Disclosed here is a method for making a monolithic rare earth oxide (REO) aerogel, comprising: preparing a reaction mixture comprising at least one rare earth metal nitrate, at least one epoxide, at least one base catalyst, and at least one organic solvent; curing the mixture to produce a wet gel; drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and thermally annealing the dry gel to produce the monolithic REO aerogel. Also disclosed is an REO aerogel comprising a network of REO nanostructures, wherein the REO aerogel is a monolith having at least one lateral dimension of at least 1 cm, wherein the REO aerogel has a density of about 40-500 mg/cm.sup.3 and/or a BET surface area of at least about 20 m.sup.2/g, and wherein the REO aerogel is substantially free of oxychloride.

The invention relates to a method for producing a scandium-containing concentrate from the wastes of alumina production and extracting high-purity scandium oxide from the same. Provided is a method for producing a scandium-containing concentrate from a red mud, wherein the Sc.sub.2O.sub.3 content therein is least of 15 wt. % (in terms of dry matter), the TiO.sub.2 content not more than 3 wt. % (in terms of dry matter), the ZrO.sub.2 content not more than 15 wt. % (in terms of dry matter), and wherein scandium in the concentrate is in form of a mixture of Sc(OH).sub.3 hydroxide with ScOHCO.sub.34H.sub.2O. Also provided is a method for producing high-purity scandium oxide, with a purity of approximately 99 wt. %.

Nanoplatelet forms of metal hydroxide and metal oxide are provided, as well as methods for preparing same. The nanoplatelets are suitable for use as fire retardants and as agents for chemical or biological decontamination.

Powder of particles, more than 95% by number of said particles exhibiting a circularity greater than or equal to 0.85, wherein said powder contains more than 99.8% of a rare earth oxide and/or of hafnium oxide and/or of yttrium aluminum oxide, as percentage by weight relative to the oxides, and has: a median particle size D 50 of between 10 and 40 microns and a size dispersion index (D 90D 10)/D 50 of less than 3; a percentage by number of particles having a size less than or equal to 5 m which is less than 5%; an apparent-density dispersion index (P<50P)/P of less than 0.2, the cumulative specific volume of the pores which have a radius of less than 1 m being less than 10% of the apparent volume of the powder, in which the percentiles Dn of the powder are the particle sizes corresponding to the percentages, by number, of n %, on the curve of cumulative distribution of the particle size of the powder, the particle sizes being classified in increasing order, the density P<50 being the apparent density of the fraction of particles having a size less than or equal to D50, and the density P being the apparent density of the powder.

Nanowires useful as heterogeneous catalysts are provided. The nanowire catalysts are useful in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane to ethylene. Related methods for use and manufacture of the same are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a porous formed article comprising an organic polymer resin and an inorganic ion adsorbent and having the most frequent pore size of 0.08 to 0.70 m measured with a mercury porosimeter.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing a porous formed article and a production apparatus for a porous formed article.

The film is formed using one of two film-forming materials. The first film-forming material contains: particles containing a crystal phase of a rare earth element fluoride; particles containing a crystal phase of a rare earth element oxide; and particles containing a crystal phase of a rare earth element ammonium fluoride double salt. The second film-forming material contains: particles containing a crystal phase of a rare earth element fluoride; and particles containing a crystal phase of a rare earth element oxide and a crystal phase of a rare earth element ammonium fluoride double salt. If a spray coated film is to be formed by means of thermal spraying using this film-forming material or film-forming slurry in particular, it is possible to form a rare earth element oxyfluoride spray coated film without the need for excessive heat.

Provided is a method for recovering scandium, with which it is possible to easily and efficiently recover high-purity scandium from nickel oxide ores. This method for recovering scandium involves passing a solution containing scandium through an ion exchange resin, then subjecting the eluant eluted from the ion exchange resin to solvent extraction and separating the extraction residual liquid and the extraction agent after extraction, then performing an oxalation process on the extraction residual liquid to obtain a scandium oxalate precipitate, and roasting the precipitate to obtain scandium oxide, wherein the method is characterized in that an amine-based extraction agent is used as the extraction agent for solvent extraction.

A process for preparing a mesoporous material, e.g., transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, Lanthanide metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, a post-transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, and metalloid oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride. The process comprises providing a micellar solution comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the micellar solution at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to form the mesoporous material. A mesoporous material prepared by the above process. A method of controlling nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in mesoporous materials. The method comprises providing a micellar solution comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the micellar solution at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to control nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in the mesoporous materials. Mesoporous materials and a method of tuning structural properties of mesoporous materials.

The present invention relates to a process, method and plant for recovering scandium and ions containing scandium using an ion exchange resin from a feed stream. The feed stream may be, but is by no means limited to, a leach liquor or leach pulp.