The present disclosure relates generally to electrocatalytic process for conversion of a hydrocarbon reactant, comprising: introducing the hydrocarbon reactant into an acidic solution in a presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst includes a d? transition metal-oxo moiety; and applying an electrical input to the catalyst to convert the hydrocarbon reactant into a product. The present disclosure also relates to a catalyst for conversion of a hydrocarbon reactant, comprising a d? transition metal-oxo moiety and a sulfonic moiety bonded to the d? transition metal.

A CoVO.sub.x composite electrode and method of making is described. The composite electrode comprises a substrate with an average 0.5-5 ?m thick layer of CoVO.sub.x having pores with average diameters of 2-200 nm. The method of making the composite electrode involves contacting the substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent, a cobalt complex, and a vanadium complex. The CoVO.sub.x composite electrode is capable of being used in an electrochemical cell for water oxidation.

Provided is an anode particulate, having a dimension from 10 nm to 100 m, for use in an alkali metal battery, the particulate comprising (i) an anode active material capable of reversibly absorbing and desorbing lithium ions or sodium ions, (ii) an electron-conducting material, and (iii) a lithium ion-conducting or sodium ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein the electron-conducting material forms a three dimensional network of electron-conducting pathways in electronic contact with the anode active material and the electrolyte forms a three dimensional network of lithium ion- or sodium ion-conducting channels in ionic contact with the anode active material. The particulate can be of any shape, but preferably spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. Also provided is a cathode in a particulate form containing a cathode active material, an electron-conducting material forming a three dimensional network of electron-conducting pathways, and a lithium ion-conducting or sodium ion-conducting electrolyte forming a three dimensional network of ion-conducting channels.

A perovskite material represented by Formula 1:
Li.sub.xA.sub.yM.sub.zO.sub.3-?Formula 1 wherein in Formula 1, 0<x?1, 0<y?1, 0<x+y<1, 0<z?1.5, 0???1, A is H, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, or a combination thereof, and M is Ni, Pd, Pb, Fe, Ir, Co, Rh, Mn, Cr, Ru, Re, Sn, V, Ge, W, Zr, Mo, Hf, U, Nb, Th, Ta, Bi, Li, H, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Mg, Al, Si, Sc, Zn, Ga, Ag, Cd, In, Sb, Pt, Au, or a combination thereof.

An electrode comprising a space group Pna2.sub.1 VOPO.sub.4 lattice, capable of electrochemical insertion and release of alkali metal ions, e.g., sodium ions. The VOPO.sub.4 lattice may be formed by solid phase synthesis of KVOPO.sub.4, milled with carbon particles to increase conductivity. A method of forming an electrode is provided, comprising milling a mixture of ammonium metavanadate, ammonium phosphate monobasic, and potassium carbonate; heating the milled mixture to a reaction temperature, and holding the reaction temperature until a solid phase synthesis of KVOPO.sub.4 occurs; milling the KVOPO.sub.4 together with conductive particles to form a conductive mixture of fine particles; and adding binder material to form a conductive cathode. A sodium ion battery is provided having a conductive NaVOPO.sub.4 cathode derived by replacement of potassium in KVOPO.sub.4, a sodium ion donor anode, and a sodium ion transport electrolyte. The VOPO.sub.4, preferably has a volume greater than 90 ?.sup.3 per VOPO.sub.4.

Electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode is provided. The anode and the cathode independently comprises or consists essentially of a vanadium oxide compound having general formula M.sub.nV.sub.6O.sub.16, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, alkali-metal, and alkaline-earth metal; and n is 1 or 2. Method of preparing a vanadium oxide compound having general formula M.sub.nV.sub.6O.sub.16 is also provided.

According to one embodiment, an active material including a composite oxide is provided. The composite oxide has a monoclinic crystal structure and is represented by the general formula Li.sub.wM1.sub.2xTi.sub.8yM2.sub.zO.sub.17+, wherein: M1 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Cs, K, and Na; M2 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sn, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Fe, Co, Mn, and Al; 0w10; 0<x<2; 0<y<8; 0<z<8; and 0.50.5.

A device including an LED light source optically coupled to a green-emitting U.sup.6+-doped phosphor having a composition selected from the group consisting of U.sup.6+-doped phosphate-vanadate phosphors, U.sup.6+-doped halide phosphors, U.sup.6+-doped oxyhalide phosphors, U.sup.6+-doped silicate-germanate phosphors, U.sup.6+-doped alkali earth oxide phosphors, and combinations thereof, is presented. The U.sup.6+-doped phosphate-vanadate phosphors are selected from the group consisting of compositions of formulas (A1)-(A12). The U.sup.6+-doped halide phosphors are selected from the group consisting of compositions for formulas (B1)-(B3). The U.sup.6+-doped oxyhalide phosphors are selected from the group consisting of compositions of formulas (C1)-(C5). The U.sup.6+-doped silicate-germanate phosphors are selected from the group consisting of compositions of formulas (D1)-(D11). The U.sup.6+-doped alkali earth oxide phosphors are selected from the group consisting of formulas (E1)-(E11).

Making a MAX phase material having a composition represented by V.sub.2PC includes combining a transition metal component, a phosphorus component, and a carbon component to yield a mixture, heating the mixture to yield a gel, and heating the gel to yield the MAX phase material. wherein the MAX material has a composition represented by V.sub.2PC. The transition metal component includes vanadium, the phosphorus component includes phosphoric acid, and the carbon component includes an organic compound. The MAX phase material can be in the form of a film, microsphere, or microwire.

A lithium rich partially cation disordered transition metal oxide cathode material is provided that exhibits reduced voltage hysteresis, reduced or inhibited transition metal migration and increased capacity and energy storage compared with layered oxides. The lithium rich cathode material is based on Li.sub.1+xCr.sub.1?x-yM.sub.yO.sub.2 where M is a transition metal with limited redox activity, such as Mn.sup.4+, Ti.sup.4+, Zr.sup.4+, Sn.sup.4+, Nb.sup.5+, Ta.sup.5+, and W.sup.6+, and where 0<x<0.33 and 0<y<0.67. Cation disordering is induced in the material that alters both the structure and the electrochemistry and effectively mitigate voltage hysteresis and increase the reversibility of the Cr.sup.3+/Cr.sup.6+ redox couple and the energy capacity. Lithium transport in the cation-disordered structure occurs through a percolation network of Li-rich tetrahedral environments.