Abstract: Improved small dendrite arm spacings and good technical values, regarding the technical properties of aluminum alloys, particularly tensile strength, yield strength and elongation percent, can be reliably obtained by refining the grain of the casting to provide the smallest possible spacings between the secondary dendrite arms, by casting the aluminum alloys in a ceramic mold provided with numerous micro-sized rough spots and pores and to the inner wall of which mold after it is dried and fired has been applied a thin layer of a salt mixture in which the cations are primarily from the alkalis and/or alkaline earths and the anions are primarily from halogens and which applied salt mixture has a liquidus temperature lower than the casting temperature of the alloy.

Abstract: For separation of hydrogen and its isotopes by diffusion through a membrane irtually impermeable to other gases, a non-porous hydrogen-permeable metallic membrane is provided on the gas access side with a coating of an alloy of palladium with at least 45 atomic % Cu or at least 50 atomic percent Ag or at least 7 atomic % Y, the membrane itself containing Cu, Ag or Y respectively in a concentration at least equilibrated with the coating at operation temperature. Preferably the membrane consists of a metal of niobium and/or tantalum bases especially of an alloy containing from 10 to 30 % Ti, 3 to 10 % V, 0 to 25 % Nb and at least 30 % Ta, all by weight, and preferably it is of a composition of 20 to 25 % Ti, 5 to 7,5 % V, 0 to 25 Nb, and at least 50 % Ta, being saturated with copper and or silver, while a copper and/or silver palladium alloy coating is used.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing hydrogen and oxygen or oxides wherein electrolysis of an aqueous system is carried out using, in the cathode compartment of the electrolysis cell, a hydride-forming liquid metal, the resulting hydride being thermally decomposed to produce the hydrogen.

Abstract: A method of producing hydrogen and oxygen or oxides wherein electrolysis of n aqueous system is carried out using, in the cathode compartment of the electrolysis cell, a hydride-forming liquid metal, the resulting hydride being thermally decomposed to produce the hydrogen.

Abstract: The invention comprises a recirculatory process for producing hydrocarbons and oxygen in which sulphur dioxide is reacted with iodine and water to form a hydrogen polyiode or a hydrate thereof and sulphuric acid, the sulphuric acid is separated and thermally decomposed to form water sulphur dioxide and oxygen, the polyiodide or its hydrate is decomposed to form iodine and gaseous hydrogen iodide which is concurrently or separately reacted with a carbon oxide or mixture of carbon oxides to form hydrocarbons especially methane and water, the hydrocarbons and water being removed from the system and the remaining reaction products recirculated.

Abstract: The invention comprises a recirculatory process for producing methane and oxygen in which iodine and an oxide in a lower valency stage are reacted with methanol, dimethylether or a mixture thereof at an elevated temperature to form the corresponding oxide having a higher valency stage and methyl iodide, the methyl iodide is reacted with water to form hydrogen iodide and reform the methanol and/or dimethylether, the hydrogen iodide is reacted with carbon dioxide to form methane and water and the oxide in the higher valency state is decomposed to release oxygen and reform the oxide having a lower valency stage, the methane and released oxygen are removed and the remaining components are recirculated.

Abstract: In a process for the electrolytic production of sulfuric acid by oxidation of sulfur dioxide in the presence of water in an anode compartment of an electrolysis cell and of hydrogen in the cathode compartment of the cell, the cathode compartment containing aqueous sulfuric acid as catholyte and being separated from the anode compartment by a hydrogen-ion transfer permitting membrane, the improvement which comprises introducing sulfur dioxide, water and hydrogen iodide or iodine, removing a mixture of aqueous sulfuric acid and hydrogen iodide from the anode compartment, separating the sulfuric acid from the mixture, and removing from the cathode compartment the hydrogen set free therein. The process gives a substantially lower overvoltage than prior art processes.