Abstract: A method includes transferring a raw silicon material in a crucible and subjecting the raw silicon material in the crucible to thermal energy to form a melted silicon material at a temperature of less than 1400 Degrees Celsius, the melted silicon material having an exposed region bounded by an interior region of the crucible, subjecting an exposed inner region of the melted silicon material to an energy source to include an arc heater configured above the exposed region and to be spaced by a gap between the exposed region and a muzzle region of the arc heater to form a determined temperature profile within a vicinity of an inner region of the exposed melted silicon material while maintaining outer regions of the melted silicon material at a temperature below a melting point of the crucible, and removing impurities from the melted silicon material to form higher purity silicon.

Abstract: Method to prepare fluids (liquids and gases) containing pure chlorine dioxide which is not contaminated by the starting materials or the byproducts of the chlorine dioxide synthesis or to deliver pure chlorine dioxide into any medium capable of dissolving chlorine dioxide, wherein the chlorine dioxide generated in the process is transported across a pore free polymeric membrane via selective permeation into the target medium.

Abstract: A method improves yield of an upgraded metallurgical-grade (UMG) silicon purification process. In the UMG silicon purification process, in a reaction chamber, purification is performed on a silicon melt therein by one, all or a plurality of the following techniques in the same apparatus at the same time. The techniques includes a crucible ratio approach, the addition of water-soluble substances, the control of power, the control of vacuum pressure, the upward venting of exhaust, isolation by high-pressure gas jet, and carbon removal by sandblasting, thereby reducing oxygen, carbon and other impurities in the silicon melt, meeting a high-purity silicon standard of solar cells, increasing yield while maintaining low cost, and avoiding EMF reduction over time. An exhaust venting device for the purification process allows exhaust to be vented from the top of the reactor chamber, thereby avoiding backflow of exhaust into the silicon melt and erosion of the reactor.

Abstract: A preparation method for a water-insoluble crystal form ammonium polyphosphate includes conveying crystal H-type phosphorus pentoxide and diammonium phosphate at a molar ratio of 1:1-1.5 into a malaxator with twin screws, and injecting ammonia gas for 3-40 minutes into the malaxator at 20-25 m3/h while preheating the material at a temperature between 100° C. and 300° C. Therafter one injects ammonia gas again at 8-15 m3/h for 4-8 hours. The resulting material is transferred to another sealed container and stirred while coupling agent is added. Stirring continues until the material drops below 60° C., the material then being transferred into organic solvent for washing for 30-50 minutes. Thereafter the material is first filter pressed, then subjected to low temperature drying, and then sieved to obtain the final product.

Abstract: A system for storage and dosing of ammonia, including a solid ammonia storage material capable of binding and releasing ammonia reversibly by adsorption/absorption. The system is able to release ammonia gradually according to a demand that can vary over time with intermediate periods of no ammonia demand. A main storage unit and a start-up storage unit are provided. The storage units hold ammonia storage material. At least one one-way valve is provided via which the one main storage unit is in communication with the start-up storage unit. The one-way valve prevents any back-flow of ammonia from the start-up storage unit to the main storage unit. Heating devices are arranged to heat the main storage unit and the start-up storage unit separately to generate gaseous ammonia by thermal desorption from the solid storage material.

Abstract: The low Ta impurity content in pyrochlore ore makes it unnecessary to use a solvent extraction process to separate Nb from Ta. Consequently, niobium pentoxide powders using this ore can be produced at lower cost than competing mining/refining approaches, but in turn contain significant amounts of Ta impurities. SAW wafers are grown from melts produced by reacting niobium pentoxide powders containing Ta impurities at levels of 200 ppm or more by weight. Given proper amounts of starting powders, crystals can be grown with good yields and reproducible properties that satisfy typical SAW wafer specifications. The consistency across various lots of powders may be further improved by adding an appropriate amount of Ta pentoxide to the starting powders.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of high purity phosphoric acid which has a very low content in antimony, and is suitable for food, pharmaceutical, or electronic industry.

Abstract: Gas distribution units of fluidized bed reactors are configured to direct thermally decomposable compounds to the center portion of the reactor and away from the reactor wall to prevent deposition of material on the reactor wall and process for producing polycrystalline silicon product in a reactor that reduce the amount of silicon which deposits on the reactor wall.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus and a method for manufacturing polycrystalline silicon having a reduced amount of boron compounds. The invention provides an apparatus and a method which mix an unpurified trichlorosilane with purified hydrogen gas from an activated carbon tower. The mixture is sent to a distillation apparatus for purifying trichlorosilane.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the production of alumina. The invention involves adding a product containing one or more polysaccharides to liquor within the fluid circuit of the production process, where one of the polysaccharides is scleroglucan. The use of scleroglucan can impart a number of advantages including at least some of: greater flocculation effectiveness, increasing the maximum effective dosage, faster settling rate. The production process can be a Bayer process.

