A layered double hydroxide is represented by the following formula (I): Ni.sup.2+.sub.1?(x+y+z)Fe.sup.3+.sub.xV.sup.3+.sub.yCo.sup.3+.sub.z(OH).sub.2A.sup.n?.sub.(x+y+z)/n.Math.mH.sub.2O . . . (I). In one embodiment, in the formula (I), (x+y+z) is from 0.2 to 0.5, x represents more than 0 and 0.3 or less, y represents from 0.04 to 0.49, and z represents more than 0 and 0.2 or less.

The embodiments herein provide lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode active materials and a method for deposition of the LFP active materials on an aluminum-foil current collector for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The embodiments herein utilize an aqueous based LFP precursor slurry made using combustion chemistry, where the LFP precursor slurry is composed of a redox mixture of the nitrates of lithium and iron, dihydrogen ammonium phosphate and glycine in water in the presence of flora-based sodium-carboxy methylcellulose as an organic binder. Furthermore, the thick and transparent precursors slurry is deposited on the aluminum current collector followed by annealing at appropriate pressures and atmospheric conditions. Therefore, the heat liberated in the exothermic reaction of the redox mixture not only assists in the formation of LFP cathode active materials, but also in the incineration of the organic binders and the solvent.

This disclosure relates to a rechargeable battery cell comprising an active metal, at least one positive electrode having a discharge element, at least one negative electrode having a discharge element, a housing and an electrolyte, the negative electrode comprising metallic lithium at least in the charged state of the rechargeable battery cell and the electrolyte being based on SO.sub.2 and comprising at least one first conducting salt which has the formula (I), ##STR00001## M being a metal selected from the group formed by alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, metals of group 12 of the periodic table of the elements, and aluminum; x being an integer from 1 to 3; the substituents R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 being selected independently of one another from the group formed by C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.10 alkenyl, C.sub.2-C.sub.10 alkynyl, C.sub.3-C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.14 aryl and C.sub.5-C.sub.14 heteroaryl; and Z being aluminum or boron.

Methods of forming spinel ferrite nanoparticles containing a chromium-substituted copper ferrite as well as properties (e.g. particle size, crystallite size, pore size, surface area) of these spinel ferrite nanoparticles are described. Methods of preventing or reducing microbe growth on a surface by applying these spinel ferrite nanoparticles onto the surface in the form of a suspension or an antimicrobial product are also described.

A negative thermal expansion material according to an embodiment is represented by a general formula (1): Cu.sub.2-xR.sub.xV.sub.2O.sub.7 (R is at least one element selected from Zn, Ga, and Fe) and includes an oxide sintered compact whose linear expansion coefficient is 10 ppm/K or less.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to using cobalt (Co) to fine tune the magnetic properties, such as permeability and magnetic loss, of nickel-zinc ferrites to improve the material performance in electronic applications. The method comprises replacing nickel (Ni) with sufficient Co.sup.+2 such that the relaxation peak associated with the Co.sup.+2 substitution and the relaxation peak associated with the nickel to zinc (Ni/Zn) ratio are into near coincidence. When the relaxation peaks overlap, the material permeability can be substantially maximized and magnetic loss substantially minimized. The resulting materials are useful and provide superior performance particularly for devices operating at the 13.56 MHz ISM band.

Disclosed is a ferromagnetic element-substituted room-temperature multiferroic material having ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity at room temperature, wherein the ferromagnetic element-substituted room-temperature multiferroic material includes a compound of chemical formula 1: <chemical formula 1> (Pb.sub.1-xM.sub.x)Fe.sub.1/2Nb.sub.1/2O.sub.3. In chemical formula 1, M represents a ferromagnetic element, and x represents a number greater than 0 and smaller than 1.

Electrode materials comprising (a) at least one compound of general formula (I) Li.sub.(1+x)[Ni.sub.aCO.sub.bMn.sub.cM1.sub.d].sub.(1-x)O.sub.2 (I) the integers being defined as follows: x is in the range of from 0.01 to 0.05, a is in the range of from 0.3 to 0.6, b is in the range of from zero to 0.35, c is in the range of from 0.2 to 0.6, d is in the range of from zero to 0.05, a+b+c+d=1 M.sup.1 is at least one metal selected from Ca, Zn, Fe, Ti, Ba, Al, (b) at least one compound of general formula (II) LiFe.sub.(1-x)M2.sub.yPO.sub.4 (II) y is in the range of from zero to 0.8 M.sup.2 is at least one element selected from Ti, Co, Mn, Ni, V, Mg, Nd, Zn and Y, that contains at least one further iron-phosphorous compound, in form of a solid solution in compound (b) or in domains, (c) carbon in electrically conductive modification.

Provided is a new 5 V class spinel-type lithium manganese-containing composite oxide which enables the expansion of a high potential capacity region and the suppression of gas generation. The 5 V class spinel-type lithium manganese-containing composite oxide has an operating potential of 4.5 V or more at a metal Li reference potential, and contains Li, Mn, O and two or more other elements. The spinel-type lithium manganese-containing composite oxide is characterized in that, in an electronic diffraction image from a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a diffraction spot observed in the Fd-3m structure as well as a diffraction spot not observed in the Fd-3m structure are confirmed.

The present invention provides a layered double hydroxide with improved conductivity, a layered double hydroxide and a composite material containing the layered double hydroxide. The layered double hydroxide is represented by the general formula: [Mg.sup.2+.sub.(1-y)M1.sup.+.sub.y].sub.1-x[Al.sup.3+.sub.(1-z)M2.sup.+.sub.z].sub.x(OH).sub.2A.sup.n.sub.x/n.mH.sub.2O, wherein 0.1x0.4, 0y0.95, and 0z0.95, provided that both y and z are not 0 at the same time; =1 or 2; =2 or 3; A.sup.n is an n-valent anion, provided that n is an integer of 1 or greater; m0; M1.sup.+ is a cation of at least one substituent element selected from monovalent elements, transition metal elements, and other elements with an ionic radius greater than that of Mg.sup.2+; and M2.sup.+ is a cation of at least one element selected from divalent elements, transition metals, and other elements with an ionic radius greater than that of Al.sup.3+.