Abstract: Coaxial disk armatures, counter-rotating through an axial magnetic field, act as electrolysis electrodes and high shear centrifugal impellers for an axial feed. The feed can be carbon dioxide, water, methane, or other substances requiring electrolysis. Carbon dioxide and water can be processed into syngas and ozone continuously, enabling carbon and oxygen recycling at power plants. Within the space between the counter-rotating disk electrodes, a shear layer comprising a fractal tree network of radial vortices provides sink flow conduits for light fractions, such as syngas, radially inward while the heavy fractions, such as ozone and elemental carbon flow radially outward in boundary layers against the disks and beyond the disk periphery, where they are recovered as valuable products, such as carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing metal-containing (e.g., non-oxide, oxide, or elemental) nano-objects, which may be nanoparticles or nanowires, the method comprising contacting an aqueous solution comprising a metal salt and water with an electrically powered electrode to form said metal-containing nano-objects dislodged from the electrode, wherein said electrode possesses a nanotextured surface that functions to confine the particle growth process to form said metal-containing nano-objects. The invention is also directed to the resulting metal-containing compositions as well as devices in which they are incorporated.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing metal-containing particles, the method comprising subjecting an aqueous solution comprising a metal salt, Eh, lowering reducing agent, pH adjusting agent, and water to conditions that maintain the Eh value of the solution within the bounds of an Eh-pH stability field corresponding to the composition of the metal-containing particles to be produced, and producing said metal-containing particles in said aqueous solution at a selected Eh value within the bounds of said Eh-pH stability field. The invention is also directed to the resulting metal-containing particles as well as devices in which they are incorporated.

Abstract: Processes for forming expanded hexagonal layered minerals (HLMs) and derivatives thereof using electrochemical charging are disclosed. The process includes employing HLM rocks (20) as electrodes (100) immersed in an electrolytic slurry (50) that includes an organic solvent, metal ions and expanded HLM (24). The electrolysis introduces organic solvent and ions from the metal salt from the slurry into the interlayer spacings that separate the atomic interlayers of the HLM rock, thereby forming 1st-stage charged HLM that exfoliates from the HLM rock. The process includes expanding the electrochemically 1st-stage charged HLM by applying an expanding force.

Abstract: This invention relates to the desulfurization of a hydrocarbon feedstock by contacting said feedstock with an aqueous metal hydroxide solution, thus resulting in a desulfurized feedstock and an aqueous metal sulfide stream. In the present invention, the aqueous metal sulfide stream is split into at least three fractions and each fraction is passed to a different electrochemical cell, connected in series to regenerate the metal hydroxide required in the desulfurization process and recover sulfur, metal hydroxide, and hydrogen. In a preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the metal hydroxide that is produced in the electrochemical metal hydroxide regeneration process of the present invention is recycled for use in the process for desulfurizing the sulfur-containing hydrocarbon feedstock.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production process of a metal sulfide, which includes placing a metal component and sulfur in a conductive container, and applying a pulsed direct current to the container in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to cause the metal component to react with sulfur, and also provides a metal sulfide obtained by the process and represented by a composition formula: MSx, wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Fe, and Co, and 1<x?2. The present invention is capable of easily producing a metal sulfide with a high proportion of sulfur atoms, which is expected to exhibit excellent properties as a positive-electrode active material for a high capacity lithium secondary battery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production process of a metal sulfide, which includes placing a metal component and sulfur in a conductive container, and applying a pulsed direct current to the container in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to cause the metal component to react with sulfur, and also provides a metal sulfide obtained by the process and represented by a composition formula: MSx, wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Fe, and Co, and 1<x?2. The present invention is capable of easily producing a metal sulfide with a high proportion of sulfur atoms, which is expected to exhibit excellent properties as a positive-electrode active material for a high capacity lithium secondary battery.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of materials comprises the steps of: a) taking a first material comprising a compound of a first metal or of a first metal alloy, b) inserting said first material into an electrochemical cell as a first electrode, the electrochemical cell including a second electrode including a second metal different from a metal incorporated in the first material and an electrolyte adapted to transport the second metal to the first electrode and insert it into the first material by a current flowing in an external circuit resulting in the formation of a compound of the second metal in the first electrode material, the method being characterized by the step of treating the first electrode material after formation of the compound of the second metal to chemically remove at least some of the compound of the second metal to leave a material with a nanoporous structure.

