An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material using silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are controlled in properties in an ultraviolet region and/or a near-infrared region. The present invention provides an ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material used for a purpose of shielding ultraviolet rays and/or near-infrared rays, the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent composition for transparent material featuring that the ultraviolet and/or near-infrared shielding agent contains silicon compound-coated silicon-doped zinc oxide particles, with which surfaces of silicon-doped zinc oxide particles that are zinc oxide particles doped with at least silicon are at least partially coated with a silicon compound.

The present invention is a method of producing silicon compound coated oxide particles in which at least a part of a surface of a metal oxide particle is coated with a silicon compound, wherein wettability and color characteristics are controlled by controlling a ratio of SiOH bonds contained in the silicon compound coated oxide particles. By the present invention, silicon compound coated oxide particles having controlled wettability such as hydrophilicity, water repellency or oil repellency, and controlled color characteristics of either reflectivity, molar absorption coefficient or transmittance can be provided.

The present invention is a method of producing silicon compound coated oxide particles in which at least a part of a surface of a metal oxide particle is coated with a silicon compound, wherein wettability and color characteristics are controlled by controlling a ratio of SiOH bonds contained in the silicon compound coated oxide particles. By the present invention, silicon compound coated oxide particles having controlled wettability such as hydrophilicity, water repellency or oil repellency, and controlled color characteristics of either reflectivity, molar absorption coefficient or transmittance can be provided.

Disclosed is an electrochemical method for high-temperature molten salt electrolysis in humid atmosphere. The method involves preparing hydrogen gas, metals/alloys, metal oxide compounds and metal hydrides in humid high-temperature molten salt environment. Hydrogen gas is generated by electrolyzing water in a molten salt electrolyte at above 100 C., and with a working cathode being a solid-state oxide pellet and a voltage applied to the electrolyzing cell being far lower than that in a direct electro-deoxidation process, the hydrogen gas generated reduces solid-state oxide cathodes to produce metals. The hydrogen ions in the molten salt can be prepared by hydrolysis reaction of the molten salt in a water vapor containing atmosphere. Corresponding metals or alloys or metal oxide compounds can be prepared by reducing iron oxide, molybdenum oxide, tantalum oxide, nickel oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide or corresponding compound oxides and the like.

Disclosed is an electrochemical method for high-temperature molten salt electrolysis in humid atmosphere. The method involves preparing hydrogen gas, metals/alloys, metal oxide compounds and metal hydrides in humid high-temperature molten salt environment. Hydrogen gas is generated by electrolyzing water in a molten salt electrolyte at above 100 C., and with a working cathode being a solid-state oxide pellet and a voltage applied to the electrolyzing cell being far lower than that in a direct electro-deoxidation process, the hydrogen gas generated reduces solid-state oxide cathodes to produce metals. The hydrogen ions in the molten salt can be prepared by hydrolysis reaction of the molten salt in a water vapor containing atmosphere. Corresponding metals or alloys or metal oxide compounds can be prepared by reducing iron oxide, molybdenum oxide, tantalum oxide, nickel oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide or corresponding compound oxides and the like.

A continuous process for producing a material of a battery cell using a system having a mist generator, a drying chamber, one or more gas-solid separators and a reactor is provided. A mist generated from a liquid mixture of two or more metal precursor compounds in desired ratio is dried inside the drying chamber. Heated air or gas is served as the gas source for forming various gas-solid mixtures and as the energy source for reactions inside the drying chamber and the reactor. One or more gas-solid separators are used in the system to separate gas-solid mixtures from the drying chamber into solid particles mixed with the metal precursor compounds and continuously deliver the solid particles into the reactor for further reaction to obtain final solid material particles with desired crystal structure, particle size, and morphology.

A continuous process for producing a material of a battery cell using a system having a mist generator, a drying chamber, one or more gas-solid separators and a reactor is provided. A mist generated from a liquid mixture of two or more metal precursor compounds in desired ratio is dried inside the drying chamber. Heated air or gas is served as the gas source for forming various gas-solid mixtures and as the energy source for reactions inside the drying chamber and the reactor. One or more gas-solid separators are used in the system to separate gas-solid mixtures from the drying chamber into solid particles mixed with the metal precursor compounds and continuously deliver the solid particles into the reactor for further reaction to obtain final solid material particles with desired crystal structure, particle size, and morphology.

The present invention relates to silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles, with which surfaces of fine metal particles, composed of at least one type of metal element or metalloid element, are at least partially coated with a silicon compound and a ratio of SiOH bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles is controlled to be 0.1% or more and 70% or less. By the present invention, silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles that are controlled in dispersibility and other properties can be provided by controlling the ratio of SiOH bonds or the ratio of SiOH bonds/SiO bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles. By controlling the ratio of SiOH bonds or the ratio of SiOH bonds/SiO bonds, a composition that is more appropriate for diversifying applications and targeted properties of silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles than was conventionally possible can be designed easily.

The present invention relates to silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles, with which surfaces of fine metal particles, composed of at least one type of metal element or metalloid element, are at least partially coated with a silicon compound and a ratio of SiOH bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles is controlled to be 0.1% or more and 70% or less. By the present invention, silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles that are controlled in dispersibility and other properties can be provided by controlling the ratio of SiOH bonds or the ratio of SiOH bonds/SiO bonds contained in the silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles. By controlling the ratio of SiOH bonds or the ratio of SiOH bonds/SiO bonds, a composition that is more appropriate for diversifying applications and targeted properties of silicon-compound-coated fine metal particles than was conventionally possible can be designed easily.

Disclosed herein is a membrane comprising a bonding layer; and an activation layer disposed on the bonding layer and in contact with it; where the activation layer comprises catalyst nanoparticles that are operative to decompose impurities contained in an aqueous solution to generate gas bubbles that remove a sludge disposed on the membrane. Disclosed herein too is a method of purifying an aqueous solution comprising disposing in the aqueous solution, a membrane that comprises a bonding layer and an activation layer; where the activation layer comprises catalyst nanoparticles; partitioning the aqueous solution into a concentrate portion and a filtrate portion; where the activation layer contacts the concentrate portion; and decomposing impurities contained in the aqueous solution to generate gas bubbles that remove a sludge disposed on the membrane.