Patent ID: 7887954

Claim:
A composition for use in an electrochemical redox reaction, comprising: a first material represented by a general formula M y XO 4 , wherein M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of transition metal elements, zinc, cadmium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, boron, aluminum, silicon, gallium, germanium, indium, tin, antimony, and bismuth; X represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, arsenic, silicon and sulfur; O represents oxygen; and y represents a number from about 0.6 to about 1.4 inclusive; wherein the first material is capable of being intercalated with ionic A to form A x M y XO 4 , wherein A represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkali metal elements, beryllium, magnesium, cadmium, boron, and aluminum; and x represents a number greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.4; and another material selected from the group consisting of SiC, BN, carbon tube material, carbon fiber material, and an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of transition metal elements, zinc, cadmium, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, boron, aluminum, silicon, gallium, germanium, indium, tin, antimony, and bismuth; wherein at least a portion of said another material at least partially coats said first material; wherein said first material comprises aggregate particles, an individual particle of which comprises component particles, an individual particle of the aggregate particles is greater than or equal to about 1 micrometer in effective diameter, and an individual particle of the component particles is from about 10 to about 500 nanometers in effective diameter.