Abstract: This disclosure concerns the recovery of PGM (platinum group metals) from spent homogeneous catalysts present in an organic phase. Specifically, a pyrometallurgical process is provided whereby the PGM, and Rh in particular, are concentrated in a metallurgical phases, rendering them accessible for refining according to known processes. To this end, a process is disclosed comprising the steps of: —providing a molten bath furnace, having a submerged injector equipped for liquid fuel firing; —providing a molten bath comprising a metallic and/or matte phase, and a slag phase; —feeding the spent homogeneous catalyst and an O2 bearing gas through the injector, a major part of the PGM being recovered in the metallic and/or matte phase; —separating the PGM-bearing metallic and/or matte phase from the slag phase. The energy content of the organic waste can be effectively used for heating and/or reduction of the metallurgical charge in the furnace.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns the production of ZnO (zinc oxide) coated particles for use in rubber as a substitute for bulk ZnO particles. Compared to bulk oxide, oxide coated particles offer the advantage of a higher specific surface per mass unit of ZnO. This implies both ecological and economical benefits. An enhanced process is presented for the synthesis of aggregate particles, comprising a core of CaCO3, which is at least partially coated with ZnO, comprising the steps of: heating a metallic Zn bath, thereby evaporating Zn and forming a Zn-vapor atmosphere; injecting CaCO3 particles as core compound in the Zn-vapor atmosphere; injecting air in the Zn-vapor atmosphere in an amount in excess of the stoechiometric need for the oxidation of the Zn vapor to ZnO. This process is clean and sustainable, producing no unnecessary phases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing aqueous preparations of complexes of platinum group metals (PGM) Pt, Pd, Rh and Ir having the general formula [MA/MB/MC(L)a(H2O)b(O2—)c(OH?)d](OH—)e(H+)f, wherein MA=PtII or PdII, MB=PtIV, MC=Rh or Ir, L is a neutral monodentate or bidentate donor ligand, and a is an integer between 1 and 4 (or 2) and/or between 1 and 6 (or 3), b is an integer between 0 and 3 (or 5), c is an integer between 0 and 3 (or 4), d is an integer between 0 and 3 (or 5), e is an integer between 0 and 2 (or 3 or 4) and f is an integer between 0 and 4 (or 5). In the method according to the invention, the hydroxo complexes H2Pd(OH)4 (in the case of MA=PdII), H2Pt(OH)6 (in the case of MA=PtII and MB=PtIV) or H3MC(OH)6 (for MC=RhIIIIrIII) are converted in the presence of the donor ligands, wherein at least one hydroxo group of the hydro complex is exchanged. Preferably, the reaction occurs at temperatures in the range of 40 to 110° C.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cathode active material and a method to produce the same at low cost. The cathode powder comprises modified LiCoO2, and possibly a second phase which is LiM?O2 where M? is Mn, Ni, Co with a stoichiometric ratio Ni:Mn?1. The modified LiCoO2 is Ni and Mn bearing and has regions of low and high manganese content, where regions with high manganese content are located in islands on the surface. The cathode material has high cycling stability, a very high rate performance and good high temperature storage properties.

Abstract: Novel alloys which can be employed in joining technology and have improved wetting properties are described.

Abstract: More particularly, a wide-angle optical assembly for an IR camera is described, comprising a lens system consisting of an object-side lens (2) and an image-side lens (3), and an aperture stop (1) on the object-side of the assembly, wherein: the object-side lens (2) and the image-side lens (3) are positive meniscus lenses; all centers of vertex radii of the lens surfaces are oriented towards the object-side, defining for each lens a concave surface and a convex surface; the thickness (8) of the object-side lens (2) is larger than 0.60 EFL; the thickness (9) of the image-side lens (3) is between 0.30 EFL and 0.70 EFL; 0.95<BFL/EFL<1.2; and, the EFL amounts to between 55% and 75% of the image plane diagonal.

Abstract: A negative electrode active material for a lithium ion battery having the composition formula SiaSnbNicTiyMmCz, wherein a, b, c, y, m and z represent atomic % values, wherein M is either one of more of Fe, Cr and Co, and wherein a>0, b>0, z>0, y?0, 0?m?1, c>5, z+0.5*b>a and c+y>0.75*b. The process for preparing the active material comprises the steps of:—providing a mixture of elemental and/or alloyed powders of the elements in the composition SiaSnbNicTiyMmCz, and—high energy milling under non-oxidizing conditions of the powder mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to crystalline nanometric olivine-type LiFe1-xMxPO4 powder with M being Co and/or Mn, and 0?x?1, with small particle size and narrow particle size distribution. A direct precipitation process is described, comprising the steps of: providing a water-based mixture having at a pH between 6 and 10, containing a dipolar aprotic additive, and Li(I), Fe(II), P(V), and Co(II) and/or Mn(II) as precursor components; heating said water-based mixture to a temperature less than or equal to its boiling point at atmospheric pressure, thereby precipitating crystalline LiFe1-xMxPO4 powder. An extremely fine particle size is obtained of about 80 nm for Mn and 275 nm for Co, both with a narrow distribution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparation of platinum siloxane compounds containing at least one CO ligand molecule (Pt carbonyl siloxanes). The method comprises reacting gaseous carbon monoxide (CO) with a platinum siloxane compound, preferably a platinum vinyl-cyclosiloxane compound, in solution with an organic solvent. The method is straightforward and applicable to industrial scale. With this method, specific isomers of platinum carbonyl vinylcyclosiloxanes are prepared, in which the two ?-2-ethenyl groups coordinated to the Pt atom are bonded in trans-configuration relative to the cyclosiloxane backbone. The Pt compounds obtained by the method are used as catalysts for hydrosilylation and for crosslinking and curing of siloxanes and silanes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preventing the contamination by platinum of an SCR catalyst in an exhaust-gas treatment system, said system comprising an oxidation catalyst containing platinum on the inflow side of the SCR catalyst. The outflow side of the oxidation catalyst comprises a material zone which removes traces of platinum contained in the exhaust-gas stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for producing metal composites by internal oxidation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pollutant abatement system for vehicles propelled by a gasoline combustion engine, in particular a gasoline direct injection engine (GDI). In addition, this invention is concerned with a process of mitigating noxious compounds in the exhaust of such an engine efficiently by applying the inventive abatement system to fulfill future legislative exhaust regulations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalyst for purifying the exhaust gases from diesel engines, in particular an oxidation catalyst which is particularly well suited for the purification of exhaust gases from heavy goods vehicles when further exhaust gas purification units such as a particle filter and/or a nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst are installed downstream thereof. The catalyst contains two catalytically active coatings which have different compositions and of which only one is in direct contact with the outflowing exhaust gas. The coating (1) which is in direct contact with the outflowing exhaust gas is platinum-rich and contains a total amount of noble metal (platinum and palladium) which is greater than that in the coating (2) which is not in direct contact with the outflowing exhaust gas.

