Group Iib Metal (zn, Cd, Or Hg) Patents (Class 423/99)
  • Publication number: 20100215556
    Abstract: A nanopore reactive adsorbent composite material, which may be a porous adsorbent comprising a chemically surface face modified gel, has a composition and micro structure, which integrals ion exchange components such as hydroxy apatite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY NETWORK INC.
    Inventors: Roman Domszy, Yun Han Lee
  • Patent number: 7781368
    Abstract: Carbon monoxide is removed from streams by adsorption on an adsorption composition which comprises copper, zinc and zirconium oxides and whose copper-comprising component has a degree of reduction, expressed as weight ratio of metallic copper to the sum of metallic copper and copper oxides, calculated as CuO, of at least 45% and not more than 75%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Stephan Schlitter, Stephan Hatscher, Michael Hesse, Heiko Urtel
  • Patent number: 7763566
    Abstract: Toxic substances such as heavy metals are extracted from a medium using a sorbent composition. The composition is derived by sulfidation of red mud, which contains hydrated ferric oxides derived from the Bayer processing of bauxite ores. Exemplary sulfidizing compounds are H2S, Na2S, K2S, (NH4)2S, and CaSx. The sulfur content typically is from about 0.2 to about 10% above the residual sulfur in the red mud. Sulfidized red mud is an improved sorbent compared to red mud for most of the heavy metals tested (Hg, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Se, Th, and U). Unlike red mud, sulfidized red mud does not leach naturally contained metals. Sulfidized red mud also prevents leaching of metals when mixed with red mud. Mixtures of sulfidized red mud and red mud are more effective for sorbing other ions, such as As, Co, Mn, and Sr, than sulfidized red mud alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: J.I. Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Iannicelli
  • Patent number: 7713503
    Abstract: A system for removing mercury from combustion gas. The system includes a combustion device, a stack, and a duct system that couples the combustion device to the stack. The system further comprises an injection system that is coupled to the duct system. The injection system injects sorbents including alkali-based sorbents and carbon-based sorbents into the duct system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker, Vitali Victor Lissianski, Bradley S. Rogers
  • Publication number: 20100104871
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a zinc oxide particle that can be used more suitably than common zinc oxide in the application such as an exoergic filler and the like, and can be used in the other applications. A zinc oxide particle having a median size of 1 to 30 ?m and D90/D10 of 4 or less is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: SAKAI CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Hashimoto, Hiroshi Hakozaki
  • Patent number: 7692058
    Abstract: Mercury is removed from contaminated waste by firstly applying a sulfur reagent to the waste. Mercury in the waste is then permitted to migrate to the reagent and is stabilized in a mercury sulfide compound. The stable compound may then be removed from the waste which itself remains in situ following mercury removal therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Fuhrmann, John Heiser, Paul Kalb
  • Patent number: 7658905
    Abstract: A cadmium sulfide nanocrystal, wherein the cadmium sulfide nanocrystal shows maximum luminescence peaks at two or more wavelengths and most of the atoms constituting the nanocrystal are present at the surface of the nanocrystal to form defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Joo Jang, Shin Ae Jun, Tae Kyung Ahn, Sung Hun Lee, Seong Jae Choi
  • Patent number: 7651674
    Abstract: A metal sulfide nanocrystal manufactured by a method of reacting a metal precursor and an alkyl thiol in a solvent, wherein the alkyl thiol reacts with the metal precursor to form the metal sulfide nanocrystals, wherein the alkyl thiol is present on the surface of the metal sulfide nanocrystal, wherein the alkyl thiol is bonded to the sulfur crystal lattice. A metal sulfide nanocrystal manufactured with a core-shell structure by a method of reacting a metal precursor and an alkyl thiol in a solvent to form a metal sulfide layer on the surface of a core, wherein the alkyl thiol is present on the surface of the metal sulfide nanocrystal, wherein the alkyl thiol is bonded to the sulfur crystal lattice. These metal sulfide nanocrystals can have a uniform particle size at the nanometer-scale level, selective and desired crystal structures, and various shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Ae Jun, Eun Joo Jang, Seong Jae Choi
  • Publication number: 20090317313
    Abstract: A method of treating value bearing material comprising oxidised or surface oxidised mineral values includes the steps of crushing the value bearing material, contacting the crushed material! with a sulfide solution to sulfide the oxidised or surface oxidised mineral values, and adding ions of a selected base metal to the crushed value bearing material. The value bearing material may comprise oxidised or surface oxidised base metal or precious metal minerals. The crushed value bearing material is prepared as a slurry or pulp comprising from 15% to 40% solids and the remainder comprising water. The sulfide solution preferably comprises a soluble sulfidiser such as sodium hydrosulfide and the base-metal ion solution preferably comprises metal salt of base metals like copper or iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF CAPETOWN
