An active material is provided for use in a solid-state battery. The active material exhibits at least one peak in the range of 0.145 to 0.185 nm and at least one peak in the range of 0.280 to 0.310 nm in a radial distribution function obtained through measurement of an X-ray absorption fine structure thereof. In the particle size distribution, by volume, of the active material obtained through a particle size distribution measurement by laser diffraction scattering method, the ratio of the absolute value of the difference between the mode diameter of the active material and the D.sub.10 of the active material (referred to as the “mode diameter” and the “D.sub.10” respectively) to the mode diameter in percentage terms, (|mode diameter−D.sub.10|/mode diameter)×100, satisfies 0%<((|mode diameter−D.sub.10|/mode diameter)×100)≤58.0%.

A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.

The invention relates to a method for producing iron oxide-based composite magnetic nanocomposites, for modulating the magnet grade of the magnetic nanocomposites to, for example, a soft magnetic material, or a semi-hard magnetic material, or a hard magnetic material, comprising the following steps: a0) separate dissolutions of precursors and of a base a) introduction at room temperature of an iron-based precursor (F) and of at least one metal precursor (M) other than an iron-based precursor, and of at least one base (B), and optionally of at least one rare earth precursor (R), in a given order of introduction into the autoclave b) hydrothermal and/or solvothermal production, so as to obtain magnetic nanocomposites which have a main phase and one or more secondary phases M′.sub.2(OH).sub.2O.sub.2 and/or R(OH).sub.3, c) a step of washing the nanocomposites.

Provided is a high entropy composite oxide of formula ([M.sub.1].sub.pMn.sub.qFe.sub.xCr.sub.yNi.sub.z).sub.3O.sub.4 having a spinel crystal, wherein the [M.sub.1], p, q, x, y and z are as defined in the specification. A method for producing the high entropy composite oxide, and anode materials including the same are further provided. With the entropy stabilization effect and plenty of oxygen vacancies, the anode materials including the high entropy composite oxide show the advantage of high Li.sup.+ transport rate, high electric capacity, redox durability, and good cycling stability, thereby having a bright prospect for application.

Disclosed are a cathode for an all-solid-state battery including a cathode thin film for an all-solid-state battery or a cathode composite membrane for an all-solid-state battery, and an all-solid-state battery including the same. The cathode for an all-solid-state battery contains a grain that has a plane having a low surface energy and has a grain boundary arranged parallel to the electron movement direction, thus effectively lowering the interfacial resistance of the thin film while suppressing the dissolution and diffusion of the transition metal, thereby improving the cycle stability of the all-solid-state battery including the same.

Disclosed is a ceramic sintered body comprising magnesium aluminate spinel of composition MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 having from 90 to 100% by volume of a cubic crystallographic structure and a density of from 3.47 to 3.58 g/cc, wherein the ceramic sintered body is free of sintering aids. A method of making the ceramic sintered body comprising spinel is also disclosed.

The present disclosure is directed to methods of Quantum Spin Engineering of spinel superparamagnetic ferrite nanoparticles (SMFNs) for MRI contrast agents and for magnetohyperthermia agents. Using the methods herein, the magnetic properties of the SMFNs can be controlled by changing the amount of 3d-transition element cations having unpaired electrons in the 3d orbital that occupy the octahedral sites of the spinel crystal form, to form mixed spinels, while anions in the spinels can be utilized to magnetically couple the cations utilizing intra-crystalline angles determined by ion sizes and crystal structure, and further tuning of other critical parameters is provided. The mixed spinels disclosed herein provide enhanced MRI contrast agents and improved magnetohyperthermia agents with lower toxicity and safety concerns, while the production methods disclosed herein have lower cost.

Manganese-cobalt (Mn—Co) spinel oxide nanowire arrays are synthesized at low pressure and low temperature by a hydrothermal method. The method can include contacting a substrate with a solvent, such as water, that includes Mn04- and Co2 ions at a temperature from about 60° C. to about 120° C. The method preferably includes dissolving potassium permanganate (KMn04) in the solvent to yield the Mn04- ions. the substrate is The nanoarrays are useful for reducing a concentration of an impurity, such as a hydrocarbon, in a gas, such as an emission source. The resulting material with high surface area and high materials utilization efficiency can be directly used for environment and energy applications including emission control systems, air/water purifying systems and lithium-ion batteries.

Provided is an improved method for forming a coated lithium ion cathode materials specifically for use in a battery. The method comprises forming a first solution comprising a digestible feedstock of a first metal suitable for formation of a cathode oxide precursor and a multi-carboxylic acid. The digestible feedstock is digested to form a first metal salt in solution wherein the first metal salt precipitates as a salt of deprotonated multi-carboxylic acid thereby forming an oxide precursor and a coating metal is added to the oxide precursor. The oxide precursor is heated to form the coated lithium ion cathode material.

A cathode configured to use oxygen as a cathode active material includes: a porous film including a metal oxide, where a porosity of the porous film is about 50 volume percent to about 95 volume percent, based on a total volume of the porous film, and an amount of an organic component in the porous film is 0 to about 2 weight percent, based on a total weight of the porous film.