Toshiba has developed a new lithium-ion battery called SCiB (or Super Charge Ion Battery) which can charge to 90% capacity in 5 minutes. The life cycle of the new battery is more than 10 years even if it is rapidly charged and discharged many times. The battery is also mucher safer than other types of lithium ion batteries, which are potential fire hazards.

Toshiba will begin commercial production of the battery in March 2008. The company says the battery can be used in electric motorcycles and hybrid cars. Toshiba currently makes 150,000 cells a month, mostly for electric bicycles.

Toshiba says its batteries use a lithium-titanium oxide negative electrode. That makes the batteries more stable than typical lithium ion batteries, which use carbon-based negative electrodes.

The company also unveiled a bike manufactured by Cannondale Sports Group that uses the quick-charging lithium ion battery. The SCiB battery uses lithium titanate for enhanced safety and is made up of ten battery cells connected in series. See more information about this bike at CleanTechnica.

The key feature of the battery is the use of lithium titanate (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂) is used as a negative electrode material with electrolyte with a high flash point and a separator with a high heat resistance. Because of this feature, a thermal runaway is less likely to occur in case of an internal short-circuit, so the risks of burst and combustion are reduced, Toshiba said.

For a positive-electrode material, lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO₂) was adopted as in the case of Li-ion secondary batteries for portable devices.

A company called Aquapal imports these authentic tubs from Shigaraki region of Japan. The tubs are hand-made ceramic sculptures. The clay and titanium oxide composition are naturally antibacterial. There are no prices posted on the Aquapal web site, the company says can call for custom pricing.

"Pilkington
Activ"
glass needs little cleaning, reducing consumption
of detergent and water.

The active glass has a special nano-scale (extremely thin)
coating of microcrystalline titanium oxide which reacts to daylight. The
reaction breaks down dirt on the glass, and when the water hits the glass
the dirt slides off.

The chemical used — titanium
dioxide is a fairly benign compound found in toothpaste and paint.

The
glass is slightly more expensive that conventional glass, adding about
15-20% to the cost of installation. However,
it also provides an approximate
20 percent reduction in ultraviolet light transmission over
clear glass and equivalent energy efficiency.