements, Group 2 elements, and a transition metal, X includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, and Te, Y is different from X and includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, P, As, Sb, Bi, C, Si, Ge, Sn, B, Al, Ga and In, a is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1, b is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1, and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 2.

Materials are presented of the formula: A.sub.x M.sub.y M.sup.i.sub.zi O.sub.2d, where A is sodium or a mixed alkali metal including sodium as a major constituent; x>0; M is a metal or germanium; y>0; M.sup.i, for i=1, 2, 3 . . . n, is a transition metal or an alkali metal; z.sub.i0 for each i=1, 2, 3 . . . n; 0<d0.5; the values of x, y, z.sub.i and d are such as to maintain charge neutrality; and the values of x, y, z.sub.i and d are such that x+y+z.sub.i>2d. The formula includes compounds that are oxygen deficient. Further the oxidation states may or may not be integers i.e. they may be whole numbers or fractions or a combination of whole numbers and fractions and may be averaged over different crystallographic sites in the material. Such materials are useful, for example, as electrode materials in rechargeable battery applications. Also presented is a method of preparing a compound having the formula A.sub.x M.sub.y M.sup.i.sub.zi O.sub.2d.

A thermoelectric material containing a dichalcogenide compound represented by Formula 1 and having low thermoelectric conductivity and high Seebeck coefficient:
R.sub.aT.sub.bX.sub.2-nY.sub.n(1) wherein R is a rare earth element, T includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Group 1 elements, Group 2 elements, and a transition metal, X includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, and Te, Y is different from X and includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, P, As, Sb, Bi, C, Si, Ge, Sn, B, Al, Ga and In, a is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1, b is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1, and n is greater than or equal to 0 and less than 2.

An organic-inorganic perovskite CH.sub.3NH.sub.3PbI.sub.3 nanowire showing a length-width aspect ratio from 5-400 up to 10.sup.9 and a width-height ratio of 1-100 up to 1-10000. Further, the invention is embodied as a process for making the nanowire wherein at least a polar aprotic solvents is used, the polar aprotic solvent being at least one from the list comprising DMF, DMSO, and DMAc solvents.

An oxide represented by Formula 1:
(Sr.sub.2xA.sub.x)(M.sub.1yQ.sub.y)D.sub.2O.sub.7+d,Formula 1
wherein A is barium (Ba), M is at least one selected from magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca), Q is a Group 13 element, D is at least one selected from silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge), 0x2.0, 0<y1.0, and d is a value which makes the oxide electrically neutral.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a hexafluoromanganate(IV), said method being characterized by comprising: inserting an anode and a cathode into a reaction solution that contains a compound containing manganese having an atomic valence of less than 4 and/or manganese having an atomic valence of more than 4 and hydrogen fluoride; and then applying an electric current having an electric current density of 100 to 1000 A/m.sup.2 between the anode and the cathode. According to the present invention, it becomes possible to produce a hexafluoromanganate(IV) in which the content ratio of manganese having an atomic valence of 4 is high and the contamination with oxygen is reduced and which has high purity. When a complex fluoride red phosphor is produced using the hexafluoromanganate(IV) as a raw material, the phosphor produced has high luminescence properties, particularly high internal quantum efficiency.

The invention relates to a mixed-anion solid electrolyte, having the following chemical formula: Li.sub.dAl.sub.1cY.sub.cCl.sub.3aX.sub.b, wherein Y is selected from at least one of Si.sup.4+, Ge.sup.4+, Sn.sup.4+, Sb.sup.5+, Nb.sup.5+, Ta.sup.5+, Mo.sup.6+, and W.sup.6+, and X is selected from at least one of O.sup.2, S.sup.2, F.sup., Br.sup., I.sup., and BH.sup.4; and wherein 0<d2, 0<b2, 0<a2, 0<c<0.75 and charge balance is reached.

Provided is a method for producing a phosphor having a s chemical composition represented by formula (I), A.sub.2MF.sub.6:Mn (I) (A is one type or more of an alkali metal selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs, and includes at least Na and/or K, and M is one type or more of a tetravalent element selected from Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Ge, and Sn.), the method comprising preparing a first hydrofluoric acid solution containing M and a second hydrofluoric acid solution containing A as well as either dissolving a compound containing Mn in either the first hydrofluoric acid solution or the second hydrofluoric acid solution or preparing a separate solution in which the compound containing Mn is dissolved. When the solutions are mixed to precipitate the phosphor of the formula (I), the solutions are mixed so that the concentration of M is 0.1 to 0.5 mol/liter when all the solutions are mixed. According to the present invention, a complex fluoride phosphor having excellent luminescence properties can be produced stably with high yield.

Methods for making a synthetic mineral and methods for making synthetic mineral precursors and the products of said methods.