Abstract: Coaxial disk armatures, counter-rotating through an axial magnetic field, act as electrolysis electrodes and high shear centrifugal impellers for an axial feed. The feed can be carbon dioxide, water, methane, or other substances requiring electrolysis. Carbon dioxide and water can be processed into syngas and ozone continuously, enabling carbon and oxygen recycling at power plants. Within the space between the counter-rotating disk electrodes, a shear layer comprising a fractal tree network of radial vortices provides sink flow conduits for light fractions, such as syngas, radially inward while the heavy fractions, such as ozone and elemental carbon flow radially outward in boundary layers against the disks and beyond the disk periphery, where they are recovered as valuable products, such as carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing a zinc dithionite solution wherein the process comprises reacting an aqueous slurry of zinc particles with sulfur dioxide in presence of a promoter compound. The zinc particles can either be a commercial particulate zinc material or a particulate zinc material prepared by electrolyzing an aqueous alkaline suspension or slurry containing zinc based species. The addition of the promoter compound significantly increases the conversion of zinc to zinc dithionite and significantly reduces the cycle time of the reaction. The promoter compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and metal compounds. The promoter metal compounds are selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide, zinc oxide, zinc sulfite, zinc bisulfite, zinc metabisulfite, an alkali metal zincate, an alkali metal sulfite, an alkali metal bisulfite, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: In a process for producing kraft pulp, the process is made closed, the yield of pulp is improved and environmental problems are minimized. An alkaline solution containing Na2S which flows in a process of producing kraft pulp, is electrolyzed by an electrolytic oxidation method; a liquid which is formed at an anode side and contains a polysulfide type sulfur in an amount of 6 g/l or more, is added, as it is or after being causticized, to the process before a chip has the maximum temperature, and a NaOH solution formed at a cathode side, is added to at least one step of the process after the chip has the maximum temperature till a final bleaching stage; and at least chemicals in the step wherein NaOH is added, among chemicals discharged in all steps from a cooking step till the final bleaching stage, are recovered and reused.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to obtain a cooking liquor containing polysulfide-sulfur at a high concentration by minimizing by-production of thiosulfate ions. The present invention is a method for producing polysulfides, which comprises introducing a solution containing sulfide ions into an anode compartment of an electrolytic cell comprising the anode compartment provided with a porous anode, a cathode compartment provided with a cathode, and a diaphragm partitioning the anode compartment and the cathode compartment, for electrolytic oxidation to obtain polysulfide ions, characterized in that the porous anode is disposed so that a space is provided at least partly between the porous anode and the diaphragm, and the apparent volume of the porous anode is from 60% to 99% based on the volume of the anode compartment.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for the electrolytic production of metal containing solutions and in particular a high concentration low impurity low alpha lead methane sulfonate solution using a specially designed electrolytic membrane cell. The process electrolytically dissolves low alpha lead in the anode compartment of the electrolytic cell using an anion exchange membrane that separates the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. The specially designed electrolytic cell can also be used to electrolytically dissolve other metals such as tin, copper, etc. in a suitable electrolyte and membrane. The cell utilizes a two-part membrane holder having a female member and a male member, one of which is attached to the cell walls and base with a water tight seal. The membrane holder effectively minimizes contamination between the anode and cathode compartments and allows the use of inexpensive materials such as stainless steel for the cathode.

Abstract: An electrochemical process is provided for treatment of molten kraft smelt produced from black liquor in a kraft recovery boiler. Treated smelt can be contacted with water to produce white liquor which can be re-used or recycled in the kraft process.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to produce a cooking liquor containing polysulfide sulfur at a high concentration from white liquor in a pulp production process with a high selectivity at a low electric power with very little production of thiosulfate ions as by-product. The present invention provides a method for producing polysulfides, which comprises introducing a solution containing sulfide ions into an anode compartment of an electrolytic cell comprising the anode compartment provided with a porous anode, a cathode compartment provided with a cathode and a diaphragm partitioning the anode compartment and the cathode compartment, for electrolytic oxidation to obtain polysulfide ions, wherein at least the surface of said anode is made of nickel, and the porous anode has a physically continuous three-dimensional network structure.

Abstract: Process and equipment for manufacturing salts of metals, particularly nickel hypophosphite, are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing pulp comprising a step of forming green liquor containing alkali metal sulfide and alkali metal carbonate. The method further comprises a step of electrochemically treating the green liquor to oxidize at least part of the sulfide therein.

Abstract: The ammonium polysulfide is produced in at least one electrochemical cell, to which an aqueous ammonium sulfide solution is supplied as electrolyte. The cell comprises an anode, a gas diffusion cathode, and between the anode and the cathode an electrolyte chamber, where the cell voltage is 0.01 to 5V. The cathode has an electrically conductive, gas-permeable carbon layer, over which flows gas containing free oxygen, and which is in contact with the electrolyte. O.sub.2 -containing gas is introduced into the electrolyte chamber, thereby forming hydroperoxide anions (OOH.sup.-) in the electrolyte chamber. From the electrolyte chamber a solution containing ammonium polysulfide and a residual gas are withdrawn.

Abstract: Sulphide-containing white liquor is treated in a continuously operating electrolytic cell having separate anode and cathode compartments separated by a partially permeable barrier. White liquor is introduced into the anode compartment of the cell, and an aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide is introduced into the cathode compartment of the cell so that sulphide is oxidized in the anode compartment, while at the same time alkali metal cations are transported through the barrier into the cathode compartment, where water reacts to form hydroxide ions. An electrolytic cell suited for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The method of removing sulfurous compounds (organic and inorganic) from any fluid (gas or liquid) phase by contacting said fluid (gas or liquid) with the reactive metal to form a metal sulfide recovering said fluid (gas or liquid) free from said sulfurous compound and containing compounds free from sulfur and recovering electrochemically said reactive metal from said sulfur to return said metal to elemental form to release elemental sulfur, said separating being done at temperatures above melting point of sulfur.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrolytic desilvering method for photographic effluents.This method is carried out in an electrolytic cell comprising at least one anodic compartment and at least one cathodic compartment. The photographic effluent is treated in the cathodic compartment of the cell in order to reduce the silver ions in solution. The electrolyte is then recycled in the anodic compartment before being discharged to the sewer.This recycling in the anodic compartment allows to discharge to the sewer an effluent having a silver content less than 20 ppm.

Abstract: Effluent streams from photographic processes contain both silver and thiosulphate ions, and because of the formation of complex anions it is difficult to remove the silver. The silver may be removed using a cell (12) with a cathode (24) exposed to the effluent liquid, and an anode (25) separated from the liquid by a barrier (22) permeable at least to anions. Some silver sulphide is formed electrochemically at the cathode (24); at the anode (25) water is electrolysed and becomes acidic, so the complex anions migrating through the barrier (22) generate silver sulphide chemically. The resulting silver sulphide precipitate is separated from the liquid by a filter (14).