The invention provides a curing system that is useful for curing materials that consume carbon dioxide as a reagent. The system has a curing chamber that contains the material to be cured and a gas that contains carbon dioxide. The system includes apparatus that can deliver carbon dioxide to displace ambient air upon loading the system, that can provide carbon dioxide as it is needed and as it is consumed, that can control carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and humidity in the curing chamber during the curing cycle and that can record and display to a user the variables that occur during the curing process. A method of curing a material which requires CO.sub.2 as a curing reagent is also described.

Described herein are processes and apparatus for the large-scale synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) by induction-coupled plasma (ICP). A boron-containing feedstock may be heated by ICP in the presence of nitrogen gas at an elevated pressure, to form vaporized boron. The vaporized boron may be cooled to form boron droplets, such as nanodroplets. Cooling may take place using a condenser, for example. BNNTs may then form downstream and can be harvested.

Methods and systems for removing impurities from a molten salt stream are provided. A molten salt stream is provided that comprises a mixture of compounds selected from the group consisting of LiF, BeF.sub.2, and NaF, and ZrF.sub.4. The molten salt stream is flowed through a loop that may contain a precipitation filter, electrochemical potential, and/or a sparger, which thereby remove impurities in the molten salt stream. Various physical methods and apparatus are used to control the ability to remove impurities from the molten salt stream based on temperature, solubility, and general chemistry control.

Systems and methods for molten media pyrolysis for the conversion of methane into hydrogen and carbon-containing particles are disclosed. The systems and methods include the introduction of seed particles into the molten media to facilitate the growth of larger, more manageable carbon-containing particles. Additionally or alternatively, the systems and methods can include increasing the residence time of carbon-containing particles within the molten media to facilitate the growth of larger carbon-containing particles.

High quality, catalyst-free boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) that are long, flexible, have few wall molecules and few defects in the crystalline structure, can be efficiently produced by a process driven primarily by Direct Induction. Secondary Direct Induction coils, Direct Current heaters, lasers, and electric arcs can provide additional heating to tailor the processes and enhance the quality of the BNNTs while reducing impurities. Heating the initial boron feed stock to temperatures causing it to act as an electrical conductor can be achieved by including refractory metals in the initial boron feed stock, and providing additional heat via lasers or electric arcs. Direct Induction processes may be energy efficient and sustainable for indefinite period of time. Careful heat and gas flow profile management may be used to enhance production of high quality BNNT at significant production rates.

A method for making covetic metal-nanostructured carbon composites or compositions is described herein. This method is advantageous, in that it provides substantially oxygen-free covetic materials and allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method comprises introducing carbon into a molten metal in a heated reactor under low oxygen partial pressure, while passing an electric current through the molten metal. The reactor is heated at a temperature sufficient to form a network of nanostructured carbon within a matrix of the metal. After heating the covetic material is recovered from the reactor.

High quality, catalyst-free boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) that are long, flexible, have few wall molecules and few defects in the crystalline structure, can be efficiently produced by a process driven primarily by Direct Induction. Secondary Direct Induction coils, Direct Current heaters, lasers, and electric arcs can provide additional heating to tailor the processes and enhance the quality of the BNNTs while reducing impurities. Heating the initial boron feed stock to temperatures causing it to act as an electrical conductor can be achieved by including refractory metals in the initial boron feed stock, and providing additional heat via lasers or electric arcs. Direct Induction processes may be energy efficient and sustainable for indefinite period of time. Careful heat and gas flow profile management may be used to enhance production of high quality BNNT at significant production rates.

The invention relates to a process for preparation of chlorine from hydrogen chloride comprising circulating a liquid melt comprising copper ions Cu.sup.n+ with n being a number in the range from 1 to 2, alkali cations and chloride ions Cl in a reactor system comprising three bubble lift reactors I, II and III, each comprising a reaction zone i, ii and iii respectively, wherein: ?(a) in the reaction zone i of the first bubble lift reactor I, a liquid melt comprising copper ions Cu.sup.n+, alkali cations and chloride ions Cl is contacted with oxygen at a temperature in the range from 395 to 405? C. so that the molar ratio Cu.sup.n+:Cu.sup.+ in the liquid melt increases, obtaining a liquid melt having an increased molar ratio Cu.sup.n+:Cu.sup.+ ?(b) the liquid melt obtained in (a) is circulated to the reaction zone ii in the second bubble lift reactor II, where the liquid melt is contacted with hydrogen chloride at a temperature in the range from 395 to 405? C. so that water is formed, obtaining a liquid melt being enriched in chloride anions (CI-) compared to the liquid melt obtained according to (a); ?(c) circulating the liquid melt obtained in (b) to the reaction zone iii in the third bubble lift reactor III, which is operated at a temperature in the range from 420 to 430? C. so that chlorine (Cl.sub.2) is formed, wherein Cl.sub.2 is removed from the reaction zone iii and the third bubble lift reactor III respectively in gaseous form, leaving a liquid melt depleted of Cl-compared to the liquid melt obtained according to (b). The invention further relates to a reactor system comprising three bubble lift reactors I, II and III.

Described herein are processes and apparatus for the large-scale synthesis of boron nit ride nanotubes (BNNTs) by induction-coupled plasma (ICP). A boron-containing feedstock may be heated by ICP in the presence of nitrogen gas at an elevated pressure, to form vaporized boron. The vaporized boron may be cooled to form boron droplets, such as nanodroplets. Cooling may take place using a condenser, for example. BNNTs may then form downstream and can be harvested.

High quality, catalyst-free boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) that are long, flexible, have few wall molecules and few defects in the crystalline structure, can be efficiently produced by a process driven primarily by Direct Induction. Secondary Direct Induction coils, Direct Current heaters, lasers, and electric arcs can provide additional heating to tailor the processes and enhance the quality of the BN-NTs while reducing impurities. Heating the initial boron feed stock to temperatures causing it to act as an electrical conductor can be achieved by including refractory metals in the initial boron feed stock, or providing additional heat via lasers or electric arcs. Direct Induction processes may be energy efficient and sustainable for indefinite periods of time. Careful heat and gas flow profile management may be used to enhance production of high quality BNNT at significant production rates.