    Inventors: Deidre Jane Bradshaw, Andrew James Haigh Newell
  • Patent number: 7635457
    Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a process for enhanced recovery of one or more metal values from heap and/or dump leaching of ores containing the metal values, the process comprising: (a) providing a high grade leach solution obtained by heap or dump leaching of fresh high grade ore containing a first metal value; (b) subjecting the high grade leach solution to a first solvent extraction of the first metal value and applying the resulting first aqueous raffinate to leach fresh high grade ore; (c) providing a low grade leach solution obtained by heap or dump leaching of partially leached ore or fresh low grade ore of the first metal value; and (d) subjecting the low grade leach solution to a second solvent extraction of the first metal value, separate from the first solvent extraction of the first metal value, and applying the resulting separate, second aqueous to leach partially leached ore or fresh low grade ore, wherein the first and second aqueous raffinates are not intermixed prior to being applied t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: COGNIS IP Management GmbH
    Inventors: Gary A. Kordosky, Andrew Nisbett, Hans C. Hein
  • Patent number: 7618603
    Abstract: A method for oxidizing elemental mercury contained in flue gas uses a catalytic barrier filter. The method comprises directing the flue gas towards the catalytic barrier filter; passing the flue gas through the catalytic barrier filter in the presence of an oxidant; and outletting the flue gas from the catalytic barrier filter, wherein about 50 percent to about 99 percent of the elemental mercury is oxidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: The University of North Dakota
    Inventors: Wayne Seames, Michael D. Mann, Darrin S. Muggli
  • Patent number: 7611573
    Abstract: The invention provides CBD ZnS/Zn(O,OH)S and spray deposited ZnS/Zn(O,OH)S buffer layers prepared from a solution of zinc salt, thiourea and ammonium hydroxide dissolved in a non-aqueous/aqueous solvent mixture or in 100% non-aqueous solvent. Non-aqueous solvents useful in the invention include methanol, isopropanol and triethyl-amine. One-step deposition procedures are described for CIS, CIGS and other solar cell devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventor: Raghu N. Bhattacharya
  • Patent number: 7608230
    Abstract: A sample conditioning system removes selenium from a flue gas sample to provide more accurate measure of mercury in the gas stream. Ammonia or another basic reagent is added to the sampled gas stream to increase the pH of the condensate, and thereby ensuring the removal of hydrogen selenide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Apogee Scientific, Inc
    Inventors: Scott E. McLaren, Kevin M. Fisher
  • Patent number: 7589248
    Abstract: Mercury is removed from contaminated waste by firstly applying a sulfur reagent to the waste. Mercury in the waste is then permitted to migrate to the reagent and is stabilized in a mercury sulfide compound. The stable compound may then be removed from the waste which itself remains in situ following mercury removal therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Fuhrmann, John Heiser, Paul Kalb
  • Patent number: 7582276
    Abstract: The invention relates to nanoscale rutile or oxide powder that is obtained by producing amorphous TiO2 by mixing an alcoholic solution with a titanium alcoholate and with an aluminum alcohalate and adding water and acid. The amorphous, aluminum-containing TiO2 is isolated by removing the solvent, and is redispersed in water in the presence of a tin salt. Thermal or hydrothermal post-processing yields rutile or oxide that can be redispersed to primary particle size. The n-rutile or the obtained oxide having a primary particle size ranging between 5 and 20 nm can be incorporated into all organic matrices so that they remain transparent. Photocatalytic activity is suppressed by lattice doping with trivalent ions. If the amorphous precursor is redispersed in alcohol, or not isolated, but immediately crystallized, an anatase is obtained that can be redispersed to primary particle size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: ITN Nanovation AG
    Inventor: Ralph Nonninger
  • Patent number: 7566436
    Abstract: A mixing reactor for mixing efficiently streams of fluids of differing densities. In a preferred embodiment, one of the fluids is supercritical water, and the other is an aqueous salt solution. Thus, the reactor enables the production of metal oxide nanoparticles as a continuous process, without any risk of the reactor blocking due to the inefficient mixing inherent in existing reactor designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: The University of Nottingham
    Inventors: Edward Henry Lester, Barry James Azzopardi
  • Patent number: 7563429
