A new silicon material is provided. A negative electrode active material including an Al- and O-containing silicon material, the Al- and O-containing silicon material being configured such that a mass % of Al (W.sub.Al %) satisfies 0<W.sub.Al<1, and a peak indicating Al—O bond is observed in a range of 1565 to 1570 eV in an X-ray absorption fine structure measurement for a K shell of Al.

A sulfide-based solid electrolyte particle having a crystal phase of a cubic argyrodite-type crystal structure composed of Li, P, S and a halogen (Ha. The proposed sulfide-based solid electrolyte particle has a feature such that the ratio (Z.sub.Ha2/Z.sub.Ha1) of an element ratio Z.sub.Ha2 of the halogen (Ha) at the position of 5 nm in depth from the particle surface to an element ratio Z.sub.Ha1 of the halogen (Ha) at the position of 100 nm in depth from the particle surface is 0.5 or lower, as measured by XPS; and the ratio (Z.sub.O2/Z.sub.A2) of an element ratio Z.sub.O2 of oxygen to the total Z.sub.A2 of element ratios of phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), oxygen (O) and the halogen (Ha) at the position of 5 nm in depth from the particle surface is 0.5 or higher, as measured by XPS.

A composite cathode active material for a lithium battery, the composite cathode active material including: a lithium composite oxide; and a coating layer disposed on at least a portion of the lithium composite oxide and including a composite including ZrP.sub.2O.sub.7 and LiZr.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3, wherein the composite including ZrP.sub.2O.sub.7 and LiZr.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3 is a reaction product of an acid treated a zirconium precursor, a phosphorus precursor, and the lithium composite oxide.

A battery comprising an acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH<7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H.sub.0>−12, at least on its surface.

A method and apparatus for generating nano particles, including but not limited to nano particles of Ceo, at high concentration. The invention uses a solid aerosol disperser in communication with a furnace tube having a vaporization chamber and a dilution chamber. A heating element surrounds the furnace tube. Heat from the heating element heats bulk materials contained within a gas flow in the vaporization chamber to a temperature sufficient to convert the bulk materials to a vapor phase. Vaporized bulk materials are then moved to a dilution chamber, where an inert gas is introduced through a dilution gas port. The flow of the inert gas into the dilution chamber through the dilution gas port is sufficient to eject the bulk material from the exit of the dilution chamber, thereby condensing the bulk material into nano sized particles in a gas flow of sufficient volume to prevent agglomeration of the nano sized particles.

A method of making CuAg.sub.3PO.sub.4 nanoparticles is provided. The method includes forming a mixture of at least one silver salt, at least one phosphate salt, and at least one copper (II) salt. The method further includes dissolving the mixture in water. The method further includes sonicating the mixture. The method further includes precipitating the CuAg.sub.3PO.sub.4 nanoparticles or nanoparticles. The copper is present in the nanoparticles in an amount of 2 to 23 weight percent (wt. %) based on the total weight of the CuAg.sub.3PO.sub.4. The nanoparticles of the present disclosure find application in treating cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer. The nanoparticles may also be used in photodegrading environmental pollutants.

The present invention refers to a system for the process of synthesis of zeolite nanoparticles in continuous flow wherein the processes of mixing, aging and crystallization are integrated, to reduce the synthesis time. The system has a microfluidic device of the 3D crossing channels micromixer type, consisting of microchannels built in series, used to generate the reaction mixture; buffer system with addition of seeds; and a heated tubular reactor which, in turn, is used for crystallization, which takes place through a continuous hydrothermal process.

A method for preparing a meso crystal of silver oxide containing silver peroxide is provided. A quantum crystal of silver thiosulfate complex on a substrate or a particle made of copper metal or copper alloy is subjected to treating by an alkaline aqueous solution containing halogen ion to obtain a meso crystal of silver oxide containing the silver peroxide. The meso crystal of silver oxide having nanometer scale, containing a silver peroxide, the silver oxide nanocrystal being a superstructure three-dimensionally arranged in the shape of a neuron provided with properties being negatively charged in water and able to be reduced to a silver nanoparticle by a laser radiation.

The invention relates to an absorbent effect pigment including a nonmetallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes at least one spacer layer. The invention further relates to a process for production of and to the use of the absorbent effect pigment.

Processes for preparing a niobate material include the following steps: (i) providing a niobium-containing source; (ii) providing a transitional metal source (TMS), a post-transitional metal source (PTMS), or both; (iii) dissolving (a) the niobium-containing source, and (b) the TMS, the PTMS, or both in an aqueous medium to form an intermediate solution; (iv) forming an intermediate paste by admixing an inert support material with the intermediate solution; (v) optionally coating the intermediate paste on a support substrate; and (vi) removing the inert support material by subjecting the intermediate paste to a calcination process and providing a transition-metal-niobate (TMN) and/or a post-transition-metal-niobate (PTMN). Anodes including a TMN and/or PTMN are also provided.