A method for producing mesoporous magnesium hydroxide nanoplates involving solvothermal treatment of a solution of a magnesium salt, a base, a glycol, and water is disclosed. The method does not use a surfactant or template in the solvothermal treatment. The method yields mesoporous nanoparticles of magnesium hydroxide having a plate-like morphology with a diameter of 20 nm to 100 nm, a mean pore diameter of 2 to 10 nm, a surface area of 50 to 70 m.sup.2/g, and a type-III nitrogen adsorption-desorption BET isotherm with a H3 hysteresis loop. An antibacterial composition containing the mesoporous magnesium hydroxide nanoplates is also disclosed. A method for reducing nitroaromatic compounds with a reducing agent and the mesoporous magnesium hydroxide nanoplates as a catalyst is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a positive electrode active material and a lithium secondary battery including the same, and more particularly, to a positive electrode active material including a lithium composite oxide containing at least nickel and cobalt, wherein since the cobalt in the lithium composite oxide has a concentration gradient having at least different slopes from a surface portion toward a central portion, it is possible to improve the stability of particles not only in a surface portion of the lithium composite oxide but also in a central portion thereof, a positive electrode including the positive electrode active material, and a lithium secondary battery using the negative electrode.

The present invention relates to a positive electrode active material and a lithium secondary battery including the same, and more particularly, to a bimodal-type positive electrode active material including a first lithium composite oxide as a small particle and a second lithium composite oxide as a large particle, wherein the positive electrode active material may uniformly improve the particle stability of the small particle and the large particle by controlling a slope of a concentration gradient in which cobalt in the small particle and the large particle decreases from a surface portion toward a central portion, a positive electrode including the positive electrode active material, and a lithium secondary battery using the positive electrode.

Provided are a nickel-manganese composite hydroxide capable of producing a secondary battery having a high particle fillability and excellent battery characteristics when used as a precursor of a positive electrode active material and a method for producing the same. A nickel-manganese composite hydroxide is represented by General Formula: Ni.sub.xMn.sub.yM.sub.z(OH).sub.2+α and contains a secondary particle formed of a plurality of flocculated primary particles. The primary particles have an aspect ratio of at least 3, and at least some of the primary particles are disposed radially from a central part of the secondary particle toward an outer circumference thereof. The secondary particle has a ratio I(101)/I(001) of a diffraction peak intensity I(101) of a 101 plane to a peak intensity I(001) of a 001 plane, measured by an X-ray diffraction measurement, of up to 0.15.

The present invention provides a method and kit for the treatment of surfaces, such as the skin surface of a user, to impart hydrophobic characteristics upon the surface. The treatment of surfaces to impart hydrophobicity protects equipment, personnel, and animals from the effects of aqueous solutions such as water, toxic slurries, concrete, acids and bases.

A functionalized fibrous hierarchical zeolite includes a framework comprising aluminum atoms, silicon atoms, and oxygen atoms, the framework further comprising a plurality of micropores and a plurality of mesopores. The functionalized fibrous hierarchical zeolite is functionalized with at least one amine. A plurality of nanoparticles comprising nickel are immobilized on the framework.

The present invention provides a new glitter pigment suitable for providing high-brightness whitish reflected light. The glitter pigment according to the present invention includes: a flaky substrate 1; and a silicon oxide layer 2 and a titanium oxide layer 3 formed in this order on the flaky substrate 1, wherein in the case where the flaky substrate is the glass flake, the glass flake has a thickness of 284 to 322 nm, the silicon oxide layer has a thickness of 89 to 109 nm, and the titanium oxide layer has a thickness of 51 to 86 nm. In the case where the flaky substrate is the alumina flake, the alumina flake has a thickness of 260 to 280 nm, the silicon oxide layer has a thickness of 79 to 102 nm, and the titanium oxide layer has a thickness of 47 to 87 nm.

In an aspect, a ferrite composition comprises a Ru—Co.sub.2Z ferrite having the formula: (Ba.sub.3-xM.sub.x)Co.sub.2(M′Ru).sub.yFe.sub.24-2y-zO.sub.41, wherein M is at least one of Sr, Pb, or Ca; M′ is at least one of Co, Zn, Mg, or Cu; x is 1 to 3; y is greater than 0 to 2; and z is −4 to 4. In another aspect, an article comprises the ferrite composition. In yet another aspect, method of making the ferrite composition comprises mixing ferrite precursor compounds comprising Fe, Ba, Co, and Ru; and sintering the ferrite precursor compounds in an oxygen atmosphere to form the Ru—Co.sub.2Z ferrite.

A ceramic powder material containing: a first garnet-type compound containing Li, La, and Zr; and a second garnet-type compound containing Li, La, and Zr and having a composition different from a composition of the first garnet-type compound, in which the first garnet-type compound and the second garnet-type compound are represented by Formula [1] Li.sub.7-(3x+y)M1.sub.xLa.sub.3Zr.sub.2-yM2.sub.yO.sub.12, where M1 is Al or Ga, M2 is Nb or Ta, the first garnet-type compound satisfies 0≤(3x+y)≤0.5, and the second garnet-type compound satisfies 0.5<(3x+y)≤1.5.

The invention relates to improved particulate lithium nickel oxide materials which are useful as cathode materials in lithium secondary batteries. The invention also provides processes for preparing such lithium nickel oxide materials, and electrodes and cells comprising the materials.