A process for preparing whitened fly ash includes the steps of: (a) subjecting fly ash to a size classification step to obtain size classified fly ash having a particle size such that at least 90 wt % has a particle size of from 44 μm to 250 μm; (b) optionally, contacting the size classified fly ash from step (a) with water to form a slurry, wherein the slurry has a solid content of less than 40 wt %; (c) subjecting the slurry obtained in step (b) to an exhaustive magnetic separation step to form magnetically treated fly ash, wherein the exhaustive magnetic separation step includes a first magnetic extraction step and a second magnetic extraction step, wherein the second magnetic extraction step is carried out at a higher magnetic field strength than the first magnetic extraction step; and (d) subjecting the magnetically treated fly ash obtained in step (c) to milling to form whitened fly ash.

Disclosed in certain embodiments are closed-cell metal oxide particles and methods of preparing the same. In at least one embodiment, a closed-cell metal oxide particle comprises a metal oxide matrix defining an array of closed-cells. Each closed-cell encapsulates a media-inaccessible void volume. The outer surface of the closed-cell metal oxide particle is defined by the array of closed-cells.

Disclosed in certain embodiments are hybrid metal oxide particles and methods of preparing the same. In at least one embodiment, hybrid metal oxide particles comprise a continuous matrix of a first metal oxide having embedded therein an array of metal oxide particles comprising a second metal oxide. In at least one embodiment, the hybrid metal oxide particles are substantially non-porous.

Thermoelectric (TE) nanocomposite material that includes at least one component consisting of nanocrystals. A TE nanocomposite material in accordance with the present invention can include, but is not limited to, multiple nanocrystalline structures, nanocrystal networks or partial networks, or multi-component materials, with some components forming connected interpenetrating networks including nanocrystalline networks. The TE nanocomposite material can be in the form of a bulk solid having semiconductor nanocrystallites that form an electrically conductive network within the material. In other embodiments, the TE nanocomposite material can be a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having one network of p-type or n-type semiconductor domains and a low thermal conductivity semiconductor or dielectric network or domains separating the p-type or n-type domains that provides efficient phonon scattering to reduce thermal conductivity while maintaining the electrical properties of the p-type or n-type semiconductor.

A method of forming magnetic/plasmonic hybrid structures is disclosed. The method includes synthesizing colloidal magnetic nanoparticles; modifying the magnetic nanoparticles in a solution of a polymeric ligand; binding metal seed nanoparticles to the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles; and performing a seed-mediated growth on the metal seed nanoparticles by reducing a metal salt in solution to form the magnetic/plasmonic hybrid structures.

A foundry dust compound reinforcing filler for natural rubber contains 40-80 parts by weight of foundry dust, 10-40 parts by weight of silica and 10-40 parts by weight of Carbon black. A method for preparing a foundry dust compound reinforcing filler for natural rubber includes the steps of sieving, iron removal, pickling, precipitation, primary grinding, mixing, secondary grinding, granulation and the like. The foundry dust compound reinforcing filler used for reinforcing natural rubber is easy to disperse in natural rubber. The compound reinforcing filler has excellent reinforcing effect, which realizes the resource utilization of casting dust waste and reduces the consumption of silica and carbon black.

The invention relates to a mechanochemical process for decontaminating and/or for eliminating problematic, synthetic, biogenic and biological materials A; for breaking down phosphates B; for immobilising metals and the compounds C thereof; for separating carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide D into elements; and for recovering valuable products E. The process comprises: —providing a material F to be milled containing —at least one material A, B, C and/or D and —at least one type of carbon or carbon-yielding material G, or alternatively providing the components of F and G separately from one another; —filling the material F to be milled into a mechanical mill (1), or alternatively —filling the components of the material F to be milled into a mechanical mill (1) and —milling by means of milling elements (1.2) moved by agitation means (1.4) or by means of rollers (1.4.6); after which —the resulting product I is separated from the milling elements (1.2) or the rollers (1.4.6) and is discharged from the milling chamber (1.1) and worked up. The invention also relates to the use of the products I as valuable materials E, the use of a self-cooling electric motor (4) for driving a mechanochemical mill (1), and mechanochemical mills (1) having new agitation means (1.4).

A stable dispersion of exfoliated layer substances is prepared through interlayer exfoliation of a layered compound. A dispersion including quaternary ammonium ions (A) each having a total carbon atom number of 15 to 45 and one or two C.sub.10-20 alkyl groups, and an anionic surfactant (B) having an ammonium ion, wherein plate-like particles (C) having an average thickness of 0.7 to 40 nm, an average major-axis length of 100 to 600 nm, an average minor-axis length of 50 to 300 nm, and a ratio of average major-axis length to average minor-axis length of 1.0 to 10.0 are dispersed in a liquid medium, and the plate-like particles (C) in the dispersion have an average particle diameter of 10 to 600 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering, and a transparent substrate using the dispersion.

The disclosure relates to a conductive particle and a manufacturing method thereof, an adhesive and an application thereof. The conductive particle includes a core, a conductive carbon layer and a conductive polymer layer. The conductive carbon layer covers the core, and the conductive polymer layer is provided on the conductive carbon layer. The conductivity of the conductive particle is higher.

The invention pertains to the field of materials based on calcium carbonate and in particular to the use thereof as a filler in polymeric plastics. The invention provides a method for reducing the hygroscopicity of a material (M) comprising calcium carbonate by treatment with at least one homopolymer grinding assistant (P) which is neutralized in a particular way. The invention pertains also to a method for producing said material (M), which is then of reduced hygroscopicity.