This invention provides solid substrates for mitigating or preventing cell or tissue adherence and/or vascularization, which solid substrates comprise a marine organism skeletal derivative and are characterized by a specific fluid uptake capacity value of less than 40%, processes for selection of the same and applications of the same. This invention also provides solid substrates for mitigating or preventing cell or tissue adherence and/or vascularization, which solid substrates are characterized by having a contact angle value of more than 60 degrees, when in contact with a fluid. This invention also provides solid substrates for mitigating or preventing cell or tissue adherence and/or vascularization, which solid substrate is characterized by a minimal surface roughness (Ra) or substantial surface smoothness, as measured by scanning electron microscopy or atomic force microscopy. The invention also provides processes for selection of an optimized coral-based solid substrate.

This invention provides solid substrates for mitigating or preventing cell or tissue adherence and/or vascularization, which solid substrates comprise a marine organism skeletal derivative and are characterized by a specific fluid uptake capacity value of less than 40%, processes for selection of the same and applications of the same. This invention also provides solid substrates for mitigating or preventing cell or tissue adherence and/or vascularization, which solid substrates are characterized by having a contact angle value of more than 60 degrees, when in contact with a fluid. This invention also provides solid substrates for mitigating or preventing cell or tissue adherence and/or vascularization, which solid substrate is characterized by a minimal surface roughness (Ra) or substantial surface smoothness, as measured by scanning electron microscopy or atomic force microscopy. The invention also provides processes for selection of an optimized coral-based solid substrate.

A surface-treated heavy calcium carbonate is provided which is useful for a film exactly controlled in its pore diameter and for easily hydrolyzable polyester resins. A heavy calcium carbonate is also provided which is compounded in a curable resin such as a one-component moisture-curable adhesive and a sealant either without any pre-drying treatment or by simple pre-drying treatment. A surface-treated heavy calcium carbonate satisfying 13,000≤A≤25,000, 0.8≤B≤3.0, C≥0.55, and 0≤D1≤1000, or 8,000≤A≤25,000, 0.8≤B≤15, 0≤C1≤1000, and 0≤C2≤150 wherein: A: specific surface area (cm.sup.2/g), B: average particle diameter (μm): 50% particle diameter (d50) (μm), C: 10% particle diameter (μm), D1, C1: water content at between 25° C. and 300° C. by a Karl-Fischer method (heating vaporization method) (ppm), and C2: water content at between 200° C. and 300° C. by the same method.

A surface-treated heavy calcium carbonate is provided which is useful for a film exactly controlled in its pore diameter and for easily hydrolyzable polyester resins. A heavy calcium carbonate is also provided which is compounded in a curable resin such as a one-component moisture-curable adhesive and a sealant either without any pre-drying treatment or by simple pre-drying treatment. A surface-treated heavy calcium carbonate satisfying 13,000≤A≤25,000, 0.8≤B≤3.0, C≥0.55, and 0≤D1≤1000, or 8,000≤A≤25,000, 0.8≤B≤15, 0≤C1≤1000, and 0≤C2≤150 wherein: A: specific surface area (cm.sup.2/g), B: average particle diameter (μm): 50% particle diameter (d50) (μm), C: 10% particle diameter (μm), D1, C1: water content at between 25° C. and 300° C. by a Karl-Fischer method (heating vaporization method) (ppm), and C2: water content at between 200° C. and 300° C. by the same method.

The calcium carbonate filler for a resin is provided in which a volatile component such as water present in a surface of calcium carbonate is likely to be degassed even when the filler is incorporated into and kneaded with a resin having high processing temperature at a high concentration, and foaming or the like can be suppressed. In particular, the calcium carbonate filler is useful in optical fields that require reflectivity and light resistance. The calcium carbonate filler for a resin has a content rate of particles having a particle diameter of 0.26 μm or less is 30% or less in a number particle size distribution diameter measured from an electron micrograph, and satisfies the following expressions (a) Dms5/Dmv5≤3.0, (b) 1.0≤Sw≤10.0 (m.sup.2/g) and (c) Dma≤5.0 (% by volume): Dms5: a 5% diameter (μm) accumulated from a small particle side in a volume particle size distribution measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement device; Dmv5: a 5% diameter (μm) accumulated from a small particle side in a number particle size distribution in a particle diameter measured with an electron microscope; Sw: a BET specific surface area (m.sup.2/g); and Dma: a content rate (% by volume) of particles having a particle diameter of 3 μm or more in a volume particle size distribution measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement device.

The calcium carbonate filler for a resin is provided in which a volatile component such as water present in a surface of calcium carbonate is likely to be degassed even when the filler is incorporated into and kneaded with a resin having high processing temperature at a high concentration, and foaming or the like can be suppressed. In particular, the calcium carbonate filler is useful in optical fields that require reflectivity and light resistance. The calcium carbonate filler for a resin has a content rate of particles having a particle diameter of 0.26 μm or less is 30% or less in a number particle size distribution diameter measured from an electron micrograph, and satisfies the following expressions (a) Dms5/Dmv5≤3.0, (b) 1.0≤Sw≤10.0 (m.sup.2/g) and (c) Dma≤5.0 (% by volume): Dms5: a 5% diameter (μm) accumulated from a small particle side in a volume particle size distribution measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement device; Dmv5: a 5% diameter (μm) accumulated from a small particle side in a number particle size distribution in a particle diameter measured with an electron microscope; Sw: a BET specific surface area (m.sup.2/g); and Dma: a content rate (% by volume) of particles having a particle diameter of 3 μm or more in a volume particle size distribution measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement device.

A method of producing a product inorganic compound including: immersing a raw material inorganic compound having a volume of 10.sup.−13 m.sup.3 or more in an electrolyte aqueous solution or an electrolyte suspension; exchanging anions in the raw material inorganic compound with anions in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension; cations in the raw material inorganic compound are exchanged with cations in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension; or including a component (that excludes water, hydrogen, and oxygen) in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension not included in the raw material inorganic compound in the raw material inorganic compound; and obtaining a product inorganic compound having a volume of 10.sup.−13 m.sup.3 or more from the raw material inorganic compound.

A method of producing a product inorganic compound including: immersing a raw material inorganic compound having a volume of 10.sup.−13 m.sup.3 or more in an electrolyte aqueous solution or an electrolyte suspension; exchanging anions in the raw material inorganic compound with anions in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension; cations in the raw material inorganic compound are exchanged with cations in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension; or including a component (that excludes water, hydrogen, and oxygen) in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension not included in the raw material inorganic compound in the raw material inorganic compound; and obtaining a product inorganic compound having a volume of 10.sup.−13 m.sup.3 or more from the raw material inorganic compound.

Methods and systems for electrolyte regeneration are provided, which regenerate a spent alkaline electrolyte (SE) comprising dissolved aluminum hydrates from an aluminum-air battery, by electrolysis, to precipitate aluminum tri-hydroxide (ATH) and form regenerated alkaline electrolyte, and adding a same-cation salt to an anolyte used in the electrolysis to supplant a corresponding electrolyte cation. The regeneration may be carried out continuously and further comprise mixing the SE and the same-cation salt in a salt tank configured to deliver the anolyte, removing the regenerated alkaline electrolyte from a catholyte tank configured to deliver the catholyte, and filtering the ATH from a solution delivered from the salt tank to the anolyte. Optionally, the salt may be a buffering salt, and in some cases chemical reactions may be used to enhance the regeneration by electrolysis.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.