The invention relates to a process for producing lithium zirconium mixed oxides by means of flame spray pyrolysis, mixed oxides obtainable by this process and their use in lithium ion batteries.

Provided are a positive electrode active material with which a secondary battery having high charging and discharging capacities and an excellent cycle characteristic can be obtained, and a method for producing the same. A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a lithium-metal composite oxide represented by a general formula: Li.sub.aNi.sub.xCo.sub.yMn.sub.zM.sub.tO.sub.2+α and containing a secondary particle formed of a plurality of flocculated primary particles. A void ratio obtained from an image analysis result of a cross section of the secondary particle, the image thereof being obtained by a scanning electron microscope, is at least 5% and up to 50% in a first area that is from a central part of the secondary particle to one half of a radius of the secondary particle, and is up to 1.5% in a second area that is outside the first area.

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.

Core-shell particles may be based on red lead coated with pyrogenically produced titanium dioxide and/or a pyrogenically produced aluminum oxide, and a process may prepare such core-shell particles which may be used in lead-acid batteries. The red lead may include PbO.sub.2 in a range of from 25 to 32 wt. %.

The present application discloses a positive electrode active material satisfying the chemical formula L.sub.xNa.sub.yM.sub.zCu.sub.αFe.sub.βMn.sub.γO.sub.2+δ−0.5ηX.sub.η and a preparation method therefor, a sodium ion battery and an apparatus including such battery, wherein L is a doping element at alkali metal site, M is a doping element at transition metal site, and X is a doping element at oxygen site, 0≤x<0.35, 0.65≤y≤1, 0<α≤0.3, 0<β≤0.5, 0<γ≤0.5, −0.03≤δ≤0.03, 0≤η≤0.1, z+α+β+γ=1, mx+y+nz+2α+3β+4γ=2(2+δ), m is the valence state of L, and n is the valence state of M; and the pH of the positive electrode active material is 10.5-13, wherein L is a doping element at alkali metal site, M is a doping element at transition metal site, and X is a doping element at oxygen site.

Provided is a hydrophilic precipitated silica which is well suited to use in silicone rubber formulations (RTV-1, RTV-2, HTV and LSR), particularly well suited to use in HTV silicone rubber formulations. It has a BET surface area of 185˜260 m.sup.2/g, a CTAB surface area of 100˜160 m.sup.2/g, a BET/CTAB ratio of 1.2˜2.6, and a conductivity of <250 μS/cm. Also provided are a process for producing the precipitated silica and the use of the precipitated silica for thickening and reinforcing silicone rubber formulations.

The invention relates to a method for producing sulphate of potash granulates, wherein 0.1 to 7.5 wt % of a sodium salt selected from among sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium sulphate hydrates, sodium hydroxide and mixtures thereof are added to the sulphate of potash during the granulation process, the percentage by weight being in relation to the sulphate of potash used. In addition, 0.1 to 2.5 wt % of water are added prior to or during the granulation process. The invention also relates to the granulates obtained by said method as well as the use of sodium salts and glaserite and mixtures thereof for improving the mechanical properties of sulfate of potash granulates. The sulphate of potash granulates produced by the method of the invention have significantly greater bursting strength and significantly greater abrasion resistance than granulates known from the prior art.

The method includes: a dry mixing process of mixing a tungsten compound with a lithium nickel manganese cobalt-containing composite oxide that is a base material to obtain a mixture; a water spray mixing process of spraying water to the mixture while the mixture is stirred, to mix the mixture; a heat treatment process of subjecting the mixture obtained after the water spray mixing process to a heat treatment at a temperature of 500° C. or lower; and a drying process of drying the mixture obtained after the heat treatment process at a temperature of 500° C. or lower to obtain a W- and Li-containing compound-coated lithium nickel manganese cobalt-containing composite oxide in which fine particles and coating films of a W- and Li-containing compound exist on a surface of the primary particles, and in at least drying process, the drying is performed using a vacuum dry mixing apparatus in a vacuum atmosphere.

The present disclosure provides, for example, systems and methods for generating carbon particles. Carbon particles may have a total content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of less than or equal to about 0.5 parts per million, a content of benzo[a]pyrene of less than or equal to about 5 parts per billion, and a water spreading pressure that is less than about 5 mJ/m.sup.2. A carbon particle among the carbon particles may comprise less than about 0.3% sulfur by weight or less than or equal to about 0.03% ash by weight.

Particles for a monolithic refractory are made of a spinet porous sintered body which is represented by a chemical formula of MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4, wherein pores having a pore size of 0.01 μm or more and less than 0.8 μm occupy 10 vol % or more and 50 vol % or less with respect to a total volume of pores having a pore size of 10 μm or less in the particles, and the particles for a monolithic refractory have grain size distribution in which particles having a particle size of less than 45 μm occupy 60 vol % or less, particles having a particle size of 45 μm or more and less than 100 μm occupy 20 vol % or more and 60 vol % or less, and particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and 1000 μm or less occupy 10 vol % or more and 50 vol % or less.