A technique is provided, in which impure metal is efficiently separated and removed from titanium-containing raw material such as titanium slag or ilmenite and high titanium-containing raw material is produced. The method for improving quality of titanium-containing raw material containing slag, including steps of: oxidizing the titanium-containing raw material, selectively chlorinating impurities in the titanium-containing raw material, and separating and removing the impure chlorides to obtain high titanium-containing raw material. Alternatively, in this method, the oxidizing treatment and the selective chlorinating treatment are performed simultaneously.

The present invention provides nanostructures for use in proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. The present invention also provides method of proliferating and differentiating neural stem cells.

An anode material includes a silicon composite substrate. In the X-ray diffraction pattern of the anode material, the highest intensity at 2θ within the range of 28.0° to 29.0° is I.sub.2, and the highest intensity at 2θ within the range of 20.5° to 21.5° is I.sub.1, wherein 0<I.sub.2/I.sub.1≤1. The anode material has good cycle performance, and the battery prepared with the anode material has better rate performance and a lower swelling rate.

An anode material includes a silicon composite substrate. In the X-ray diffraction pattern of the anode material, the highest intensity at 2θ within the range of 28.0° to 29.0° is I.sub.2, and the highest intensity at 2θ within the range of 20.5° to 21.5° is I.sub.1, wherein 0<I.sub.2/I.sub.1≤1. The anode material has good cycle performance, and the battery prepared with the anode material has better rate performance and a lower swelling rate.

The present invention aims at: providing an accelerated reaction in a liquid-phase reaction; forming, by way of the reaction, a metal oxide nanoparticle and carbon that carries the metal oxide nanoparticle in a highly dispersed state; and providing an electrode containing the carbon and an electrochemical device using the electrode. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, shear stress and centrifugal force are applied to the reactant in the rotating reactor so that an accelerated chemical reaction is attained in the course of the reaction. Further, the carbon carrying a metal oxide nanoparticle in a highly dispersed state comprises: a metal oxide nanoparticle produced by the accelerated chemical reaction, wherein shear stress and centrifugal force are applied to a reactant in a rotating reactor in the course of the reaction; and carbon dispersed in the rotating reactor by applying shear stress and centrifugal force. An electrochemical device produced by using the carbon carrying the metal oxide nanoparticle as an electrode has high output and high capacity characteristics.

The present invention aims at: providing an accelerated reaction in a liquid-phase reaction; forming, by way of the reaction, a metal oxide nanoparticle and carbon that carries the metal oxide nanoparticle in a highly dispersed state; and providing an electrode containing the carbon and an electrochemical device using the electrode. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, shear stress and centrifugal force are applied to the reactant in the rotating reactor so that an accelerated chemical reaction is attained in the course of the reaction. Further, the carbon carrying a metal oxide nanoparticle in a highly dispersed state comprises: a metal oxide nanoparticle produced by the accelerated chemical reaction, wherein shear stress and centrifugal force are applied to a reactant in a rotating reactor in the course of the reaction; and carbon dispersed in the rotating reactor by applying shear stress and centrifugal force. An electrochemical device produced by using the carbon carrying the metal oxide nanoparticle as an electrode has high output and high capacity characteristics.

A battery cell having an anode or cathode comprising an acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH<7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H.sub.0>−12, at least on its surface.

A battery cell having an anode or cathode comprising an acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH<7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H.sub.0>−12, at least on its surface.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an active material for a battery. The active material includes secondary particle which contains primary particles of a monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide having an average primary particle diameter of 1 nm to 10 μm. The secondary particle has an average secondary particle diameter of 1 μm to 100 μm. The secondary particle has compression fracture strength of 20 MPa or more.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an active material for a battery. The active material includes secondary particle which contains primary particles of a monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide having an average primary particle diameter of 1 nm to 10 μm. The secondary particle has an average secondary particle diameter of 1 μm to 100 μm. The secondary particle has compression fracture strength of 20 MPa or more.