Provided is a positive electrode material that allows reducing battery resistance. The positive electrode material disclosed herein has particles of a positive electrode active material, each having a void communicating between the surface and at least the interior; and an electronic conductor present on the surface of the particles of the positive electrode active material. The positive electrode active material has a layered rock salt structure, and has a composition represented by Formula (I) below. The electronic conductor has a composition represented by Formula (II) below,

Li.sub.1+uNi.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zM.sub.tO.sub.2(I)

La.sub.1pMa.sub.pCo.sub.1qMb.sub.qO.sub.3(II) wherein the symbols in the formulas are as defined in the specification.

Spherically-shaped silica can include a precipitated silica powder having a d.sub.50 particle size selected within a range of greater than 20 m and up to 80 m, a di-octyl adipate oil absorption selected within a range of from 150 ml/100 g to 500 ml/100 g, an average circularity selected within a range of from 0.70 to 1.0, and an angle of repose, of less than 30. A process of preparing spherically-shaped silica powder is also included.

The present invention relates to light-scattering silica particles having a light scattering property, the light-scattering silica particles including: a plurality of hollow portions each having a closed pore structure inside the particle, in which the light-scattering silica particles have a volume-based cumulative 50% particle diameter of 1 ?m to 500 ?m and an average circularity of 0.80 or more, and in use of the light-scattering silica particles, a reflectance A of a water cake containing 20 mg/cm.sup.2 of silica per measurement cross-sectional area at an ultraviolet wavelength of 310 nm is 30% or more.

Disclosed herein are oxidized carbon blacks, which can be incorporated into electrode compositions for lead acid batteries. In some embodiments, the oxidized carbon blacks have a BET surface area ranging from 650 to 2100 m.sup.2/g; an oil absorption number (OAN) ranging from 35 to 500 mL/100 g; and a volatile content of at least 5.5 wt. % relative to the total weight of the oxidized carbon black, as determined by weight loss at 950 C.

There are disclosed methods for producing curable elastomeric compositions comprising carbon black particles, as well as their corresponding cured products. Such compositions, once cured, can be used for the preparation of numerous articles of wide industrial applicability.

A printing system is disclosed for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate. The system comprises a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which energy is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which said imaging surface of said transfer member and the substrate surface are pressed against each other to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of only the regions of the particle coating that have been rendered tacky. In the invention, the imaging station comprises a thermal print head in thermal contact with the rear side of the transfer member and operative to apply energy to the particles on the imaging surface by heat conduction through the transfer member.

The present invention relates to mixtures of pigments comprising at least one inorganic compound selected from the group of iron oxides, iron oxide hydrates, zinc ferrites, zinc oxides, magnesium ferrites and manganese ferrites, wherein the at least one inorganic compound is equipped with a coating comprising at least one hydroxide or oxide of magnesium or calcium and at least one calcium salt or magnesium salt of a fatty acid, to processes for production thereof, to the use thereof for coloring polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and to processes for coloring PVC and to PVC colored with such mixtures, and also to plastics products comprising such mixtures.

Surface treated modified carbon black particles and oil-based drilling fluids are described. The carbon blacks are incorporated into the oil-based drilling fluids to reduce the electrical resistivity of the oil-based drilling fluids. The surface treated carbon blacks can include a hydrophobic organic group and are readily dispersible in oil-based drilling fluids.

A method and apparatus for thermal transfer printing onto selected regions of a substrate are disclosed. The method comprises: a) providing a transfer member having an imaging surface; b) coating the imaging surface with particles formed of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer; c) removing substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the imaging surface to leave a uniform monolayer particle coating on the imaging surface; d) applying energy to selected regions of the imaging surface to heat and render tacky particles of corresponding regions of the monolayer coating; and e) pressing at least portions of the imaging surface and the substrate surface against one another, either during and/or after application of energy, to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles of the corresponding regions that have been rendered tacky. The monolayer coating can be replenished with new particles and the cycle repeated.

Method and system for thermal transfer printing are disclosed. The system comprises a transfer member having an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which electromagnetic radiation (EM) is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles-coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which only the regions of the particles coating that have been rendered tacky are transferred to a substrate. The transfer member includes on its rear side a body transparent to EM radiation and on its front side an EM radiation absorbing layer, the imaging surface being formed on, or as part of, the absorbing layer.