Patent ID: 7358011

Claim:
A negative electrode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, comprising: a negative electrode active material containing a lithium ion-occluding and releasing material selected from the group consisting of (1) silicon particles having an average particle size of about 0.01 to 50 μm, (2) silicon oxide particles represented by the general formula SiO x wherein 1.0≦x<1.6 and having an average particle size of about 0.01 to 50 μm, (3) composite dispersion particles having an average particle size of about 0.01 to 50 μm where metallic silicon crystallites having an average particle size of about 1 to 500 nm are dispersed in a crystalline or amorphous silicon dioxide, and (4) mixtures thereof, wherein the lithium ion-occluding and releasing material has been treated with an organosilicon base surface treating agent, and the negative electrode active material is surface-coated with a conductive coating.