Methods and systems for producing activated silicate materials are disclosed. A silicate source material is provided for reaction with a reforming agent in a reforming process. The reforming process is a hydrothermal process and/or a high temperature silicate reforming (HTSR) process. The reaction materials are brought to the suitable reaction temperature via a heat source in the presence of the suitable reaction medium. The activated silicate materials exhibit improved reactivity compared to non-activated silicate materials and thus are advantageously employed in elemental extraction processes to produce a valuable material product.

Methods and systems for producing activated silicate materials are disclosed. A silicate source material is provided for reaction with a reforming agent in a reforming process. The reforming process is a hydrothermal process and/or a high temperature silicate reforming (HTSR) process. The reaction materials are brought to the suitable reaction temperature via a heat source in the presence of the suitable reaction medium. The activated silicate materials exhibit improved reactivity compared to non-activated silicate materials and thus are advantageously employed in elemental extraction processes to produce a valuable material product.

The invention provides an industrially advantageous method for producing a crystalline silicotitanate having high adsorption/removal capabilities for cesium and strontium in seawater. The method includes a first step of mixing a silicic acid source, a sodium compound, titanium tetrachloride, and water to prepare a mixed gel and a second step of hydrothermal reaction of the mixed gel prepared in the first step to produce crystalline silicotitanate of formula: Na.sub.4Ti.sub.4Si.sub.3O.sub.16.nH.sub.2O (wherein n represents 0 to 8). In the first step, the silicic acid source, sodium compound, and titanium tetrachloride are mixed in such a mixing ratio that the resulting mixed gel may have a Ti to Si molar ratio, Ti/Si, of 1.2 to 1.5 and an Na.sub.2O to SiO.sub.2 molar ratio, Na.sub.2O/SiO.sub.2, of 0.7 to 2.5.

A visible light sensitive photocatalyst including a compound represented by Formula 1:
A.sub.a-xM.sup.1.sub.xSi.sub.b-yM.sup.2.sub.yO.sub.c  Formula 1
wherein A is one or more metals selected from Ag, Cu, and Au; M.sup.1 is one or more metals selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; M.sup.2 is one or more metals selected from Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf, and 1.7≦a≦2.3, 0.7≦b≦1.3, 2.7≦c≦3.3, 0≦x<a, and 0≦y<b.

A visible light sensitive photocatalyst including a compound represented by Formula 1:
A.sub.a-xM.sup.1.sub.xSi.sub.b-yM.sup.2.sub.yO.sub.c  Formula 1
wherein A is one or more metals selected from Ag, Cu, and Au; M.sup.1 is one or more metals selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; M.sup.2 is one or more metals selected from Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf, and 1.7≦a≦2.3, 0.7≦b≦1.3, 2.7≦c≦3.3, 0≦x<a, and 0≦y<b.

Borosilicate nanoparticles and method of making borosilicate nanoparticles. Advantages of the method include making the borosilicate nanoparticles at temperatures not greater than 200° C. The nanoparticles made are useful, for example, as fillers in coatings, adhesives, and composite articles.

Borosilicate nanoparticles and method of making borosilicate nanoparticles. Advantages of the method include making the borosilicate nanoparticles at temperatures not greater than 200° C. The nanoparticles made are useful, for example, as fillers in coatings, adhesives, and composite articles.

The invention relates to a device and a method for separating and/or recovering silicate particles from plant material. This device and the method are characterized by an air classifier (3, 14), which has at least one material inlet (4), an air inlet (6), arranged under the material inlet (4), an air outlet (7) and at least one particle receptacle (8), arranged under the air outlet, wherein the plant particles recovered from plant material by crushing can be subjected to an air stream in the air classifier (3, 14) in such a way that silicate particles contained in the plant material are removed by the air stream via the air outlet (7) and, as a result of gravitational force, the plant particles are received by the particle receptacle (8) arranged under the air outlet (7) and taken away.

The invention relates to a device and a method for separating and/or recovering silicate particles from plant material. This device and the method are characterized by an air classifier (3, 14), which has at least one material inlet (4), an air inlet (6), arranged under the material inlet (4), an air outlet (7) and at least one particle receptacle (8), arranged under the air outlet, wherein the plant particles recovered from plant material by crushing can be subjected to an air stream in the air classifier (3, 14) in such a way that silicate particles contained in the plant material are removed by the air stream via the air outlet (7) and, as a result of gravitational force, the plant particles are received by the particle receptacle (8) arranged under the air outlet (7) and taken away.

The invention provides a method for the preparation of an amorphous silicate of at least one metal from the Group 4 of the Periodic Table of Elements with a total pore volume of at least 0.3 mL/g. The method of preparation involves the use of pore shaping conditions, which can be the use of a pore shaper and optionally an increased precipitation temperature, e.g. at least 60° C. The silicate of the invention is especially suitable in catalytic reactions such as esterifications, Michael additions, transesterifications, (ep)oxidations, hydroxylations, or in adsorbance of small inorganic and organic molecules e.g. CO.sub.2 or aromatic compounds.