Methods of forming structures including a substrate (e.g., ceramic) and an interface layer comprising a metal are disclosed. Structures and electrochemical cells and batteries are also disclosed. Exemplary methods include flash sintering of metal and ceramic materials. Various structures may be suitable for use as solid electrolytes in solid-state electrochemical cells, as well as for many other applications.

The present invention relates to a hierarchical composite structure comprising an open cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam, wherein the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is coated with a conductive nanoporous spongy structure and wherein at least 10% v/v of the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam is filled with the conductive nanoporous spongy structure. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a hierarchical composite structure wherein a conductive nanoporous spongy structure is electrodeposited so as to coat the open-cell graphene foam or graphene-like foam and to partially fill the hollow of the pores of the graphene foam or graphene-like foam.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of Calcium Silicate Hydrate anion exchange membrane (cement paste) with an ionic conductivity of the order of 10.sup.−3 S/cm. The membrane can be formulated by mixing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and water with the cement to water ratio of 1:0.45. After initial setting time, the membrane undergoes curing in 7% calcium chloride solution and the Cl.sup.− ions in the membrane is converted to OH.sup.− form by immersing into saturated Ca(OH).sub.2 solution with pH 14 and it has been washed to remove the excess alkali. This membrane has high mechanical strength (Ultimate Tensile Strength: 6.3 MPa) and does not deteriorate even at high temperature (up to 450° C.) and alkaline atmosphere (pH 11.5-14). Also disclosed is a method of producing in-situ formation of membrane electrode assembly. This invention encompasses a process for producing and using the membrane in water electrolysis and fuel cell.

A nitrogen-containing porous carbon material, and a capacitor and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A carbon material, a macromolecular material and a modified material are mixed into a preform. The modified material includes nitrogen. A formation process is performed on the preform to obtain a formed object. High-temperature sintering is performed on the formed object to decompose and remove a part of the macromolecular material, while the other part of the macromolecular material and the carbon material together form a backbone structure including a plurality of pores. As such, the nitrogen becomes attached to the backbone structure to form a hydrogen-containing functional group to further obtain the nitrogen-containing porous carbon material. The nitrogen-containing porous carbon material may form a first nitrogen-containing porous carbon plate and a second nitrogen-containing porous carbon plate, which are placed in seawater to form a storage capacitor for seawater.

Methods for producing porous carbon product utilize template material in the form of template particles containing macropores and a polymerizable carbon precursor substance. The macropores of the template are infiltrated with the precursor substance in dissolved or melted form. After carbonization of the infiltrated precursor substance, the template is removed to form the porous carbon product. In order to obtain a carbon structure with hierarchical porosity having a high fraction of mesopores having pore sizes in the range of 2 to 50 nm, after the infiltration and before carbonization, the precursor substance within the macropores of the template is subjected to a treatment at a foaming temperature at which the precursor substance foams under polycondensation and fills the macropores as substantially mesoporous foam, in which at least 70% of the pores have pore sizes in the range of 10 to 150 nm.

[Object] There is provided a porous sintered body has a uniform porosity, a high level of freedom in body formation which allows formation into varieties shapes and various levels of porosity, and a very large surface area. [Solution] The porous sintered body includes: hollow cores which follow a vanished shape of an interlaced or otherwise structured fibriform vanisher material; sintered walls 226 which extend longitudinally of the cores and obtained by sintering a first sintering powder held around the cores; and voids formed between the sintered walls. The cores and the voids communicate with each other via absent regions formed in the sintered walls. The sintered walls have surfaces formed with a sintered microparticulate layer 232 made from a material containing a second sintering powder which has a smaller diameter than the first sintering powder, and has predetermined pores 231.

Process for preparing a porous monolith comprising between 10% and 100% by weight of a semiconductor relative to the total weight of the porous monolith, which process comprises the following steps: a) a first aqueous suspension containing polymer particles is prepared; b) a second aqueous suspension containing particles of least one inorganic semiconductor is prepared; c) the two aqueous suspensions prepared in steps a) and b) are mixed in order to obtain a paste; d) a heat treatment of the paste obtained in step c) is carried out in order to obtain the monolith with multimodal porosity.

Composites of silicon and various porous scaffold materials, such as carbon material comprising micro-, meso- and/or macropores, and methods for manufacturing the same are provided. The compositions find utility in various applications, including electrical energy storage electrodes and devices comprising the same.

Provided is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate for use in a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery. The lithium complex oxide sintered plate has a structure in which a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure are bonded, and has a porosity of 3 to 40%, a mean pore diameter of 15 μm or less, an open porosity of 70% or more, and a thickness of 15 to 200 μm. The plurality of primary grains has a primary grain diameter, i.e., a mean diameter of the primary grains, of 20 μm or less and a mean tilt angle of more than 0° to 30° or less. The mean tilt angle is a mean value of the angles defined by the (003) planes of the primary grains and the plate face of the lithium complex oxide sintered plate.

Provided is a lithium titanate sintered plate for use in a negative electrode of a lithium secondary battery. The lithium titanate sintered plate has a structure in which a plurality of primary grains are bonded, and has: a thickness of 10 to 290 μm; a primary grain diameter of 0.70 μm or less, the primary grain diameter being a mean grain diameter of the primary grains; a porosity of 21 to 45%; an open pore rate of 60% or more; a mean pore aspect ratio of 1.15 or more; a ratio of 30% or more of pores having an aspect ratio of 1.30 or more to all the pores; and a mean pore diameter of 0.70 μm or less, wherein volume-based D10 and D90 pore diameters satisfy the relationship: 4.0≤D90/D10≤50.