A method for producing crystalline α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles involving ultrasonic treatment of a solution of an iron (III)-containing precursor and an extract from the seeds of a plant in the family Linaceae. The method involves preparing an aqueous extract from the seeds of a plant in the family Linaceae and dropwise addition of the extract to the solution of an iron (III)-containing precursor. The method yields crystalline nanoparticles of α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 having a spherical morphology with a diameter of 100 nm to 300 nm, a mean surface area of 240 to 250 m.sup.2/g, and a type-II nitrogen adsorption-desorption BET isotherm with a H3 hysteresis loop. A method for the photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollutants using the nanoparticles is disclosed. An antibacterial composition containing the crystalline α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 nanoparticles is also disclosed.

A method for preparing an anion adsorbent may be provided, which comprises the steps of: mixing at least two metal salts with each other, thereby forming a stack structure in which cationic compound layers and anionic compound layers containing anions and water of crystallization are alternately stacked on one another; performing a first heat treatment on the stack structure to expand between the cationic compound layers, thereby preparing a preliminary anion adsorbent; and performing a second heat treatment on the preliminary anion adsorbent to remove the anions and the water of crystallization from the anionic compound layers while allowing at least one of the anions to remain, thereby preparing the anion adsorbent.

A method of making an atomic layer nanoribbon that includes forming a double atomic layer ribbon having a first monolayer and a second monolayer on a surface of the first monolayer, wherein the first monolayer and the second monolayer each contains a transition metal dichalcogenide material, oxidizing at least a portion of the first monolayer to provide an oxidized portion, and removing the oxidized portion to provide an atomic layer nanoribbon of the transition metal dichalcogenide material. Also provided are double atomic layer ribbons, double atomic layer nanoribbons, and single atomic layer nanoribbons prepared according to the method.

Coated iron oxide (10) nanocrystal structures, superparamagnetic 10 nanoparticles, methods for synthesizing coated 10 nanocrystal structures, and methods for synthesizing superparamagnetic 10 nanoparticles are described herein. A coated 10 nanocrystal structure may comprise an iron oxide core, a manganese ferrite shell layer surrounding the core, and a bilayer coating surrounding the shell layer. The bilayer coating may include an inner oleic acid layer surrounding the shell layer and an outer layer surrounding the inner oleic acid layer.

A sintered body containing: a plurality of coated grains each having a metal magnetic body grain coated with a resin layer; a plurality of ferrite grains; and an amorphous phase between the plurality of coated grains and the plurality of ferrite grains. The amorphous phase may contain a metal element that is the same as a metal element contained in the ferrite grains.

The present invention relates to magnetocaloric materials comprising manganese, iron, silicon, phosphorus, nitrogen and optionally boron.

An organometallic compound, which enables thin-film deposition through vapor deposition, and particularly to a Co or Fe precursor, which is suitable for use in atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition, and a method of preparing the same.

A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid with which dispersibility and dispersion stability can be improved includes performing filtration to remove impurities in a dispersion liquid using a dispersion liquid modifying device provided with a removal unit that uses a filtration membrane. The quantity of impurities is reduced from a first region until said quantity reaches a second pH-dependent region. In the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles in the dispersion liquid is in a range in which the dispersibility depends more on a change in dispersion liquid pH than on a change in the quantity of impurities in the dispersion liquid. With the quantity of impurities reduced to the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles is controlled by adjusting the pH of the fine particle dispersion liquid.

A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid with which dispersibility and dispersion stability can be improved includes performing filtration to remove impurities in a dispersion liquid using a dispersion liquid modifying device provided with a removal unit that uses a filtration membrane. The quantity of impurities is reduced from a first region until said quantity reaches a second pH-dependent region. In the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles in the dispersion liquid is in a range in which the dispersibility depends more on a change in dispersion liquid pH than on a change in the quantity of impurities in the dispersion liquid. With the quantity of impurities reduced to the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles is controlled by adjusting the pH of the fine particle dispersion liquid.

The present invention relates to a process for modifying a layered double hydroxide (LDH), the process comprising, a. providing a water-wet layered double hydroxide of formula:
[M.sup.z+.sub.1-xM′.sup.y+.sub.x].sup.a+(X.sup.n−).sub.a/r.bH.sub.2O   (1) wherein M and M′ are metal cations, z=1 or 2; y=3 or 4, x is 0.1 to 1, preferably x<1, more preferably x=0.1-0.9, b is greater than 0 to 10, X is an anion, r is 1 to 3, n is the charge on the anion X and a is determined by x, y and z, preferably a=z(1-x)+xy-2; b. maintaining the layered double hydroxide water-wet, and c. contacting the water-wet layered double hydroxide with at least one solvent, the solvent being miscible with water and preferably having a solvent polarity (P′) in the range 3.8 to 9,
as well as to a layered double hydroxide prepared according to that process.