[Object] To provide a secondary battery material that is used in a lithium ion battery, a negative electrode active material including the secondary battery material, and a secondary battery including the negative electrode active material. The secondary battery material gives a secondary battery having high charge and discharge capacity, initial efficiency, and capacity retention rate as a whole and having an excellent balance of these characteristics.

[Solution]A secondary battery material contains Si (silicon), O (oxygen), and C (carbon), and the content ratio x of O to Si satisfies 0.1x2, and the content ratio y of C to Si satisfies 0.3y11.

An apparatus for preparing dimeric and trimeric silicon compounds is provided. The apparatus includes a reactor for generating a nonthermal plasma; a collecting vessel in product flow communication with the nonthermal plasma reactor; and a series of at least three rectification columns in flow communication with the collecting vessel.

Some examples of a method for manufacturing an electrode material for electrolytic hydrogen generation are described. Tungsten salt and nickel salt are mixed in a determined molar ratio on a carbon support by effectively controlling synthesis temperature and composition. Water and adsorbed oxygen, produced by mixing the tungsten salt and nickel salt are removed. Then, methane gas is flowed over the mixture resulting in the electrode material. The electrode material is suitable for use as a catalyst in electrolytic hydrogen generation processes, for example, at an industrial scale, to produce large quantities of hydrogen.

A method, comprising: forming a porous MAX-phase material. A MAX-phase material, the MAX-phase material made according to the present disclosure. A MXene material, the MXene material formed by removal of the A-group element of a MAX-phase material made according to the present disclosure.

A method, comprising: forming a porous MAX-phase material. A MAX-phase material, the MAX-phase material made according to the present disclosure. A MXene material, the MXene material formed by removal of the A-group element of a MAX-phase material made according to the present disclosure.

The present disclosure is directed to compositions comprising at least one layer having first and second surfaces, each layer comprising: a substantially two-dimensional array of crystal cells, each crystal cell having an empirical formula of M.sub.2MnX.sub.n+1, such that each X is positioned within an octahedral array of M and M; wherein M and M each comprise different Group 11113, WE, VB, or VIB metals; each X is C, N, or a combination thereof; n=1 or 2; and wherein the M atoms are substantially present as two-dimensional outer arrays of atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells; the M atoms are substantially present as two-dimensional inner arrays of atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells; and the two dimensional inner arrays of M atoms are sandwiched between the two-dimensional outer arrays of M atoms within the two-dimensional army of crystal cells.

The present disclosure is directed to compositions comprising at least one layer having first and second surfaces, each layer comprising: a substantially two-dimensional array of crystal cells, each crystal cell having an empirical formula of M.sub.2MnX.sub.n+1, such that each X is positioned within an octahedral array of M and M; wherein M and M each comprise different Group 11113, WE, VB, or VIB metals; each X is C, N, or a combination thereof; n=1 or 2; and wherein the M atoms are substantially present as two-dimensional outer arrays of atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells; the M atoms are substantially present as two-dimensional inner arrays of atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells; and the two dimensional inner arrays of M atoms are sandwiched between the two-dimensional outer arrays of M atoms within the two-dimensional army of crystal cells.

A composition of matter defined by the general formula of M.sub.2+vL.sub.1vX.sub.2, wherein: X is carbon; M represents a transition metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ta, Sc, Cr, Zr, Mo, V, and Nb; and L represents a lanthanide element selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu.

A composition of matter defined by the general formula of M.sub.2+vL.sub.1vX.sub.2, wherein: X is carbon; M represents a transition metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ta, Sc, Cr, Zr, Mo, V, and Nb; and L represents a lanthanide element selected from the group consisting of Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu.

A mercury-based compound is in powder form and has the general chemical formula: M1.sub.aX.sub.b, where M1 is Hg, MxcMyd or a combination thereof, with Mx being Hg and My being an arbitrary element; wherein X is chloride, bromide, fluoride, iodide, sulphate, nitrate or a combination thereof, wherein a, b, c, and d are numbers between 0.1 and 10, wherein particles of the powder have a minimum average dimension of width of at least 50 nm and a maximum average dimension of width of at most 20 m, and wherein the mercury-based compound is paramagnetic and is present in an excited state.