    Abstract: A process for reclaiming spent selenium filter mass containing an inert material. The spent mass is treated with a hydrogen peroxide solution for leaching out selenium content from unspent active substance present in the filter mass to form selenious acid. The filter mass is treated with aqua regia solution to dissolve mercury selenide present in the mass. The aqua regia solution is separated from the mass and isolated. Suitably, the filter mass, which now contains inert carrier material, is transferred with the isolated selenious acid, to production of new selenium filter mass. After partial neutralization of the aqua regia solution, mercury is precipitated out for disposal. Before this, elemental selenium can be separated from the aqua regia solution by adjusting the pH level and used advantageously for production of new filter mass. Thusly, reclaimed selenium content and inert carrier material can be advantageously used for production of new selenium filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Yngve Lundgren
  • Patent number: 7553474
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for producing stable alkaline metal oxide sols having a uniform particle size distribution. The method comprises the steps of: heating a metal compound at a temperature of 60° C. to 110° C. in an aqueous medium that contains a carbonate of quaternary ammonium; and carrying out hydrothermal processing at a temperature of 110° C. to 250° C. The carbonate of quaternary ammonium is (NR4)2CO3 or NR4HCO3 in which R represents a hydrocarbon group, or a mixture thereof. The metal compound is one, or two or more metal compounds selected from a group of compounds based on a metal having a valence that is bivalent, trivalent, or tetravalent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ohmori, Hirokazu Kato, Yoshinari Koyama, Kenji Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7547425
    Abstract: A method is provided for compounding, homogenizing and consolidating compounds. In one embodiment, the charge components are mixed in a controlled addition process, then the newly-formed compound is heated to become totally molten, followed by a rapid quench at room temperature. In an alternate embodiment, the components are supplied with an excess of one component acting as a solvent, heated to dissolve additional components, and then the solvent is separated from the compound to produce homogeneous consolidated compounds. The methods herein are advantageously applied to provide an economical and fast process for producing CdTe, CdZnTe and ZnTe compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Redlen Technologies
    Inventors: Robert Francis Redden, Weidong Huang, Troy Oran Hasanen
  • Publication number: 20090104095
    Abstract: Novel compositions, as well as related methods, coatings, and articles, are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Morgan, John D. Jarrell
  • Patent number: 7517511
    Abstract: Mercury emissions in an exhaust gas are mitigated. Mercury dichloride is formed upon a surface from a substantial portion of the mercury in the exhaust gas. The mercury dichloride sublimes from the surface, and the sublimed mercury dichloride is subsequently removed from the exhaust stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Keith Schofield
  • Patent number: 7491423
    Abstract: A method for controllably forming zinc oxide nanostructures on a surface via an organic template, which is formed using a stamp prepared from pre-defined relief structures, inking the stamp with a solution comprising self-assembled monolayer (SAM) molecules, contacting the stamp to the surface, such as Ag sputtered on Si, and immersing the surface with the patterned SAM molecules with a zinc-containing solution with pH control to form zinc oxide nanostructures on the bare Ag surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Julia Hsu, Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 7468168
    Abstract: A method for preparing cadmium sulfide nanocrystals emitting light at multiple wavelengths. The method comprises the steps of (a) mixing a cadmium precursor and a dispersant in a solvent that weakly coordinates to the cadmium precursor, and heating the mixture to obtain a cadmium precursor solution, (b) dissolving a sulfur precursor in a solvent that weakly coordinates to the sulfur precursor to obtain a sulfur precursor solution, and (c) feeding the sulfur precursor solution to the heated cadmium precursor solution maintained at a high temperature to prepare cadmium sulfide crystals, and growing the cadmium sulfide crystals. Further, cadmium sulfide nanocrystals prepared by the method. The cadmium sulfide nanocrystals have uniform size and shape and can emit light close to white light simultaneously at different wavelengths upon excitation. Due to these characteristics, the cadmium sulfide nanocrystals can be applied to white light-emitting diode devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Joo Jang, Shin Ae Jun, Tae Kyung Ahn, Sung Hun Lee, Seong Jae Choi
  • Patent number: 7455825
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing metal sulfide nanocrystals using a thiol compound as a sulfur precursor. The method comprises reacting the thiol compound and a metal precursor in a solvent to grow metal sulfide crystals to the nanometer-scale level. Further disclosed is a method for manufacturing metal sulfide nanocrystals with a core-shell structure by reacting a metal precursor and a thiol compound in a solvent to grow a metal sulfide layer on the surface of a core. The metal sulfide nanocrystals prepared by these methods can have a uniform particle size at the nanometer-scale level, selective and desired crystal structures, and various shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Ae Jun, Eun Joo Jang, Seong Jae Choi
