Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of indium acetate comprising the steps: (a) reacting an indium compound with an alkaline compound in a protic solvent to obtain an iridium containing precipitate, where the reaction is conducted in the presence of at least one component (i) selected from oxalic acid, a salt of oxalic acid, formic acid and a salt of formic acid, (b) reacting the precipitate in the presence of at least (i) one compound selected from oxalic acid, a salt of oxalic acid, formic acid and a salt of formic acid, and (ii) CH3CO2H and/or CH3(CO)O(CO)CH3 to give an iridium acetate containing solution. The invention also relates to indium acetate having a low halide content, to an indium containing precipitate and to uses of the iridium containing precipitate of the present invention and the iridium acetate of the present invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to the manufacture of high purity silicon as a base material for the production of e.g. crystalline silicon solar cells. SiCU is converted to Si metal by contacting gaseous SiCU with liquid Zn, thereby obtaining a Si-bearing alloy and Zn-chloride, which is separated. The Si-bearing alloy is then purified at a temperature above the boiling point of Zn. This process does not require complicated technologies and preserves the high purity of the SiCU towards the end product, as the only reactant is Zn, which can be obtained in very high purity grades and continuously recycled.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a solid solution material comprises, based upon 100 mole %: about 30 mol% about 95 mol % zirconium, about 0.5 mol % to about 50 mole % cerium, up to about 20 mole % of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of yttrium, rare earths, and combinations comprising at least one of the stabilizers, and about 0.01 to about 25 mole % of a metal selected from the group consisting of indium, tin, and mixtures comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

Abstract: The invention relates to ruthenium complexes which have a chiral diphosphorus donor ligand and in which the ruthenium has the oxidation state (+11) and the chiral diphosphorus donor ligand has bidentate P—P coordination to the ruthenium. The ruthenium complexes are present in two forms (cationic type A and uncharged type B), are cyclic and have a four- to six-membered ring incorporating the diphosphorus donor ligand. The chiral diphosphorus donor ligands are selected from the group consisting of diphosphines, diphospholanes, diphosphites, diphosphonites and diazaphospholanes. Furthermore, processes for preparing the ruthenium complexes of types A and B, which are based on ligand exchange reactions, are described. The Ru complexes are used as catalysts for homogeneous asymmetric catalysis for preparing organic compounds.

Abstract: Described is a method for cleaning the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, which method is suitable for reducing harmful gases and particle emissions. Here, the exhaust gas to be cleaned is conducted, under operating conditions, with a discontinuous profile of the air ratio ? across a wall-flow filter substrate which comprises a catalytically active coating containing one storage material. The storage material is suitable for temporarily storing one or more exhaust-gas components under certain operating conditions and releasing said exhaust-gas components again in a targeted fashion in the event of a suitable change in the operating conditions. The coating is configured such that the component has a gradient of the storage material concentration and/or of the total coating amount, with the highest concentration of the storage material in the longitudinal direction of the component being present on the inflow side.

Abstract: A diesel particulate filter with an oxidation catalyst comprising platinum and palladium deposited thereon is described. Addition of HC storage components to the oxidation catalyst allows the conversion of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to be improved significantly.

