Abstract: Process for recycling an unsorted mixture of spent button cells and recovering their metallic components, comprising an anodic dissolution of the button cells, wherein metals constituting these cells are dissolved and redeposited at one or more cathodes, wherein metallic oxides are deposited in the anodic chamber and waste products (plastic, paper, etc.) accumulate in an anodic basket. Oxides are reduced to metals by thermal decomposition, mercury is recovered by distillation and the other metals are recovered by electrolytic separation.

Abstract: A process is provided for the electrochemical generation of N.sub.2 O.sub.5 in HNO.sub.3, whereby a solution of N.sub.2 O.sub.4 in HNO.sub.3 is electrolyzed. An electrolytic cell for the electrolysis is also provided, having substantially parallel electrodes in electrode compartments separated by a cell membrane. The anode is of Pt, Nb, Nb/Ta 40:60 alloy with a Pt coating. The cathode is Pt, stainless steel, Nb, Nb/Ta 40:60 alloy. The cell membrane is preferably a perfluorinated cationic exchange membrane. In use N.sub.2 O.sub.5 forms in the anolyte and N.sub.2 O.sub.4 increases in the catholyte. A suitable design of cell and its use in a single- or multi-stage electrolysis process is also described.

Abstract: An electrocoating machine for easy-open can ends has an electrocoating wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis and partially submersed in a bath of electrocoating solution. The electrocoating wheel carries ends into and through the bath. A transfer turret and elevator convey coated ends from the electrocoating wheel to a rinse wheel. The rinse wheel surrounds the electrocoating wheel and is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. The rinse wheel is disposed in a tub which contains a plurality of nozzles for spraying rinse solution on the ends carried by the rinse wheel.

Abstract: An electrolytic silver recovery system for recovering silver from photographic fixing solutions, by means of an electrolytic cell (28) having an anode (52) and a cathode (53), and circulation pumps (29a, 29b) for removing solution from the cell and returning it to the cell, which device comprises a hydrocyclone (56) located in the liquid path (55) from the cell to the suction side of the pumps and connected at its outlet directly to the suction side of the pumps. The suction pressure of the circulating pump maintains a low pressure differential of less than about 0.6 bar between the inlet and outlet of the hydrocyclone which establishes the liquid flow through the hydrocyclone.

Abstract: A process based on molten salt electrolysis for producing pure rare earth metals is disclosed. This process is the direct electrolytic deposition of a rare earth metal such as neodymium, from a molten salt cell containing a mixture of electrolytes and a salt of neodymium, onto a liquid magnesium cathode forming an intermediate alloy. The intermediate alloy is distilled to isolate the neodymium metal. Also disclosed is a process for producing a pure neodymium/iron alloy wherein pure iron is added to the intermediate neodymium/magnesium alloy during the distillation step.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing liquid from liquid bearing material are provided, the apparatus comprising a pair of electrodes having portions thereof disposed adjacent each other and defining an inlet to the adjacent portions and an outlet from the adjacent portions, structure for feeding the liquid bearing material into the inlet, structure for moving the liquid bearing material from the inlet to the outlet so that sections of the material serially move from the inlet to the outlet while being disposed between the adjacent portions, and a unit for creating a voltage arrangement between the pair of electrodes so as to create an electrostatic field arrangement between the adjacent portions of the pair of electrodes for acting through the material that is disposed therebetween to remove liquid from that material, the unit providing different voltages between different parts of the pair of electrodes so that different intensities of the electrostatic field arrangement serially act through each section of

Abstract: A first electrode arrangement and a transport element are movable relative to a support. A working space is disposed between the movable elements for advancing moist material along a processing path. As the moist material advances, electrical current is passed through the material between the first electrode arrangement and a second electrode arrangement adjacent the transport element. An acoustic transducer arrangement disposed adjacent the working space simultaneously subjects the moist material to an acoustic field as the material moves along the processing path. The acoustic field is generated by an array of acoustic transducers spaced along part of the processing path.

Abstract: Iron nitrosyl carbonyl is prepared by electrochemically reducing either an iron nitrosyl halide or a mixture of iron chloride and a source of NO in the presence of CO. Constant current or constant potential is used to effect the reduction.

Abstract: A process for treating an alkali metal hydrosulfite solution containing thiosulfate ions as an impurity which comprises reducing cathodically the alkali metal hydrosulfite solution to convert thiosulfate ions to sulfide ions, the alkali metal hydrosulfite solution having a residual alkalinity of from about 0.1 to about 20 grams per liter of hydroxide ion.

Abstract: A vertically oriented gel electrophoresis apparatus having a support structure for supporting in a generally vertical plane a gel plate assembly, including a pair of upright side members, a support plate lying in a vertical plane and extending between the side members, a lower buffer tank for supporting the gel plate assembly between the side members, and an upper buffer tray having a sealing gasket on one side thereof which is engageable with the gel plate assembly adjacent the upper edge thereof upon movement of the upper tray into engagement with the gel plate assembly, to seal against leakage of buffered solution disposed in the upper tray. The upper tray is moved into sealing engagement with the gel plate assembly and away therefrom by a cam disposed in cam slots in the sides of the upper tray and operated by a handle disposed externally of the side members and connected to the cam by a shaft passing through the side members.

