Methods of increasing the particle size of ammonium octamolybdate (AOM) pigment powder are provided. A method can include heating the AOM pigment powder to a temperature above 20° C. for a given amount of time. An ink composition can be produced by formulating AOM pigment powder with increased particle size and incorporating the AOM pigment powder into an ink composition.

A paint composition of the present invention contains an aluminum pigment and a mica pigment. The content of the aluminum pigment is equal to or higher than the content of the mica pigment. The aluminum pigment has a specific surface area, determined by the BET method, of not more than 55000 cm.sup.2/g, an average thickness of not less than 0.3 μm, and an aspect ratio of not more than 50.

Processes for preparing a niobate material include the following steps: (i) providing a niobium-containing source; (ii) providing a transitional metal source (TMS), a post-transitional metal source (PTMS), or both; (iii) dissolving (a) the niobium-containing source, and (b) the TMS, the PTMS, or both in an aqueous medium to form an intermediate solution; (iv) forming an intermediate paste by admixing an inert support material with the intermediate solution; (v) optionally coating the intermediate paste on a support substrate; and (vi) removing the inert support material by subjecting the intermediate paste to a calcination process and providing a transition-metal-niobate (TMN) and/or a post-transition-metal-niobate (PTMN). Anodes including a TMN and/or PTMN are also provided.

Effect pigments based on Al.sub.2O.sub.3 flakes with high weather resistance and less photoactivity and to their use thereof in paints, industrial coatings, automotive coatings, printing inks, cosmetic formulations. The effect pigments have a ratio of the amount by weight of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 of the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 flake and the amount by weight of the metal oxide(s) of the coating layer(s) in the range of from 27:73 to 83:17 based on the total weight of the effect pigment.

The invention relates to aluminum pigments which are at least partially coated with lubricant, wherein the aluminum pigments have a relative breadth of thickness distribution Δh of from 30% to less than 70%, as determined by a scanning electron microscope thickness count and as calculated on the basis of the corresponding cumulative breakthrough curve of the relative frequencies of occurrence, according to the formula Δh=100×(h.sub.90−h.sub.10)/h.sub.50, and an X-ray diffractogram, measured on pigments in substantially plane-parallel orientation, having one or two main peaks which do not correspond to the [111] reflexes. The invention further relates to a method for the production of said aluminum pigments and to uses thereof and also to nail varnishes and printing inks containing said aluminum pigments of the invention.

An aspect of the present invention relates to hexagonal ferrite powder, which comprises equal to or more than 70% on a particle number basis of isotropic hexagonal ferrite particles satisfying equation (1):
major axis length/minor axis length<2.0  (1),
having an average particle size of equal to or greater than 10.0 nm but equal to or less than 35.0 nm, and having a saturation magnetization of equal to or greater than 30 A.Math.m.sup.2/kg.

Cerium oxide nanorods having a variety of aspect ratios can be produced by providing a first mixture that includes a cerium precursor material, and using microwave to heat the first mixture to a first temperature for a period of time to produce first plurality of cerium oxide nanorods having a first range of aspect ratios. A second mixture that includes a cerium precursor material heated using microwave to a second temperature for a period of time to produce second plurality of cerium oxide nanorods having a second range of aspect ratios. The first plurality of cerium oxide nanorods and the second plurality of cerium oxide nanorods are mixed to produce third plurality of cerium oxide nanorods having the third range of aspect ratios that is broader than the first range or the second range.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a stretchable conductor sheet that exhibits isotropic conductivity when stretched in a predetermined direction or in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, and a paste for forming a stretchable conductor sheet, which is used for the stretchable conductor sheet. A second object of the present invention is to provide a stretchable conductor sheet having a small change in specific resistance even when repeatedly twisted, and a paste for forming a stretchable conductor sheet, which is used for the stretchable conductor sheet. A third object of the present invention is to provide a stretchable conductor sheet having a small change in specific resistance even when repeatedly washed, and a paste for forming a stretchable conductor sheet, which is used for the stretchable conductor sheet. The first object of the present invention can accomplish a stretchable conductor sheet having a thickness of 3 to 800 μm, the stretchable conductor sheet comprising at least conductive particles, inorganic particles surface-treated with a hydroxide and/or an oxide of one or both of Al and Si, and a flexible resin having a tensile elastic modulus of 1 MPa or more and 1000 MPa or less, wherein in each of two orthogonal directions, a specific resistance change ratio of the sheet at a time of elongation by 40% with respect to an original length is less than ±10% in an elongation direction.

Magnesium hydroxide having low glossiness and acid resistance which is required for coatability. The magnesium hydroxide is coated magnesium hydroxide comprising magnesium hydroxide and colloidal silica coating the surface thereof, wherein (A) the coating amount of colloidal silica is 0.1 to 20.0 wt % in terms of SiO.sub.2 based on 100 wt % of magnesium hydroxide; and (B) the coated magnesium hydroxide has a long diameter (width) of 0.5 to 20 μm, a thickness of 0.01 to 0.5 μm and an aspect ratio of not less than 10.

A positive electrode active material, which has a crystallite size α/crystallite size β ratio (α/β) of 1 to 1.75 or less, wherein the crystallite size α is within a peak region of 2θ=18.7±1° and the crystallite size β is within a peak region of 2θ=44.6±1°, each determined by a powder X-ray diffraction measurement using Cu-Kα ray, and has a composition represented by formula (I) below:

Li[Li.sub.x(Ni.sub.aCo.sub.bMn.sub.cM.sub.d).sub.1-x]O.sub.2  (I)

wherein 0≦x≦0.2, 0.3<a<0.7, 0<b<0.4, 0<c<0.4, 0≦d<0.1, a+b+c+d=1, and M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, Ti, Mg, Al and Zr.