A garnet compound represented by a general formula (I): Ln.sub.3In.sub.2Ga.sub.3-XAl.sub.XO.sub.12 (I) (in the formula, Ln represents one or more metal elements selected from La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; and X satisfies an expression 0≤X<3).

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

The present invention relates to a method of preparation of a garnet-type inorganic material. It also relates to the garnet-type inorganic material itself. The process comprises the following steps: (1) bringing an aqueous solution S comprising (i) a salt of zirconium, (ii) a salt of lanthanum and (iii) a salt of the element A or a precursor of an oxide of element A into contact with an aqueous solution of a basic compound, as a result of which a precipitate suspended in the reaction medium is obtained; (2) stirring the reaction medium obtained at the end of step (1) for at least 30 min; (3) bringing the precipitate obtained at the end of step (2) into contact with an additive selected in the group consisting of: anionic surfactants; nonionic surfactants; polyethylene glycols; carboxylic acids and their salts; and surfactants of the carboxymethylated fatty alcohol ethoxylate type; (4) calcining in air the precipitate recovered at the end of the previous step at a temperature which is at least 400° C.; (5) bringing into contact the product obtained at the end of step (4) with a salt of lithium; (6) calcining in air the product obtained at the end of step (5) at a temperature between 700° C. and 1100° C.; 20 the inorganic compound M comprising or consisting essentially of a garnet oxide or garnet-type oxide containing, as constituent elements, the elements Li, La, Zr and at least one element A selected in the group consisting of Al, Ga, Nb, Fe, W, Ta, or a mixture thereof.

A garnet compound represented by a general formula (I): Ln.sub.3In.sub.2Ga.sub.3-XAl.sub.XO.sub.12 (I) (in the formula, Ln represents one or more metal elements selected from La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; and X satisfies an expression 0≤X<3).

Provided is a novel compound which can be used for positive-electrode catalysts of metal-air batteries. The melilite-type complex oxide according to the present invention is represented by a general formula (BazSr1−z)2CoxFe2−2x(SiyGe1−y)1+xO7 (in the formula, 0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1, and 0≤z≤1, excluding the case where x=1, y=1, and z=0, the case where x=1, y=1, and z=1, the case where x=1, y=0, and z=0, the case where x=1, y=0, and z=1, the case where x=0, y=0, and z=0, and the case where x=0, y=0, and z=1).

A polycrystalline YAG sintered body, wherein, when dimensions of a smallest rectangular solid surrounding a YAG sintered body are A mm×B mm×C mm, a maximum value (A, B, C) is 150 mm or less, a minimum value (A, B, C) is more than 20 mm and 40 mm or less, and an optical loss coefficient when light of a wavelength of 300 to 1500 nm (excluding wavelengths which result in absorption of light by an additive element) is transmitted therethrough is 0.002 cm.sup.−1 or less. Moreover, a polycrystalline YAG sintered body, wherein, when dimensions of a smallest rectangular solid surrounding a YAG sintered body are A mm×B mm×C mm, a maximum value (A, B, C) is more than 150 mm and 300 mm or less, a minimum value (A, B, C) is more than 5 mm and 40 mm or less, and an optical loss coefficient when light of a wavelength of 300 to 1500 nm (excluding wavelengths which result in absorption of light by an additive element) is transmitted therethrough is 0.002 cm.sup.−1 or less. An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a large and transparent polycrystalline YAG sintered body and its production method.

A method for producing a solid electrolyte, which comprises: a step of mixing an anionic surfactant which is a monomer or an oligomer, a solvent, and a sulfide solid electrolyte to obtain a mixture; and a step of removing the solvent from the mixture.

Disclosed herein, in certain embodiments, are compounds, methods, tools, and abrasive materials comprising mixed transition metal dodecaborides.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a composite metal oxide hollow fibre. A certain stoichiometry of composite metal oxide raw material and a polymer binding agent are added to an organic solvent, and mixed mechanically to obtain an evenly dispersed spinning solution having a suitable viscosity. After defoaming treatment, the spinning solution is extruded through a spinneret and, after undergoing a certain dry spinning process, enters an external coagulation bath; during this period, a phase inversion process occurs and composite metal oxide hollow fibre blanks are formed. The blanks are immersed in the external coagulation bath and the organic solvent is displaced; after natural drying, the blanks undergo a heat treatment process; during this period, polymer burn off, in situ reaction, and in situ sintering processes occur to obtain the composite metal oxide hollow fibre.

Articles, compositions, and methods involving ionically conductive compounds are provided. In some embodiments, the ionically conductive compounds are useful for electrochemical cells. The disclosed ionically conductive compounds may be incorporated into an electrochemical cell (e.g., a lithium-sulfur electrochemical cell, a lithium-ion electrochemical cell, an intercalated-cathode based electrochemical cell) as, for example, a protective layer for an electrode, a solid electrolyte layer, and/or any other appropriate component within the electrochemical cell. In certain embodiments, electrode structures and/or methods for making electrode structures including a layer comprising an ionically conductive compound described herein are provided.