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.

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.

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 continuous hydrothermal process for producing LFP/LMFP cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The reactant solutions include: (1) a lithium precursor (LiOH) and a carbon source (15 wt % sucrose); (2) an iron precursor (FeSO.sub.4) and a phosphorus precursor (H.sub.3PO.sub.4); and in the case of LMFP, a manganese precursor (MnSO.sub.4) and a surfactant in solution 2. Reactant solutions are fed into a series of one or more continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) at a constant flowrate. Active LFP/LMFP flows out of the CSTRs and into a collection tank, where it is cooled and depressurized. The product flows into a slurry tank, then a centrifugal separator to remove aqueous waste. The LFP/LMFP is transferred to a continuous rotary kiln for drying and sintering, and the carbon coating forms. The disclosed processes produce LFP/LMFP with small average particle size, high purity, high capacity, and high yield without any ball-milling or sieving steps.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an active material. The active material includes a composite oxide. The composite oxide has a monoclinic crystal structure. The composite oxide is represented by a general formula of Li.sub.wNa.sub.4-xM1.sub.yTi.sub.6-zM2.sub.zO.sub.14+. In the general formula, the M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Rb, Cs, K and H; the M2 is at least one metallic element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Sn, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Fe, Co, Mn and Al; w is within a range of 0w<12; x is within a range of 0<x<4; y is within a range of 0y<2; z is within a range of 0<z<6; and is within a range of 0.30.3.

The main object is to provide a novel material with excellent charge and discharge characteristics, such as a high utilization rate of a positive electrode, a high capacity, and good cycle characteristic, in which the material is a compound containing as the major component lithium sulfide useful as a cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries. The invention provides a lithium sulfide-iron-carbon composite containing lithium, iron, sulfur and carbon as constituent elements, with lithium sulfide (Li.sub.2S), as the main phase, having a crystallite size of 50 nm or less as calculated from the half width of the diffraction peak based on the (111) plane of Li.sub.2S as determined by X-ray powder diffraction.

Provided is a new 5 V-class spinel-type lithium-manganese-containing composite oxide capable of achieving both the expansion of a high potential capacity region and the suppression of gas generation. Proposed is the spinel-type lithium-manganese-containing composite oxide comprising Li, Mn, O and two or more other elements, and having an operating potential of 4.5 V or more at a metal Li reference potential, wherein a peak is present in a range of 14.0 to 16.5 at 2, in an X-ray diffraction pattern measured by a powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD) using CuK1 ray.

An object is to reduce variation in shape of crystals that are to be formed. Solutions containing respective raw materials are made in an environment where an oxygen concentration is lower than that in air, the solutions containing the respective raw materials are mixed in an environment where an oxygen concentration is lower than that in air to form a mixture solution, and with use of the mixture solution, a composite oxide is formed by a hydrothermal method.

The invention relates to novel materials of the formula: A.sub.uM.sup.1.sub.vM.sup.2.sub.wM.sup.3x02.sub. wherein A is one or more alkali metals; M.sup.1 comprises one or more redox active metals with an oxidation state in the range +2 to +4; M.sup.2 comprises tin, optionally in combination with one or more transition metals; M.sup.3 comprises one or more transition metals either alone or in combination with one or more non-transition elements selected from alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, other metals, metalloids and non-metals, with an oxidation state in the range +1 to +5; wherein the oxidation state of M1, M2, and M3 are chosen to maintain charge neutrality and further wherein is in the range 00.4; U is in the range 0.3<U<2; V is in the range 0.1V<0.75; W is in the range 0<W<0.75; X is in the range 0X<0.5; and (U+V+W+X)<4.0. Such materials are useful, for example as electrode materials, in rechargeable battery applications.

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.