A method for preparation of mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon includes forming a composition by solubilizing a nitrogen-containing polymer in an aqueous solution of ZnCl.sub.2 and drying the aqueous solution, the method further includes heating the composition after drying to a temperature sufficiently high to carbonize the nitrogen-containing polymer to form the mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon.

The present invention provides a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, which has a content of sulfur of from 30 mass % to 50 mass %, and satisfies the expression: 4,500<140×x−y<5,200 when the content (mass %) of sulfur is represented by “x”, and an average CT value of the sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile in X-ray CT is represented by “y”.

The present invention provides a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, which has a content of sulfur of from 30 mass % to 50 mass %, and satisfies the expression: 4,500<140×x−y<5,200 when the content (mass %) of sulfur is represented by “x”, and an average CT value of the sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile in X-ray CT is represented by “y”.

Metal oxide having a surface onto which a multitude of individual polymers are grafted, each polymer comprising an addition polymer having a first and a second end, and a first moiety comprising a terminal phosphonate group, which first moiety is bonded to the first end, which phosphonate group attaches to the metal oxide surface in such a way that the multitude of the grafted polymers comprises at least one group of adjacent polymers that have a stretched chain conformation wherein the adjacent stretched chains have a substantially parallel orientation, such that the polymers within said group together form a brush structure. Method of grafting a multitude of individual polymers onto a surface of a metal oxide.

Disclosed is an electrode active material that has a large charge discharge capacity, a high initial efficiency, as well as excellent cycle characteristics and rate characteristics and is favorably used in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. An organo sulfur-based electrode active material contains sodium and potassium in a total amount of 100 ppm by mass to 1000 ppm by mass; an electrode for use in a secondary battery, the electrode containing the organo sulfur-based electrode active material as an electrode active material; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including the electrode. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material further contains iron in an amount of 1 ppm by mass to 20 ppm by mass. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, and the amount of sulfur in the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is 25 mass % to 60 mass %.

Disclosed is an electrode active material that has a large charge discharge capacity, a high initial efficiency, as well as excellent cycle characteristics and rate characteristics and is favorably used in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. An organo sulfur-based electrode active material contains sodium and potassium in a total amount of 100 ppm by mass to 1000 ppm by mass; an electrode for use in a secondary battery, the electrode containing the organo sulfur-based electrode active material as an electrode active material; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including the electrode. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material further contains iron in an amount of 1 ppm by mass to 20 ppm by mass. Preferably, the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, and the amount of sulfur in the organo sulfur-based electrode active material is 25 mass % to 60 mass %.

A manufacturing method for a carbon fiber includes the following steps. A first monomer and a second monomer are dissolved in a first solvent, and a polymerization reaction is performed to form a copolymerized polymer, in which the first monomer includes acrylonitrile, the second monomer has an unsaturated bond, the first solvent includes dimethyl sulfoxide, and based on 100 wt % of the first solvent, a content of the dimethyl sulfoxide is between 99.9 wt % and 100 wt %. A spinning step is performed on the copolymerized polymer.

The present invention provides a method of producing sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, including: a step (1) of heating polyacrylonitrile and elemental sulfur in a rotating-type heating container including a discharge pipe and a sulfur vapor recovery unit while rotating the rotating-type heating container; a step (2) of liquefying a sulfur vapor by the sulfur vapor recovery unit while discharging hydrogen sulfide generated in the heating step; and a step (3) of returning the liquefied sulfur to a mixture of the sulfur and the polyacrylonitrile of the step (1).

The present invention provides a method of producing sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile, including: a step (1) of heating polyacrylonitrile and elemental sulfur in a rotating-type heating container including a discharge pipe and a sulfur vapor recovery unit while rotating the rotating-type heating container; a step (2) of liquefying a sulfur vapor by the sulfur vapor recovery unit while discharging hydrogen sulfide generated in the heating step; and a step (3) of returning the liquefied sulfur to a mixture of the sulfur and the polyacrylonitrile of the step (1).

A method for producing superabsorbent polymers from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) virgin or recycled from acrylic fibre manufacturing waste and discarded fabrics subjecting the PAN to alkaline hydrolysis with pressurized water vapour of up to 5 kgf/cm.sup.2 and a PAN:OH.sup.− molar ratio of 1:0.5 to 0.95, to obtain a cross-linked poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) salt without using mechanical agitation, graphitizing agents with starch or cross-linking agents, and without precipitating the superabsorbent polymer obtained from the reaction medium with solvents or through pH adjustment with acids, the polymer obtained with recycled PAN leaves the autoclave already having a moisture content of 20% to 35% and a swelling capacity of >150 g H.sub.2O/g.