Zinc oxide particles are prepared as a dry powder through a vapor phase formed by a plasma process, or by introducing defects into stoichiometric zinc oxide particles in a liquid carrier through mechanical stress. The zinc oxide has an O:Zn ratio of at least 0.99, an average particle size of 10 to 300 nm, and a sufficient concentration of oxygen vacancies and zinc vacancies to give a dispersion of the particles in C12-C15 alkyl benzoate an orange to tan color corresponding to a ΔE value of at least 15 in a Dispersion Color Test. The particles contain no aggregates and have no detectable particles 500 nm or larger, on a number-weighted basis.

A method of preparing a lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO) cubic garnet material is provided which comprises the following steps: (a) milling a slurry comprising one or more precursor compounds in an aqueous medium, wherein the one or more precursor compounds comprise lithium, lanthanum, zirconium and optionally one or more dopant elements, to provide a milled slurry; (b) spray drying the milled slurry to provide a spray-dried powder; and (c) annealing the spray-dried powder. The resultant LLZO cubic garnet material may be used as a lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte in secondary lithium-ion batteries.

Disclosed is a solid state electrolyte comprising a compound of Formula 1

Li.sub.7-.sub.a.sub.*α-(b−4)*β−xM.sup.a.sub.αLa.sub.3Hf.sub.2−βM.sup.b.sub.βO.sub.12−x−δX.sub.x   (1)

wherein

M.sup.a is a cationic element having a valence of a+;

M.sup.b is a cationic element having a valence of b+; and

X is an anion having a valence of −1,

wherein, when M.sup.a includes H, 0≤α≤5, otherwise 0≤α≤0.75, and wherein 0≤β≤1.5, 0≤x≤1.5, and (a*α+(b−4)β+x)>0, 0≤δ≤1.

An object of the present invention is to provide anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate having good powder flowability and good dispersibility in water. An anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate powder containing agglomerated particles formed by agglomerating anhydrous dibasic calcium phosphate particles having a modal pore diameter/mean particle diameter ratio of 0.2 to 0.34 exhibits good powder flowability and good dispersibility in water.

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 porous silica particle optimized as the scrubbing agent is used for a cleansing cosmetic. The porous silica particle has an average circularity of 0.1 to 0.5, a pore volume of 1.0 to 2.0 ml/g, a mode diameter of 50 to 600 μm, and a ratio of the maximum particle diameter to the mode diameter of 3.0 or less. The porous silica particle moreover has a median size of 0.5 to 25 μm and the maximum particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm, after rubbing with a load of 1.0 to 1.4 KPa for 30 seconds. With the cleansing cosmetic containing this particle, the skin is rubbed by the frictional force generated by the friction with the skin at the rubbing. Therefore, the mild peeling effect for the stratum corneum is obtained and the damage of the skin and the micro damage on the stratum corneum can be prevented.

The present invention provides a novel cost efficient method for carbonizing lignocellulosic material to carbonized particles or agglomerates, preferably carbon powder. Also uses of said particles or agglomerates are disclosed.

Provided is an energy storage device including an electrolyte solution including a compound represented by the general formula (1), a compound represented by the general formula (2), and a compound represented by the general formula (3): ##STR00001##

A pseudo-boehmite has a dry basis content of 55-85 wt % and contains a phosphoric acid ester group. The sodium oxide content is not greater than 0.5 wt %, and the phosphorus content (in terms of phosphorus pentoxide) is 1.2-5.7 wt %, relative to 100 wt % of the total weight of the pseudo-boehmite. The pseudo-boehmite has a low sodium content.

A porous silica particle with the small specific surface area and large pore volume, which is contained as the scrubbing agent in the cleansing cosmetics is provided. The porous silica particle has high collapsibility, and therefore the damage of the skin can be prevented. A porous silica particle according to the present invention has: an average circularity of 0.1 to 0.5; a pore volume of 0.1≦Pv<1.0 ml/g; a specific surface area of 5 to 60 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3; a median size of 100 to 1000 μm; a ratio of a maximum particle diameter to the median size, of 3.0 or less; and a median size of 5 to 40 μm and a maximum particle diameter of 15 to 200 μm, after rubbing for 30 seconds with a load of 1.0 to 1.4 KPa.