Abstract: A process for producing metallic lithium starting from an aqueous solution of at least one lithium salt comprises the following steps: (I) Production of a lithium amalgam from an aqueous solution of at least one lithium salt; and (II) Electrolysis using an anode comprising the lithium amalgam, a solid electrolyte which conducts lithium ions, and liquid lithium as cathode, wherein the lithium amalgam as anode is kept in motion.

Abstract: A gold bonding wire fabrication method, which includes the steps of (a) drawing a non-gold wire rod, for example, a pure silver wire rod or pure palladium wire rod into a core wire of thickness within about 1 &mgr;m˜500 &mgr;m, (b) electroplating the core wire with a layer of gold plating of thickness within about 0.025 &mgr;m˜25 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The apparatus according to the invention is used for electrolytically treating a board-shaped substrate to be treated, preferably printed circuit boards, in a continuous system, through which the item to be treated is guidable in a plane of conveyance in a substantially horizontal direction of conveyance, the apparatus having counter-electrodes (2), which are situated substantially parallel to one another opposite the plane of conveyance, and screens (11) for shielding from high current density fields in the edge region of the item to be treated (1), said screens being disposed between the plane of conveyance and the counter-electrodes, the screens each being in the form of at least two flat portions (12,13), which are disposed substantially parallel to each other, one portion (13) of the screens being disposed so as to lie opposite the plane of conveyance, and the other portion (12) being disposed so as to lie opposite the counter-electrodes, and the screens being mounted so as to be displaceable in a direct

Abstract: A melting furnace that incorporates the autoclave theory and is equipped with a high-frequency (horizontal wave) device for incinerating material and for thermal decomposition and recrystallization of organic and inorganic hazardous compounds contained in it and to detoxify hazardous substances that have been recrystallized or thermally decomposed by using specific solvents. A method to accomplish the above is provided and hazardous gas that is generated during the incineration process at high temperature and under high pressure in the furnace is treated.

Abstract: A method for increasing homogeneously the wettability of a porous body vis a vis a fluid includes a step in which the porous body is exposed in a treatment chamber to a nitrogen plasma generated by an electromagnetic wave discharge in nitrogen gas. Applications include increasing the wettability of a marker tip.

Abstract: A method for reacting a molecule using light as an energy source is described which comprises exposing the molecule to a catalyst material, the catalyst material in contact with an illuminated, quantum confined silicon domain. The silicon domain having a band gap greater than bulk silicon and sufficiently large for reacting the molecule. The method is particularly useful in decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen, as well as photocatalytically degrading pollutants in a waste stream.

Abstract: A process is described to modify the chemical structure of an aerogel under conditions which inhibit plasma formation within the aerogel pores, which process includes; (a) providing an aerogel with a pore size of less than 0.1.mu.; (b) exposing the initial aerogel to at least one gas selected from the group consisting of reducing gas, oxidizing gas, noble gas and combinations thereof, with the proviso that at least one reducing gas or one oxidizing gas is present; and (c) irradiating the combination of step (b) while maintaining the temperature to preserve the structural composition of the aerogel at a pressure of between about 0.1 and 54 Torr for between and about 5 and 960 minutes. This process produces a modified aerogel wherein the pore size does not allow for plasma formation within the pore. Chemical reactions occur within the pores of the aerogel of a nonplasma nature. These modified aerogels have a number of uses, including catalysts, ceramics, composites, chemical sensors, LED's and the like.

Abstract: Methods of providing diffusing risers on a fresnel lens die having a plurality of optical facets, wherein adjacent optical facets are separated by a riser, the method including the steps of depositing a difflusing layer on the plurality of optical facets and the risers, and selectively removing the diffusing layer from the plurality of optical facets, wherein the diffusing layer remains substantially intact on the risers. The diffusing layer can be deposited in an electrolyte bath substantially free of grain refiners.

Abstract: A method for measuring the concentration of glucose diffused from a source to a working electrode which assembly includes a scavenging electrode is disclosed. The electrode of the invention is comprised of 1) a working electrode; 2) a scavenging electrode; 3) an electroosmotic electrode; and 4) a electrically insulating gap defined by adjacent edges of 1) and 2) and electrically isolating 1) and 2). The scavenging electrode substantially reduces or eliminates "edge-effects" or error in signal transported to the working electrode via a path which includes a radial vector component, i.e., eliminates chemical signal other than that which moves to the catalytic surface of the working electrode via a path which is substantially perpendicular to catalytic surface of the working electrode.

Abstract: Molten thermoelectric alloy expressed as (Bi, Sb).sub.2 (Te, Se).sub.3 is rapidly cooled at 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.6 .degree. K/second so as to crystallize the thermoelectric alloy, and powder of the thermoelectric alloy is hot pressed under the pressure equal to or greater than 400 kgf/cm.sup.2 at 200 degrees to 400 degrees in centigrade for a time period between {(-T/5)+90} minutes and 150 minutes or at 400 degrees to 500 degrees in centigrade for a time period between 5 minutes and 150 minutes so as to increase the figure of merit by virtue of the strain left in the crystal and/or micro crystal grain.

