Abstract: A method for recovering titanium and vanadium compounds, such as alkoxides, from a liquid hydrocarbon mixture by hydrolyzing the mixture with a base or acid wash having a sufficiently different density so that two liquid phases form, and separating the two liquid phases.

Abstract: An improved active electrode for use in planar sensors has been discovered, the electrode prepared by a process comprising combining a base component with a metal paste and heating the paste in the presence of air for a time sufficient to oxidize a portion of the electrode to produce the metal/metal oxide electrode. The electrodes may be incorporated into various planar sensor formats, particularly pH and CO.sub.2 sensors.

Abstract: A method for producing titanium dioxide from an iron-containing titanium ore concentrate includes heating the ore concentrate in the presence of a reducing agent to provide a sintered reaction product including a titanium salt of the alkali metal and metallic iron. The titanium salt of the alkali metal is decomposed by addition of water to provide titanium dioxide. For ilmenite (FeTiO.sub.3), preferred alkali metal salts include carbonates, and formates of sodium and potassium. The titanium metal salt so formed is sodium or potassium meta titanate (K.sub.2 TiO.sub.3 or Na.sub.2 TiO.sub.3) depending on the alkali metal used. Suitable reducing agents include hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, or solid carbon. Metallic iron may be magnetically separated from ground reaction product or from a slurry formed by addition of water to the reaction product, the slurry including the titanium dioxide.

Abstract: Alkali-metal bisulfate is employed in a non-polluting and economically-feasible system for producing titanium dioxide pigment from titanium mineral or slag with recycling of alkali-metal bisulfate and ammonia.

Abstract: The specification discloses a process for removing radionuclides from zircon. The process involves thermally decomposing the zircon in the presence of suitable additives, extracting the radionuclides chemically and recovering zirconia and silica. Suitable additives include fluxes, silica and any oxide capable of forming a silicate with silica when heated. Chemical treatments disclosed include leaching with mineral acids and strong organic acids. Methods of stabilizing the radionuclides extracted by leaching are also disclosed. One method involves spray roasting. Another method involves neutralization of leach liquor and recovery of radionuclide solids by filtration or other suitable liquid/solid separation techniques.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high surface area zirconia, having a surface area of above 125 m.sup.2 /g and preferably of above 200 m.sup.2 /g after calcination. The high surface area zirconia product of the invention can be prepared by mixing a zirconium salt solution with an alkali or ammonium compound, the zirconium hydroxide precipitate being aged in the presence of an oxygen acid of an element of group 5 or 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements and subsequently being calcined, optionally after a washing step. The preferred acid is phosphoric acid.

Abstract: Synthetic rutile is prepared from titaniferous slags containing alkaline-earth metal impurities, such as magnesium oxide, by a method comprising contacting the slag with chlorine at a temperature of at least about 800.degree. C., and then leaching the chlorine-treated slag with hydrochloric acid at a temperature of at least about 150.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for beneficiation of titaniferous ores is disclosed in which a titanium and iron-containing ore, such as ilmenite is heated with potassium hydroxide, e.g. at temperatures of about 350.degree.-650.degree. C. and then treating the product with carbon monoxide and water. After cooling and washing the solid product can be separated by magnetic means into an iron-containing magnetic fraction and a titanium-containing fraction.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing titanium oxides which comprises: admixing an aqueous solution of titanium tetrachloride with sulfuric acid in a molar ratio of sulfuric acid to titanium tetrachloride of at least 0.5 adding an alklai to the resultant solution to produce titanium hydroxide; and drying and calcining the titanium hydroxide. A further method is provided which comprises: adding a solution of an alkali to an aqueous solution of titanium tetrachloride having a concentration of not more than 2.5 moles/l at temperatures of not less than 50.degree. C., thereby to substantially thermally hydrolyze the titanium tetrachloride and to produce titanium hydroxide; and drying and calcining the titanium hydroxide.

