A class of compositions that are inclusive of a lithium metal oxide or oxyfluoride compound having a general formula: LiTM[n]OF where TM[n] represents a number of transition metal species inclusive of transitional metal species differentiated by charge or d.sup.0 electron shell conformation, with [n] being at least 4 of said transitional metal species, and wherein said lithium metal oxide or oxyfluoride has a cation-disordered rocksalt (DRX) structure and a mitigated SRO via a high entropy DRX design strategy. Also featured is a method of synthesizing the high entropy DRX lithium metal oxide or oxyfluoride compounds, as well as usage of the same in Li-ion batteries, with particular utility in cathodes of such Li-ion batteries.

A niobic acid aqueous solution is provided having higher dispersibility than an ammonium niobate sol and having better solubility than a complex salt of niobic acid. The niobic acid aqueous solution contains 0.1 to 40 mass % of niobium in terms of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, wherein no particles of 1.0 nm or more are detected in the particle size distribution measurement using dynamic light scattering. A method for producing the same includes adding a niobium fluoride aqueous solution containing 1 to 100 g/L of niobium in terms of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 to an ammonia aqueous solution having an ammonia concentration of 20 to 30 mass % and reacting them, removing fluorine from the obtained reaction solution, and adding at least one selected from amines and ammonia to the obtained solution and reacting them.

There is provided a secondary battery including a cathode, an anode including an anode active material layer and a coating film, and an electrolytic solution. The anode active material layer includes a titanium-containing compound, and a surface of the anode active material layer is coated with the coating film. The electrolytic solution includes one or more of unsaturated cyclic carbonate esters. Porosity of a portion of the anode active material layer measured with use of a mercury intrusion technique is within a range from 30% to 50% both inclusive. The portion of the anode active material layer is cut together with a portion of the coating film from a surface of the coating film to a depth of 10 μm.

A solid electrolyte material contains Li, M, and X. M is at least one selected from metallic elements, and X is at least one selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, and I. A plurality of atoms of X form a sublattice having a closest packed structure. An average distance between two adjacent atoms of X among the plurality of atoms of X is 1.8% or more larger than a distance between two adjacent atoms of X in a rock-salt structure composed only of Li and X.

The present invention relates to a ceramic, to a process for preparing the ceramic and to the use of the ceramic as a dielectric in a capacitor.

To provide a thermoelectric conversion material having low environmental load and an excellent thermoelectric figure of merit ZT and a thermoelectric conversion module including the thermoelectric conversion material. A thermoelectric conversion material of the present invention is characterized by being a compound represented by Chemical Formula (1).
Cu.sub.26-xM.sub.xA.sub.2E.sub.6-yS.sub.32  (1)
In Chemical Formula (1), M represents a metal material including at least one of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn; A represents a metal material including at least one of Nb and Ta; E represents a metal material including at least one of Si, Ge, and Sn; x represents a numerical value of 0 or more and 4 or less; and y represents a numerical value of more than 0 and 1 or less.

A ceramic powder material containing a garnet-type compound containing Li, wherein the ceramic powder material has a pore volume of 0.4 mL/g or more and 1.0 mL/g or less.

A solid electrolyte material is represented by the following compositional formula (1):
Li.sub.3-3δ-2aY.sub.1+δ-aM.sub.aCl.sub.6-x-yBr.sub.xI.sub.y where, M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ta and Nb; and −1<δ<1, 0<a<1.2, 0<(3−3δ−2a), 0<(1+δ−a), 0≤x≤6, 0≤y≤6, and (x+y)≤6 are satisfied.

A lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte contains a lithium ion conductive powder having a garnet-type crystal structure including at least Li, La, Zr, and O, and a lithium ion conductive polymer. The lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte can maintain its shape without use of an additional polymer different from the lithium ion conductive polymer. The lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte exhibits an activation energy of 30 kJ/mol or less at 20° C. to 80° C.

A solid electrolyte material of the present disclosure consists substantially of: Li; M1, M2; O; and X. Here, the M1 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ta and Nb, the M2 is at least one selected from the group consisting of Zr, Y, and La, and the X is at least one selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, and Br.