A method for producing aluminum oxide is provided. The method uses an aluminum-oxide-forming agent containing a partially hydrolyzed aluminum alkyl compound containing an aluminum trialkyl or a mixture thereof, and a solvent. It is thus possible to produce an aluminum oxide thin film or aluminum oxide particles on or in a substrate that is not resistant to polar solvents. A method of producing a polyolefin-based polymer nanocomposite containing zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles using a solution containing a partially hydrolyzed zinc alkyl or a solution containing a partially hydrolyzed aluminum alkyl is also provided. The polyolefin-based polymer nanocomposite contains a polyolefin substrate and zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles, and does not contain a dispersant. The zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles have an average particle size of less than 100 nm.

A dielectric composition including a metal oxide particle including a diameter of 5 nanometers or less capped with an organic ligand at at least a 1:1 ratio. A method including synthesizing metal oxide particles including a diameter of 5 nanometers or less; and capping the metal oxide particles with an organic ligand at at least a 1:1 ratio. A method including forming an interconnect layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first hardmask material and a different second hardmask material on the interconnect layer, wherein at least one of the first hardmask material and the second hardmask material is formed over an area of interconnect layer target for a via landing and at least one of the first hardmask material and the second hardmask material include metal oxide nanoparticles; and forming an opening to the interconnect layer selectively through one of the first hardmask material and the second hardmask material.

A dielectric composition including a metal oxide particle including a diameter of 5 nanometers or less capped with an organic ligand at at least a 1:1 ratio. A method including synthesizing metal oxide particles including a diameter of 5 nanometers or less; and capping the metal oxide particles with an organic ligand at at least a 1:1 ratio. A method including forming an interconnect layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first hardmask material and a different second hardmask material on the interconnect layer, wherein at least one of the first hardmask material and the second hardmask material is formed over an area of interconnect layer target for a via landing and at least one of the first hardmask material and the second hardmask material include metal oxide nanoparticles; and forming an opening to the interconnect layer selectively through one of the first hardmask material and the second hardmask material.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to catalysts for electrochemical water splitting, in particular catalysts useful for oxygen evolution at an anode in electrochemical water splitting. The disclosed catalysts compositions comprise a catalyst core component, a shell component, and optionally a catalyst outer component; wherein the catalyst core component comprises a composition having the chemical formula M.sub.xP.sub.y; where M is a transition metal; wherein x is a number from about 1 to about 20; wherein y is a number from about 1 to about 20; wherein the shell component comprises a conducting polymer; and wherein the catalyst outer component is a transition metal that is not the same as the transition metal M. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Disclosed is alumina having a water desorption index H (=(V.sub.d0.5-V.sub.a0.5)÷V.sub.a0.9) of 0.15 or less in a water adsorption/desorption isotherm at 25° C., where V.sub.d0.5 represents a water adsorption amount [mg/g] per 1 g of alumina in the desorption isotherm at a relative water vapor pressure of 0.5, V.sub.a0.5 represents a water adsorption amount [mg/g] per 1 g of alumina in the adsorption isotherm at a relative water vapor pressure of 0.5, and V.sub.a0.9 represents a water adsorption amount [mg/g] per 1 g of alumina in the adsorption isotherm at a relative water vapor pressure of 0.9.

Disclosed is alumina having a water desorption index H (=(V.sub.d0.5-V.sub.a0.5)÷V.sub.a0.9) of 0.15 or less in a water adsorption/desorption isotherm at 25° C., where V.sub.d0.5 represents a water adsorption amount [mg/g] per 1 g of alumina in the desorption isotherm at a relative water vapor pressure of 0.5, V.sub.a0.5 represents a water adsorption amount [mg/g] per 1 g of alumina in the adsorption isotherm at a relative water vapor pressure of 0.5, and V.sub.a0.9 represents a water adsorption amount [mg/g] per 1 g of alumina in the adsorption isotherm at a relative water vapor pressure of 0.9.

A nanocrystal-sized cerium-zirconium-aluminum mixed oxide material includes at least 20% by mass zirconium oxide; between 5% to 55% by mass cerium oxide; between 5% to 60% by mass aluminum oxide; and a total of 25% or less by mass of at least one oxide of a rare earth metal selected from the group of lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, or yttrium. The nanocrystal-sized cerium-zirconium-aluminum mixed oxide exhibits hierarchically ordered aggregates having a dso particle size less than 1.5 μm, and retains at least 80% of surface area and pore volume after ageing at temperature higher than 1000° C. for at least 6 hours. The nanocrystal-sized cerium-zirconium-aluminum mixed oxide material is prepared using a co-precipitation method followed by milling the dried and calcined oxide material. The nanocrystal-sized cerium-zirconium-aluminum mixed oxide material forms a particulate filter that may be used in an exhaust system arising from a gas or diesel engine

A method for producing aluminum oxide is provided. The method uses an aluminum-oxide-forming agent containing a partially hydrolyzed aluminum alkyl compound containing an aluminum trialkyl or a mixture thereof, and a solvent. It is thus possible to produce an aluminum oxide thin film or aluminum oxide particles on or in a substrate that is not resistant to polar solvents. A method of producing a polyolefin-based polymer nanocomposite containing zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles using a solution containing a partially hydrolyzed zinc alkyl or a solution containing a partially hydrolyzed aluminum alkyl is also provided. The polyolefin-based polymer nanocomposite contains a polyolefin substrate and zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles, and does not contain a dispersant. The zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles have an average particle size of less than 100 nm.

A method for producing aluminum oxide is provided. The method uses an aluminum-oxide-forming agent containing a partially hydrolyzed aluminum alkyl compound containing an aluminum trialkyl or a mixture thereof, and a solvent. It is thus possible to produce an aluminum oxide thin film or aluminum oxide particles on or in a substrate that is not resistant to polar solvents. A method of producing a polyolefin-based polymer nanocomposite containing zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles using a solution containing a partially hydrolyzed zinc alkyl or a solution containing a partially hydrolyzed aluminum alkyl is also provided. The polyolefin-based polymer nanocomposite contains a polyolefin substrate and zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles, and does not contain a dispersant. The zinc oxide particles or aluminum oxide particles have an average particle size of less than 100 nm.

A preparation method for a ceramic composite material, a ceramic composite material, and a wavelength converter. The preparation method comprises: preparing an aluminium salt solution and a fluorescent powder; dispersing the fluorescent powder into a buffer solution having a pH 4.5-5.5 to obtain a suspension; titrating the suspension with the aluminium salt solution to obtain a fluorescent powder coated with Al.sub.2O.sub.3 hydrate film; calcining the fluorescent powder coated with Al.sub.2O.sub.3 hydrate film to obtain a Al.sub.2O.sub.3-coated fluorescent powder; mixing aluminium oxide powder with a particle size of 0.1 μm-1 μm and aluminium oxide powder with a particle size of 1 μm-10 μm to obtain mixed aluminium oxide powder; mixing the Al.sub.2O.sub.3-coated fluorescent powder and the mixed aluminium oxide powder to obtain mixed powder, the Al.sub.2O.sub.3-coated fluorescent powder being present in 40%-90% by weight of the mixed powder; and pre-pressing and sintering the mixed powder to obtain the ceramic composite material.