Abstract: A junction reactor that aligns a pair of capillaries substantially collinearly, end-to-end that allows a small gap to be produced between these two ends. An applied voltage difference between the other ends of these two capillaries produces in the gap electric field lines that extend across the gap. Empirical evidence shows that the gap introduces only a small reduction in resolution of an electrophoretic or electrochromatographic separation. The gap enables sample liquid to be coupled between capillaries of different internal diameters and enables on-capillary reactions such as attaching a fluorescent tag to a sample components.

Abstract: A pulsed field electrophoresis method and apparatus for the separation of molecules wherein a fixed polarity potential difference between an anode and a cathode, disposed at respective opposed edges of the gel, produces a fixed polarity electric field in the plane of the gel; and simultaneously, a second set of electrodes, disposed on each side of the gel, and between which an alternating polarity potential difference is applied, produce an alternating polarity electric field orthogonal to the plane of gel. The combination of the fixed polarity and alternating electric polarity fields give unprecedented resolution in the separation of molecules across a wide range of molecular sizes.

Abstract: A process for electrolytically producing an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide in an electrolytic cell having an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, and at least one ion exchange compartment between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment, the process comprising feeding an aqueous solution of an alkali metal chlorite to the ion exchange compartment, electrolyzing an anolyte in the anode compartment to generate hydrogen ions, passing the hydrogen ions from the anode compartment through a cation exchange membrane into the ion exchange compartment to displace alkali metal ions and produce an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, and passing alkali metal ions from the ion exchange compartment into the cathode compartment.

Abstract: Caustic dezincing galvanized steel scrap. A dezincing plant includes a plurality of tanks interconnected in series with steel scrap sequentially being moved through each of the tanks. The tanks contain a caustic leaching solution including an oxidant with the leaching solution being circulated through each of the tanks in a direction opposite to the movement of the scrap. Fresh scrap initially is exposed to a partially depleted leaching solution with the oxidant concentration of the leaching solution increasing as the scrap moves through the series of tanks. Leaching solution depleted of its oxidant is transferred to an electrolytic cell where zinc is removed and plated as metallic zinc powder onto a cathode. The leaching solution is recycled by removing zinc. The chemistry of the leaching solution is controlled so that sufficient free caustic is present to prevent passivating zinc coating on the scrap.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering the components of spent lead acid batteries of the type comprising an active mass desulphurization stage in which sodium sulphate is formed, characterized in that the sodium sulphate solution thus formed is fed to an electrolysis stage in which a soda solution is produced at the cathode and a sulphuric acid solution is produced at the anode. The soda solution produced at the cathode is recycled to the active mass desulphurization stage, and the sulphuric acid solution produced at the anode is recovered for reuse as battery electrolyte in the production of new lead acid batteries.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method of operating a sodium chlorate crystal production system where a brine stream is electrolyzed to form sodium chlorate, the sodium chlorate is crystallized in a crystallizer, and the mother liquor from a crystallizer is recycled to the brine stream. The improvement comprises passing the mother liquor through a cationic chelating ion exchange column before it is returned to the brine stream, and operating the ion exchange column so that it removes, on the average, only the amount of calcium that enters the system in the brine stream.

Abstract: The alkali metal chlorates (or perchlorates) are produced by electrolyzing the anolyte contained in the anode compartment of an electrolytic cell compartmentalized by means of a selectively permeable cationic membrane into said anode compartment and a cathode compartment, said anolyte having a pH ranging from about 6.2 to about 6.6 and comprising an aqueous solution of from about 100 g/l to about 200 g/l of the corresponding alkali metal chloride (or chlorate) and such amount of the desired alkali metal chlorate (or perchlorate) that the final product chlorate (or perchlorate) may be directly crystallized from the electrolyzed anolyte, and said cathode compartment containing a catholyte comprising an aqueous solution of the corresponding alkali metal hydroxide and wherein hydrogen gas is evolved.

Abstract: A process for extracting and purifying the gallium contained in an industrial solution of sodium aluminate by fixing the gallium on a stationary phase constituted by porous polystyrene adsorbent resin which is impregnated with an extracting agent, optionally in the presence of a surface-active agent. After elution of the gallium in acid medium, the resultant gallium salt is purified and concentrated so as to be reduced directly to the state of high purity metallic gallium, by electrolysis.

Abstract: An electroelutor provides electroelution and concentration of small amounts of proteins from sample gels. The electroelutor elutes desired molecules from gels in a sample holder directly onto a membrane of a centrifuge concentrator or a sequencing membrane. After electroelution, the eluted molecules can be concentrated or processed in a sequencing device with minimized sample handling and minimized disturbance abouFUNDINGWork described herein relating to the present invention has been funded under contract no. DK35 306 awarded by the National Institutes of Health.

Abstract: An electron beam is directed into a first region containing gaseous molecules which capture electrons from the beam and then dissociate to produce negative ions. The ions are accelerated to the desired energy electrostatically and drawn to a second region where they are exposed to an intra-cavity laser beam which traverses their path. The laser is chosen to have a wevelength which will cause photodetachment of electrons to form neutral atoms. Simultaneously with the above, the electron beam and ions are collimated with a magnetic field. The neutral atoms are separated from any remaining ions or electrons by a repelling electrical potential provided by a repeller plate or the like.