A composition for forming a transparent coating film including hollow silica microparticles and a binder is provided. The hollow silica microparticles have an average particle diameter of 5 to 300 nm when measured by the dynamic light scattering method, a specific surface area of 50 to 1500 m.sup.2/g, and an outer shell in which cavities are formed. The microparticles lose weight by 1.0 W % or more at a temperature in the range of from 200° C. to 500° C. when measured by the thermogravimetry (TG). A surface charge (QA) of the hollow silica microparticles contained in the compositions for forming a transparent coating film is in the range from 5 to 20 μeq/g.

A printed energy storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and the second electrode. At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator includes frustules, for example of diatoms. The frustules may have a uniform or substantially uniform property or attribute such as shape, dimension, and/or porosity. A property or attribute of the frustules can also be modified by applying or forming a surface modifying structure and/or material to a surface of the frustules. A membrane for an energy storage device includes frustules. An ink for a printed film includes frustules.

A printed energy storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and the second electrode. At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator includes frustules, for example of diatoms. The frustules may have a uniform or substantially uniform property or attribute such as shape, dimension, and/or porosity. A property or attribute of the frustules can also be modified by applying or forming a surface modifying structure and/or material to a surface of the frustules. A membrane for an energy storage device includes frustules. An ink for a printed film includes frustules.

Described are composite photonic materials that incorporate magnetic nanoparticles inside hollow or solvent-filled nano-scale or micro-scale shells and methods of making and using such composite photonic materials. When these photonic materials are present in a magnetic field, they exhibit a change in reflected, scattered, and/or transmitted light as compared to when the materials are not in the presence of the magnetic field. This results in the materials appearing to have a different color, such as when observed by the human eye or a light detecting device, such as a camera.

Described are composite photonic materials that incorporate magnetic nanoparticles inside hollow or solvent-filled nano-scale or micro-scale shells and methods of making and using such composite photonic materials. When these photonic materials are present in a magnetic field, they exhibit a change in reflected, scattered, and/or transmitted light as compared to when the materials are not in the presence of the magnetic field. This results in the materials appearing to have a different color, such as when observed by the human eye or a light detecting device, such as a camera.

A printed energy storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and the second electrode. At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator includes frustules, for example of diatoms. The frustules may have a uniform or substantially uniform property or attribute such as shape, dimension, and/or porosity. A property or attribute of the frustules can also be modified by applying or forming a surface modifying structure and/or material to a surface of the frustules. A membrane for an energy storage device includes frustules. An ink for a printed film includes frustules.

A printed energy storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and the second electrode. At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator includes frustules, for example of diatoms. The frustules may have a uniform or substantially uniform property or attribute such as shape, dimension, and/or porosity. A property or attribute of the frustules can also be modified by applying or forming a surface modifying structure and/or material to a surface of the frustules. A membrane for an energy storage device includes frustules. An ink for a printed film includes frustules.

A particle production apparatus 1 includes a processing section 3 in which a processing liquid is allowed to adhere to a surface of each of inorganic particles contained in a powder material, a chamber 4 connected to the processing section 3 at a downstream side thereof in which the powder material is separated from gas carrying the powder material, a powder material supply device 50 having a supply portion 5 and a supply unit 6 for supplying the powder material and the like into the processing section 3, and a processing liquid spraying device 70 having a nozzle 7, a pump 8, a supply unit 9 for supplying the processing liquid, a high-pressure gas (air) generating unit 11 and the like. The processing liquid spraying device 70 is configured to spray the processing liquid as droplets onto the powder material just after the powder material being supplied into the processing section 3. Preferably, a volume of the processing section 3 is smaller than a volume of the chamber 4.

A particle production apparatus 1 includes a processing section 3 in which a processing liquid is allowed to adhere to a surface of each of inorganic particles contained in a powder material, a chamber 4 connected to the processing section 3 at a downstream side thereof in which the powder material is separated from gas carrying the powder material, a powder material supply device 50 having a supply portion 5 and a supply unit 6 for supplying the powder material and the like into the processing section 3, and a processing liquid spraying device 70 having a nozzle 7, a pump 8, a supply unit 9 for supplying the processing liquid, a high-pressure gas (air) generating unit 11 and the like. The processing liquid spraying device 70 is configured to spray the processing liquid as droplets onto the powder material just after the powder material being supplied into the processing section 3. Preferably, a volume of the processing section 3 is smaller than a volume of the chamber 4.

The present application provides a method, a equipment and a system for producing a silicon-containing products by using a silicon sludge which is produced by a diamond wire cutting silicon material. The method of the present application mainly utilizes a high oxide layer on the surface of a silicon waste particle produced during diamond wire cutting. The characteristics are such that the surface oxide disproportionates with adjacent internal elemental silicon to form silicon monoxide to be removed in a vapor to achieve a physical chemical reaction with a metal, a halogen gas, a hydrogen halide gas or hydrogen to form a high value-added silicon-containing products. The process realizes the large-scale, high-efficiency, energy-saving, continuous and low-cost complete recycling of diamond-wire cutting silicon waste.