Abstract: The process for preparing metal-based materials for magnetic cooling or heat pumps comprises the following steps: a) reacting chemical elements and/or alloys in a stoichiometry which corresponds to the metal-based material in the solid phase and/or liquid phase, b) if appropriate converting the reaction product from stage a) to a solid, c) sintering and/or heat treating the solid from stage a) or b), d) quenching the sintered and/or heat treated solid from stage c) at a cooling rate of at least 100 K/s.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of certain phosphorous, namely urea, thio-urea and sulphonamide phosphorous compounds. The present invention provides a process for the production of phosphorous compounds which process allows an easy and effective separation of the reaction products from impurities by applying a solid alkaline ion-exchange resin.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is provided comprising an energy conversion material. The energy conversion material comprises nanosized semiconductor quantum structures comprising a first quantum dot and a second quantum dot. The first quantum dot has a first size, and the second quantum dot has a second size. The separation of the first and second quantum dots is of the same order of magnitude as the first or second size or smaller, such that, by irradiating the first quantum dot with a photon for producing one or more excitons in the first quantum dot, one or more further excitons are also produced in the second quantum dot.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a calibration layer comprising an optically transparent polymer containing an amount of photobleachable luminscent material present in such a way that the final polymer film contains less than 10 wt. % of luminophore and has an optical attenuation of less than 0.3 absorption units in the wavelength region of interest. The invention further is concerned with a method of calibration of an optical image device, preferably an optical or Raman microscope, by using the decrease in luminescence as the result of photobleaching between two consecutive images for calibration.