Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Katsuhiko Inoue

Soichiro Kawakami

Nobuyuki Suzuki

Kazunari Hagiwara

Yoshifumi Takeyama

Takeshi Takada

Koji Tsuzuki

Hitomi Sano

Tomoya Yamamoto

There is provided a lithium secondary battery having a high capacity and excellent high-rate discharge characteristic and charge/discharge cycle characteristic. The lithium secondary battery comprises a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an ionic conductor, wherein the positive electrode comprises lithium metal composite oxide particles; the lithium metal composite oxide particles comprise a plurality of secondary particles in an elongated shape each comprised of a plurality of primary particles with an average particle size of 0.1 to 1 &#x3bc;m so aggregated as to form a void therebetween; and the secondary particle is columnar or planar and has an average size in a long length direction of 5 to 15 &#x3bc;m.

Lithium metal composite oxide particles, process of producing lithium metal composite oxide particles, electrode structure containing lithium metal composite oxide particles, process of producing electrode structure, and lithium secondary battery having electrode structure

A method of manufacturing silicon carbide including reacting, in a temperature range of 370 to 800&#xb0; C., (A) one selected from the group consisting of an alloy containing at least an Si element and one or more kinds of transition metal elements, a mixture containing metal silicon powder and transition metal powder, and a mixture of metal silicon powder and a transition metal compound with (B) one or more kinds of substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of a chain saturated hydrocarbon, a chain unsaturated hydrocarbon, a cyclic saturated hydrocarbon, an alcohol, and an aromatic hydrocarbon. The manufacturing method can provide a sufficient conversion ratio from raw materials at low temperatures and powdery silicon carbide having a small particle size and small amounts of impurities.

Method of manufacturing silicon carbide

Process of producing lithium metal composite oxide particles

An electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which includes particles each having a central portion and a surface portion covering the surface of the central portion. The central portion occupies 80 to 99% of a distance from a center to an outermost surface of the particle and the surface portion occupies 20 to 1% of the distance. The central portion includes LiMDO(M represents Co or Ni, D represents a transition metal element or Al replacing a part of Co or Ni as M, and M is not the same as D) having an &#x3b1;-NaFeOstructure. The surface portion includes LiMEO(M represents Co or Ni, E represents a metal element replacing a part of Co or Ni as M, and M is not the same as E) having an &#x3b1;-NaFeOstructure. The content of element E in the central portion satisfies the relation of E/(M+D+E)&#x3c;0.05 in terms of an atomic ratio, and the content of element D in the surface portion satisfies the relation of D/(M+D+E)&#x3c;0.05 in terms of an atomic ratio.

Method of judging the propriety of a positive electrode active material

An electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which includes particles each having a central portion and a surface portion covering the surface of the central portion. A distance from a center to an outermost surface of the particle is occupied 80 to 99% by the central portion and 1 to 20% by the surface portion. The central portion includes LiMDOhaving an &#x3b1;-NaFeOstructure, and the surface portion includes LiMEOhaving an &#x3b1;-NaFeOstructure. (M is C or Ni; D is a transition metal element or Al replacing a part of Co or Ni as M; E is a metal element replacing a part of Co or Ni as M; and M is not the same as D or E.) The following relationships are satisfied in the central portion, in terms of atomic ratio: D/(M+D+E)&#x3c;0.05 and E/(M+D+E)&#x3c;0.05.

Electrode material for lithium secondary battery including particles having central portion and surface portion, electrode structure and lithium secondary battery

Lithium metal composite oxide particles having particles with columnar or planar shape

A carbonaceous particle is provided which comprises a hexagonal flake formed of an aggregate of a plurality of nanocarbons and having a side length of 0.1 to 100 mm and a thickness of 10 nm to 1 mm. Thereby, a carbonaceous particle is provided which has an excellent electron emission performance, has a high electron conductivity, shows excellent characteristics particularly when used for a secondary battery, and can suitably be applied to various devices other than a secondary battery as well.

Flaky carbonaceous particle and production method thereof

A method for producing nano-carbon materials, having a step wherein a starting material comprising one or more kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated hydrocarbons, saturated cyclic hydrocarbons, and alcohols whose atomic ratio of the component carbon to the component oxygen is more than 2.0 and a catalyst are together treated at a temperature in a range of from 100 to 800&#xb0; C. while being compressed at a pressure in a range of from 0.2 to 60 MPa.

Method for producing nano-carbon materials

A group of solar cell elements is obtained by connecting a plurality of solar cell elements in series or in parallel by metal foil members, which is characterized in that an insulating tape is adhered in parallel with the metal foil members on and across the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cell elements arranged next to each other. The insulating tape is characterized by comprising a base member of a resin, for example polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A solar cell module is characterized in that the above group of solar cell elements is covered with a polymeric organic resin. Further, a method for producing the solar cell module comprises a step of adjacently arranging a plurality of solar cell elements, a step of adhering an insulating tape on the back surfaces of the plurality of solar cell elements, a step of connecting the plurality of solar cell elements in series or in parallel by metal foil members, and a step of covering the elements with a polymeric organic resin.

Group of solar cell elements, and solar cell module and production

In a photovoltaic device comprising a conductive base plate having four side edges, at least one conductive foil having a higher conductivity than the conductive base plate is provided in contact with the conductive base plate along at least one side edge of the conductive base plate. The conductive foil is preferably provided on the non-light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic device, and comprises copper as a main ingredient. The conductive foil preferably has a thickness in the range of 70 .mu.m to 150 .mu.m and is provided along each of two side edges of the conductive base plate facing each other. The conductive base plate is a base plate made of stainless steel. In the photovoltaic device and a manufacture method thereof, the conductive foil and the conductive base plate are connected together by ultrasonic welding.

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Kyoto, Japan

Katsuhiko Inoue