Abstract: The present invention provides a reepithelialization/wound healing implant device comprising a barrier layer and one or more polymer layers doped with agents that promote one or more processes in reepithelialization/wound healing. The implant: [a] provides a temporary mechanical/chemical barrier to species within the external environment that inhibit epithelial migration (e.g., unbalanced production/expression of granulation tissue, inhibitory proteins); [b] biodegrades at an appropriate rate while tissue remodeling is occurring; and [c] delivers active cytokines and growth factors in a choreographed pattern to promote reepithelialization.

Abstract: A process for selectively extracting metal values, including, uranium, thorium, scandium and zirconium, from starting materials which include the metal values. The process is particularly well suited to extracting metal and recovering metal values from tantalum/niobium production process ore residues.

Abstract: The processes of the present invention include mineral acid leaching of a metal containing material, such as an ore residue, containing fluoridated metal values in the presence of a complexing agent which will complex fluoride ions. The processes of the present invention provide for the separation of valuable metal, fluoride and radionuclide values from a feed material of high mineral content wherein the metals and radionuclides are present as substantially water insoluble fluorides or are trapped within a metal fluorine matrix which is substantially insoluble in typical chemical reactant systems.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reepithelialization/wound healing implant device comprising a barrier layer and one or more polymer layers doped with agents that promote one or more processes in reepithelialization/wound healing. The implant: [a]provides a temporary mechanical/chemical barrier to species within the external environment that inhibit epithelial migration (e.g., unbalanced production/expression of granulation tissue, inhibitory proteins); [b] biodegrades at an appropriate rate while tissue remodeling is occurring; and [c] delivers active cytokines and growth factors in a choreographed pattern to promote reepithelialization.

Abstract: A process for recovering metal values from a metal containing material including the metal values comprising digesting the metal containing material in a sulfuric acid solution comprising sulfuric acid, a reducing agent, and a carbon source, heating the digestion mixture and separating the resulting solution from the remaining solids. The sulfuric acid solution may additionally include hydrofluoric acid (HF) as a source of fluoride ion.

Abstract: Methods to control hydrogen sulfide and/or arsine emissions are described. The method involves adding at least one copper compound (such as a copper(II) compound) to the material, such as material containing sulfur in a sufficient amount to control said emissions. The material that is treated with the copper compound(s) is preferably an ore, such as a valve metal containing ore.

Abstract: A new method to rapidly produce and screen polymer-, xerogel-, bioceramic- and bioglass-based formulations is described. The approach is based on a high-speed pin printer and imaging with an epi-fluorescence microscope/charge coupled device detector. By using this method one can produce and screen over 600 formulations/hr and rapidly identify lead formulations and/or compositions that are useful for the development of devices such as medical devices and (bio)sensors.

Abstract: The processes of the present invention include mineral acid leaching of a metal containing material, such as an ore residue, containing fluoridated metal values in the presence of a complexing agent which will complex fluoride ions. The processes of the present invention provide for the separation of valuable metal, fluoride and radionuclide values from a feed material of high mineral content wherein the metals and radionuclides are present as substantially water insoluble fluorides or are trapped within a metal fluorine matrix which is substantially insoluble in typical chemical reactant systems.

Abstract: Methods to control hydrogen sulfide and/or arsine emissions are described. The method involves adding at least one copper compound (such as a copper(II) compound) to the material, such as material containing sulfur in a sufficient amount to control said emissions. The material that is treated with the copper compound(s) is preferably an ore, such as a valve metal containing ore.

Abstract: Barium titanate-based particles having a coating comprising an oxide, hydrous oxide, hydroxide or organic acid salt of a metal other than barium or titanium, wherein at least 90 percent of said particles have a particle size less than 0.9 micrometer when said particles are dispersed by high shear mixing, useful in the fabrication of thin, fine-grained dielectric layers for multilayer ceramic capacitors with high breakdown voltage.

Abstract: Barium titanate-based particles having a coating comprising an oxide, hydrous oxide, hydroxide or organic acid salt of a metal other than barium or titanium, wherein at least 90 percent of said particles have a particle size less than 0.9 micrometer when said particles are dispersed by high shear mixing, useful in the fabrication of thin, fine-grained dielectric layers for multilayer ceramic capacitors with high breakdown voltage.

Abstract: Barium titanate-based particles having a coating comprising an oxide, hydrous oxide, hydroxide or organic acid salt of a metal other than barium or titanium, wherein at least 90 percent of said particles have a particle size less than 0.9 micrometer when said particles are dispersed by high shear mixing, useful in the fabrication of thin, fine-grained dielectric layers for multilayer ceramic capacitors with high breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A process for recovering metal and acid values from a source material containing metallic fluorides comprises digesting the source material in sulfuric acid to form a slurry, separating a fluoride containing solid phase and a metal containing first liquid phase. The solid phase is subjected to pyrohydrolysis, sulfuric and hydrofluoric acids are recovered, and the first liquid phase is processed to recover the metal values by solvent extraction or ion exchanges. The tantalum values are extracted from the first liquid aqueous phase by a water immiscible organic extractant such as methylisobutyl ketone to form a first liquid organic phase containing tantalum and a second liquid aqueous phase. The tantalum is stripped from the first organic phase using water. The process includes the additional steps of heating the separated solid phase from about ambient temperature to an elevated temperature in the presence of water vapor to evolve sulfuric acid and render the gangue chemically inert.

Abstract: A process for controlling the oxygen content in tantalum material comprising heating the material under a hydrogen-containing atmosphere in the presence of a getter composite comprising a getter metal encapsulated in tantalum.

Abstract: A process for controlling the oxygen content in tantalum material comprising heating the material under a hydrogen-containing atmosphere in the presence of a getter composite comprising a getter metal encapsulated in tantalum.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the reduction of oxygen content in tantalum and/or columbium-containing material comprising heating the material under a hydrogen atmosphere in the presence of an oxygen-active metal.

Abstract: Passified Zinc Soluble Metal-Based Metal particles having a controlled particle size distribution suitable for metallurgy usage without additional particle size reduction and process for making the same. Such metal particles are substantially free of halides, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon and are produced at temperatures considerably below that of arc melting temperatures of Zinc Soluble Metal-Based Metals and alloys based thereon.

Abstract: A process is provided for recovering valuable metals from geothermal brine comprising introducing donor metallic particles into a geothermal zone which is dominated with hot-pressurized geothermal brine which contains a metal value selected from the group consisting of gold value, silver value, copper value, lead value, tin value and mixtures thereof. The donor metallic particle contains a donor metal selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, aluminum and mixtures thereof. The process further comprises forming a deposit on the donor metallic particles by replacing at least a part of the donor particle with the metal values, producing a stream of the hot-pressurized geothermal brine containing the donor metallic particles which, in turn, contain the deposit of metal values, and separating the donor metallic particles from the thusly produced stream of hot-pressurized geothermal brine.

Abstract: Passified Group IVb transition metal-based metal particles having a controlled particle size distribution suitable for metallurgy usage without additional particle size reduction and process for making the same. Such metal particles are substantially free of halides, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon and are produced at temperatures considerably below that of arc melting temperatures of Group IVb transition metals and alloys based thereon.

Abstract: A process to produce passified Group IVb transition metal based metal particles having a controlled particle size distribution is disclosed which produces particles suitable for metallurgy usage without additional particle size reduction. Such particles are also substantially free of halides and are produced at temperatures considerably below that of arc melting temperatures of Group IVb transition metals and alloys based thereon.