Abstract: A method for the production of KNO3 from polyhalite is provided. The method comprises steps of decomposing said polyhalite into syngenite, gypsum, and soluble components, treating the solid decomposition products sequentially with HNO3 and Ca basic compound, precipitating the CaSO4 thus formed, and crystallizing the KNO3 from the solution remaining. The method recovers up to 75% of the potassium present in the raw polyhalite as KNO3 and substantially all of the remainder as a potassium magnesium sulfate salt.

Abstract: A silica composition and a method for forming the silica composition using low surfactant concentrations are disclosed. A metal silicate precursor including a silica source and a hydroxide MOH is prepared, where M is a cation with a valence of 1. In addition, a surfactant solution including a cationic surfactant and an anionic co-surfactant is prepared. Next, the metal silicate precursor and the surfactant solution are mixed to form a mixture. Then the mixture is crystallized to form the silica composition and the silica composition is isolated. The cationic surfactant can have 10 or more carbon atoms, the anionic co-surfactant can have 4 or more carbon atoms, the molar ratio of the cationic surfactant to the silica source can be less than or equal to 0.1:1, the molar ratio of the anionic co-surfactant to the silica source can be less than or equal to 0.1:1, and the molar ratio of the anionic co-surfactant to the silica source can be less than the molar ratio of the cationic surfactant to the silica source.

Abstract: A method is provided for recovering boric acid from a solution containing boric acid and at least one lithium compound. The method comprises (a) passing the solution through an ion exchange resin such that boric acid accumulates on the resin; (b) removing the boric acid from the resin with an aqueous alcohol solution, thus obtaining a first solution comprising an alcohol, boric acid, and water; (c) converting at least a portion of the boric acid to trimethyl borate, thereby obtaining a second solution; (d) distilling an azeotrope from the second solution, wherein the azeotrope contains trimethyl borate; and (e) recovering boric acid from the azeotrope.

Abstract: According to the method for producing bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide of the present invention, first, an unreacted mixed liquid is prepared by mixing a first fluorosulfonic acid with urea in a condition free of a chemical reaction between the first fluorosulfonic acid and urea. Then, the unreacted mixed liquid is dripped into a heated second fluorosulfonic acid or a heated bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, allowing a chemical reaction between fluorosulfonic acid and urea to proceed. In this method, generation of carbon dioxide gas and heat during the chemical reaction can be controlled.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of producing a crystalline metal oxide nanostructure. The method comprises providing a metal salt solution and providing a basic solution; placing a porous membrane between the metal salt solution and the basic solution, wherein metal cations of the metal salt solution and hydroxide ions of the basic solution react, thereby producing a crystalline metal oxide nanostructure.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of functionalized particles includes providing a feedstock made of particles, a surface treatment agent reactive with the particles, and solvent. The feedstock is exposed to microwave radiation to heat the feedstock and react the particles with the surface treatment agent to provide the functionalized particles in less than about 60 minutes.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a desulfurization material includes: (i) forming a zinc/aluminium hydrotalcite composition, and (ii) calcining the composition to form a zinc oxide/alumina material, in which one or more nickel compounds are included in the hydrotalcite formation step, and/or are impregnated onto the hydrotalcite composition and/or the calcined zinc oxide/alumina material, and the resulting composition dried and recovered.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the production of alumina hydrate. The invention involves adding one or more polysaccharides to liquor or slurry in the fluid circuit of the production process. The one or more polysaccharides can be a cross-linked polysaccharide (such as cross-linked dextran or cross-linked dihydroxypropyl cellulose). The various polysaccharides can impart a number of advantages including at least some of: greater flocculation effectiveness, increasing the maximum effective dosage, faster settling rate. The production process can be a Bayer process.

Abstract: A metal fiber based on one or several elements from the group of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium with 0 to 30% by weight of one or several additional alloy elements from the group of nickel, cobalt, gold, rhenium, molybdenum, and tungsten, contains 1 to 500 ppm by weight of boron or phosphorus. A non-woven material or netting, in particular for the production of nitrogen oxide or for the production of hydrocyanic acid, is made of such fibers. For the production of fibers based on noble metals having up to 30% by weight of additional alloy metals by drawing the fibers from a melt, the melting point of the metal is reduced by at least 400 ° C., before drawing of the fibers, by additionally alloying with boron or phosphorus, and the boron or the phosphorus is removed again from the fibers.

Abstract: This invention relates to partially ordered and ordered oxynitride perovskites of the general formula ABO2N that are polar insulators. A comprises one or more cations or set of cations that sit in sites derived from the A-site in the perovskite structure. B comprises one or more cations or set of cations that sit in sites derived from the B-site in the perovskite structure. C comprises oxygen, O, with optionally some nitrogen, N, and D comprises N, with optionally some O. The total valence of the cations A+B is equal to the total valence of the anions 2 C+D. Also disclosed are methods of producing such oxynitride perovskites and uses of such oxynitride perovskites.