Abstract: A process for removing inorganic compounds from glycol recovery still bottoms resulting from the manufacture of poly(ethylene terephthalate), the novel process using a small amount of phosphoric acid to precipitate the antimony and then removing the titanium dioxide and antimony compound by a centrifuge. The novel process for removing the inorganic compounds from the recovery polyester bottoms includes the steps of distilling ethylene glycol from the spent glycol until the remaining bottoms have a solids concentration from about 15% to about 45%; adding phosphoric acid to the bottoms to form an antimony compound and removing the antimony and titanium precipitates from the bottoms by a centrifuge.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of improved zirconium oxides comprising A) providing a zirconium oxide which has been produced by thermal decomposition of zircon followed by chemical digestion of the resultant silicate phases, B) reacting the zirconium oxide at high temperature with an alkali metal hydroxide or carbonate so as to form an alkali metal zirconate, C) hydrolyzing the resultant alkali metal zirconate so as to produce a suspension of zirconium oxide hydrate in a concentrated solution of alkali metal hydroxide, D) separating the zirconium oxide hydrate from the concentrated solution and washing the zirconium oxide hydrate which has been isolated, and E) drying the zirconium oxide hydrate at a temperature in the range of from 110.degree. to 570.degree. C.

Abstract: Process for purifying TiO.sub.2 ore consisting essentially of subjecting the ore to two or more leaching treatments, said leaching treatments alternating between use of an aqueous solution of a mineral acid and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal compound selected from the group consisting essentially of alkali metal carbonates, hydroxides or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Synthetic rutile is prepared from titaniferous slags containing alkaline-earth metal impurities, such as magnesium oxide, by a method comprising contacting the slag with chlorine at a temperature of at least about 800.degree. C., and then leaching the chlorine-treated slag with hydrochloric acid at a temperature of at least about 140.degree. C.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing titanium-oxides which comprises: admixing an aqueous solution of titanium tetrachloride with sulfuric acid in amounts of at least 0.5 times is moles as the titanium tetrachloride; adding an alkali to the resultant solution to produce titanium hydroxide; and drying and calcining the titanium hydroxide. A further method is provided which comprises: adding a solution of an alkali to an aqueous solution of titanium tetrachloride having a concentration of not more than 2.5 moles/l at temperatures of not less than 50.degree. C., thereby to substantially thermally hydrolyze the titanium tetrachloride and to produce titanium hydroxide; and drying and calcining the titanium hydroxide.

Abstract: Continuous production of zirconium and/or hafnium metal from a fused salt bath in which one of the salts is zirconium and/or hafnium tetrachloride is carried out by feeding additional, make-up zirconium and/or hafnium tetrachloride powder into a zirconium and/or hafnium dissolution area of the bath maintained at a dissolution temperature below which the tetrachloride will vaporize, by circulating portions of the bath into and through a separate but contiguous area maintained at a temperature at which the tetrachloride will vaporize, and by recovering the vaporized tetrachloride. It is preferred that the vaporization area of the bath be wholly surrounded by and insulated from the dissolution area of the bath.

Abstract: A process using an extractant, that consists on the one hand of an active component being substituted 8-hydroxyquinoline and on the other hand of by-products of the manufacture of said extractant, said process being characterized in that the extractant contains at least 90 wt % of the active component.

Abstract: A synthetic rutile is prepared from a titaniferous slag, typically containing at least about 1.0 weight percent magnesium oxide and at least some portion of its titanium values as Ti.sub.2 O.sub.3, by a method comprising contacting the slag with chlorine gas at a temperature between about 400.degree. C.-800.degree. C., such that the magnesium oxide and chlorine gas react to form magnesium chloride, and then removing the magnesium chloride from the slag, typically by washing the slag with water. In one embodiment, the synthetic rutile can be further upgraded by subjecting it to either a caustic or acid leaching treatment.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a process for opening ores, particularly ores containing tantalum, niobium, zirconium and titanium, of the kind that includes the stages of leaching with mineral acids, solvent extraction, purification and separation of the products obtained, characterized by the fact that initially, instead of leaching with sulfuric acid and hydrofluoric acid being performed as a first stage, the original ore concentrate is melted together with fluorite (CaF.sub.2), followed by milling of the melting product obtained and subsequently leaching with concentrated sulfuric acid, followed by extraction of the soluble species using solvents, separation and purification of the products obtained.

