Single-phase manganese oxide particles having a wurtzite crystal structure. The particles can be obtained by thermally decomposing a compound containing manganese. In this procedure, a reducing agent consisting of at least one of a polyol-based material and an ethylene glycol stearate-based material is added as an additive to the reaction system. It is heated at a first temperature (200° C. or lower) under a reduced pressure atmosphere, then the temperature is raised, and the product is heated at a temperature higher than the first temperature under an inert gas atmosphere.

The polishing particles of the present disclosure has controlled particle size and particle size distribution of cerium oxide particles comprised in the polishing particles, and thereby can suppress the formation of a scratch which may occur in a polishing process while having a characteristic of a high polishing rate.

Soft magnetic materials, and related techniques for manufacturing such soft magnetic materials, are disclosed herein. Such magnetic materials can be based on iron nitride, iron oxynitride, iron boronitride and/or iron carbonitiride. The techniques disclosed herein for manufacturing ferromagnetic particles can be used to control functional magnetic and electrical properties of the manufactured particles. Some techniques disclosed herein can be used to form a coating on a particle, with the coating having a thickness of 0.05 to 1.00 μm. These magnetic materials manufactured via one or more of the techniques disclosed herein can have both relatively high magnetic induction and relatively high electrical resistivity.

A method of preparing iron oxide nanoparticles using an herbal mixture comprising Capparis spinosa, Cichorium intybus, Solanum nigrum, Cassia occidentalis, Terminalia arjuna, Achillea millefolium, and Tamarix gallica. The method produces crystalline γ-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 nanoparticles which are superparamagnetic. The iron oxide nanoparticles are used in a method of killing or inhibiting the growth of a bacteria and/or fungus, particularly in the form of a biofilm. The nanoparticles are also used in a method of treating colon cancer.

The invention provides a positive electrode active material for a lithium ion battery, comprising a lithium transition metal-based oxide powder, the powder comprising single crystal monolithic particles comprising Ni and Co and having a general formula Li.sub.1+a ((Ni.sub.z (Ni.sub.1/2 Mn.sub.1/2).sub.y Co.sub.x).sub.1−kA.sub.k).sub.1-a 02, wherein A is a dopant, −0.02<a≤0.06, 0.10≤x≤0.35, 0≤z≤0.90, x+y+z=1 and k≤0.01, the particles having a cobalt concentration gradient wherein the particle surface has a higher Co content than the particle center.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) have been proven to exhibit antioxidant properties attributed to its surface oxidation states (Ce4+ to Ce3+ and vice versa) mediated at the oxygen vacancies on the surface of CNPs. Different anions in precursor cerium salts were used to prepare CNPs resulting in disclosed CNPs with varying physicochemical properties such as dispersion stability, hydrodynamic size, and the signature surface chemistry. The antioxidant catalytic activity and oxidation potentials of different CNPs have been significantly altered with the change of anions in the precursor salts. For one, CNPs prepared using precursor salts containing NO.sub.3.sup.− and Cl.sup.− ions exhibited increased antioxidant activity than previously thought possible. The change in oxidation potentials of CNPs with the change in concentration of the nitrate and chloride ions indicates the disclosed CNP's have different surface chemistry and antioxidant properties. These compositions and methods of their synthesis are disclosed.

Silicon materials suitable for use as an anode material and associated method of production are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a silicon material includes crystalline silicon in a matrix and macro-scale pores distributed in the matrix of the crystalline silicon. The macro-scale pores can have a size greater than 100 nanometers, and surfaces of crystalline silicon in the macro-scale pores are coated with carbon.

The present invention relates to an anode active material, a nonaqueous lithium secondary battery comprising the same, and a preparation method therefor, and the purpose of the present invention is to improve high-rate charging characteristics without deterioration of charging and discharging efficiency and lifetime characteristics when applying an amorphous carbon coating layer as the anode active material of the nonaqueous lithium secondary battery, wherein the amorphous carbon coating layer comprising MoPx particles composed of MoP and MoP.sub.2 is formed on the surface of a carbon-based material, thereby reducing resistance when intercalating lithium ions into the surface of the carbon-based material, and improving reactivity and structural stability of the surface. The anode active material according to the present invention comprises a carbon-based material, and an amorphous carbon coating layer comprising MoPx particles composed of MoP and MoP.sub.2 formed on the surface of the carbon-based material.

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes a lithium transition metal composite oxide having a spinel structure and containing nickel and manganese is provided. The positive electrode active material includes a first surface region having a chemical composition with a molar ratio of nickel to manganese of 0.1 or less on the surface of the lithium transition metal composite oxide.

A positive electrode active material for a lithium ion battery comprises a lithium transition metal-based oxide powder, the powder comprising single crystal monolithic particles comprising Ni and Co and having a general formula Li.sub.1+a (Ni.sub.z Mn.sub.y Co.sub.x Zr.sub.q A.sub.k).sub.1−a O.sub.2, wherein A is a dopant, −0.025≤a<0.005, 0.60≤z≤0.95, y≤0.20, 0.05≤x≤0.20, k≤0.20, 0≤q≤0.10, and x+y+z+k+q=1. The particles have a cobalt concentration gradient wherein the particle surface has a higher Co content than the particle center.