This application describes electrode materials and methods of producing them, the materials containing particles having a core-shell structure, wherein the shell of the core-shell particles comprises a polymer, the polymer being grafted on the surface of the core particle by covalent bonds. Electrodes and electrochemical cells containing these electrode materials are also contemplated, as well as their use.

An object of the present invention is to provide an alumina used for a slurry for reducing unevenness in a surface of a porous membrane. The present invention is an α-alumina wherein a crystallite size obtained by a Rietveld analysis is not greater than 95 nm, and a lattice strain obtained by the Rietveld analysis is not greater than 0.0020. A BET specific surface area by a nitrogen adsorption method of the α-alumina is preferably not greater than 10 m.sup.2/g. A particle diameter D50 equivalent to 50% cumulative percentage by volume of the α-alumina is also preferably not greater than 2 μm.

Bandgap-tunable perovskite compositions are provided having the formula CsPb(A).sub.xB.sub.y).sub.3, wherein A and B are each a halogen. The mixed halide perovskite composition has a morphology which suppresses phase segregation to stabilize a tuned bandgap of the mixed halide perovskite composition. For example, the perovskite may be in the form of nanocrystals embedded in a non-perovskite matrix, which, for example, may have the formula Cs.sub.4Pb(A).sub.xB.sub.y).sub.6, wherein A and B are each a halogen. Solar cells and light-emitting diodes comprising the mixed perovskite compositions are also provided.

With the object of efficiently producing an oxidation product, the present invention provides a method for producing an oxidation product by oxidizing a raw material compound in the presence of oxygen, wherein the raw material compound is oxidized in the presence of manganese dioxide having a crystal structure of β-type.

A composite powder containing microstructured particles obtainable by means of a method in which large particles are combined with small particles, wherein the large particles have an average particle diameter within the range from 10 μm to 10 mm, the large particles comprise at least one polymer, the small particles are arranged on the surface of the large particles and/or distributed inhomogeneously within the large particles, the small particles comprise a calcium salt, the small particles have an average particle size within the range from 0.01 μm to 1.0 mm,
wherein the particles of the composite powder have an average particle size d.sub.50 within the range from 10 μm to less than 200 μm, and the fine-particle fraction of the composite powder is less than 50% by volume.

Preferred application areas of the composite powder encompass its use as additive, especially as polymer additive, as additive substance or starting material for compounding, for compounding, for the production of components, for applications in medical technology and/or in microtechnology and/or for the production of foamed articles.

The invention therefore also provides components obtainable by selective laser sintering of a composition comprising a composite powder according to the invention, except for implants for uses in the field of neurosurgery, oral surgery, jaw surgery, facial surgery, neck surgery, nose surgery and ear surgery as well as hand surgery, foot surgery, thorax surgery, rib surgery and shoulder surgery.

A pigmentary particulate material selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, doped titanium dioxide, and a mixture of titanium dioxide and doped titanium dioxide. The pigmentary particulate material has a mean crystal size of from 0.3 to 0.5 microns, a crystal size distribution such that ≥40 wt.-% of the pigmentary particulate material has a crystal size of from 0.3 to 0.5 microns, and a ratio of a mean particle size to the mean crystal size of ≤1.25.

The present invention relates to a molecular sieve, particularly to an ultra-macroporous molecular sieve. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of the molecular sieve and to its application as an adsorbent, a catalyst, or the like. The molecular sieve has a unique X-ray diffraction pattern and a unique crystal particle morphology. The molecular sieve can be produced by using a compound represented by the following formula (I), ##STR00001## wherein the definition of each group and value is the same as that provided in the specification, as an organic template. The molecular sieve is capable of adsorbing more/larger molecules, thereby exhibiting excellent adsorptive/catalytic properties.

Provided is a method of preparing palladium hydride nanoparticles having a hcp crystal structure.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: (a) preparing a liquid cell containing a palladium precursor solution; (b) applying electron beams to the palladium precursor solution contained in the liquid cell; and (c) generating palladium hydride nanoparticles having the hcp crystal structure in the palladium precursor solution.

A method produces a Si-based active material containing a Si-based clathrate compound decreasing a Na element content while maintaining a crystal phase of type II clathrate. The method that produces a Si-based active material containing a Si-based clathrate compound having a crystal phase of type II clathrate, includes: preparing the Si-based clathrate compound by heating an alloy containing a Na element and a Si element at a temperature of 340° C. or more and less than 400° C. (a first heating step), heating the Si-based clathrate compound at a temperature of 340° C. or more and less than 470° C. after the first heating step (a second heating step), cooling the Si-based clathrate compound to a temperature of less than 340° C. after the second heating step (a cooling step), and heating the Si-based clathrate compound at a temperature of 340° C. or more and less than 470° C. after the cooling step (a third heating step).

Methods of increasing the deformability of ceramic materials, as a nonlimiting example, titanium dioxide, particularly through the introduction of defects, and to ceramic materials produced by such methods. Such a method increases the deformability of a ceramic material by introducing high-density pre-existing defects and oxygen vacancies in the ceramic material during a flash sintering process and then forming nano scale stacking faults and nanotwins in the ceramic material. Such a ceramic material contains high-density pre-existing defects and oxygen vacancies and nano scale stacking faults and nanotwins, and may exhibit deformability in a temperature range of room temperature to 600° C.