  • Publication number: 20080241029
    Abstract: A method for reducing an amount of mercury in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal is provided. The method includes combusting a quantity of coal and a quantity of air within a primary combustion area such that a fly ash containing carbon and elemental mercury is formed within the flue gases, supplying air to the primary combustion area such that a portion of the air is channeled to an overfire air burnout area downstream from the primary combustion area to facilitate increasing an amount of the carbon content in the fly ash, cooling the flue gases to facilitate oxidizing the elemental mercury using the carbon content in the fly ash, and injecting sorbent into the flue gases to facilitate further reducing the amount of mercury in the flue gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Vitali Victor Lissianski, Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Publication number: 20080241027
    Abstract: A method for reducing mercury emissions in combustion flue gas is provided. The method includes combusting coal such that a flue gas flow is created. The flue gas flow includes at least mercury and carbon-containing fly ash. The method further includes cooling the flue gas flow within a duct and creating turbulence in the flue gas flow. The mercury is removed from the flue gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Vitali Victor Lissianski, Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker, Robert Warren Taylor
  • Publication number: 20080241028
    Abstract: A method for reducing an amount of mercury in flue gas is provided. The method includes injecting a quantity of coal having a fineness of less than 70%<200 mesh and greater than or equal to 50%<200 mesh. The quantity of coal is combusted in a quantity of air such that at least carbon-containing fly ash and mercury are formed. Mercury is oxidized using at least the carbon-contain fly ash.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Vitali Victor Lissianski, Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 7427382
    Abstract: A method is provided for compounding, homogenizing and consolidating compounds. In one embodiment, the charge components are mixed in a controlled addition process, then the newly-formed compound is heated to become totally molten, followed by a rapid quench at room temperature. In an alternate embodiment, the components are supplied with an excess of one component acting as a solvent, heated to dissolve additional components, and then the solvent is separated from the compound to produce homogeneous consolidated compounds. The methods herein are advantageously applied to provide an economical and fast process for producing CdTe, CdZnTe and ZnTe compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Redlen Technologies
    Inventors: Robert Francis Redden, Weidong Huang, Troy Oran Hasanen
  • Patent number: 7387767
    Abstract: A process for recovering nickel and cobalt values from nickel- and cobalt-containing laterite ores as an enriched mixed nickel and cobalt sulphide intermediate and for producing nickel and cobalt metal from the nickel and cobalt sulphide intermediate. The laterite ore is leached as a slurry in a pressure acid leach containing an excess of aqueous sulphuric acid at high pressure and temperature, excess free acid in the leach slurry is partially neutralized to a range of 5 to 10 g/L residual free H2SO4 and washed to yield a nickel- and cobalt-containing product liquor, the product liquor is subjected to a reductant to reduce any Cr(VI) in solution to Cr(III), the reduced product liquor is neutralized to precipitate ferric iron and silicon at a pH of about 3.5 to 4.0, and the neutralized and reduced product liquor is contacted with hydrogen sulphide gas to precipitate nickel and cobalt sulphides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Dynatec Corporation
    Inventors: Finlay Campbell, Michael Collins, Ian Masters, Lyle Trytten
  • Patent number: 7381387
    Abstract: A method to reduce mercury in gas emissions from the combustion of low rank coal in a combustion system including: combusting coal having a low chlorine content in the combustion system, wherein elemental mercury (Hg0) is released in the flue gas produced by the combustion of the low rank coal; releasing chlorine into the flue gas by combusting a coal having a high chlorine in the combustion system; reacting the elemental mercury and released chlorine in the flue gas to oxidize the mercury; adsorbing at least a portion of the oxidized mercury generated by the combustion of the coal with an adsorbent in the flue gas, and collecting the adsorbent with the oxidized mercury in a combustion waste treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vitali Victor Lissianski, Vladimir M. Zamansky, Peter Martin Maly, William Randall Seeker
  • Patent number: 7309474