Abstract: The invention provides a new route for the synthesis of carbon-coated powders having the olivine or NASICON structure, which form promising classes of active products for the manufacture of rechargeable lithium batteries. Carbon-coating of the powder particles is necessary to achieve good performances because of the rather poor electronic conductivity of said structures. For the preparation of coated LiFePO4, sources of Li, Fe and phosphate are dissolved in an aqueous solution together with a polycarboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol. Upon water evaporation, polyesterification occurs while a mixed precipitate is formed containing Li, Fe and phosphate. The resin-encapsulated mixture is then heat treated at 700° C. in a reducing atmosphere. This results in the production of a fine powder consisting of an olivine LiFePO4 phase, coated with conductive carbon.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for preparing colloidal dispersions of precious metal nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of Pt, Au, Pd, Ag, Rh, Ru and mixtures or alloys thereof, and to a method for isolating such precious metal nanoparticles from these colloidal dispersions. The colloidal dispersions are prepared by reducing suitable precious metal precursor compounds in aqueous alkaline solutions at reaction temperatures between 40 and 70° C. and a pH?12.0 in the presence of polysaccharides with average molecular weights (Mw) in the range of 300,000 to 1,000,000. The precious metal nanoparticles are isolated after decomposing the polysaccharide by heating the colloidal dispersions to temperatures >80° C. The nanoparticles can be used for the manufacture of core/shell-type catalyst materials and for electronic, decorative and medical applications.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converters for purifying the exhaust gas of lean-burn engines are periodically regenerated by switching the engine from lean-burn mode to rich-burn mode. After regeneration has taken place, the engine is switched back to lean-burn mode. At this time, rich exhaust gas is still flowing in the exhaust line from the engine to the catalytic converter, which rich exhaust gas is ejected via the catalytic converter into the environment by the following, lean exhaust gas. This leads to brief emissions peaks of the rich exhaust gas constituents and impairs the level of exhaust gas cleaning which can be obtained. In order to solve said problem, it is proposed to create oxidizing conditions by injecting air upstream of the storage catalytic converter, so that the rich exhaust gas constituents still flowing in the exhaust line upstream of the storage catalytic converter can be converted at the storage catalytic converter to form non-harmful products.

Abstract: This invention relates to a single-step pyrometallurgical process for the recovery of non-ferrous metals from zinc bearing residues, in particular from by-products of the zinc and lead industry such as goethite and jarosite. A process for the recovery of metals from industrial Zn residues containing Zn, Fe and S is defined, wherein Zn is fumed, Fe is slagged, and S is oxidized to SO2, characterized in that the Zn fuming, the Fe slagging, and the S oxidation are performed in a single step process, by smelting the residues in a furnace comprising at least one submerged plasma torch generating an oxidizing gas mixture, and by feeding a solid reducing agent to the melt. The process achieves the oxidation of S and the slagging of Fe, while simultaneously achieving the reduction and the fuming of metals such as Zn.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst comprising on a honeycomb carrier a catalytic coating. Said honeycomb carrier has an upstream end and a downstream end and a plurality of flow channels are running from the upstream end to the downstream end. The catalytic coating comprises catalytically active precious metal components of which at least one component exhibits a concentration profile along the honeycomb carrier starting with a low concentration at the upstream end which increases along the flow channels up to a maximum value and then decreases again to the downstream end.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ink for producing catalyst layers for electrochemical devices. The ink comprises catalyst material, ionomer material, water and at least one organic solvent. The organic solvent belongs to the class of tertiary alcohol's and/or the class of aliphatic diketones and bears functional groups which are stable to oxidative degradation in the ink. This prevents formation of decomposition products in the ink. The ink of the invention displays a high storage stability and is used for producing catalyst-coated substrates for electrochemical devices, in particular fuel cells (PEMFCs, DMFCs).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for manufacturing a catalyst composition. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a catalyst can comprise: forming a catalyst composition from a catalyst precursor and a volatile compound, disposing the catalyst composition on a substrate to form a supported composition, treating the supported composition with electromagnetic radiation, and removing at least a portion of the volatile compound to form the catalyst. In another embodiment, the method for manufacturing a catalyst can comprise: forming a catalyst composition comprising a volatile compound and a catalyst precursor, disposing the catalyst composition onto a substrate, and drying the catalyst composition at a temperature greater than or equal to a dew point of the volatile compound and less than or equal to a decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor.

Abstract: An exhaust treatment device, comprises a substrate; a catalyst layer deposited on the substrate, the catalyst layer comprising a first catalyst metal and a second catalyst metal, wherein greater than or equal to about 70 wt % of the first catalyst metal and the second catalyst metal is non-alloyed under alloying conditions, wherein the weight percent is based on a combined weight of the first catalyst metal and the second catalyst metal. The first catalyst metal and the second catalyst metal are different and may be individually selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, rhenium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium.

