Abstract: A method for dissociating metal-ligand complexes in a supercritical fluid by treating the metal-ligand complex with heat and/or reducing or oxidizing agents is described. Once the metal-ligand complex is dissociated, the resulting metal and/or metal oxide form fine particles of substantially uniform size. In preferred embodiments, the solvent is supercritical carbon dioxide and the ligand is a .beta.-diketone such as hexafluoroacetylacetone or dibutyldiacetate. In other preferred embodiments, the metals in the metal-ligand complex are copper, silver, gold, tungsten, titanium, tantalum, tin, or mixtures thereof. In preferred embodiments, the reducing agent is hydrogen. The method provides an efficient process for dissociating metal-ligand complexes and produces easily-collected metal particles free from hydrocarbon solvent impurities. The ligand and the supercritical fluid can be regenerated to provide an economic, efficient process.

Abstract: A process for conversion of iron oxide to iron carbide, including the steps of: providing a fluidized bed reactor having a metallizing zone and a carburizing zone; feeding iron oxide to the reactor; feeding a reducing gas to the reactor so as to provide reduced iron in the metallizing zone; and feeding a carburizing gas to the carburizing zone so as to provide a final iron carbide product in the carburizing zone having between about 2.2% wt. and about 6.5 wt. % carbon and at least about 80% wt. iron.

Abstract: Novel utilizations of strontium aluminate, a by-product of the manufacture of strontium, are disclosed in connection with the art of steelmaking. It is useful as a synthetic slag covering for molten iron or steel, as well as in the foaming slag practice, as a backfilling material for spaces between the safety lining and the working lining of a ladle, as a major component for a blend from which are made pellets or briquettes useful as a slag conditioner, as an additive to calcium aluminate which has the effect of substantially lowering the melting point of calcium aluminate, as a tracer material to determine the source of impurities, and as a binder to recycle metal-containing dust.

Abstract: In a process for working up combustion residues and slags from waste incineration plants or steel works slags, the slag is charged at a slag layer height of above 1.2 m into a converter (1), in which the molten slag is reacted with a metal bath (4) through which oxygen is blown. The oxygen is introduced into the bath (4) for cooling the submerged tuyeres (7, 8) in the form of air or along with CO.sub.2 or water vapor.

Abstract: A high capacity long cycle life positive electrode which includes an electronically conductive substrate for conducting electricity through the electrode and an electrochemically active nickel hydroxide material in electrical contact with the electronically conductive substrate, the electrochemically active nickel hydroxide material is composed of at least two different solid solution nickel hydroxide materials each having differing compositions. The positioning of the at least two different solid solution nickel hydroxide materials and their relative compositions alter the local redox potential or porosity to force discharge of the electrode in a stepwise fashion from the nickel hydroxide material remote from said conductive network or substrate, through any intermediate nickel hydroxide materials, to the nickel hydroxide material adjacent the conductive network or substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a secondary battery, which comprises a cylindrically wound laminate consisting of a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate and a separator plate interposed therebetween, the negative electrode plate including an electrolytically active substance, a perforated support plate for supporting the electrolytically active substance and serving as an electron collector, the electrolytically active substance being applied to both side surfaces of the support plate, a protective can for enclosing the cylindrically wound laminate, and an electrolyte, wherein the perforation density of the perforated support plate is made greater in the outer portions more than in the central portion, so that the binding forces between the support plate and the electrolytically active substance become substantially uniform throughout the support plate and the conductivity of the support plate is considerably increased.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable battery with a nonaqueous electrolyte is provided wherein the active material layer has a sufficient flexibility, the adhesion between the active material coating and the metal foil collector is good, none of peeling, falling, cracking and other unfavorable phenomena occur in the active material coating in the step of assembling a battery and excellent discharge characteristics can be developed. The electrode for a rechargeable battery with a nonaqueous electrolyte comprises a metal foil collector and, formed on at least a part of the metal foil collector, an active material layer comprising an active material and a cured reaction-curing binder as essential components.

Abstract: An aqueous liquid chromate free primary composition for forming a protective coating on metals, particularly aluminum, is made by reacting cobalt(II) cations, carboxylate anions, at least one other type of coordinate complexing agent for cobalt(III) cations, and an oxidizing agent in an aqueous solution in which the molar ratio of carboxylate anions to cobalt(II) cations is from 0.10 to 6.8 and the aqueous solution contains no more than 1% of each of ammonia, ammonium ions, and nitrite ions. The primary layer formed by this or any other composition that forms a coating containing metal atoms and oxygen atoms on a metal substrate is advantageously sealed by further treatment with an aqueous solution of sodium ammonium decavanadate, optionally after an intermediate step of immersing in water for a few minutes between the primary treatment and the sealing treatment.

Abstract: Ultralow friction properties available through the annealation and subsequent cooling of various boron-containing substrates, articles and/or components.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is produced by coating a body having (a) a non-magnetic substrate, (b) at least one magnetic substance layer formed on the non-magnetic substrate and (c) at least one protective layer formed on the magnetic substance layer which contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of inorganic oxides, graphite and amorphous allotropes of carbon, with a solid surface modifier containing (i) an ammonium carboxylate type fluorine-containing compound having the formula,(R.sub.f --COO.sup.- H.sup.+).sub.n --R,wherein R.sub.

Abstract: A long-life sealed rechargeable battery employing a plastic battery container in use for electric vehicles and the like, wherein at least one tube having the bottom is formed under the cover, the closed end of the tube is either brought as close as possible to the upper edge of the electrode group or put into direct contact with a lead tab of the positive or negative electrode, and a temperature sensor is inserted and fixed inside the tube in such a way that the temperature sensing part comes into direct contact with the inner surface of the closed end of the tube, thereby capable of measuring from the outside temperature variation in the cell so as to control charge and discharge.

