Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for preparing carbon materials which can be used in battery electrodes. More specifically, embodiments relate to methods for preparing nano-ordered carbon products used as anode materials in metal-ion batteries, such as a lithium-ion battery. In one or more embodiments, a method includes exposing a liquid refinery hydrocarbon product to a first functionalization agent to produce a first solid functionalized product during a first functionalization process and exposing the first solid functionalized product to a second functionalization agent to produce a second solid functionalized product during a second functionalization process. Each of the first and second functionalization agents independently contains an element selected from oxygen, sulfur, phosphorous, nitrogen, or any combination thereof. The method also includes carbonizing the second solid functionalized product at a temperature of about 1,000° C. to about 1,400° C. to produce a solid nano-ordered carbon product during a carbonization process.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for preparing carbon materials which can be used in battery electrodes. More specifically, embodiments relate to methods for preparing hard carbon materials used as anode materials in metal-ion batteries, such as a sodium-ion battery. In one or more embodiments, a method includes exposing a liquid refinery hydrocarbon product to a first functionalization agent containing sulfur to produce a first solid functionalized product containing sulfur during a first functionalization process. The method further includes purifying the first solid functionalized product during a purification process and exposing the first solid functionalized product to a second functionalization agent containing oxygen to produce a second solid functionalized product containing sulfur and oxygen during a second functionalization process. The method also includes carbonizing the second solid functionalized product to produce a hard carbon product during a carbonization process.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for preparing carbon materials which can be used in battery electrodes. In one or more embodiments, a method for preparing an anode carbon material is provided and includes combining a liquid refinery hydrocarbon product and a solvent to produce a first mixture, combining the first mixture and a first oxidizing agent containing an acid to produce a second mixture containing the liquid refinery hydrocarbon product, the solvent, and the first oxidizing agent, and heating the second mixture to produce a reaction mixture containing an oxidized solid product during an oxidation process. The method also includes separating the oxidized solid product from the reaction mixture during a separation process and carbonizing the oxidized solid product to produce a hard carbon product during a carbonization process.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for preparing carbon materials which can be used in battery electrodes. More specifically, embodiments relate to methods for preparing nano-ordered carbon products used as anode materials in metal-ion batteries, such as a sodium-ion battery. In some embodiments, a method includes fractioning an initial refinery hydrocarbon product during a fractionation process to produce a liquid refinery hydrocarbon product and a heavy refinery hydrocarbon product. The method includes exposing either or both refinery hydrocarbon products to a first functionalization agent to produce a first solid functionalized product during a first functionalization process and purifying the first solid functionalized product during a purification process. The method also includes exposing the first solid functionalized product to a second functionalization agent to produce a second solid functionalized product during a second functionalization process and carbonizing the second solid functionalized product to produce the nano-ordered carbon product during a carbonization process.

A positive-electrode material for a lithium ion secondary battery contains a lithium complex compound that is represented by the formula: Li.sub.1+aNi.sub.bMn.sub.cCo.sub.dTi.sub.eM.sub.fO.sub.2+α, and has an atomic ratio Ti.sup.3+/Ti.sup.4+ between Ti.sup.3+ and Ti.sup.4+, as determined through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, of greater than or equal to 1.5 and less than or equal to 20. In the formula, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Zr, Mo, and Nb, and a, b, c, d, e, f, and a are numbers satisfying −0.1≤a≤0.2, 0.7<b≤0.9, 0≤c<0.3, 0≤d<0.3, 0<e≤0.25, 0≤f<0.3, b+c+d+e+f=1, and −0.2≤α≤0.2.

A submicron sized Si based powder having an average primary particle size between 20 nm and 200 nm, wherein the powder has a surface layer comprising SiO.sub.x, with 0<x<2, the surface layer having an average thickness between 0.5 nm and 10 nm, and wherein the powder has a total oxygen content equal or less than 3% by weight at room temperature. The method for making the powder comprises a step where a Si precursor is vaporized in a gas stream at high temperature, after which the gas stream is quenched to obtain Si particles, and the Si particles are quenched at low temperature in an oxygen containing gas.

Provided are semiconductor particles including a Group 12-16 semiconductor including a Group 12 element and a Group 16 element, a Group 13-15 semiconductor including a Group 13 element and a Group 15 element, or a Group 14 semiconductor including a Group 14 element, the semiconductor particles having a plasma frequency of 1.7×10.sup.14 rad/s to 4.7×10.sup.14 rad/s and a maximum length of 1 nm to 2,000 nm; and a dispersion, a film, an optical filter, a building member, or a radiant cooling device, in all of which the semiconductor particles are used.

A battery comprising an acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH <7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H.sub.0 >−12, at least on its surface.

In one embodiment, a positive electrode active material for a secondary battery, the positive electrode active material being a primary particle having a monolithic structure that includes a lithium composite metal oxide of Formula 1 below, wherein the primary particle has an average particle size (D.sub.50) of 2 μm to 20 μm and a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area of 0.15 m.sup.2/g to 0.5 m.sup.2/g, and wherein the positive electrode active material has a rolling density of 3.0 g/cc or higher under a pressure of 2 ton.Math.f:
Li.sub.aNi.sub.1-x-yCo.sub.xM1.sub.yM3.sub.zM2.sub.wO.sub.2  [Formula 1] in Formula 1, M1 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al and Mn, M2 is any one or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti, Mg, Ta, and Nb, M3 is any one or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, and Cr, and 1.0≤a≤1.5, 0≤x≤0.5, 0≤y≤0.5, 0.005≤z≤0.01, 0≤w≤0.04, 0<x+y≤0.7.

Solid-state lithium ion electrolytes of lithium silicate based composites are provided which contain an anionic framework capable of conducting lithium ions. An activation energy for lithium ion migration in the solid state lithium ion electrolytes is 0.5 eV or less and room temperature conductivities are greater than 10.sup.0.5 S/cm. Composites of specific formulae are provided and methods to alter the composite materials with inclusion of aliovalent ions shown. Lithium batteries containing the composite lithium ion electrolytes are also provided.