    Abstract: A solvent extraction composition is comprised of one or more orthohydroxyarylaldoximes and one or more othohydroxyarylketoximes, and one or more equilibrium modifiers in an amount providing a degree of modification of the orthohydroxyarylaldoximes from about 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Cytec Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Matthew D. Soderstrom
  • Patent number: 7182929
    Abstract: A method for producing nanostructured multi-component or doped oxide particles and the particles produced therein. The process includes the steps of (i) dissolving salts of cations, which are either dopants or components of the final oxide, in an organic solvent; (ii) adding a dispersion of nanoparticles of a single component oxide to the liquid solution; (iii) heating the liquid solution to facilitate diffusion of cations into the nanoparticles; (iv) separating the solids from the liquid solution; and (v) heat treating the solids either to form the desired crystal structure in case of multi-component oxide or to render the homogeneous distribution of dopant cation in the host oxide structure. The process produces nanocrystalline multi-component or doped oxide nanoparticles with a particle size of 5–500 nm, more preferably 20–100 nm; the collection of particles have an average secondary (or aggregate) particle size is in the range of 25–2000 nm, preferably of less than 500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: NEI, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Singhal, Ganesh Skandan, Mohit Jain
  • Patent number: 7172074
    Abstract: A concentration process of zinc silicated minerals, particularly willemite and calamine concentration, by single operations, or conventional steps of ore treatment, some of which include the following: Preparation of stockpiles of different mineralogical and contents compositions, crushing, screening, storage, dense separation, washing, homogenization, magnetic separation, grinding, classification, rubbing, conditioning, flotation, thickening, filtering, calcination, storage and waste deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Compamhia Mineira de Metais
    Inventor: Julio Cesar Bittencourt
  • Patent number: 7157024
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a metal oxide particle comprising tin atom, zinc atom, antimony atom and oxygen atom, having a molar ratio SnO2:ZnO:Sb2O5 of 0.01–1.00:0.80–1.20:1.00 and having a primary particle diameter of 5 to 500 nm; and a process for producing the metal oxide particle comprising the steps of: mixing a tin compound, a zinc compound and an antimony compound in a molar ratio SnO2:ZnO:Sb2O5 of 0.01–1.00:0.80–1.20:1.00; and calcining the mixture at a temperature of 300 to 900° C. The metal oxide particle is used for several purposes such as antistatic agents, UV light absorbers, heat radiation absorbers or sensors for plastics or glass, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadayuki Isaji, Osamu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7128840
    Abstract: Improved methods for the extraction or dissolution of metals, metalloids or their oxides, especially lanthanides, actinides, uranium or their oxides, into supercritical solvents containing an extractant are disclosed. The disclosed embodiments specifically include enhancing the extraction or dissolution efficiency with ultrasound. The present methods allow the direct, efficient dissolution of UO2 or other uranium oxides without generating any waste stream or by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Idaho Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien M. Wai, Youichi Enokida
  • Patent number: 7118727
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing particles, such as oxide nanoparticles, in a substantially water-free environment. The process involves mixing at least one metal compound of the formula MX(m?n) with at least one surfactant and at least one solvent, wherein M is an electropositive element of Groups 1–15; each X is independently selected from the group consisting of O1/2, F, Cl, Br, I, OR, O2CR, NR2, and R; each R is independently a hydrocarbyl group; n is equal to ½ the oxidation state of the metal M in the product particle; and m is equal to the oxidation state of the element M. The components are typically combined to form a mixture which is thermally treated for a time period sufficient to convert the metal compound into particles of the corresponding oxide, having sizes in a range between about 0.5 nanometer and about 1000 nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Darryl Stephen Williams
  • Patent number: 7118719
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the hydrolytic precipitation of iron as jarosite from a sulphate-containing solution in connection with zinc recovery from zinc calcine. The recovey contains neutral leach, ferrite leach, zinc electrolysis and iron precipitation stages. The ferrite included in the calcine is leached with return acid of the electrolysis after which the iron present in ferrous form is neutralized and routed to an iron precipitation stage, where the iron is oxidised to the trivalent form using an oxygen-containing gas. Also present in the precipitation stage arc Na, K or NH4 ions and jarosite nuclei.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Outokumpu Technology Oy
    Inventor: Sigmund Fugleberg
  • Patent number: 7060243
