The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a vanadium-carbon phosphate composite material, a vanadium-carbon phosphate composite material obtained according to the process, and to the uses of the composite material, especially as a precursor for the synthesis of electrochemically-active materials, electrode or active anode material.

This disclosure provides for Olivine-type compounds, their preparation and use in cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries. The olivine-type compounds of the invention are obtained by a direct synthesis embodying a hydrothermal method.

Near-infrared absorbing material particles contain composite tungsten oxide particles represented by a general formula M.sub.xW.sub.yO.sub.z, wherein the element M is one or more of elements selected from H, He, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth element, Mg, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, B, F, P, S, Se, Br, Te, Ti, Nb, V, Mo, Ta, Re, Be, Hf, Os, Bi, and I, wherein the W is tungsten, wherein the O is oxygen, and wherein the x, y, and z satisfy 0.001≤x/y≤1 and 3.0<z/y.

The present disclosure relates to a novel sp.sup.2-sp.sup.3 hybrid crystalline boron nitride and its preparation process. A novel sp.sup.2-sp.sup.3 hybrid crystalline boron nitride allotrope, named Gradia BN, is synthesized using sp.sup.2 or sp.sup.3 hybridized boron nitride as raw materials under high-temperature and high-pressure. The basic structural units of Gradia BN are composed of sp.sup.2 hybridized graphite-like structural units and sp.sup.3 hybridized diamond-like structural units. Gradia BN disclosed in the present disclosure is a class of new sp.sup.2-sp.sup.3 hybrid boron nitride allotrope, whose crystal structure can vary with the widths and/or crystallographic orientation relationships of internal sp.sup.2 and/or sp.sup.3 structural units, and may have variable physical properties.

A composite cathode active material represented by Li.sub.x(Co.sub.1−wM1.sub.w).sub.yPO.sub.4 (Formula 1) having an olivine structure, wherein a unit-cell volume of the composite cathode active material is in a range of about 283 Å.sup.3 to about 284.6 Å.sup.3. A cathode including the composite cathode active material, and a secondary battery including the composite cathode active material are also disclosed.

In Formula 1, M1 includes i) at least one of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Cu, or Zn, and optionally at least one of Fe or Ni, and 0.9≤x≤1.1, 0.9≤y≤1.1, and 0<w≤0.3.

To provide a method of forming a positive electrode active material with high productivity. To provide a manufacturing apparatus capable of forming a positive electrode active material with high productivity. Provided is a method of forming a positive electrode active material including lithium, a transition metal, oxygen, and fluorine. An adhesion preventing step is performed during heating of an object. Examples of the adhesion preventing step include stirring by rotating a furnace during the heating, stirring by vibrating a container containing an object during the heating, and crushing performed between the plurality of heating steps. By these manufacturing methods, a positive electrode active material having favorable distribution of an additive at the surface portion can be formed.

The present invention provides a hexagonal boron nitride powder that has a highly reduced content of magnetic foreign bodies and is excellent in electrical insulation, and a production method capable of producing the hexagonal boron nitride powder at low cost.

The hexagonal boron nitride powder includes single particles and/or aggregated particles of hexagonal boron nitride and has a total content of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Ti, Zn, and Al of not more than 20 ppm. The method for producing the hexagonal boron nitride powder with a reduced content of magnetic foreign bodies includes a plurality of specific steps.

A method for making a material of formula Li.sub.xM.sub.1-zD.sub.zPO.sub.4, where M is one or more transition metals, D represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ti, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sc, Y, and rare earth elements, 0.8≤x≤1.2 and 0≤z≤0.2, the method comprising the steps of: a) forming a mixture comprising a source of the one or more transition metals, a source of phosphorus, a source of lithium and a surfactant, and optionally a source of D, wherein (i) a ratio of Li:PO.sub.4:(M+D) relative to the stoichiometry required to form the material is within the range of 1.04-1.10:1.00-1.05:1, or (ii) a ratio of (Li+PO.sub.4):(M+D) relative to the stoichiometry required to form the material is greater than 2.05; b) drying the mixture from step (a) to form particles r a powder; and c) thermally treating the particles or powder from step (b) to form the material.

A method of forming an active material for a positive electrode of a lithium-ion battery includes quenching a powder of the active material in water. The active material may include layered lithium rich nickel manganese oxide.

Phosphors include a CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.