Provided is a system and a method for preparing ultrafine silica by leaching silicate ore using hydrogen chloride gas, comprising an ore raw material feeding device, an ejector, a stirring tank and a liquid-solid separation device. A circulated material outlet of a stirred tank is connected with a liquid inlet of an ejector through a circulation pipe; a liquid outlet of the ejector is connected with a circulated material inlet of the stirred tank; a material outlet of a raw ore feeding apparatus is connected with the circulation pipe; and the circulated material outlet of the stirred tank is connected with a solid-liquid separation apparatus. Based on the system and method in the present disclosure, an industrially feasible solution for preparing silica by continuously leaching a silicate ore is provided. The dissolution efficiency of ores and the utilization of hydrochloric acid are greatly increased.

The present invention relates to a carbon black and to a process to produce such carbon black as well as uses of such carbon black. The present invention further relates to compositions including such carbon black and the use of such compositions.

Provided are a positive electrode active material with which a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a high energy density can be obtained, a nickel-manganese composite hydroxide suitable as a precursor of the positive electrode active material, and production methods capable of easily producing these in an industrial scale. Provided is a nickel-manganese composite hydroxide represented by General Formula (1): Ni.sub.xMn.sub.yM.sub.z(OH).sub.2+? and containing 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 obtained by X-ray diffraction measurement of at least 0.10? and up to 0.40? and has a degree of sparsity/density represented by [(void area within secondary particle/cross section of secondary particle)?100](%) of at least 0.5% and up to 10%. Also provided is a production method of the nickel-manganese composite hydroxide.

Disclosed is a surface-treated carbon black in which a surface of a carbon black is treated with a compound represented by general formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group, alkenyl group or alkynyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may be the same as or different from each other; and M.sup.+ represents a sodium ion, potassium ion or lithium ion. The use of this surface-treated carbon black allows to yield a vulcanized rubber low in exothermicity.

Color-bleed resistant pigment particles containing an anionic dye, a quaternary ammonium compound, and a silica and/or silicate material having a negative zeta potential are disclosed. Related methods of making these colored pigment particles also are provided.

Provided is a kaolin having a finer particle size and a narrower particle size distribution, in combination with suitable morphology. Also provided are a method of preparing the kaolin product and methods of use.

An electrode material for a lithium ion battery including an active material represented by LiMPO.sub.4 (M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Al, Ga, Mg, and Ca), in which an oil absorption amount for which diethyl carbonate is used (DEC oil absorption amount) is 50 cc/100 g or more and 80 cc/100 g or less, and a ratio (DEC/NMP) of the DEC oil absorption amount to an oil absorption amount for which N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone is used (NMP oil absorption amount) is 1.3 or more and 1.8 or less.

A process is provided for producing a pulverulent acetylene black material including (a) providing an initial acetylene black, (b) densifying the provided initial acetylene black to form a densified acetylene black, and (c) pulverizing the densified acetylene black to form the pulverulent acetylene black material. The pulverulent acetylene black material obtainable by this process exhibits inter alia enhanced dispersibility and yields dispersions that show improved stability over time rendering them useful as conductive or antistatic agent, reinforcing filler and/or coloring agent in compositions for various applications such electrodes and other components of energy storage and/or conversion devices, plastic articles, coatings, paints or inks.

Provided is an inorganic powder which can impart feeling, which is equivalent to or greater than that of resin beads, and in particular, softness and smoothness to cosmetics. In the composite surface-treated inorganic powder, a base material powder whose main constituent includes an inorganic material or inorganic materials is surface-treated by a cationic surfactant and higher aliphatic alcohol.

Particles with suitable properties may be generated. The particles may include carbon particles.