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.

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.

Disclosed herein is an anode material for constructing an anode of a rechargeable battery, particularly a sodium battery. The anode material comprises, a metal oxide composite having a spinel structure and a formula of AB.sub.2O.sub.4, wherein, A is selected from the group consisting of: zinc, cobalt, iron, nickel, magnesium, manganese, copper and cadmium; and B is selected from the group consisting of: vanadium, cobalt, iron, boron, aluminum, gallium, chromium, and manganese. Also provided herein is a sodium secondary battery including an anode formed from the anode material of the present disclosure that renders the sodium secondary battery a reduced an enhanced level of capacitance, and a long cycle life-time.

In general, according to one embodiment, there is provided an active material. The active material contains a composite oxide having an orthorhombic crystal structure. The composite oxide is represented by a general formula of Li.sub.2+wNa.sub.2xM1.sub.yTi.sub.6zM2.sub.zO.sub.14+. In the general formula, the M1 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Cs and K; the M2 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sn, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Fe, Co, Mn, and Al; and w is within a range of 0w4, x is within a range of 0<x<2, y is within a range of 0y<2, z is within a range of 0<z6, and is within a range of 0.50.5.

Materials, designs, methods of manufacture, and devices are provided for an anode material for a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. For example, an anode material may include Li.sub.3xV.sub.2yO.sub.5z, wherein 0x7, 0y1, and z may be based on the charge resulting from Li.sub.3x and V.sub.2y. Also, a cell can include a lithiated anode material. The lithiated anode material may include Li.sub.3xV.sub.2yO.sub.5z. The lithiated anode material may be casted on a first substrate to form a lithiated anode, having a separator stacked on the lithiated anode. The separator may include electrolytes. A cathode can be stacked on the separator. The cathode being formed by casting a cathode material on a second substrate.

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 a novel polyoxometalate and a method for producing the polyoxometalate. The polyoxometalate is represented by the compositional formula: M.sub.xO.sub.y in which M is tungsten, molybdenum or vanadium; 4x1000; and 2.5y/x7.

A bismuth vanadate pigment is provided which pigment is doped with a combination of Mg, Al and P and optionally an element E, wherein the molar ratios of the Bi, V, Mg, Al, P and E correspond to a formula
Bi Mg.sub.a Al.sub.b E.sub.c V.sub.d P.sub.e O.sub.f(I)
wherein E is selected from the group consisting of Be, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zr, Mo, Ce and a combination thereof; 0.001a0.2; 0.001b0.2; 0c1.7; 0.5d2.3; 0.001e0.5; and f denotes the number of oxygen atoms for satisfying the valence requirements of the cations. The pigment may be used as colorant in various applications, especially in coloring high molecular weight organic material, for example, coating compositions, paints, printing inks, liquid inks, plastics, films, fibers, or glazes for ceramics or glass.

Novel compounds having a thortveitite-related structure are disclosed. The compounds may be colored and may be useful as pigments. The compounds are durable with respect to an acid stability test that indicates that the pigments will not substantially change color when exposed to weak acids, such as rain. The compounds disclosed herein typically inexpensive to synthesize from earth-abundant, environmentally-friendly elements or minerals, and therefore are advantageous over existing pigments in the art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a negative thermal expansion material having better negative thermal expansion characteristics. The present invention is a negative thermal expansion material, comprising copper vanadium composite oxide powder dissolving Al atoms and represented by the following general formula (1), Cu.sub.xM.sub.yV.sub.zO.sub.t (1). In general formula (1), M represents a metallic element with an atomic number of 11 or more other than Cu, V, and Al, 1.60x2.40, 0.00y0.40, 1.70z2.30, 6.00t9.00, 1.00x+y3.00, and a molar number of the Al atoms in terms of atoms>a molar number of M atoms in terms of atoms if an M element is contained.