Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for fabricating and implementing optically absorbing coatings. In one aspect, an optically selective coating includes a substrate formed of a solar energy absorbing material, and a nanostructure material formed over the substrate as a coating capable of absorbing solar energy in a selected spectrum and reflecting the solar energy in another selected spectrum. A concentrating solar power (CSP) system includes heat transfer fluids (HTFs); thermal energy storage system (TES); and solar receivers in communication with HTFs and including a light absorbing coating layer based on cobalt oxide nanoparticles.

Please cancel the abstract of this application and replace it with the following amended abstract presented in clean form according to the procedures outlines in MPEP 714(II)(B): It is provided an alkali metal metalate compound with high magnetic exchange bias and ionic conductivity properties having the general formulae (I) A.sub.2[M.sup.1.sub.3-x M.sup.2.sub.x Z.sub.4] with A being one of Li, Na, K; M.sup.1, M.sup.2 being one or more of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn; Z being S or Se; x being 0-3, preferably 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3; whereby the compounds K.sub.2[Ni.sub.3S.sub.4], K.sub.2[Zn.sub.3S.sub.4], K.sub.2[Mn.sub.3S.sub.4], Na.sub.2[Mn.sub.3Se.sub.4] and K.sub.2[Ni.sub.3Se.sub.4] are exempted.

A process for the synthesis of transition metal chalcogenides (TMC) having formula (I). More particularly, the present work relates to a one pot single phase process for the synthesis of a TMC system having formula (I) by wet chemistry. Formula (I) is represented as A.sub.x-B.sub.y.

Process for preparing chromium(III) oxide, which comprises the steps: a) reaction of sodium monochromate with gaseous ammonia, in particular at a temperature of from 200 to 800 C., b) hydrolysis of the reaction product obtained in step a) with the pH of the water for the hydrolysis being reduced before the hydrolysis or that of the alkaline mother liquor being reduced during or after the hydrolysis, to a value of from 4 to 11, preferably from 5 to 10, by means of an acid, c) isolation of the hydrolysis product which has precipitated in step b), preferably at a pH of from 4 to 11, in particular from 5 to 10, and optionally washing and optionally drying and d) calcination of the hydrolysis product obtained in step c) at a temperature of from 700 to 1400 C., in particular from 800 to 1300 C.

Process for preparing chromium(III) oxide, which comprises the steps: a) reaction of sodium monochromate with gaseous ammonia, in particular at a temperature of from 200 to 800 C., b) hydrolysis of the reaction product obtained in step a) with the pH of the water for the hydrolysis being reduced before the hydrolysis or that of the alkaline mother liquor being reduced during or after the hydrolysis, to a value of from 4 to 11, preferably from 5 to 10, by means of an acid, c) isolation of the hydrolysis product which has precipitated in step b), preferably at a pH of from 4 to 11, in particular from 5 to 10, and optionally washing and optionally drying and d) calcination of the hydrolysis product obtained in step c) at a temperature of from 700 to 1400 C., in particular from 800 to 1300 C.

A sodium-ion battery includes a cathode comprising sodium; and an anode composition comprising a material having the formula: A.sub.aB.sub.bC.sub.cD.sub.dO, where A is an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or a combination thereof, where B is titanium, C is vanadium, D is one or more transition metal element other than titanium or vanadium, a+b+c+d1, a0, b+c>0, b0, c0, d>0, and where the material comprises a ilmenite structure, triclinic VFeO.sub.4 structure, cubic Ca.sub.5Co.sub.4(VO.sub.4).sub.6 structure, dichromate structure, orthorhombic -CoV.sub.3O.sub.8 structure, brannerite structure, thortveitite structure, orthorhombic -CrPO.sub.4 structure, or the pseudo rutile structure.

A solid electrolyte, a method of preparing the same, and a secondary battery including the same, wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a metal oxide including lithium, silicon, and boron, and a metal comprising at least one of iron, chromium, lanthanum, or thallium, and the solid electrolyte has a glass structure containing 60 mol % or greater of lithium based on 100 mol % of the total amount of the metal and lithium, silicon, and boron, and wherein the solid electrolyte has a softness of 152 1/BHN or greater, wherein 1/BHN is an inverse of a Brinell hardness number as measured in accordance with ISO 6506.

A method of reducing magnetic and/or oxidic contaminants in lithium metal oxygen compounds in particle form, in order to obtain purified lithium metal oxygen compounds, by means of treatment in a grinding process and sifting process with continuous or non-continuous removal and obtaining of the purified lithium metal oxygen compound. The grinding process and sifting process are terminated prematurely before the residue amounts to less than 1% of the quantity m. The residue, containing contaminants, is discarded.

A method of reducing magnetic and/or oxidic contaminants in lithium metal oxygen compounds in particle form, in order to obtain purified lithium metal oxygen compounds, by means of treatment in a grinding process and sifting process with continuous or non-continuous removal and obtaining of the purified lithium metal oxygen compound. The grinding process and sifting process are terminated prematurely before the residue amounts to less than 1% of the quantity m. The residue, containing contaminants, is discarded.

Medical tubing can have a chromic material such that the medical tubing is configured to transition from a first state of color to a different, second state of color by application of a stimulus to the medical tubing.