Abstract: Hydrogen is generated by contacting an alkaline aqueous solution of formaldehyde with at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten, molybdenum carbides, tungsten carbides, molybdenum nitrides, tungstenum borides, copper, silver, gold and compounds of copper, silver and gold.Hydrogen can be generated at ambient temperature under atmospheric pressure and, therefore, complicated steps or complicated devices are unnecessary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a puffed borax product having superior particle strength and improved uniformity of hydration and puff ratio. In the method particles of borax having a given particle size distribution are introduced into a downwardly flowing slowly moving laminar air stream in a vertical tower, as a horizontally dispersed sheet of particles. The air stream is heated sufficiently to remove part of the water of hydration without fusing the borax. The borax particles, carried by the air stream, are gravitationally separated downstream, and are found to have a more uniform puffing ratio, i.e. feed particles of different sizes are puffed more proportionally than in prior art processes.An apparatus for carrying out this method is also disclosed, which comprises a vertical tower with an input for heated air and an opening in the wall of the tower through which the borax feed is introduced as a dispersed sheet.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process of preparing the phosphide of aluminum or magnesium comprising reacting the finely divided metal or an alloy of the two metals with yellow phosphorus at a temperature between 300.degree. and 600.degree. C. in an inert gas atmosphere and in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of the element chlorine, bromine, or iodine or a compound of such element with phosphorus, sulfur, hydrogen, ammonium, zinc, or the metal being reacted, both the yellow phosphorus in liquid form and the finely divided metal being fed into the reaction vessel slowly.

Abstract: A process of preparing Mn.sub.3 O.sub.4, by the reduction of higher manganese oxides, using methane as a reducing gas under controlled temperatures.

Abstract: Tungsten is recovered from alkaline brines by: (1) initial loading of metal values on an 8-hydroxyquinoline-resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, (2) selective desorption of boron, arsenic and sulfur from the resin by means of an NH.sub.4 Cl--NH.sub.4 OH solution having a pH of about 7.5 to 9.5, and (3) desorption of tungsten from the resin by means of water or an alkaline solution.

Abstract: In a process for recovering refractory metal values from a coated refractory metal carbide cemented with a metal binder, the coated cemented carbide is treated with hydrochloric acid to deteriorate the coating.

Abstract: Molybdenum catalyst employed in the epoxidation of an olefin with an organic hydroperoxide preferably the epoxidation of propylene, is recovered from the bottoms fraction by adding aqueous alkaline material to the bottoms fraction and separating the aqueous phase. The molybdenum can be recovered from the aqueous phase by acidification and precipitating it as an insoluble compound.

Abstract: Spherical particles of lithium aluminate are formed by initially producing aluminum hydroxide spheroids, and immersing the spheroids in a lithium ion-containing solution to infuse lithium ions into the spheroids. The lithium-infused spheroids are rinsed to remove excess lithium ion from the surface, and the rinsed spheroids are soaked for a period of time in a liquid medium to remove water and NH.sub.4 OH from their surfaces. The soaked spheroids are then dried and sintered to form lithium aluminate spherical particles.

Abstract: A process is described whereby the "saw kerf" can be reprocessed in sufficient purity to be re-used in the process, thereby improving the economics of production of GGG wafers significantly. Gadolinium and gallium oxides are recovered and separated from transition metal impurities introduced during fabrication of GGG wafers. The process "saw kerf" produced from slicing the crystal boule is dissolved by refluxing in HNO.sub.3, treated with oxalic acid and the resulting oxalates and nitrates separated. Pyrolysis of these salts at temperatures of at least 850.degree. C. resulted in their conversion to Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 of purity >99.99%. The process can be extended to include purification and re-use of by-products generated in other grinding and polishing operations which may result in the recycling of the order of 80% of the generated by-products.

Abstract: A process for the selective dissolution of molybdenum in the presence of tungsten in which the molybdenum is dissolved in an aqueous solution, having a pH of from -0.5 to +2.0, of a peroxy compound selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and ammonium peroxysulfate and in the presence of a catalyst selected from a salt of the group consisting of iron, nickel, copper, silver and thallium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making potassium ferrate (K.sub.2 FeO.sub.4) by reacting substantially pure KOH, C1.sub.2, and a ferric salt in the presence of a stabilizing proportion of at least one ferrate-stabilizing compound (e.g., a combination of an alkali metal silicate and an alkali metal iodine-containing salt). The formed K.sub.2 FeO.sub.4 is separated and recovered from other reaction co-products [KCl, H.sub.2 O, KOCl, and Fe(OH).sub.3 ] and excess KOH. Other specific improvements include the following:(i) returning KCl co-product back to a chlor/alkali membrane-type electrolytic cell and then making very pure KOH and Cl.sub.2 ;(ii) recylcing excess KOH back to the ferrate-forming reaction; and(iii) recovering a substantially pure dry solid K.sub.2 FeO.sub.4 product by washing the above-noted K.sub.2 FeO.sub.4 product in DMSO or its equivalent; and then washing with methanol or its equivalent, before drying.

