Provided is a new 5 V-class spinel-type lithium-manganese-containing composite oxide capable of achieving both the expansion of a high potential capacity region and the suppression of gas generation. Proposed is the spinel-type lithium-manganese-containing composite oxide comprising Li, Mn, O and two or more other elements, and having an operating potential of 4.5 V or more at a metal Li reference potential, wherein a peak is present in a range of 14.0 to 16.5° at 2θ, in an X-ray diffraction pattern measured by a powder X-ray diffractometer (XRD) using CuKα1 ray.

Provided is a new 5 V class spinel-type lithium manganese-containing composite oxide which enables the expansion of a high potential capacity region and the suppression of gas generation. The 5 V class spinel-type lithium manganese-containing composite oxide has an operating potential of 4.5 V or more at a metal Li reference potential, and contains Li, Mn, O and two or more other elements. The spinel-type lithium manganese-containing composite oxide is characterized in that, in an electronic diffraction image from a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a diffraction spot observed in the Fd-3m structure as well as a diffraction spot not observed in the Fd-3m structure are confirmed.

A cathode active material precursor according to embodiments of the present invention includes a composite hydroxide particle in which primary precursor particles are aggregated. The primary precursor particles include a particle having a triangular shape in which a minimum interior angle is 300 or more and a ratio of a length of a short side relative to a length of a long side is 0.5 or more. A cathode active material and a lithium secondary having improved high temperature stability is provided using the cathode active material precursor.

Spherical particles comprising (A) at least one mixed transition metal hydroxide or mixed transition metal carbonate of at least 3 different transition metals selected from nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron, chromium and vanadium, (B) at least one fluoride, oxide or hydroxide of Ba, Al, Zr or Ti,
where the transition metals in transition metal hydroxide (A) or transition metal carbonate (A) are predominantly in the +2 oxidation state,
where fluoride (B) or oxide (B) or hydroxide (B) is present to an extent of at least 75% in an outer shell of the spherical particles in the form of domains and is encased to an extent of at least 90% by transition metal hydroxide (A) or transition metal carbonate (A).

Provided herein is a precursor of a transition metal oxide, including a core unit and a shell unit, wherein the core unit includes a compound of chemical formula 1 below, and the shell unit includes a compound of chemical formula 2 below.

Ni.sub.aMn.sub.bCo.sub.1−(a+b+c)M.sub.c[OH.sub.(1−x)2−y]A.sub.(y/n)   [Chemical formula 1]

Ni.sub.a′Mn.sub.b′Co.sub.1−(a′+b′+c′)M′.sub.c′[OH.sub.(1−x′)2−y′]A.sub.(y′/n)   [Chemical formula 2]

A silicone oil-treated fumed silica and a method of producing the silicone oil-treated fumed silica are provided. The silicone oil-treated fumed silica, which has the following physical properties: A) the silicone oil-treated fumed silica has a degree of hydrophobicity of 68 vol % or more; B) the silicone oil-treated fumed silica has a silicone oil fixation rate of from 60 mass % to 95 mass %; and C) a composition obtained by adding 6 parts by mass of the silicone oil-treated fumed silica to 100 parts by mass of an amine composition containing trimethylolpropane polyoxypropylene triamine and 1,3-bis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane at a mass ratio of 95:5 has a viscosity of 4,000 mPa.Math.s or more after the composition is left to stand at 25° C. for 1 hour.

The present invention is directed towards a process for making a lithiated transition metal oxide, said process comprising the following steps: (a) providing a precursor selected from mixed oxides, hydroxides, oxyhydroxides, and carbonates of nickel and at least one transition metal selected from manganese and cobalt, wherein at least 45 mole-% of the cations of the precursor are Ni cations, (b) mixing said precursor with at least one lithium salt selected from LiOH, Li.sub.2O, Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, and LiNO.sub.3, thereby obtaining a mixture, (c) adding at least one phosphorus compound of general formula (I)
X.sub.yH.sub.3-yPO.sub.4  (I)
wherein X is selected from NH.sub.4 and Li, y is 1 or 2,
to the mixture obtained in step (b),
wherein steps (b) and (c) may be performed consecutively or simultaneously, (d) treating the mixture so obtained at a temperature in the range of from 650 to 950° C.

Provided is a method for preparing a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, the method comprising: mixing and reacting a nickel source, a cobalt source, and an aluminum source, ammonia water, sucrose, and a pH adjusting agent to prepare a mixed solution; drying and oxidizing the mixed solution to prepare a positive electrode active material precursor; and adding a lithium source to the positive electrode active material precursor and firing them to prepare a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery.

Provided are a positive electrode active material that can provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having high energy density and excellent output characteristics, a nickel-manganese composite hydroxide as a precursor thereof, and methods for producing these. A nickel-manganese composite hydroxide is represented by General Formula (1): 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 nickel-manganese composite hydroxide has a half width of a diffraction peak of a (001) plane of at least 0.35° and up to 0.50° and has a degree of sparsity/density represented by [(a void area within the secondary particle/a cross section of the secondary particle)×100](%) within a range of greater than 10% and up to 25%.

To provide a composition for a three-dimensional integrated circuit capable of forming a filling interlayer excellent in thermal conductivity also in a thickness direction, using agglomerated boron nitride particles excellent in the isotropy of thermal conductivity, disintegration resistance and kneading property with a resin. A composition for a three-dimensional integrated circuit, comprising agglomerated boron nitride particles which have a specific surface area of at least 10 m.sup.2/g, the surface of which is constituted by boron nitride primary particles having an average particle size of at least 0.05 μm and at most 1 μm, and which are spherical, and a resin (A) having a melt viscosity at 120° C. of at most 100 Pa.Math.s.