Provided is a long and large-area graphite film having improved thermal diffusivity and flex resistance, and accompanied by ameliorated ruffling. According to a method for producing a graphite film, in which graphitization of a heat-treated film consisting of a carbonized polymer film is carried out in a state being wrapped around an internal core, the method being characterized in that a heat treatment is executed by controlling distance(s) between the internal core and the film, and/or between the layers of the film, a graphite film accompanied by significantly ameliorated ruffling can be obtained.

High surface area 3D mesoporous carbon nanocomposites can be derived from Zn dust and PET bottle mixed waste with a high surface area. Simultaneous transformation of Zn metal into ZnO nanoparticles and PET bottle waste to porous carbon materials can be achieved by thermal treatment at preferably 600 to 800° C., and reaction times of from 15 to 60 minutes, after optionally de-aerating the reaction mixtures with N.sub.2 gas. The waste-based carbon materials can have surface areas of 650 to 725 m.sup.2/g, e.g., 684.5 m.sup.2/g and pore size distributions of 12 to 18 nm. The carbon materials may have 3D porous dense layers with a gradient pore structure, which may have enhanced photocatalytic performance for degrading, e.g., organic dyes, such as methylene blue and malachite green. Sustainable methods make ZnO-mesoporous carbon materials from waste for applications including photocatalysis, upcycling mixed waste materials.

A process for producing solar grade silicon from silica sand employs a plurality of plasma furnaces to perform a sequence of chemical reactions together with other process steps to produce solar grade silicon. The plasma furnace generates a stable dirty air, donut-shaped plasma into which particulate matter can be introduced. The plasma in the first two stages is formed by gases from the chemical reactions and in the third from inert gasses. Cyclone separators are used to extract particulates from the plasma in an inert gas that prevents reverse reactions as the particular cools.

A process for producing solar grade silicon from silica sand employs a plurality of plasma furnaces to perform a sequence of chemical reactions together with other process steps to produce solar grade silicon. The plasma furnace generates a stable dirty air, donut-shaped plasma into which particulate matter can be introduced. The plasma in the first two stages is formed by gases from the chemical reactions and in the third from inert gasses. Cyclone separators are used to extract particulates from the plasma in an inert gas that prevents reverse reactions as the particular cools.

Disclosed herein are dendritically porous three-dimensional structures, including hierarchical dendritically porous three-dimensional structures. The structures include metal foams and graphite structures, and are useful in energy storage devices as well as chemical catalysis.

A method for manufacturing a silicon material can include comminuting a silicon material. A silicon material can include silicon nanoparticles formed by comminuting silicon particles, where the silicon nanoparticles can cooperatively form pores.

A method for producing porous graphite capable of realizing higher durability, output and capacity, and porous graphite. A carbon member having microvoids is obtained by a dealloying step for selectively eluting other non-carbon main components into a metal bath by immersing a carbon-containing material, composed of a compound including carbon or an alloy or non-equilibrium alloy, in the metal bath, wherein the metal bath has a solidifying point lower than the melting point of the carbon-containing material, and is controlled to a temperature lower than the minimum value of a liquidus temperature within a composition fluctuation range extending from the carbon-containing material to carbon by reducing the other non-carbon main components. The carbon member obtained in the dealloying step is graphitized by heating in a graphitization step. The carbon member graphitized in the graphitization step is subjected to activation treatment by an activation step.

The present invention describes the process of preparing ceramics for the absorption of ACIDIC gases, which worsen the greenhouse effect, that are released in combustion systems, or that are present in closed environments. In relation to carbon dioxide, principal target of the present invention, the process of absorption, transport, processing and transformation of the gas into other products is described. The process uses ceramic materials prepared through the solid mixture of one or more metallic oxides, with one or more binding agents and an expanding agent. The product generated can be processed and the absorbent system regenerated. The carbon dioxide obtained in the processing can be used as analytic or commercial carbonic gas, various carbamates and ammonium carbonate.

A resin composite material includes: fine graphite particles including plate-like graphite particles, an aromatic vinyl copolymer which is adsorbed on the plate-like graphite particles, and which contains a vinyl aromatic monomer unit represented by the following formula (1):
—(CH.sub.2—CHX)—  (1) (in the formula (1), X represents a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthracenyl group, or a pyrenyl group, provided that these groups may have each a substituent), and at least one hydrocarbon chain which is bonded to the aromatic vinyl copolymer, and which is selected from the group consisting of alkyl chains, oligoolefin chains, and polyolefin chains.

Provided are a method for producing artificial graphite through a vertical graphitization furnace with easy circulation of inert gas, uniform heating and no damage to the furnace; and particulates used therefor. The method comprises steps of: introducing graphitizable particulates having average particle diameter of 3 to 30 mm into an inside of the furnace from upper part thereof, heating the particulates at 2200° C. to 3200° C. while making inert gas flow from lower part toward upper part thereof to graphitize the particulates, and removing the graphite through lower part thereof. The particulates have average particle diameter of 3 to 30 mm and are obtained by granulating mixture comprising 100 wt parts of graphitizable carbonaceous substance powder having average particle diameter of 10 to 20 μm, 3 to 20 wt parts of binder decomposable at lower than 1000° C., and 5 to 30 wt parts of liquid which can dissolve the binder.