TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Components: The insulating material contains insulating ceramics or insulating high-molecular compound. The insulating ceramics contain aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The positive electrode contains positive electrode active material capable of occluding and discharging an electrode reaction substance. The negative electrode contains negative electrode active material capable of occluding and discharging electrode reaction substance. An insulating material is provided between the positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material. The secondary battery further consists of insulating layer (a) containing insulating material provided in the surface of positive electrode active material, insulating layer (b) containing insulating material provided in the surface of negative electrode, separator arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, insulating layer (c) containing the insulating material provided in the surface of the separator, or electrolyte layer containing high-molecular compound for holding nonaqueous electrolyte.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The nonaqueous electrolyte further contains sulfonic acid ester, acid anhydride, cyclic carboxylate, dialkyl sulfoxide, lithium monofluorophosphate, lithium difluorophosphate, lithium hexafluorophosphate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, and/or carbonyl group-containing compound of formula: R23-O-C(=O)-O-R25-O-C(=O)-R24 (X), R40-O-C(=O)-O-R41 (XIII), or R42-C(=O)-O-R43 (XIV), diphenyl carbonate compound of formula (XI), 1,3-dioxolan-2-one compound of formula (XII), or phosphonyl group-containing compound of formula: R44-O-P(=O)(-O-R45)-O-R46 (XV).R23,R24=monovalent hydrocarbyl or monovalent halohydrocarbyl;R25=bivalent hydrocarbyl or bivalent halohydrocarbyl;R26-R35=monovalent hydrocarbyl, monovalent oxygen-containing hydrocarbyl, monovalent oxygen-containing halohydrocarbyl, monovalent nitrogen-containing halohydrocarbyl, or groups bonded to monovalent oxygen-containing halohydrocarbyl or monovalent nitrogen-containing halohydrocarbyl;R36-R43=H or monovalent hydrocarbyl;andR44-R46=monovalent hydrocarbyl or monovalent halohydrocarbyl.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Component: The insulating high-molecular compound contains copolymer or homopolymer of vinylidene fluoride.