Abstract: The process and the device according to the invention relate to the introduction, at a stable, known flow rate, of sublimable tetrachloride into a column for continuous extractive distillation under pressure of the chlorides. The sublimable tetrachloride is dissolved in a hot dissolver in a liquid solvent such as KAlCl.sub.4, and is then recirculated by pump at a stable, known flow rate into an evaporator connected to the column. The solution is then heated in an evaporator in order to sublime the majority of the product which it contains, the sublimed vapors thus passing into the column at a stable, known flow rate. The process according to the invention is adapted, in particular, to a plant for the production of ArCl.sub.4 of nulear purity and of HfCl.sub.4.

Abstract: Removal of aluminum and iron impurities is accomplished using an absorbing column containing potassium or sodium chloride, producing an aluminum and iron chloride-rich bottoms product and purified Zr(Hf)Cl.sub.4 vapor at the top of the column. This invention is a continuous process for removing impurities of iron or aluminum chloride or both from vaporous zirconium chloride (or hafnium chloride or a mixture thereof). When iron is being removed from zirconium tetrachloride using potassium chloride, the process comprises: introducing impure zirconium chloride vapor into a middle portion of an absorbing column containing a potassium chloride-containing molten salt phase, the molten salt phase absorbing the iron chloride impurity to produce a zirconium chloride vapor stripped of iron chloride in the top portion of the column; introducing potassium chloride into a top portion of the column; controlling the top portion of the column to between 300.degree.-375.degree. C.

Abstract: The process for preparing zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, tantalum, or niobium metal comprising providing in first vessel means a eutectic solution of a chloro, bromo or iodo salt of zirconium or hafnium in a molten thermal body of one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal halides at a non-vaporizing temperature, transferring said eutectic solution to second vessel means, maintaining said second vessel means at a temperature sufficient to vaporize said salt, transferring the salt vapor independently to a bank of separately fed reduction crucibles, the supply of said eutectic solution to said second vessel means being maintained such that said salt vapor can be supplied substantially continuously to said crucibles in a selective manner dependent upon the operating status of each crucible.

Abstract: A process for preparing nodular pigmentary titanium dioxide by grinding and mixing a titanium-bearing material, such as sorelslag, with an alkali metal compound such as sodium hydroxide, and roasting the mixture. The roasted material is ground followed by washing and filtering. Thereafter, the solid residue is digested with hydrochloric acid for a time and temperature sufficient to form nodular-shaped solids. After removing the acid by filtration and washing the solid residue, the residue is calcined to provide a nodular titanium dioxide pigment.

Abstract: The present invention involves a method for producing a variety of barium titanate based powder products consisting of submicron, dispersible primary particles having narrow size distributions. The method, in its broadest aspects, involves heating an aqueous slurry of PbO, or Pb(OH).sub.2, and Ca(OH).sub.2 with a stoichiometric excess of the hydrous oxides of Ti(IV), Sn(IV), Zr(IV) and Hf(IV) to a temperature not exceeding 200.degree. C. Thereafter, the resulting slurry temperature is adjusted to between 50.degree. and 200.degree. C. and a solution of Ba(OH).sub.2 and Sr(OH).sub.2, having a temperature of 70.degree. to 100.degree. C. is added within a period of five minutes or less to the slurry. About 10 minutes after the addition of the Ba(OH).sub.2 and Sr(OH).sub.2 solution is completed, the slurry is heated to a temperature not exceeding 225.degree. C. to ensure formation of a stoichiometric perovskite product. Thereafter, the slurry is cooled and the solid product is recovered.

Abstract: A process for preparing pigmentary titanium dioxide by grinding and mixing a titanium-bearing material, such as sorelslag, with an alkali metal compound such as sodium hydroxide, and roasting the mixture. The roasted material is ground followed by washing and filtering. Thereafter, the solid residue is digested with hydrochloric acid. After removing the acid by filtration and washing the solid residue, the residue is calcined to provide a titanium dioxide pigment.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an entrained-downflow chlorination process of fine metalliferous ores particularly containing alkali and/or alkaline earth metals greater than about 0.3% by weight as the oxide. The process includes a quenching step following the chlorination step where the chlorinated products are quenched by liquid cooling fluid spray patterns adapted to prevent solidification of the alkali and/or alkaline earth materials onto the reactor walls. The chlorinator unit of this invention prevents disruption of the chlorination process due to presence of liquids or sticky particles and it contains a quenching spray means disposed below the chlorination zone in the entrained-downflow chlorinator unit, whereby the quenching sprays prevent reactor wall buildup.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a low temperature method of preparing a compound of the formula:ABO.sub.3whereinA=Ba, Sr, Ca and Pb; andB=Ti, Zr and Hf,by(a) reacting a B-alkoxide, with a predetermined amount of aqueous A-hydroxide,(b) heating the reaction mixture to an initial temperature of 100.degree. C.-250.degree. C. at 1-40 atmospheres of pressure;(c) cooling the reaction mixture and thereafter, heating it to a subsequent temperature of approximately 40.degree. C. to 60.degree. C.;(d) dialyzing the cooled reaction product and recovering the tenate.