Abstract: In a first embodiment the invention relates to a process for producing a dispersoid-strengthened material, comprising the steps of: (i) providing metal particles, wherein the metal is selected from platinum group metals, gold, silver, nickel and copper, as well as alloys thereof; (ii) mixing the metal particles with a precursor compound of the dispersoid and solvent; (iii) removing the solvent, so as to obtain metal particles provided with precursor compound; and (iv) compacting the metal particles provided with precursor compound in order to obtain the dispersoid-strengthened material, wherein the precursor compound is converted into the dispersoid during the compacting operation.

Abstract: A compound of the formula I or I?, where the radicals R1 are each, independently of one another, a hydrogen atom or C1-C4-alkyl and R?1 is C1-C4-alkyl; X1 and X2 are each, independently of one another, a sec-phosphino group; R2 is (1) hydrogen, (2) R01R02R03Si—, (3) C1-C18-acyl substituted with halogen, hydroxyl, C1-C8-alkoxy or R04R05N—, or (4) R06—X01—C(O)—; R01, R02 and R03 are each, independently of one another, C1-C12-alkyl, unsubstituted or C1-C4-alkyl- or C1-C4-alkoxy-substituted C6-C10-aryl or C7-C12-aralkyl; R04 and R05 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C12-alkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl, C6-C10-aryl or C7-C12-aralkyl, or R04 and R05 together are trimethylene, tetramethylene, pentamethylene or 3-oxapentylene; R06 is C1-C18-alkyl, unsubstituted or C1-C4-alkyl- or C1-C4-alkoxy-substituted C3-C8-cycloalkyl, C6-C10-aryl or C7-C12-aralkyl; X01 is —O— or —NH—; T is C-bonded C3-C20-heteroarylene; v is 0 or an integer from 1 to 4; X1 in the heteroring of the heteroarylene is bound in the orth

Abstract: Ultrasonic detection of flaws in ceramic monoliths such as are commonly used in diesel particulate filters is made possible by beaming ultrasound into the monolith from an inlet or outlet face thereof and analyzing the reflected ultrasound from the same face. The monolith is preferably rotated during the scan, or the scan may be repeated from several rotational positions relative to the face of the monolith. Even small flaws which are hard to detect may be identified.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for manufacture of fine precious metal containing particles, specifically silver-based particles and silver-based contact materials via an intermediate silver(+1)-oxide species. The process comprises in a first step the formation of a thermally instable silver (+1)-oxide species by adding a base to an aqueous silver salt solution comprising an organic dispersing agent. Due to the presence of the organic dispersing agent, the resulting silver (+1)-oxide species is thermally instable, thus the species is decomposing to metallic silver at temperature lower than 100° C. The process optionally may comprise the addition of a powdered compound selected from the group of inorganic oxides, metals, and carbon-based compounds. Furthermore the process may contain additional separating and drying steps. The process is versatile, cost efficient and environmentally friendly and is used for the manufacture of silver-based particles and electrical contact materials.

Abstract: A useful partial oxidation catalyst element includes a catalyst component, a support component, and a substrate. The catalyst component is formed by combining a catalytically active metal with a first support material to form a mixture and calcining the mixture. The support component is formed by calcining a second support material, not containing the active metal. The first and second support materials include particles having an average particle diameter of less than 20 microns. A catalyst material is formed by combining the catalyst component and the support component, wherein the catalyst material contains less than 20% of the catalyst component by weight. The catalyst material is applied to a substrate configured for gas flow therethrough, thereby formulating the partial oxidation catalyst element. The partial oxidation catalyst element is especially useful for fuel reforming and fuel cell applications.

Abstract: To remove the nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas from lean-burn engines, these engines are equipped with a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst, which has to be regenerated frequently by the engine being briefly switched to rich-burn mode. The regeneration is usually initiated when the nitrogen oxide concentration downstream of the catalyst rises above a permissible value. In this context, there is a risk of the bed temperature of the catalyst during and after regeneration being pushed into a range with incipient thermal desorption of the nitrogen oxides on account of the heat which is released during the conversion of the nitrogen oxides by the reducing constituents of the exhaust gas. This can lead to increased nitrogen oxide emission both during the regeneration itself and after the engine has been switched back to lean-burn mode.