Abstract: A portable fuel element made from stacked sheets of cardboard impregnated and held together with paraffin wax. In a preferred embodiment, each portable fuel element contains at least one match that is protected from moisture by the paraffin wax and cardboard. The embodiment is made from a stack of five sheets of paraffin wax impregnated recycled cardboard. The stack, which is about 3/4 inch high, is perforated into 21/2 inch squares. Rectangular blocks that measure 3/4 inch high, 21/2 inches wide, and 5 inches long are broken out along the perforations, leaving a perforation in the middle of each block which separates each rectangular block into two 21/2 inch square, 3/4 inch thick blocks attached at the perforation. A wick is placed into each half of each block and two matches are inserted inside the rectangular block along the line formed by the perforation. The rectangular block is then dipped into paraffin wax to get a wax coating.

Abstract: Aggregate pieces of instantized dry milk powder, which are uniformly distributed among cereal pieces in multi-serving packages of ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, tend to maintain their distribution by virtue of a size which is made comparable to that of the cereal pieces. The comparable sizes act to resist any sifting and settling separation and tend to provide a substantially uniform proportion of cereal and liquid milk in each serving, when water is added. An instantized dried milk powder, which is made potentially cohesive due to the inclusion of uncrystallized lactose or the addition of anhydrous sucrose, is then made into larger aggregate forms by substantially immediate compression after a small amount of moisture has been acquired by brief exposure in a humid atmosphere. These special aggregates, which are durable in the cereal package, quickly disintegrate in a sufficiency of cold water and revert to a readily dissolved and dispersible powder to furnish a liquid form of milk with minimal stirring.

Abstract: A high-temperature battery for the power supply of electrically powered vehicles is disclosed which has a thermally insulating housing and a cooling system with a cooling body which is arranged inside the thermally insulating housing. Air or other fluid coolant flows through the cooling body and is supplied through an insulating wall of the housing solely by means of coolant inlet and air outlet connecting elements arranged on the housing. The cooling body is formed by a parallel arrangement of plate-shaped cooling-body elements through which coolant flows and which are designed as hollow bodies. The bar-shaped battery cells are arranged in the space between the cooling-body elements. The coolant inlet and outlet are arranged at one side of the housing and are connected to inlet and outlet openings of the cooling-body elements so as to provide optimum cross-flow cooling power on the battery cells. Coolant in the form of air or oil can be used according to preferred embodiments.

Abstract: A hydrometallurgical process for treating copper feed materials containing gold and/or silver by simultaneously leaching copper, gold and/or silver into an aqueous cyanide solution, extracting copper, gold and cyanide with anion exchange resin is provided.

Abstract: An aqueous phosphoric bonding solution and coating composition slurry which are environmentally friendly in that they are generally free of molybdate or chromium. Yet the solution is stable with respect to inorganic metal particles, especially aluminum which are admixed to the bonding solution for the preparation of the coating slurry. The metal coated parts and the method of coating the parts with the coating composition are also described. The parts have very satisfactory properties.

Abstract: A coin-shaped lithium battery is disclosed. The coin-shaped lithium battery comprises a battery can containing therein an anode pellet composed of lithium or lithium alloy and a cathode pellet which are arranged to face each other with a separator provided between the pellets. At least one of the anode pellet and the cathode pellet has its central part swollen to form a curved surface. The battery can is elastically deformed to be aligned with the curved surface. In the coin-shaped lithium battery, total height of the anode pellet and the cathode pellet in outer rim part is smaller than total height in central part by 4 to 12%.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell and method for producing same. The cell includes a metal anode, a non aqueous liquid cathode solution, an electrolyte dissolved in the non aqueous liquid cathode solution, a porous carbon current collector, a separator disposed between said anode and said porous carbon current collector, and a non-porous current collector disposed adjacent the porous current collector for conducting current from the porous current collector to the cell pole, the non-porous current collector being characterized in that its surface adjacent the porous current collector is made essentially of non-porous carbon.

Abstract: The application of a nontoxic and biodegradable musical lubricant and/or cleaning composition to the moving parts of musical instruments used for reducing the friction between the contact surfaces of valve, slide and key elements of musical instruments. The musical instrument lubricant composition is especially useful for application to the parts of the musical instruments which may come into contact with the human body. The nontoxic musical instrument lubricant composition includes a nontoxic oil base such as vegetable oil, preferably corn oil or olive oil, and a nontoxic solvent such as ethanol, preferably ethyl alcohol, and/or a citrus solvent, such as a terpene compound, preferably limonene. The preferred embodiment also includes a terpene, preferably limonene, to provide a nontoxic flavoring and/or scenting agent to provide good wetting and film forming properties and a pleasant naturally occurring organoleptic fragrance and scent.

Abstract: A Ni/Cd or Ni/hydride storage battery of the button cell type has a positive electrode tablet based on a nickel hydroxide powder having an active mass comprised of spherical particles with a high pycnometric density (d>3.5 g/cm.sup.3). In contrast to conventional nickel hydroxide powders having irregular particles, a better space utilization is achieved during dry pressing due to a narrow particle-size distribution having a maximum in a range of from 5 to 20 .mu.m, and due to the rounded particle surfaces. The specific volumetric capacity of the resulting button cell electrode is consequently approximately 25% higher than that of a conventional positive button cell electrode. A microporous separator having pore sizes smaller than the mean diameter of the spherical particles prevents the danger of short circuits.