Abstract: A sealing composition suitable for sealing alumina packages for integrated circuits at a temperature below about 450.degree. C. for a short time of about 10 minutes. The composition is a mixture of 50-80 wt % vitreous solder glass powder of PbO-B.sub.2 O.sub.3 system having a deformation point of 350.degree. C. or less, 1-35 wt % zinc material powder and 1-35 wt % zircon powder. The zircon powder is of a synthetic zircon artificially prepared to eliminate radioactive impurities such as uranium and/or thorium.

Abstract: A method for preparing ultra-pure metal tetrafluorides in which 3d such as Fe impurities are separated from impure material by a combined vaporization-electrolytic separation procedure. Sublimation and distillation methods are disclosed in combination with electrolytic separation by both emf-series displacement (ESD) and direct melt electrolysis (DME).

Abstract: Hot pressed refractory boride shapes are treated with molten alkali metal hydroxide such as by immersion in a bath of the molten hydroxide. The treatment cleans and removes residual carbon from the surface layer of the shapes.

Abstract: Molten alkaline earth metal halides are used to convert highly stable oxides into the corresponding anhydrous halides. Usually a third reactant, such as silica, is added in order to bind the basic oxide thus formed. The solid oxide compounds (e.g. silicates) which result are wellknown ceramic phases of a high degree of purity.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to a process for the preparation of titanium metal from an ore comprising titanium oxides which process comprises the steps of fluorinating the ore to convert the titanium oxides to titanium fluorides and then reducing the titanium fluorides to the metal. Such reduction may be carried out by contacting the titanium fluorides as a molten salt mixture with a molten alloy of zinc and aluminum at conditions whereby titanium is converted into a titanium-zinc alloy and the aluminum is converted into fluorides of aluminum. The titanium zinc alloy is separated from the fluorides of aluminum and the zinc is distilled from the alloy to leave behind titanium sponge. The ore may be an ilmenite ore and the fluorination may be carried out by contacting said ilmenite ore with a fluosilicate salt such as sodium fluosilicate.

Abstract: Oxide impurites are removed from the titania slag by: (1) admixing the slag with an alkali metal carbonate, sulfate or chloride, (2) reacting the admixture with SO.sub.3 or mixed SO.sub.2 --O.sub.2 gases at elevated temperature to form sulfates of the impurities and (3) leaching the sulfates from the reaction product with water.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to a process for the preparation of titanium dioxide from an ore comprising titanium oxides which comprises the steps of fluorinating said ore to convert the titanium oxides to titanium fluorides; and, contacting said titanium fluorides with an alkaline material at conditions whereby said titanium fluorides are converted to titanium dioxide. The ore may be an ilmenite ore and the fluorination may be carried out by contacting said ilmenite ore with a fluosilicate salt as sodium fluosilicate.

Abstract: Pure alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) is recovered from alunite (Al.sub.2 (SO.sub.4).sub.3.K.sub.2 SO.sub.4.4 Al (OH).sub.3) which is found mixed with various impurities by first calcinating the alunite in the presence of a chloride to produce impure Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and other biproducts, and the impure Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is then contacted with concentrated HCl to produce, after concentration and crystallization, crystals of AlCl.sub.3.6H.sub.2 O. These crystals are then calcinated to yield highly concentrated HCl and pure alumina.

