Provided is a granular activated carbon that can be used for applications similar to wood-based steam-activated carbons; and also provided is a method for manufacturing the same. The granular activated carbon is obtained in the following manner. An activated carbon raw material is carbonized, and then pulverized. The pulverized product is then mixed with a calcium component, and the mixture is molded. Subsequently, the molded product is carbonized and activated, followed by washing.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an active substance. The active substance includes secondary particles and a carbon material phase formed on at least a part of a surface of each of the secondary particles. Each of the secondary particles is constructed by aggregated primary particles of an active material. The primary particles of the active material includes a niobium composite oxide represented by Li.sub.xM.sub.(1−y)Nb.sub.yNb.sub.2O.sub.(7+δ), wherein M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ti and Zr, and x, y, and δ respectively satisfy 0≦x≦6, 0≦y≦1, and −1≦δ≦1. The secondary particles have a compression fracture strength of 10 MPa or more.

A process for producing black powder oxygen carriers for use in a chemical looping combustion unit includes the steps of: (a) removing and collecting the black powder waste material that was formed in a gas pipeline; (b) pre-treating the collected black powder to adjust its spherical shape to avoid attrition and fines production; and (c) activating the black powder to increase its reactivity rate and produce the black powder oxygen carrier that is suitable for use in the chemical looping combustion process as an oxygen carrier.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a positive electrode active material, which includes: (A) preparing a positive electrode active material precursor which includes a core portion including randomly aggregated primary particles and a shell portion surrounding the core portion and formed of primary particles oriented in a direction from a particle center to the outside and in which a ratio of a crystal grain size in the (100) plane to a crystal grain size in the (001) plane of the primary particles forming the shell portion is 3 or more; and (B) mixing the positive electrode active material precursor with a lithium-containing raw material and firing the mixture, wherein the lithium transition metal oxide has an average particle diameter (D.sub.50) that is 0.01% to 20% reduced as compared to an average particle diameter (D.sub.50) of the positive electrode active material precursor, in which a particle size is reduced during the manufacture of the positive electrode active material and thus particle strength and energy density are improved.

Provided is a thermal spraying material capable of forming a thermally sprayed coating film having improved plasma erosion resistance. The invention disclosed here provides a thermal spraying material. This thermal spraying material comprises composite particles in which a plurality of yttrium fluoride microparticles are integrated. In addition, the compressive strength of the composite particles is 5 MPa or more.

A reflective granular composition including a reflective pigment material including a majority of kaolin clay and a hardening additive including a sodium salt or another salt. A method for making a reflective granular composition includes the steps of mixing together a reflective pigment material including a majority of kaolin clay and a hardening additive including a sodium salt or another salt to form a particulate mixture, forming a slurry from the particulate mixture by adding to the particulate mixture water and a binder material, granulating the slurry, drying the granulated slurry, and kilning the dried, granulated slurry to form the reflective granular composition. Methods of analyzing the strength of a reflective granular composition are also disclosed.

A process can be used for the functionalization of graphene material by mixing graphene material with at least one silane. The functionalized graphene material is useful, for example, in thermoplastics.

A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries according to one embodiment of the present disclosure contains a lithium transition metal composite oxide which is represented by general formula Li.sub.aNi.sub.bCo.sub.cAl.sub.dX.sub.eO.sub.f (wherein 0.9≤a≤1.2; 0.88≤b≤0.96; 0≤c≤0.12; 0≤d≤0.12; 0≤e≤0.1; 1.9≤f≤2.1; (b+c+d)=1; and X represents at least one element that is selected from among Mn, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W and B); and the lithium transition metal composite oxide has a pore volume of pores having a pore diameter of 0.3 μm or less of from 6×10.sup.−4 mL/g to 50×10.sup.−4 mL/g, while having a particle fracture strength of 120 MPa or more at the volume average particle diameter.

The present disclosure relates to a positive electrode active material comprising a first particle group and a second particle group, wherein the first particle group consists of a plurality of first particles, each first particle includes one to ten single particles, the second particle group consists of a plurality of second particles, each second particle includes an aggregation-based particle, and each aggregation-based particle is formed of 50 or more primary particles aggregated to each other.

Composites of porous nano-featured silicon and various materials, such as carbon, are provided. The composites find utility in various applications, such as electrical energy storage electrodes and devices comprising the same.