A cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery of embodiments of the present invention includes a lithium composite oxide, a first coating part formed on a surface of the lithium composite oxide and containing aluminum, and a second coating part formed on the first coating part and containing boron. Thereby, stability and electrical characteristics of the secondary battery may be improved.

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.

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.

Some exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) or molecular layer deposition (MLD) of a volatile organo silyl lithium compound and ozone on a substrate. According to various exemplary embodiments of the invention the volatile organo silyl lithium compound includes SiLi.sub.2tBuMe and/or tBuMe.sub.2SiLi and/or tBuMe.sub.2SiNa and/or SiLi.sub.3Et and/or Alk.sub.3GeLi and/or [(Alk.sub.3Si).sub.4Al]Li and/or (NMe.sub.2)(tBu).sub.2SiLi and/or tBuMe.sub.2SiLi-TMEDA and/or SiLi+TMA.sub.2tBuMe. Resultant coated products and their uses are also disclosed.

Systems and methods relate to applying a coating to a substrate. Coatings can be generated using layer-by-layer application techniques. Typically, application of a first aqueous solution is alternated with application of a second aqueous solution. Example first aqueous solutions include polyethyleneimine (PEI) and hydroxy-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS-OH). Example second aqueous solutions include silicate and PDMS-OH. In some instances, first aqueous solutions and/or second aqueous solutions additionally include methyl-terminated PDMS (PDMS-CH.sub.3).

A nickel (Ni)-based active material for a lithium secondary battery, a preparing method thereof, and a lithium secondary battery including a positive electrode including the same. The Ni-based active material includes a secondary particle including a plurality of particulate structures, wherein each of the particulate structures includes a porous core portion and a shell portion including primary particles radially arranged on the porous core portion, and lithium phosphate is in the porous core portion, between the plurality of primary particles, and on the surface of the secondary particle. The Ni-based active material includes a porous inner portion including the porous core portion; and an outer portion comprising the the shell portion, and the Ni-based active material includes the porous inner portion having closed pores and the outer portion, wherein the porous inner portion has a density less than that of the outer portion, and the Ni-based active material has a net density of 4.7 g/cc or less.

Disclosed is a ceramic composition comprising a plurality of at least semi-coherent particles with an average diameter ranging from 1 nm to 50 nm included within a matrix, wherein the matrix comprises one metal carbonate salt, metal oxide or metalloid oxide, the particles and the matrix share at least one metal element and the metal element is 10% to 80% of the total content of said matrix, and the composition has a lattice mismatch of less than 5%. Disclosed are also an article and methods for making the ceramic composition of the present invention.

High quality flake graphite is produced by methods that include mixing a carbon-containing feedstock with a catalyst to form a feedstock/catalyst mixture, or coating a catalyst with a carbon-containing feedstock, and subjecting the mixture or feedstock-coated catalyst to irradiation with a laser to convert the feedstock into flake graphite in the presence of the catalyst. In some instances, the feedstock is converted to a char by pyrolysis and the char is instead subjected to laser irradiation. The feedstock can be a biomass or a carbonaceous material. The catalyst can be an elemental metal, an alloy, or a combination thereof. In some instances, methods described herein have been found to produce high quality flake graphite in the form of potato shaped agglomerates.

A particle structure of cathode material and a preparation method thereof is provided. Firstly, a precursor for forming a core is provided. The precursor includes at least nickel, cobalt and manganese. Secondly, a metal salt and a lithium ion compound are provided. The metal salt includes at least potassium, aluminum and sulfur. After that, the metal salt, the lithium ion compound and the precursor are mixed, and a mixture is formed. Finally, the mixture is subjected to a heat treatment step, and a cathode material particle structure is formed to include the core, a first coating layer coated on the core and a second coating layer coated on the first coating layer. The core includes potassium, aluminum and a Li—M—O based material. The first coating layer includes potassium and aluminum, and a potassium content of the first coating layer is higher than a potassium content of the core. The second coating layer includes sulfur.

A method for generating hydrogen from a mixture of nitrogen containing borane compound and active metal borohydride reactants uses a catalyst-free water vapor driven hydrothermolysis process. The method involves mechanically mixing a selected ratio of nitrogen containing borane compound such as ammonia borane and an active metal borohydride such as sodium borohydride to produce a mixture, combining the mixture with a water vapor source, and heating the mixture and water vapor source to a temperature within a near ambient temperature range of 30° C. to 104° C., until a product gas comprising hydrogen is released. The heating can be at a constant temperature or at increasing temperatures. Water vapor and impurities are removed from the product gas to produce purified hydrogen gas.