A functional element includes functional titanium oxide. The functional titanium oxide includes crystal grains of one or more of β-phase trititanium pentoxide (β-Ti.sub.3O.sub.5) and λ-phase trititanium pentoxide (λ-Ti.sub.3O.sub.5). The functional titanium oxide includes the property that at least a portion of crystal grains of one or more of β-phase trititanium pentoxide (β-Ti.sub.3O.sub.5) and λ-phase trititanium pentoxide (λ-Ti.sub.3O.sub.5) changes into crystal grains of titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2) when the functional titanium oxide is heated to 350° C. or higher.

A substrate is coated with a transparent coating film using a coating liquid for forming a transparent coating film including metal oxide particles and a matrix formation component. The metal oxide particles each include a metal oxide particle containing titanium oxide coated with silicon dioxide-stannic oxide complex oxide, including a titanium oxide-containing core particle; and a coating layer with which the titanium oxide-containing core particle is coated and that is made of silicon dioxide-stannic oxide complex oxide colloidal particles having a mass ratio of silicon dioxide/stannic oxide of 0.1 to 5.0, where one or more intermediate thin film layers that are made of any one of an oxide; a complex oxide of at least one element selected from Si, Al, Sn, Zr, Zn, Sb, Nb, Ta, and W; and a mixture of the oxide and the complex oxide are interposed between the core particle and the coating layer.

A substrate is coated with a transparent coating film using a coating liquid for forming a transparent coating film including metal oxide particles and a matrix formation component. The metal oxide particles each include a metal oxide particle containing titanium oxide coated with silicon dioxide-stannic oxide complex oxide, including a titanium oxide-containing core particle; and a coating layer with which the titanium oxide-containing core particle is coated and that is made of silicon dioxide-stannic oxide complex oxide colloidal particles having a mass ratio of silicon dioxide/stannic oxide of 0.1 to 5.0, where one or more intermediate thin film layers that are made of any one of an oxide; a complex oxide of at least one element selected from Si, Al, Sn, Zr, Zn, Sb, Nb, Ta, and W; and a mixture of the oxide and the complex oxide are interposed between the core particle and the coating layer.

An anode material includes silicon-containing particles including a silicon composite substrate and an oxide MeO.sub.y layer, wherein the oxide MeO.sub.y layer is coated on at least a portion of the silicon composite substrate, wherein Me includes at least one of Al, Si, Ti, Mn, V, Cr, Co or Zr, and y is 0.5 to 3; and wherein the oxide MeO.sub.y layer includes a carbon material. The anode material has good cycle performance, and the battery prepared from the anode material has better rate performance and lower swelling rate.

The invention relates to a colored pigment particle, a method for obtaining said colored pigment particle, and a composition comprised of said particle. In addition, the invention refers to the use of said colored pigment particle.

The invention relates to a colored pigment particle, a method for obtaining said colored pigment particle, and a composition comprised of said particle. In addition, the invention refers to the use of said colored pigment particle.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

The present invention relates to a method of dispersing fine particles in an aqueous or polar solvent. The dispersant comprises a compound of general formula (I): In general formula (I), AO is an alkylene oxide group selected from ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, R.sup.1 is selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, a butyl group, and a pentyl group, R.sup.2 is a carboxylic acid terminated group comprising 1 to 5 carbon atoms between the carboxylic acid and the polyalkylene glycol group (-(AO).sub.n—O—), and n is 2 to 100. A dispersion of nanoparticles comprising the dispersant, use of the dispersant, and a method for dispersing nanoparticles is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method of dispersing fine particles in an aqueous or polar solvent. The dispersant comprises a compound of general formula (I): In general formula (I), AO is an alkylene oxide group selected from ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, R.sup.1 is selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, a butyl group, and a pentyl group, R.sup.2 is a carboxylic acid terminated group comprising 1 to 5 carbon atoms between the carboxylic acid and the polyalkylene glycol group (-(AO).sub.n—O—), and n is 2 to 100. A dispersion of nanoparticles comprising the dispersant, use of the dispersant, and a method for dispersing nanoparticles is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to metallurgical processes, and more particularly to a process for producing titaniferous feedstock and fines, a process for agglomerating titaniferous fines, and a process for producing titaniferous metals and titaniferous alloys. Recovery of rare-earth, vanadium and scandium from titanium iron bearing resources is also disclosed. Selective leaching for Scandium recovery from all magnetite type resources such as ilmenite, ferro titanic resources, nickel laterites, magnetite iron resources etc.