    Abstract: Tellurium-containing nanocrystallites are produced by injection of a precursor into a hot coordinating solvent, followed by controlled growth and annealing. Nanocrystallites may include CdTe, ZnTe, MgTe, HgTe, or alloys thereof. The nanocrystallites can photoluminesce with quantum efficiencies as high as 70%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Moungi G. Bawendi, Frederic V. Mikulec, Sungjee Kim
  • Patent number: 7052661
    Abstract: A process for removing mercury from a feed of coal, heavy oil or other mercury contaminated material is disclosed. The feed is thermally decomposed, preferably within, or above, a molten metal bath under reducing conditions, to produce a vapor product and non-vapor decomposition products, such as carbon, which dissolve in the molten metal bath. Mercury, primarily in the form of elemental metal vapor, is removed with the vapor product, cooled and passed over a mercury adsorbent to recover mercury from the gas. The decomposition products are burned, e.g., by at least periodic oxidation of the molten metal bath. Preferably a HyMelt® reactor, with a bath of molten iron, operating at superatmospheric pressure, thermally decomposes the feed. The process permits efficient mercury removal and recovery from coal using conventional adsorbents, such as activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Envi Res LLC
    Inventor: Donald P. Malone
  • Patent number: 7037482
    Abstract: A method of extracting a halide and sulphate from an aqueous sulphate solution, such as a zinc sulphate solution, comprises subjecting the solution to solvent extraction to extract halide and sulphate from the solution and controlling the amount of sulphate extracted by selective adjustment of the acidity of the aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Teck Cominco Metals Ltd.
    Inventors: Cashman R. S. Mason, Juris R. Harlamovs, David B. Dreisinger, Baruch Grinbaum
  • Patent number: 7014702
    Abstract: A heat treatment chamber (30) is provided comprising a treatment region containing a charge (5) of compound material comprising a plurality of n atomic species, each atomic species being associated with at least one gas species. The chamber (30) is placed in a furnace (7). The chamber has a gas permeable barrier, constituted by a plug (4) and wadding (6), which partially encloses the treatment region. The barrier serves as an effusive hole to inhibit, but not prevent, gas vapour release, thereby to elevate the gas vapour pressure in the treatment region. Application of inert gas through a valve (8) is also used to increase background pressure in the treatment region during heat treatment. The elevated gas pressures present in the treatment region during treatment are measurable in an absorption cell (3) adjacent to the treatment region. It is thus possible to monitor the gas pressures during heat treatment and thereby stop the heat treatment once a desired charge stoichiometry is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi e Sistemi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Zappettini, Lucio Zanotti, Mingzheng Zha, Francesco Bissoli
  • Patent number: 6926752
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for stabilizing a fluidized bed used in roasting by adjusting the oxygen content of the roasting gas in the bed. The fine-grained material for roasting is fed into the furnace above the fluidized bed and the roasting gas, which causes the fluidizing, is fed into the bottom of the furnace through a grate. In this method, the total amount of oxygen in the roasting gas to be fed and the average total oxygen requirement of the material to be roasted are calculated and the ratio between them regulated so that the oxygen coefficient in the bed is over 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventors: Pekka Taskinen, Maija-Leena Metsärinta, Jens Nyberg, Aija Rytioja
  • Patent number: 6896731
    Abstract: The present invention provides a low-resistivity p-type single-crystal zinc oxide. An n-type dopant and p-type dopant are doped into zinc oxide with higher concentration of the p-type dopant than that of the n-type dopant during forming a single-crystal of the zinc oxide through a thin film forming process. Further, an element of the second group is co-doped to allow oxygen to be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yamamoto, Hiroshi Yoshida, Takafumi Yao
  • Patent number: 6878356
    Abstract: A method for extraction of zinc values from an aqueous alkaline solution of zinc, especially a solution obtained by the stripping of a galvanized coating from a ferrous metal product e.g. steel, or from electric arc furnace dust. The method comprises subjecting the aqueous alkaline solution to solvent extraction using an organic solution of an oxine i.e. an organic extractant containing an 8-hydroxyquinoline group, and separating the organic solution from aqueous alkaline solution. Zinc values are recovered from the organic solution e.g. by stripping with acid and subjecting the resultant aqueous solution containing zinc values for recovery of zinc e.g. to electrowinning or to precipitation of zinc carbonate. The method may be used in the preparation of galvanized steel for recycle to a steel manufacturing plant, with recovery of zinc and for recovery of zinc values from electric arc furnace dust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Process Research Management Inc.
