The invention relates to sulfonated aminomethylated chelate resins, to a method for producing same, to the use thereof for obtaining and purifying metals, in particular rare earth metals, from aqueous solutions and organic liquids, and for producing highly pure silicon.

The invention relates to sulfonated aminomethylated chelate resins, to a method for producing same, to the use thereof for obtaining and purifying metals, in particular rare earth metals, from aqueous solutions and organic liquids, and for producing highly pure silicon.

Various embodiments provide glass bottle-based silicon electrode materials. A battery electrode includes silicon made from magnesiothermic reduction of silicon oxide derived from glass bottles and a conformal carbon coating thereon. A method of making the electrode material includes crushing glass bottles to produce crushed glass containing silicon oxide particles, mixing the silicon oxide particles with a heat scavenger to produce a mixture, magnesiothermically reducing the mixture to produce silicon, and applying a carbon coat to the silicon to produce an electrode material.

A method for manufacturing porous silicon can include reducing unpurified silica in the presence of a reducing agent to prepare a porous silicon material. A porous silicon material including silicon nanoparticles and clusters of silicon nanoparticles, where the pores are cooperatively defined by the nanoparticles within the clusters.

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of a composite material comprising steps of: (a) reacting gaseous magnesium (Mg) and silica (SiO.sub.2) in an inert atmosphere; (b) washing the product obtained in step (a) in an acidic medium; and (c) reacting further gaseous magnesium (Mg) with the silica (SiO.sub.2) and silicon (Si) product obtained in step (b). The process of the invention allows Mg.sub.2Si/MgO nanocomposites to be prepared without too many separate steps, and wherein the MgO phase is homogeneously dispersed within the Mg.sub.2Si matrix. The nanocomposites obtained may for example find practical application as thermoelectric materials in thermoelectric generators.

The present invention relates to a negative electrode active material which includes a secondary particle including a first particle which is a primary particle, wherein the first particle includes a first core and a first surface layer which is disposed on a surface of the first core and contains carbon, and the first core includes a metal compound which includes one or more of a metal oxide and a metal silicate and one or more of silicon and a silicon compound; a method of preparing the same; an electrode including the same; and a lithium secondary battery including the same.

A process for preparing a highly pure silicon by reduction of a calcium silicate slag using a source of aluminum is disclosed. The process involves forming a molten calcium silicate slag, reducing the calcium silicate slag to Si metal and forming a calcium aluminate slag, and separating the Si metal from the calcium aluminate slag.

A process for preparing a highly pure silicon by reduction of a calcium silicate slag using a source of aluminum is disclosed. The process involves forming a molten calcium silicate slag, reducing the calcium silicate slag to Si metal and forming a calcium aluminate slag, and separating the Si metal from the calcium aluminate slag.

A method for manufacturing porous silicon can include reducing unpurified silica in the presence of a reducing agent to prepare a porous silicon material. A porous silicon material including silicon nanoparticles and clusters of silicon nanoparticles, where the pores are cooperatively defined by the nanoparticles within the clusters.

The present invention relates to a negative electrode active material which includes a secondary particle including a first particle which is a primary particle, wherein the first particle includes a first core and a first surface layer which is disposed on a surface of the first core and contains carbon, and the first core includes a metal compound which includes one or more of a metal oxide and a metal silicate and one or more of silicon and a silicon compound; a method of preparing the same; an electrode including the same; and a lithium secondary battery including the same.