TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Composition: The active material composition comprises 78.6-85.6 wt.% nickel hydroxide, 3-6 wt.% cobalt, 3-8 wt.% cobalt oxide, 3-10 (preferably 5-9) wt.% additive material, and 0.4 wt.% binder material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The metal oxide is cerium oxide. The cerium oxide is doped with a divalent oxide, a trivalent oxide, or a tetravalent oxide. The metal oxide is titanium oxide of formula TiOx, where x is 0.65-1.25. The titanium oxide may contain sub-oxides. The binary or higher non-stoichiometric, solid solution, oxide includes cerium and optionally titanium. The single oxide has a formula of TinO2n-1, VnO2n-1, MonO3n-1, WnO3n-1, MonO3n-2, or WnO3n-2, where n is 4-5. The binary or higher non-stoichiometric, solid solution oxide has the formula TinO2n-1, VnO2n-1, MonO3n-1, WnO3n-1, MonO3n-2, or WnO3n-2, where n is 4-5 The binary or higher non-stoichiometric, solid solution oxide has the formula Bx(AnO2n-1)1-x, Bx(AnO3n-1)1-x, or Bx(AnO3n-2)1-x.x=0-1;n=4-5;A=titanium and/or vanadium; andB=Ti, Mo, V, W, Sn, Mn, In, Y, Sm, Nb, Ce, and Mm.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The metal oxide is cerium oxide. The cerium oxide is doped with a divalent oxide, a trivalent oxide, or a tetravalent oxide. The metal oxide is titanium oxide of formula TiOx, where x is 0.65-1.25. The titanium oxide may contain sub-oxides. The binary or higher non-stoichiometric, solid solution, oxide includes cerium and optionally titanium. The single oxide has a formula of TinO2n-1, VnO2n-1, MonO3n-1, WnO3n-1, MonO3n-2, or WnO3n-2, where n is 4-5. The binary or higher non-stoichiometric, solid solution oxide has the formula TinO2n-1, VnO2n-1, MonO3n-1, WnO3n-1, MonO3n-2, or WnO3n-2, where n is 4-5 The binary or higher non-stoichiometric, solid solution oxide has the formula Bx(AnO2n-1)1-x, Bx(AnO3n-1)1-x, or Bx(AnO3n-2)1-x.x=0-1;n=4-5;A=titanium and/or vanadium; andB=Ti, Mo, V, W, Sn, Mn, In, Y, Sm, Nb, Ce, and Mm.