Abstract: Highly pure (>99.99%) aqueous solutions of gallium chloride are obtained by a process having two major stages. The first stage, effected by passage of an aqueous acid solution containing gallium over a strongly basic ion exchange resin, makes it possible to eliminate an appreciable quantity of metal ions, such as Ca, Mg, Cr, V, Co, Zn and Pb, and further serves to concentrate the initial solution. In the second stage, the remaining ions, such as Al, Na and particularly Fe.sup.+++ are eliminated by a two-phase extraction with an organic extractant, preferably a C.sub.4 to C.sub.10 alcohol or a quaternary ammonium chloride.

Abstract: Aluminum chloride hexahydrate is thermally decomposed to alumina by sequential treatment in two dense fluidized-bed decomposers, the first decomposer being operated at a temperature of about 200.degree. to 400.degree. C. and the second at a temperature of about 900.degree. to 1100.degree. C. About 90 to 95 percent decomposition is achieved in the first decomposer, with substantially complete decomposition of the remainder in the second decomposer. Fluidization in the first decomposer is preferably achieved by means of recycle of product gases.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of barium ferrite of the formula BaFe.sub.12 O.sub.19 by reacting an aqueous solution or suspension of a barium salt and an aqueous solution of an iron(III) salt with an aqueous sodium carbonate solution, removing the solvent, heating the dry salt mixture to below the melting point of the sodium salt present, but to not less than 680.degree. C., and isolating the resulting finely divided, platelet-like barium ferrite from the barium ferrite/sodium salt mixture by leaching with water.

Abstract: A continuous process is disclosed for precipitating uranium from an aqueous solution formed by the hydrolysis of uranium hexafluoride gas. Undersized ammonium diuranate particles are formed in a first container by mixing the aqueous solution and an ammonium hydroxide solution containing about 10 to about 30% by weight ammonium. The ratio of the two solutions should be such that there are about 20 to about 30 moles of ammonium per mole of uranium. The temperature is maintained at about 30.degree. to about 50.degree. C. and the residence time in the first container is about 14 to about 57 seconds. The slurry is then transported to a second container for further particle growth where it is agitated at a temperature of about 20.degree. to 40.degree. C. for a residence time of about 2 to about 9 minutes. The resulting ammonium diuranate precipitate has a surface area of about 10 to about 20 meters squared per gram. The precipitate can then be calcined and pressed into pellets.

Abstract: Recovery of molybdenum from a solid mixture, such as an exhausted catalyst, containing molybdenum in the oxide form or in the form of molybdic ions and other metallic compounds.The mixture is contacted with an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide to solubilize molybdenum in the form of an alkali metal molybdate, and after filtration the aqueous solution of alkali metal molybdate thus obtained is contacted with a strong cationic exchange resin to convert said molybdate into molybdic acid.

Abstract: A process is described whereby the by-products derived from the fabrication of Gd.sub.3 Ga.sub.5 O.sub.12 (GGG) wafers sliced from boules grown from Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 can be reprocessed in sufficient purity to be re-used in the process of growing GGG boules, thereby improving the economics of GGG wafer production. Gadolinium and gallium oxides are recovered and separated from transition metal impurities introduced during fabrication of GGG wafers. The "saw kerf" produced from slicing the crystal boule is dissolved in HCl and filtered to remove residual solids. Gasolinium oxalate is precipitated from the acidic solution by the addition of oxalic acid. Calcination at 850.degree. C. resulted in the isolation of Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3 of >99.99 purity.The pH of the filtrate is adjusted to about 11 with alkali metal hydroxide followed by the addition of sulfide ion. The precipitated transition metal sulfides are removed by filtration. Excess sulfide is removed by treatment with 30% H.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: An apparatus and method useful for analyzing refractory substances includes a means for locally heating a sample portion of a refractory material to generate the dissociated vapor thereof.

Abstract: An improved process for the recovery of substantially anhydrous zirconium tetrafluoride from an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and zirconium fluoride is disclosed wherein the aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and zirconium fluoride is sprayed, preferably continuously, into a fluidized bed furnace having a bed comprising zirconium fluoride granules.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing spherical alumina particles which comprises the steps of digesting, at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure, gibbsite with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and then forming an aqueous basic aluminum chloride solution; adding, at an elevated temperature, an aqueous ammonia to said aqueous basic aluminum chloride solution to form an alumina hydrosol containing ammonium chloride; commingling said alumina hydrosol with a gelling agent; thereafter dispersing droplets of said mixture in a suspending medium under conditions effective to transform said droplets into hydrogel particles; ageing said hydrogel particles first in said suspending medium and then in aqueous ammonia; and then washing said hydrogel particles with water, drying and calcining to obtain spherical alumina particles.