A solar concentrator reactor system and method of use for high temperature thermochemical processes. In one embodiment, the solar concentrator reactor system produces a thermochemical reaction of irradiated particles within an enclosed vessel volume of a solar concentrator reactor. In one aspect, the solar concentrator reactor system uses a solar concentrator to irradiate particles of a particle stream within an enclosed vessel volume of a solar concentrator reactor. The thermochemical reaction yields a chemical change of the feedstock and/or phase transition of the feedstock such as the production of a molten reacted material from a solid particulate feed. In one embodiment, the particles are a lunar regolith and the thermochemical reaction yields oxygen.

The mantle peridotite based-activated carbon nanosheet is a catalyst for cathode oxygen reduction of seawater to generate hydrogen when exposed to sunlight (photocatalytic water splitting). The catalyst is placed in the top surface of seawater and when exposed to sunlight begins to generate hydrogen (H.sup.+). The catalyst mantle peridotite based-activated carbon nanosheet and the sunlight combine generate electricity, mix with seawater splits the seawater significantly generates hydrogen (H.sup.+) from the seawater. The hydrogen is collected and stored in the cathode. From the cathode the collected gas is transferred to the hydrogen storage tank.

Apparatus for facilitating a chemical reaction through the application of light, including a light source providing illumination at a selected wavelength, a lens material adapted to be in physical contact with the light source, when in use, and a receptacle for holding a reaction vial in which the chemical reaction takes place, the receptacle adapted to position a portion of the reaction vial in physical contact with the lens material when in use, wherein the lens material has a refractive index that facilitates the transmission of the illumination from the light source to the reaction vial. Alternatively, the receptacle and vial may be replaced by a reaction plate in which reaction wells are formed.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

A nanofluid manufactured by nuclear irradiating a mixture that comprises a precursor and a base fluid, a method of manufacturing the nanofluid, and a system for use in manufacturing the nanofluid. The combination of the uniform irradiation dosage results in substantially no sedimentation of the suspended nanoparticles. The formed nanofluid has been observed to have better properties compared to those known in the art.

Provided herein are compounds for use as photochromic molecular switches having very long thermal isomerization half-lives and switchable fluorescence properties both in solution and the solid state.

In an apparatus producing hydrogen gas by the decomposition reaction of water using photocatalyst, its miniaturization is achieved while suppressing the decrease of production efficiency of hydrogen gas as low as possible or improving the efficiency. The apparatus 1 comprises a container portion 2 receiving water W; a photocatalyst member 3 immersed in the water, having photocatalyst which generates excited electrons and positive holes when irradiated with light, causes a decomposition reaction of the water and generates hydrogen gas; a light source 4 emitting the light irradiated to the photocatalyst member; and a heat exchange device 7 conducting waste heat of the light source to the water in the container portion; wherein the water to be decomposed on the photocatalyst member in the container portion is warmed by the waste heat of the light source by the heat exchange device.

The invention relates to a use of a fluorination gas, and the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is preferably present in a high concentration, for example, in a concentration of elemental fluorine (F.sub.2), especially of equal to much higher than 15% or even 20% by volume, and to a process for the manufacture of a fluorinated benzene derivative starting from benzoic acid derivative by direct fluorination employing a fluorination gas, wherein the elemental fluorine (F.sub.2) is preferably present in a high concentration, and subsequent decarboxylation of the benzoic acid hypofluorite derivative obtained by direct fluorination. The process of the invention is also directed to the manufacture of a benzoic acid hypofluorite derivative by direct fluorination of benzoic acid derivative. Especially the invention is of interest in the preparation of fluorinated benzene derivative, final products and as well intermediates, for usage in agro-, pharma-, electronics-, catalyst, solvent and other functional chemical applications.

Described herein are systems incorporating a Casimir cavity, such as an optical Casimir cavity or a plasmon Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavity modifies the zero-point energy density therein as compared to outside of the Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavities are paired in the disclosed systems with product generating devices and the difference in zero-point energy densities is used to directly drive the generation of products, such as chemical reaction products or emitted light.

The present invention relates to methods and devices for providing microbial control and/or disinfection/remediation of an environment. The methods generally comprise: generating a Purified Hydrogen Peroxide Gas (PHPG) that is substantially free of, e.g., hydration, ozone, plasma species, and/or organic species; and directing the gas comprising primarily PHPG into the environment such that the PHPG acts to provide microbial control and/or disinfection/remediation in the environment, preferably both on surfaces and in the air.