    Inventors: Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan, Ramamritham Sridhar, Mohamed Shafiqul Alam
  • Patent number: 6855527
    Abstract: A method of biotreating a solid material to remove an undesired compound using a nonstirred surface bioreactor is provided. According to the method, the surface of a plurality of coarse substrates is coated with a solid material to be biotreated to form a plurality of coated coarse substrates. The coarse substrates have a particle size greater than about 0.3 cm and the solid material to be biotreated has a particle size less than about 250 ?m. A nonstirred surface reactor is then formed by stacking the plurality of coated coarse substrates into a heap or placing the plurality of coated coarse substrates into a tank so that the void volume of the reactor is greater than or equal to about 25%. The solid material is biotreated in the surface bioreactor until the undesired compound in the solid material is degraded to a desired concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: GeoBiotics LLC
    Inventor: William J. Kohr
  • Patent number: 6835332
    Abstract: A process for producing an electrode material for a rechargeable lithium battery, comprising the steps of mixing a metal compound (a) of a metal (a′) capable of being electrochemically alloyed with lithium, a transition metal compound (b) of a transition metal (b′) and a complexing agent (c) with a solvent (d) to obtain a mixed solution, mixing a reducing agent (e) with said mixed solution to obtain a mixture, and oxidizing said reducing agent in said mixture to reduce ion of said metal (a′) and ion of said transition metal (b′) to obtain an amorphous alloy material capable of being electrochemically alloyed with lithium as said electrode material. An electrode structural body in which said electrode material is used, and a rechargeable lithium battery in which said electrode material is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Yamamoto, Soichiro Kawakami, Hiroya Umeyama
  • Patent number: 6818043
    Abstract: A method for efficiently removing vapor-phase contaminants from gas streams is described. A powdered adsorbent such as activated carbon is ground into a fine powder by wet grinding to form a slurry. Chemicals are added to the slurry to impregnate the sorbent to enhance sorbent effectiveness. The slurry chemical mixture is sprayed into the gas stream in the form of small droplets which evaporate to produce an aerosol of fine adsorbent particles. Vapor-phase contaminants in the gas stream adsorb onto the fine adsorbent particle surfaces and the adsorbent particles are removed from the gas stream by a conventional particle collection method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramsay Chang, Frank Meserole, Carl Richardson
  • Publication number: 20040208807
    Abstract: A solvent extraction composition is comprised of one or more orthohydroxyarylaldoximes and one or more othohydroxyarylketoximes, and one or more equilibrium modifiers in an amount providing a degree of modification of the orthohydroxyarylaldoximes from about 0.2 to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventor: Matthew D. Soderstrom
  • Publication number: 20040202594
    Abstract: Method for removing mercury emissions from the burning of coal or other carbonaceous fuels, such as in a power plant or from coal gasification. Alkali additives are introduced in the coal gasification and staged coal combustion processes to capture the mercury in an alkaline molten slag. The combustor is operated at a stoichiometric air or oxygen to fuel ratio of about 0.40 to 0.80 and a temperature range of about 2200°-3000° F. During the staged combustion process the molten slag containing combinations of alkali and mercury is removed and disposed of to minimize or prevent mercury from escaping in the flue gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Robert A. Ashworth
  • Patent number: 6770119
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mercury removal method which can effectively remove very small amounts of mercury components present in a gas during wet gas purification such as coal or heavy oil gasification gas purification and petroleum refining. A mercury removal method for the removal of mercury present in a gas, the method comprising the steps of bringing a gas containing at least mercury and not less than 10 ppm of hydrogen sulfide into gas-liquid contact with an absorbing fluid under pressurized conditions so as to cause mercury to pass into the absorbing fluid; flashing the mercury-containing absorbing fluid under lower-pressure conditions to separate it into gaseous components and liquid components; and removing the mercury contained in the separated gaseous components by adsorption to an adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Harada, Shintaro Honjo, Makoto Suzaki, Kazuo Ishida, Hajime Nagano, Susumu Okino