Abstract: A process which solves the problem of supplying NO2 in accordance with requirements by means of temperature control of the precatalyst which is decoupled from the operating state of the engine. In an associated apparatus, a precatalyst which contains at least one oxidation component and whose temperature can be controlled independently of the operating state of the engine and an active SCR stage comprising an SCR catalyst with upstream metering facility for a reducing agent from an external source are arranged in series. A particle filter can be arranged between precatalyst and metering facility. The precatalyst preferably additionally contains a nitrogen oxide storage material.

Abstract: An exhaust gas post treatment system for an internal combustion engine, including an intake device for taking hydrocarbons into an exhaust gas pipe carrying the exhaust process gas from the internal combustion engine and a treatment device through which exhaust process gas flows downstream of the intake location and which increases the exhaust process gas temperature by oxidation of the hydrocarbons taken in. An exhaust gas post treatment system and a method for operating the same, in that the treatment device has catalytically coated components, the hydrocarbons are at least partly evaporated in the intake device and are modified chemically by cracking reactions and/or by partial oxidation, and the proportion of platinum, at least in a subregion of the catalytic coating of the components, is less than 50% of the overall mass of all the catalytically active substances in this sub region of the coating.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a layered three-way catalytic system being separated in a front and a rear portion having the capability of simultaneously catalyzing the oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide and the reduction of nitrogen oxides. Provided is a catalyst composite comprising a single front catalytic layer and two rear catalytic layers in conjunction with a substrate, where the single font layer and the rear bottom layer comprise a Pd component, the rear top layer comprises a Rh component, and the rear bottom layer is substantially free of an oxygen storage component (OSC).

Abstract: A stirring system for molten glass having a stirring vessel and a stirrer; and a method for homogenizing glass melts. The stirrer has a shaft and at least one stirring element, and the stirring vessel has at least two baffles extending from an inner circumferential surface. The stirring element and baffles are formed in such a way that insertion of the stirrer into the stirring vessel requires at least one translatory movement of the stirrer in relation to the stirring vessel, at least one subsequent or simultaneous relative rotation of the stirrer in relation to the stirring vessel, and a further translatory movement of the stirrer in relation to the stirring vessel. In an operating state, the stirrer is rotatable in the stirring vessel.

Abstract: The invention is directed to ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts of the Hoveyda-Grubbs type. The new N-chelating diarylamino-based ruthenium catalysts described herein are stable in solid state and in solution and reveal rapid initiation behavior. Further, the corresponding N-substituted styrene precursor compounds are disclosed. The catalysts are prepared in a cross-metathesis reaction starting from N-substituted styrene precursors. The new Hoveyda-Grubbs type catalysts are suitable to catalyze ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross metathesis (CM) and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Low catalyst loadings are sufficient to convert a wide range of substrates via metathesis reactions.

Abstract: A method of purifying an exhaust gas, includes: disposing a NOx trapping catalyst in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, the NOx trapping catalyst including: a metal substrate including cells, a corner portion of each of cells having an acute angle; and a catalyst layer supported in the metal substrate and including a noble metal, a heat-resistant inorganic oxide and a NOx trapping material, the catalyst layer having pores formed by addition of a pore formation promoting material, and the NOx trapping catalyst: adsorbing NOx in the exhaust gas when an exhaust air-fuel ratio is in a lean state; and desorbing and reducing the adsorbed NOx when the exhaust air-fuel ratio is in a stoichiometric state or a rich state; and removing the NOx by the exhaust air-fuel ratio being shifted between the lean state and the rich state.

Abstract: A catalytically active particulate filter is proposed which is suitable for use in an exhaust gas cleaning system for diesel engines. The particulate filter removes diesel soot particles from the exhaust gas and is also effective to oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons and to convert nitrogen monoxide at least proportionally into nitrogen dioxide. The particulate filter comprises a filter body (3) and two catalytically active coatings (1) and (2) which contain platinum and palladium, or platinum or palladium respectively, wherein the platinum content of the second catalytically active coating (2) is higher than the platinum content of the first catalytically active coating (1).