Abstract: The invention relates to cathodically depositable, aqueous electrodeposition coating materials which are characterized in that they contain particles of wax having a diameter of from 1 to 20 .mu.m.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a uniform metal layer onto a workpiece is provided. The workpiece, for example a circuit board, serves as a cathode. The anode is insoluble and dimensionally stable. Both anode and cathode are immersed in a plating solution contained in an electrolytic container. The solution includes (a) ions of the metal to be deposited on the workpiece, (b) an additive substance for controlling physical-mechanical properties of the metal to be deposited, such as brightness, and (c) an electro-chemically reversible redox couple forming oxidizing compounds when contacting the anode. A metal-ion generator is provided, supplying metal parts of the metal to be deposited onto the workpiece; The plating solution is circulated between the container and the ion generator for maintaining a reaction between the oxidizing compounds and the metal parts for forming metal ions.

Abstract: This invention relates to the formation and use of a variable, multilayer system of discrete, discontinuous and nonsequential molecular sieves, comprising of agarose-acrylic gels of distinct composition. Each of the individual gel-layers of the system is designed according to partition and/or retardation coefficients for specific retention and therefore selective separation of selected molecules of different molecular sizes. The unique multilayer composite acrylic gel system of this invention makes it possible to separate micro- and macromolecules which differ in molecular weights by millions of daltons. So isolated any physically defined molecular groups are superiorly suitable for further chemical, physico-chemical or biological characterization.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical cell which has an electrode, a membrane disposed in contact with one side of the electrode, and a resilient flow field disposed on the other side of the electrode. The resilient flow field provides uniform electrical contact with the electrode. Such a flow field is preferably an elastomer, which can be be made by molding techniques, thereby decreasing the cost and increasing the ease with which such a flow field may be manufactured. The resilient flow field of the present invention is particularly useful in converting anhydrous hydrogen halide directly to essentially dry halogen gas, such as anhydrous hydrogen chloride to chlorine gas, although it may be used in a cell which converts aqueous reactants.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing batchwise chemical reactions using microwave energy (10-11-12) includes a vessel (15) within a microwave cavity (13). The vessel has a sealed cover (16), located outside cavity (13), which mounts a cold-finger type heat exchanger (24) for immersion in the vessel's contents (23). Cover (16) also mounts a pressure measuring device (17) and a temperature sensing device (20) for monitoring the vessel's contents during a chemical reaction. A pressure operable safety valve (18) and a sampling facility (19) are also mounted on the cover (16). The vessel also contains a magnetically operated stirrer (22). The reactor apparatus is constructed to withstand high pressures and temperatures that may be developed within the vessel (15). Various uses of the cold-finger (24) to facilitate the conduct or completion of a chemical reaction are described.

Abstract: A high temperature gas separation apparatus, integrated with, and enclosed by, a heat exchanger-thermal insulation, providing for counter-flow heat exchange between a cold inlet flow of a gas mixture containing one gas component and the hot return gas being depleted of the one gas component. Two adjacent heat exchanger flow channels surround a heated central gas separation unit in multiple spiral windings and provide the thermal insulation for the gas separation apparatus which operates at ambient or elevated pressure, resulting in significant savings in materials and energy cost, and greatly reduced weight for gas separation systems, such as electrochemical oxygen generators, and for hydrogen and helium separators.

Abstract: After an ultrafine particle is disposed on a giant fullerene by driving the ultrafine particle 1 using an electron beam, the ultrafine particle is enclosed in a core hollow portion of the giant fullerene, by contracting the giant fullerene with the electron beam irradiation. Or a metal ultrafine particle composed of an active metal is enclosed in the core hollow portion of the giant fullerene, by irradiating a high energy beam such as the electron beam to an amorphous carbon under existing of the active metal to form the giant fullerene in an irradiated portion, and by contracting the giant fullerene with the irradiation of the high energy beam such as the electron beam.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a process for the production of a solution of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide in water, characterized by the following steps:(a) providing an aqueous solution containing N-methylmorpholine and morpholine and exhibiting a pH value of from 6.0 to 9.0, thereafter(b) treating said aqueous solution with a peroxidic oxidant to oxidize N-methylmorpholine to N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide.

Abstract: An electrodeposition process using an aqueous coating composition comprising a carbamate-functional crosslinking agent and at least one principal resin is described. The carbamate-functional crosslinker is formed by first reacting a polyamine having at least two primary amine groups and at least one secondary amine group with a cyclic carbonate, and then reacting the product of the first reaction with a polyepoxide compound.

Abstract: An easily installed, automatically operated sanitizing direct current, electrolytic cell canister assembly and a method or efficiently providing brominated water for swimming pools and the like, the method including furnishing d.c. power at a constant amperage to the bipolar electrode graphite plate electrolytic cell canister, controlling the flow of electrolyte through the canister, turning the d.c. current on and off to provide d.c. on/off switching, turning the d.c. power off, adjusting the time of the on/off switching so that the current is off for a predetermined selected time in a cycle of about 1 to 60 seconds, and, just prior to reversing the polarity of the electrodes, turning the power off for about five seconds, with separate polarity changing switching to help efficiently clean the graphite plates and keep the bromine atoms from going back to their ionized state and reduce any power surge due to the reversal of the polarity.