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.

A sulfide-based solid electrolyte particle having a crystal phase of a cubic argyrodite-type crystal structure composed of Li, P, S and a halogen (Ha), wherein good contact between the sulfide-based solid electrolyte particles and positive or negative electrode active material particles is secured and improvements in the rate characteristic and the cycle characteristic are attained. The ratio (Z.sub.Ha2/Z.sub.Ha1) of an element ratio Z.sub.Ha2 of the halogen (Ha) at the position of 5 nm in depth from the particle surface to an element ratio Z.sub.Ha1 of the halogen (Ha) at the position of 100 nm in depth from the particle surface is 0.5 or lower and the ratio (Z.sub.O2/Z.sub.A2) of an element ratio Z.sub.O2 of oxygen to the total Z.sub.A2 of element ratios of P, S, O, and the halogen (Ha) at the position of 5 nm in depth from the particle surface is 0.5 or higher, as measured by XPS.

To provide a lithium ion conductive crystal body having a high density and a large length and an all-solid state lithium ion secondary battery containing the lithium ion conductive crystal body. A Li.sub.5La.sub.3Ta.sub.2O.sub.12 crystal body, which is one example of the lithium ion conductive crystal body, has a relative density of 99% or more, belongs to a cubic system, has a garnet-related type structure, and has a length of 2 cm or more. The Li.sub.5La.sub.3Ta.sub.2O.sub.12 crystal body is grown by a melting method employing a Li.sub.5La.sub.3Ta.sub.2O.sub.12 polycrystal body as a raw material. With the growing method, a Li.sub.5La.sub.3Ta.sub.2O.sub.12 crystal body having a relative density of 100% can also be obtained. In addition, the all-solid state lithium ion secondary battery has a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a solid electrolyte, in which the solid electrolyte contains the lithium ion conductive crystal body.

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.

Silicon-carbon composite matertials 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.

Particulate composite materials and devices comprising the same are provided.

A lithium battery as a secondary battery includes a positive electrode composite material containing a solid electrolyte and a positive electrode active material containing lithium, a negative electrode as an electrode provided at one face of the positive electrode composite material, and a current collector provided at another face of the positive electrode composite material, wherein the solid electrolyte is a garnet-type fluorine-containing lithium composite metal oxide that is represented by the following compositional formula (1) or (2) and that conducts lithium.
(Li.sub.7−3xGa.sub.x)(La.sub.3−yNd.sub.y)Zr.sub.2O.sub.12−zF.sub.z   (1)
(Li.sub.7−3x+yGa.sub.x)(La.sub.3−yCa.sub.y)Zr.sub.2O.sub.12−zF.sub.z   (2) Provided that 0.1≤x≤1.0, 0<y≤0.2, and 0<z≤1.0.

Na-rich electrolyte compositions provided herein can be used in a variety of devices, such as sodium ionic batteries, capacitors and other electrochemical devices. Na-rich electrolyte compositions provided herein can have a chemical formula of Na.sub.3OX, Na.sub.3SX, Na .sub.(3-δ) M.sub.δ/2OX and Na .sub.(3-δ) M.sub.δ/2SX wherein 0<δ<0.8, wherein X is a monovalent anion selected from fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, H.sup.−, CN.sup.−, BF.sub.4.sup.−, BH.sub.4.sup.−, ClO.sub.4.sup.−, CH.sub.3.sup.−, NO.sub.2.sup.−, NH.sub.2.sup.− and mixtures thereof, and wherein M is a divalent metal selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, barium, strontium and mixtures thereof. Na-rich electrolyte compositions provided herein can have a chemical formula of Na .sub.(3-δ) M.sub.δ/3OX and/or Na .sub.(3-δ) M.sub.δ/3SX; wherein 0<δ<0.5, wherein M is a trivalent cation M.sup.3, and wherein X is selected from fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, H.sup.−, CN.sup.−, BF.sub.4.sup.−, BH.sub.4.sup.−, ClO.sub.4.sup.−, CH.sub.3.sup.−, NO.sub.2.sup.−, NH.sup.2− and mixtures thereof. Synthesis and processing methods of NaRAP compositions for battery, capacitor, and other electrochemical applications are also provided.

The present invention relates to surface-mineralized organic fibers comprising organic fibers having a length in the millimeter range, the surface of which is at least partially coated with finely divided alkaline earth carbonate nanoparticles by means of binders based on copolymers comprising as monomers one or more dicarboxylic acids and one or more monomers from the group of diamines, triamines, dialkanolamines or trialkanolamines and epichlorohydrin, a method for producing such surface-mineralized organic fibers, aqueous slurries thereof, their use in papermaking, in surface finishing of paper, plastic, cement and clay surfaces, in paints and varnishes and the use of the inventive binders for coating the organic fibers with nano alkaline earth carbonates.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a precipitated calcium carbonate product. The process comprises the steps of preparing an aqueous suspension of precipitated calcium carbonate seeds by carbonating a suspension of Ca(OH).sub.2 in the presence of 0.005 to 0.030 moles of Sr, in the form of Sr(OH).sub.2, based upon moles of Ca(OH).sub.2 prior to or during carbonation; forming an aqueous suspension of a precipitated calcium carbonate product by carbonating a slurry of Ca(OH).sub.2 in the presence of 0.5 to 5% by dry weight of the precipitated calcium carbonate seeds, wherein the precipitated calcium carbonate seeds have a D50 that is less than the D50 of the precipitated calcium carbonate product and the precipitated calcium carbonate seeds have an aragonitic polymorph content greater than or equal to the precipitated calcium carbonate product.