A thermoelectric material, having a formula Tb.sub.xM1.sub.y-xM2.sub.zO.sub.w where M1 is one of Ca, Mg, Sr, Ba and Ra, M2 is at least one of Co, Fe, Ni, and Mn, x ranges from 0.01 to 5; y is 1, 2, 3, or 5; z is 1, 2, 3, or 4; and w is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, or 14. The thermoelectric material is chemically stable within 5% for one year and is also non-toxic. The thermoelectric material can also be incorporated into a thermoelectric system which can be used to generate electricity from waste heat sources or to cool an adjacent region.

A disordered rocksalt lithium metal oxide and oxyfluoride as in manganese-vanadium oxides and oxyfluorides well suited for use in high capacity lithium-ion battery electrodes such as those found in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. A lithium metal oxide or oxyfluoride example is one having a general formula: Li.sub.xM′.sub.aM″.sub.bO.sub.2-yF.sub.y, with the lithium metal oxide or oxyfluoride having a cation-disordered rocksalt structure of one of (a) or (b), with (a) 1.09≤x≤1.35, 0.1≤a≤0.7, 0.1≤b≤0.7, and 0≤y≤0.7; M′ is a low valent transition metal and M″ is a high-valent transition metal; and (b) 1.1≤x≤1.33, 0.1≤a≤0.41, 0.39≤b≤0.67, and 0≤y≤0.3; M′ is Mn; and M″ is V or Mo. The oxides or oxyfluorides balance accessible Li capacity and transition metal capacity. An immediate application example is for high energy density Li-cathode battery materials, where the cathode energy is a key limiting factor to overall performance. The second structure (b) is optimized for maximal accessible Li capacity.

A positive electrode active material includes secondary particles. The secondary particles include a plurality of primary particles. The primary particles include a lithium-containing composite metal oxide. Inside the secondary particles, an electron conducting oxide is disposed at at least a part of a grain boundary between the primary particles. The electron conducting oxide has a perovskite structure.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of n and p-type components with high temperature refractory material having a perovskite crystal structure. The material may be doped to generate, for example, p-type and n-type sensor legs. In some embodiments, expensive materials may be avoided. Further, the disclosed materials can avoid high temperature reaction between n-type components and p-type components.

Preparation, characterization, and an electrochemical study of Mg.sub.0.1V.sub.2O.sub.5 prepared by a novel sol-gel method with no high-temperature post-processing are disclosed. Cyclic voltammetry showed the material to be quasi-reversible, with improved kinetics in an acetonitrile-, relative to a carbonate-, based electrolyte. Galvanostatic test data under a C/10 discharge showed a delivered capacity >250 mAh/g over several cycles. Based on these results, a magnesium anode battery, as disclosed, would yield an average operating voltage 3.2 Volts with an energy density 800 mWh/g for the cathode material, making the newly synthesized material a viable cathode material for secondary magnesium batteries.

A method for preparing a carbon-coated ternary positive electrode material has steps of preparing a ternary positive electrode material precursor, and preparing a suspension of the ternary positive electrode material precursor. Lithium acrylate is added to the suspension of the ternary positive electrode material precursor according to the molar ratio of Li:(Ni+Co+Mn) being 1.03-1.05:1. Ammonium persulphate is added to the lithium acrylate-containing suspension of the ternary positive electrode material precursor, so that the lithium acrylate undergoes a polymerisation reaction and a suspension of a lithium polyacrylate-coated ternary positive electrode material precursor is obtained. The suspension of the lithium polyacrylate-coated ternary positive electrode material precursor is dried to obtain spherical particles. The lithium polyacrylate-coated ternary positive electrode material precursor particles are sintered to obtain a carbon-coated ternary positive electrode material.

The present invention relates to the new process of preparation of a Li-rich layered oxide based on Mn and optionally on Ni and/or Co in which F is incorporated within the crystal of the oxide (or fluorinated oxide). It also relates to the new fluorinated oxide its use as a component in a cathode of a battery.

Re-lithiation methods and systems are disclosed. Example re-lithiation methods include separating lithium depleted active cathode material from a cathode and introducing lithium containing materials. Also disclosed are re-lithiation electrochemical flow systems utilizing voltage potential to re-lithiate a lithium depleted active cathode material from a reservoir of lithium containing material.

To provide a lithium-containing composite oxide capable of obtaining a lithium ion secondary battery having a large discharge capacity wherein the deterioration of the discharge voltage due to repetition of a charge and discharge cycle is suppressed, a cathode active material, a positive electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery and a lithium ion secondary battery. A lithium-containing composite oxide, which is represented by the formula I:
Li.sub.aiNi.sub.bCO.sub.cMn.sub.dM.sub.eO.sub.2Formula I,
wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Na, Mg, Ti, Zr, Al, W and Mo, a+b+c+d+e=2, 1.1a/(b+c+d+e)1.4, 0.2b/(b+c+d+e)0.5, 0c/(b+c+d+e)0.25, 0.3d/(b+c+d+e)0.6, and 0e/(b+c+d+e)0.1, and wherein the valence of Ni is from 2.15 to 2.45.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an active material. The active material includes secondary particles. The secondary particles include first primary particles and second primary particles. The first primary particles include an orthorhombic Na-containing niobium-titanium composite oxide. The second primary particles include at least one selected from the group consisting of a carbon black, a graphite, a titanium nitride, a titanium carbide, a lithium titanate having a spinel structure, a titanium dioxide having an anatase structure, and a titanium dioxide having a rutile structure.