Abstract: Ceramic spheres containing crystallites of the popular crystal tourmaline are produced by sintering. Water that has flowed through a vessel containing a large amount of the ceramic spheres has been found to show interface activity, such as emulsification, washing and permeation. This activity endures for a couple of days. An excess of isolated hydroxil ion (H.sub.3 O.sub.2)-occurring in the water likely causes the activity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method using fine tourmaline crystals is provided which is capable of creating an interfacial purifying activity in water. The inventor is the first to discover that tourmaline crystals, when ground preferably to about 3 microns in size, possess permanent polarity unless heated to their Curie point of between 950.degree.-1000.degree. C. for 2-3 hours. The apparatus and method utilize a plurality of free bodies contained in a housing for passing water to be treated therethrough. The free bodies comprises a mixture of these fine tourmaline crystals which together with an electrically insulating material which electrically insulates the fine tourmaline crystals from one another. The free bodies are preferably spherical pellets about 3-5 millimeters in diameter. The water interfacial purifying activity does not only treat water by reducing or removing cholorine and ion components, but it also helps remove contaminants incrusted on the inner surfaces of water conduits and supply lines.

Abstract: Production of air containing minus alkali ion. As shown in FIG. 2, there is shown an electric stone fine powder 20 having the grain size of 0.3 to 3 microns on the average, an electric stone carrier having the electric stone fine powder 20 uniformly mixed therewith, which is in the form of clothes having a volume intrinsic DC electric resistance of 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.10 .OMEGA..cm. This constitutes a vent contact reaction portion 2 as shown in FIG. 3. This portion 2 is located above an air intake 1a at the lower part of a box 1 and extended over the whole internal surface of the box 1. Ventilation means 3 formed from an electric fan causes the electric stone carrier 30 to subject to direct forced ventilation into contact with air, and minus alkali ion is prepared from water molecules which are moisture in air. The air containing the minus alkali ion is delivered from an air port 1b provided at the upper part of the box 1 to an installation spot.

Abstract: A carrier having a suitable degree of electrical conductivity is provided for fine tourmaline powders so as to enable their permanent electrodes to be utilized to the maximum. A tourmaline carrier is made up of fine tourmaline powders having a diameter of about 0.3 to 5 microns, esp., about 0.5 to 3 microns and a carrier material for carrying said fine tourmaline powders, said carrier material having a direct-current electrical resistance value or volume resistivity lying in the range of about 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.8 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, esp., about 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.7 .OMEGA..multidot.cm.

Abstract: A method of electrodepositing removal of ionic material using tourmaline crystal and tourmaline crystal with electrodeposited metal according to the present invention utilize electrodepositing phenomenon whereby to the cathode (negative pole) of tourmaline permanent electrodes, the metallic ion which is anode ion having electric charge of the opposite character thereto is attracted, neutralized, and deposited as a metallic atom to form a metallic coating on the electrode surface.Hereinafter a method of electrodepositing removal of ionic material using tourmaline crystal and the specific structure of tourmaline crystal with electrodeposited metal according to the present invention will be described in detail.

Abstract: A metal catalyst carried on a carrier material is provided, the carrier material being selected from the group consisting of a powder of fine tourmaline crystals possessing polarity and a formed body containing a plurality of fine tourmaline crystals possessing polarity. The catalyst is prepared by immersing the carrier material in an aqueous solution containing at least one metal salt, mixing and stirring the aqueous solution until the at least one metal ion is deposited on poles of the tourmaline crystals of the carrier material, separating the carrier material from the aqueous solution, evaporating off traces of the aqueous solution from the carrier material, and drying the carrier material. The metal catalyst may be prepared by immersing the carrier material in an aqueous solution containing two or more metal ions, wherein the metal ions are deposited on said carrier material in an inverse proportion to the magnitude of the deposition ionization tendencies of the metal ions.