Various embodiments relate to a method comprising forming a template from a template precursor, wherein the template contains an entrapped ceramic precursor, which can be further processed to form a ceramic solid, such as an oxide ceramic solid. In one embodiment, the template precursor is a hydrogel precursor and the template is a hydrogel template. The hydrogel template can include, for example, agarose, chitosan, alginate or a photo-initiating receptive hydrogel template such as a functionalized poly(ethylene glycol). Various devices, including electrolyte interfaces and energy storage devices, as well as thermoelectric devices are also provided. In one embodiment, the oxide ceramic solid is a cubic garnet having a nominal formula of Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLZO).

A composite solid state electrolyte comprises a polymer electrolyte material, a ceramic ion conductor, and a functionalized coupling agent selected to be compatible with the ceramic ion conductor and the bulk polymer compound. The polymer electrolyte material comprises a bulk polymer compound and a lithium salt. The functionalized coupling agent has a backbone that is structurally similar to the bulk polymer compound.

The present invention relates to a method for producing potassium titanate, and the present invention provides a method for producing potassium titanate which uses anatase-phased titanium dioxide to simplify the process by a hydrothermal method, and thus may improve economical efficiency and productivity, and in which the reaction temperature, the reaction time and the molar ratio of a precursor may be controlled to produce a high-purity potassium titanate whisker having a nano size of an uniform shape.

A coated particle comprising a lithium titanate particle core encased by a polyimide coating, an electrode comprising a plurality of polyimide coated LTO particles an electro-active material, and a lithium ion battery comprising an anode, a cathode, a separator and electrolyte wherein the anode comprises a plurality of polyimide coated LTO particles. The polyimide coating effectively reduces the amount of gas formation typically encountered with use of lithium titanate in electrochemical cells.

Provided is an electrode material which leads to a lithium ion secondary battery that has high energy density. An electrode material for a lithium ion secondary battery of the present invention is characterized by containing: a coarse particle of a first active material that is able to act as a positive electrode active material or a negative electrode active material of a lithium ion secondary battery; and a particle of a composite composed of conductive carbon and a second active material attached to the conductive carbon that is able to act as an active material of the same electrode as the first active material. This electrode material for a lithium ion secondary battery is also characterized in that: a diameter of the coarse particle of the first active material is larger than a diameter of the particle of the composite; and the particle of the composite is filled in a gap formed between the particles of the first active material. A conductive agent can be additionally contained in the gap.

A method for producing a potassium titanate easily produces a potassium titanate having a high single phase ratio and a significantly reduced fibrous potassium titanate content in high yield. The method for producing a potassium titanate includes: a mixing step that mixes a titanium raw material with a potassium raw material, the titanium raw material including 0 to 60 mass % of titanium oxide having a specific surface area of 1 to 2 m.sup.2/g, 40 to 100 mass % of titanium oxide having a specific surface area of 7 to 200 m.sup.2/g, and 0 to 4.5 mass % in total of one or more materials selected from titanium metal and titanium hydride, and the potassium raw material including a potassium compound; a calcination step that calcines a raw material mixture obtained by the mixing step at a calcination temperature of 950 to 990 C.; and a grinding step that grinds a calcined powder obtained by the calcination step using one or more means selected from a vibrating mill and an impact pulverizer.

There is provided a solution containing lithium and at least one of a niobium complex and a titanium complex, excellent in storage stability, and suitable for forming a coating layer capable of improving battery characteristics of an active material, and a related technique, which is the solution containing lithium, at least one of a niobium complex and a titanium complex, and ammonia, wherein an amount of the ammonia in the solution is 0.2 mass % or less.

Provided are a sodium ion secondary battery and a lithium ion secondary battery capable of undergoing a reversible large-capacity charge/discharge reaction. The sodium and lithium ion secondary batteries each have a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The active substance of the positive or negative electrode of these secondary batteries is a single-phase polycrystal represented by the following chemical formula: Na.sub.xTi.sub.4O.sub.9 (2x3), preferably Na.sub.2Ti.sub.4O.sub.9, having a one-dimensional tunnel type structure, and belonging to a monoclinic crystal system. This polycrystal is obtained by filling a container made of molybdenum or the like with a raw material containing a sodium compound and at least one of a titanium compound and metal titanium, and firing at 800 C. or more but 1600 C. or less.

A lithium hydrogen titanate LiHTiO material includes Li, H, Ti, and O elements, wherein a mass percentage of Li is in a range from about 3% to about 12%, a mass percentage of H is in a range from about 0.1% to about 8%, a mass percentage of Ti is in a range from about 46% to about 56%, and a mass percentage of O is in a range from about 28% to about 50%. A lithium ion battery and a method for making the lithium hydrogen titanate LiHTiO material are also disclosed.

The invention is concerned with a method for combined production of nanomaterials and heat. The method comprises feeding at least one precursor material and a fuel into a combustion unit for the generation of heat and nanoparticles, whereby the precursor material is combusted to be decomposed and oxidized in a sufficient temperature. The heat generated in the combustion of the fuel and the precursor material is recovered by using at least one heat exchanger. The combusted fuel is cooled down and the nanoparticles generated in the form of oxides in the combustion are collected. The system of the invention for combined production of nanomaterials and heat comprises a combustion unit, means for feeding at least one precursor material, fuel and oxidizer into the combustion unit for combustion, a heat exchanger for recovering heat from the combustion unit, and for cooling the combusted fuel, and means for collecting nanomaterials in the form of oxides from the combustion of the precursor material(s).