Nanowire synthesis and one dimensional nanowire synthesis of titanates and cobaltates. Exemplary titanates and cobaltates that are fabricated and discussed include, without limitation, strontium titanate (SrTiO.sub.3), barium titanate (BaTiO.sub.3), lead titanate (PbTiO.sub.3), calcium cobaltate (Ca.sub.3Co.sub.4O.sub.9) and sodium cobaltate (NaCo.sub.2O.sub.4).

A lithium-ion battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution, in which the cathode includes a current collector and a cathode mixture applied on at least one side of the current collector, the cathode mixture includes a lithium transition metal oxide as a cathode active material, the anode includes a lithium titanium complex oxide as an anode active material, and the non-aqueous electrolyte solution includes a fluorine-containing boric acid ester.

A method for producing a potassium titanate easily and inexpensively produces a potassium titanate that exhibits high thermal stability and has a significantly low fibrous potassium titanate content. The method for producing a potassium titanate includes calcining a raw material mixture by heating the raw material mixture to a maximum calcination temperature that exceeds 1000° C. while controlling the heating rate from 1000° C. to the maximum calcination temperature to 15° C./min or less to obtain a calcine, and cooling the calcine while controlling the cooling rate from the maximum calcination temperature to 500° C. to 100° C./min or more, followed by grinding, the raw material mixture including a titanium compound and a potassium compound so that the molar ratio (number of moles of titanium compound on a titanium atom basis/number of moles of potassium compound on a potassium atom basis) of the number of moles of the titanium compound on a titanium atom basis to the number of moles of the potassium compound on a potassium atom basis is 2.7 to 3.3.

A process for producing lithium titanate which includes the steps of synthesizing a lithium titanate hydrate intermediate via aqueous chemical processing, and thermally treating the lithium titanate hydrate intermediate to produce the lithium titanate. The lithium titanate hydrate is preferably (Li.sub.1.81H.sub.0.19)Ti.sub.2O<<2H.sub.2O. The lithium titanate is preferably Li.sub.4Ti.sub.5O.sub.12 (LTO). Synthesizing the lithium titanate hydrate intermediate may include mixing a titanium-containing compound with a lithium-containing compound in a solvent to produce a lithium-titanium precursor mixture. Preferably the titanium-containing compound includes titanium tetrachloride TiCl.sub.4. Also, a lithium titanate obtained according to the process and a lithium battery including the lithium titanate.

Provided axe porous titanate compound particles capable of giving excellent fade resistance when used in a friction material, a resin compound and a friction material each containing the porous titanate compound particles, and a method for producing the porous titanate compound particles. Porous titanate compound particles are each formed of titanate compound crystal grains bonded together and have a cumulative pore volume of 5% or more within a pore diameter range of 0.01 to 1.0 μm.

The invention provides a low-cost, efficient method for producing lithium titanate that is useful for applications in electric storage devices. The desired lithium titanate can be obtained by heating at least (1) titanium oxide having a BET single point specific surface area of 50 to 450 m.sup.2/g based on nitrogen adsorption and (2) a lithium compound. Preferably the titanium oxide and lithium compound are heated together with (3) a lithium titanate compound having the same crystal structure as the desired lithium titanate. Preferably these ingredients are dry-mixed before heating.

A method is provided in which a lithium titanate precursor structure is subjected to element selective sputtering to form a lithium titanate structure including a lithium titanate core and a conformal layer on the lithium titanate core, wherein the conformal layer includes titanium oxide. A method of preparing an electrode for a lithium ion battery, wherein the electrode includes lithium titanate structures, is also provided.

Provided is a precursor with which it is possible to form a solid electrolyte and negative electrode active material while preventing loss of mass during firing at 1,000° C. or lower. A precursor for forming a composite product of lithium titanate and lithium lanthanum titanate by firing, wherein a precursor of a lithium titanate composite product is used that is characterized in comprising a solid material that includes a composite salt of Li and Ti and an La source compound. Such a precursor of a lithium titanate composite product is obtained by a production method that is characterized in including a step for forming a solid material by heating a mixture that includes at least a Ti source, a Li source, and solvent by solvothermal treatment.

According to one embodiment, there is provided an active material for a battery. The active material includes secondary particle which contains primary particles of a monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide having an average primary particle diameter of 1 nm to 10 μm. The secondary particle has an average secondary particle diameter of 1 μm to 100 μm. The secondary particle has compression fracture strength of 20 MPa or more.

A negative electrode active material according to one embodiment includes a titanium oxide compound having a crystal structure of monoclinic system titanium dioxide. The titanium oxide compound is modified by at least one kind of ion selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal cation, an alkali earth metal cation, a transition metal cation, a sulfide ion, a sulfuric acid ion and a chloride ion.