A membrane electrode assembly of an electrochemical device includes a proton conductive solid electrolyte membrane and an electrode including Ni and an electrolyte material which contains as a primary component, at least one of a first compound having a composition represented by BaZr.sub.1-x1M.sup.1.sub.x1O.sub.3 (M.sup.1 represents at least one element selected from trivalent elements each having an ion radius of more than 0.720 A° to less than 0.880 A°, and 0<x.sub.1<1 holds) and a second compound having a composition represented by BaZr.sub.1-x2Tm.sub.x2O.sub.3 (0<x.sub.2<0.3 holds).

A multi-scaled oxygen storage material wherein cobalt element is complexed with a size of an atom or hundreds of nanometers or smaller in a ceria-zirconia solid solution and a method for preparing the same are provided.

Specifically, The multi-scaled oxygen storage material contains a ceria-zirconia solid solution, a cobalt dopping contained in the solid solution in the form of an atom and a cobalt-based nanocluster dispersed in the solid solution as cobalt oxide and exhibits a microstructure distinguished from that of the existing ceria-zirconia (CZO)-based oxygen storage material as well as remarkably improved oxygen storage and release ability, and the method for preparing the same is provided.

The invention provides a method for producing composite nanoparticles, the method using a first compound capable of transitioning from a monoclinic to a tetragonal rutile crystal state upon heating, and having the steps of subjecting the first compound to a hydrothermal synthesis to create anisotropic crystals of the compound; encapsulating the first compound with a second compound to create a core-shell construct; and annealing the construct as needed. Also provided is a device for continuously synthesizing composite nanoparticles, the device having a first precursor supply and a second precursor supply; a mixer to homogeneously combine the first precursor and second precursor to create a liquor; a first microreactor to subject the liquor to hydrothermic conditions to create an\isotropic particles in a continuous operation mode; and a second microreactor for coating the particles with a third precursor to create a core-shell construct.

Particulate LMFP cathode materials having high manganese contents and small amounts of dopant metals are disclosed. These cathode materials are made by milling a mixture of precursor materials in a wet or dry milling process. Preferably, off-stoichiometric amounts of starting materials are used to make the cathode materials. Unlike other high manganese LMFP materials, these cathode materials provide high specific capacities, very good cycle life and high energies even at high discharge rates.

It is one of the objects of the present disclosure to provide hexagonal plate-shaped zinc oxide particles having suitable performances derived from the shape thereof, that is, zinc oxide particles having improved ultraviolet shielding ratio at the wavelength of 400 nm or less without impairing the direct transition properties of electronic excitation thereof and having remarkably improved ultraviolet shielding ratio for UV-B radiation and UV-A radiation. A zinc oxide particle containing a solid solution of a Ti element and/or a Fe element and a Zn element in at least a portion thereof, and having a hexagonal plate shape.

Provided is a powder inorganic oxide containing Al, Ce and Zr as constituent elements, that affords a molded product with a density of 1.0 to 1.3 g/ml by placing 4.0 g of the inorganic oxide in a cylindrical container having diameter 20 mm and performing uniaxial molding under conditions of room temperature and pressure of 29.4 MPa for 30 sec., and achieves an average shrinkage percentage of not more than 14.0% as calculated by the following formula: average shrinkage percentage (%)=100×{(1−(c)/(a))+(1−(d)/(b))}/2 wherein each symbol is as defined in the DESCRIPTION.

A method of manufacturing a cathode material for a lithium ion cell comprises: generating a lithium nickel composite oxide material in a manufacturing process, wherein the manufacturing process results in residual lithium being present in the lithium nickel composite oxide material; washing the lithium nickel composite oxide material to remove at least part of the residual lithium, wherein the washing provides the lithium nickel composite oxide material with a moisture content; and drying the lithium nickel composite oxide material to remove at least part of the moisture content, the drying performed in an environment of substantially only an inert gas or air essentially free of carbon dioxide.

A process for preparing a cathode material of the form Li.sub.aMn.sub.1-x-y-zFe.sub.xCo.sub.yNi.sub.zO.sub.2-dCl.sub.d is provided. In addition, a Li.sub.aMn.sub.1-x-y-zFe.sub.xCo.sub.yNi.sub.zO.sub.2-dCl.sub.d cathode material for electrochemical systems is provided. Furthermore, a lithium or lithium-ion rechargeable electrochemical cell is provided, incorporating the Li.sub.aMn.sub.1-x-y-zFe.sub.xCo.sub.yNi.sub.zO.sub.2-dCl.sub.d cathode material in a positive electrode.

To provide a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrode rechargeable battery, with which it is possible to improve input/output characteristics, particularly by reducing resistance in a low SOC state in which DCIR increases, and to provide a manufacturing method for same. The cathode active material includes layered hexagonal crystal lithium nickel manganese composite oxide particles represented by the general formula (A): Li.sub.1+uNi.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zM.sub.tO.sub.2 (where 0≦u≦0.20, x+y+z+t=1, 0.30≦x ≦0.70, 0.10≦y≦0.55, 0≦z≦0.40, 0≦t≦0.10, and M is one or more elements selected from Al, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, and W), and further including Na, Mg, Ca and SO.sub.4, in which the total amount of Na, Mg and Ca is 0.01 to 0.1 mass %, the amount of SO.sub.4 is 0.1 to 1.0 mass %, and the ratio of the integrated intensity of the diffraction peak on plane (003) to that on plane (104) obtained by powder X-ray diffraction measurement using CuKα rays is 1.20 or greater.

A positive electrode active material comprising a lithium metal composite oxide having a layered crystal structure provides a novel lithium metal composite oxide powder which can suppress the reaction with an electrolytic solution and raise the charge-discharge cycle ability of a battery, and can improve the output characteristics of a battery. A lithium metal composite oxide powder comprises a particle having a surface portion where one or a combination of two or more (“surface element A”) of the group consisting of Al, Ti and Zr is present, on the surface of a particle comprising a lithium metal composite oxide having a layered crystal structure, wherein the amount of surface LiOH is smaller than 0.10% by weight, and the amount of surface Li.sub.2CO.sub.3 is smaller than 0.25% by weight; in an X-ray diffraction pattern, the ratio of an integral intensity of the (003) plane of the lithium metal composite oxide to that of the (104) plane thereof is higher than 1.15; and the amount of S obtained by a measurement using ICP is smaller than 0.10% by weight of the lithium metal composite oxide powder (100% by weight).