A rigid radiation reflector is fabricated from a powdered material transparent to light in a wavelength band extending from approximately 0.2 micrometers to at least 8 micrometers. The powdered material is dispersed in a liquid wherein the powdered material is at least 95% insoluble in the liquid. The resulting mixture is molded under pressure at room temperature and then sintered to generate a porous solid. The porous solid is cooled to room temperature. A surface of the porous solid is then coated with a light-reflecting metal.

A rigid radiation reflector is fabricated from a powdered material transparent to light in a wavelength band extending from approximately 0.2 micrometers to at least 8 micrometers. The powdered material is dispersed in a liquid wherein the powdered material is at least 95% insoluble in the liquid. The resulting mixture is molded under pressure at room temperature and then sintered to generate a porous solid. The porous solid is cooled to room temperature. A surface of the porous solid is then coated with a light-reflecting metal.

Amine functional solid sorbents for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration may be prepared from metal oxide foam solid sorbent supports by treating an appropriate metal oxide foam solid sorbent support with an amine material. Desirable are metal oxide foam solid sorbent supports with a foam structure and morphology at least substantially absent hollow sphere, layered sphere, wormlike and amorphous structure and morphology components. The amine materials may be sorbed into the metal oxide foam solid sorbent support, or alternatively chemically bonded, such as but not limited to covalently bonded, to the metal oxide foam solid sorbent support.

Amine functional solid sorbents for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration may be prepared from metal oxide foam solid sorbent supports by treating an appropriate metal oxide foam solid sorbent support with an amine material. Desirable are metal oxide foam solid sorbent supports with a foam structure and morphology at least substantially absent hollow sphere, layered sphere, wormlike and amorphous structure and morphology components. The amine materials may be sorbed into the metal oxide foam solid sorbent support, or alternatively chemically bonded, such as but not limited to covalently bonded, to the metal oxide foam solid sorbent support.

Provided is a method of producing a thin-film containing a hafnium atom on a surface of a substrate by an atomic layer deposition method, including: a step 1 of causing a raw material gas obtained by vaporizing a thin-film forming raw material containing a hafnium compound represented by the following general formula (1) to adsorb to the surface of the substrate to form a precursor thin-film; a step 2 of evacuating the raw material gas remaining unreacted; and a step 3 of causing the precursor thin-film to react with a reactive gas at a temperature of 300 C. or more and less than 450 C. to form the thin-film containing a hafnium atom on the surface of the substrate:

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

Provided is a method of producing a thin-film containing a hafnium atom on a surface of a substrate by an atomic layer deposition method, including: a step 1 of causing a raw material gas obtained by vaporizing a thin-film forming raw material containing a hafnium compound represented by the following general formula (1) to adsorb to the surface of the substrate to form a precursor thin-film; a step 2 of evacuating the raw material gas remaining unreacted; and a step 3 of causing the precursor thin-film to react with a reactive gas at a temperature of 300 C. or more and less than 450 C. to form the thin-film containing a hafnium atom on the surface of the substrate:

##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

A process for preparing a mesoporous material, e.g., transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, Lanthanide metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, a post-transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride and metalloid oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride. The process comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to form the mesoporous material. A mesoporous material prepared by the above process. A method of controlling nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in mesoporous materials. The method comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to control nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in the mesoporous material. Mesoporous materials and a method of tuning structural properties of mesoporous materials.

A process for preparing a mesoporous material, e.g., transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, Lanthanide metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride, a post-transition metal oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride and metalloid oxide, sulfide, selenide or telluride. The process comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to form the mesoporous material. A mesoporous material prepared by the above process. A method of controlling nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in mesoporous materials. The method comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic or lyotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to control nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in the mesoporous material. Mesoporous materials and a method of tuning structural properties of mesoporous materials.

Provided is a method of extracting and separating zirconium and hafnium from hydrochloric acid medium, which relates to the technical field of fine separation of substance. Primarily, extraction is performed to acidic raw liquid containing zirconium compounds by a synergistic extraction system consisting of DIBK and phosphonic acids extraction agent, so that the zirconium goes to the aqueous phase and the hafnium goes to the organic phase, thus the separation is achieved. No toxic substance is involved throughout the process, so clean production is achieved.

Methods are provided herein for forming transition metal oxide thin films, preferably Group IVB metal oxide thin films, by atomic layer deposition. The metal oxide thin films can be deposited at high temperatures using metalorganic reactants. Metalorganic reactants comprising two ligands, at least one of which is a cycloheptatriene or cycloheptatrienyl (CHT) ligand are used in some embodiments. The metal oxide thin films can be used, for example, as dielectric oxides in transistors, flash devices, capacitors, integrated circuits, and other semiconductor applications.