Oxyfluoride derivatives and their preparation, as well as their uses as catalysts in electrochemistry, including the electrodes and electrochemical cells comprising them. These may be useful for hydrogen production.

The disclosed embodiments relate to the manufacture of a precursor co-precipitate material for a cathode active material composition. During manufacture of the precursor co-precipitate material, an aqueous solution containing at least one of a manganese sulfate and a cobalt sulfate is formed. Next, a NH.sub.4OH solution is added to the aqueous solution to form a particulate solution comprising irregular secondary particles of the precursor co-precipitate material. A constant pH in the range of 10-12 is also maintained in the particulate solution by adding a basic solution to the particulate solution.

The present invention involves pigments derived from compounds with the LiSbO.sub.3-type or LiNbO.sub.3-type structures. These compounds possess the following formulations M.sup.1M.sup.5Z.sub.3, M.sup.1M.sup.2M.sup.4M.sup.5Z.sub.6, M.sup.1M.sup.3.sub.2M.sup.5Z.sub.6, M.sup.1M.sup.2M.sup.3M.sup.6Z.sub.6, M.sup.1.sub.2M.sup.4M.sup.6Z.sub.6, M.sup.1M.sup.5M.sup.6Z.sub.6, or a combination thereof. The cation M.sup.1 represents an element with a valence of +1 or a mixture thereof, the cation M.sup.2 represents an element with a valence of +2 or a mixture thereof, the cation M.sup.3 represents an element with a valence of +3 or a mixture thereof, the cation M.sup.4 represents an element with a valence of +4 or a mixture thereof, the cation M.sup.5 represents an element with a valence of +5 or a mixture thereof, and the cation M.sup.6 represents an element with a valence of +6 or a mixture thereof. The cation M is selected from H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, P, Sb, or Te. The anion Z is selected from N, O, S, Se, Cl, F, hydroxide ion or a mixture thereof. Along with the elements mentioned above vacancies may also reside on the M or Z sites of the above formulations such that the structural type is retained. The above formula may also include M dopant additions below 20 atomic %, where the dopant is selected from H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, P, Sb, Bi, Te, or mixtures thereof.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing metal oxide nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles prepared thereby. The method includes: dipping a cathode and an anode formed of a metal for forming oxide, in an inorganic electrolyte solution containing halogen salt, and applying voltage to the anode and the cathode to form, on the anode, metal oxide forming an anode surface. According to a method of the present invention, disadvantages of typical nanoparticle synthesizing methods may be solved to cheaply and rapidly manufacture nanoparticles having various structures through a single process without using a surfactant. In practicing a method of the invention, metal oxide nanoparticles may be rapidly formed, nanoparticles having excellent crystallinity may be produced, and factors of the anodizing method, such as voltage, temperature, an electrolyte, and an electrolyte concentration may be changed to simply adjust a shape of the nanoparticles.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

The invention relates to electrodes that contain active materials of the formula: A.sub.aM.sub.bX.sub.xO.sub.y wherein A is one or more alkali metals selected from lithium, sodium and potassium; M is selected from one or more transition metals and/or one or more non-transition metals and/or one or more metalloids; X comprises one or more atoms selected from niobium, antimony, tellurium, tantalum, bismuth and selenium; and further wherein 0<a6; b is in the range: 0<b4; x is in the range 0<x1 and y is in the range 2y10. Such electrodes are useful in, for example, sodium and/or lithium ion battery applications.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a composite material and also the composite material itself. The composite material contains a bismuth-molybdenum-nickel mixed oxide or a bismuth-molybdenum-cobalt mixed oxide and a specific SiO2 as pore former. The present invention also relates to the use of the composite material according to the invention for producing a washcoat suspension and also a process for producing a coated catalyst using the composite material according to the invention. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a coated catalyst which has a catalytically active shell comprising the composite material according to the invention on a support body. The coated catalyst according to the invention is used for preparing [alpha],[beta]-unsaturated aldehydes from olefins.

Mixed-metal oxides and lithiated mixed-metal oxides are disclosed that involve compounds according to, respectively, Ni.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zMe.sub.O.sub. and Li.sub.1+Ni.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zMe.sub.O.sub.. In these compounds, Me is selected from B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Ag, In, and combinations thereof; 0x1; 0y1; 0z<1; x+y+z>0; 00.5; and x+y+>0. For the mixed-metal oxides, 15. For the lithiated mixed-metal oxides, 0.11.0 and 1.93. The mixed-metal oxides and the lithiated mixed-metal oxides include particles having an average density greater than or equal to 90% of an ideal crystalline density.

A method for preparing a suspension of LDH particles comprising the steps of: preparing LDH precipitates by coprecipitation to form a mixture of LDH precipitates and solution; separating the LDH precipitates from the solution; washing the LDH precipitates to remove residual ions; mixing the LDH precipitates with water; and subjecting the mixture of LDH particles and water to a hydrothermal treatment step by heating to a temperature of from greater than 80 C. to 150 C. for a period of about 1 hour to about 144 hours to form a well dispersed suspension of LDH particles in water, wherein said LDH particles in suspension comprise platelets having a maximum particle dimension of up to 400 nm.