Abstract: A process for separating radioactive impurities from baddeleyite to obtain zirconium dioxide containing only traces of radioactive impurities, comprising grinding the baddeleyite preferably to a particle size of a maximum of 2% greater than 0.06 mm and then treating it directly with a 10 to 60% by weight aqueous alkali hydroxide solution at elevated temperatures below the boiling point of said solution at temperatures of 80.degree. to 140.degree. C. for 2 to 15 hours or until the desired degree of purity of the zirconium dioxide is obtained. In a preferred embodiment, sodium hydroxide is utilized and the ground baddeleyite preliminarily has been purified to the content of greater than 98% (zirconium dioxide+hafnium dioxide) by known methods.

Abstract: The process basically consists of the removal of the impurities contained in titanium minerals, in which titanium is present in the form of oxides in complex association with other minerals which cannot be eliminated by the conventional hydro-metallurgical processes.The conditioning of the mineral by pyro-metallurgical treatment followed by magnetic separation, removes a part of the magnetic impurities at the same time that it exposes those impurities to the action of leaching acids and thus makes it possible for them to be removed easily. The alkaline treatment following the acid leaching permits elimination of the phosphorus contained as a harmful impurity, and makes it possible to secure a product within the specifications of the consumer market for use as a raw material mainly for the obtention of pigments and metallic titanium, which are the main forms in which titanium ores enter into consumption.

Abstract: A process for the removal of aluminum chloride from a liquid solution thereof with the liquid metal chlorides resulting from the chlorination of titaniferous materials by mixing water and sodium chloride with the liquid solution in amounts such that the amount of water is less than equimolar with respect to the total amount of aluminum chloride and the combined amount of water and sodium chloride is at least equimolar with respect to the total amount of aluminum chloride. This process significantly decreases the corrosion of apparatus associated with the presence of aluminum chloride and substantially eliminates losses of titanium tetrachloride and ferric chloride present in the liquid solution and reduces the formation of HCl.

Abstract: A catalytic ilmenite reduction procedure is described which provides a magnetic fraction consisting of the iron and titanium values of the ilmenite ores and a non-magnetic gangue. The magnetic fraction, after solubilization of the reduced iron, provides beneficiated Rutile-type titania product with purity ranges from 80 to 95% depending on the grade of ilmenite starting material. The titanias are further purified by sulfation and a metathetical reaction to convert the titanyl sulfates to chlorides by CaCl.sub.2.

Abstract: A method of treating raw materials containing components of metals of the group IVb of the Periodic Table, which comprises heat-treating a raw material of a component of a metal of the group IVb of the Periodic Table containing coloring poisonous metal components such as Mn, V and Cr components in the presence of a flux composed mainly of an alkali metal nitrate or an alkali metal peroxide which is a thermal decomposition product of the alkali metal nitrate in an amount 2 to 5 times the amount of the raw material on the weight basis in a non-reducing atmosphere to thereby effect fluxing reaction, and subjecting the resulting fluxing reaction product to a leaching treatment of at least one stage in an aqueous medium to separate the fluxing reaction product into said coloring metal components and a concentrate of the component of the group IVb of the Periodic Table which is acid-soluble and substantially free of said coloring poisonous metal components.

Abstract: The invention relates to the beneficiation of both natural and artificial titaniferous ores, specifically ilmenites by adding to the ores a fluoride, preferably a normally insoluble fluoride in an amount such that the percentage of fluorine ion relative to the titania values lies between 13% and 50%, adding to the mixture hydrochloric acid, the fluorine ions acting as an activating agent. After dissolution, the titanium is precipitated out, as a mixture of titanium dioxide, titanium oxy hydroxy fluoride and titanium oxy fluoride, the iron values largely remaining in solution.

Abstract: A reactor operating at a maximum temperature above 1535.degree. C and up to about 1950.degree. C is charged with a mixture of: (a) iron bearing titaniferous ore or its concentrate, or a residue from other operations containing iron and titanium, at least some of which is present as oxides, also (b) silica -- combined or separately added, also (c) one or more chlorides of a third metal of the alkaline or alkaline earth group, such as common salt and/or calcium chloride, also (d) a solid reductant as coke. Some impurities of the original material are removed as volatile chlorides or oxy-chlorides; the titanium also goes off as TiCl.sub.4 in the gas stream, the iron is withdrawn as molten metallic iron, and the third metal added as the chloride: e.g., the sodium of the common salt or the calcium of its chloride unites with the silica to give a silicate, such as sodium silicate (water glass) and/or calcium silicate which acts as a flux to remove the gangue from the iron.