Scintillator materials based on mixed garnet compositions, as well as corresponding methods and systems, are described.

A composite powder containing microstructured particles obtainable by means of a method in which large particles are combined with small particles, wherein the large particles have an average particle diameter within the range from 0.1 m to 10 mm, the large particles comprise at least one polymer, the small particles are arranged on the surface of the large particles and/or distributed inhomogeneously within the large particles, the small particles comprise sphere-shaped precipitated calcium carbonate particles having an average diameter within the range from 0.05 m to 50.0 m, wherein the sphere-shaped calcium carbonate particles are obtainable by means of a method in which
a. a calcium hydroxide suspension is initially charged,
b. carbon dioxide or a carbon dioxide-containing gas mixture is introduced into the suspension from step a. and
c. resultant calcium carbonate particles are separated off,
with 0.3% by weight to 0.7% by weight of at least one aminotrisalkylenephosphonic acid being further added.

Preferred application areas of the composite powder encompass its use as additive, especially as polymer additive, as additive substance or starting material for compounding, for the production of components, for applications in medical technology and/or in microtechnology and/or for the production of foamed articles.

The invention therefore also provides components obtainable by selective laser sintering of a composition comprising a composite powder according to the invention, except for implants for uses in the field of neurosurgery, oral surgery, jaw surgery, facial surgery, neck surgery, nose surgery and ear surgery as well as hand surgery, foot surgery, thorax surgery, rib surgery and shoulder surgery.

The invention also provides the sphere-shaped calcium carbonate particles which can advantageously be used to produce the composite particles according to the invention, and the use thereof.

Selenium nanomaterials and methods of making and using selenium nanomaterials are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the selenium nanomaterials can advantageously be used, for example, for removing mercury from air and/or water.

A process for the preparation of nanofilament particles of SiO.sub.x in which x is between 0.8 and 1.2, the process comprising: a step consisting of a fusion reaction between silica (SiO.sub.2) and silicon (Si), at a temperature of at least about 1410 C., to produce gaseous silicon monoxide (SiO); and a step consisting of condensation of the gaseous SiO to produce the SiO.sub.x nanofilament particles. The process may also comprising using carbon.

The disclosure relates to a method for making semimetal compound of Pt. The semimetal compound is a single crystal material of PtSe.sub.2. The method comprises: placing pure Pt and pure Se in a reacting chamber as reacting materials; evacuating the reacting chamber to be vacuum less than 10 Pa; heating the reacting chamber to a first temperature of 600 degrees Celsius to 800 degrees Celsius and keeping for 24 hours to 100 hours; cooling the reacting chamber to a second temperature of 400 degrees Celsius to 500 degrees Celsius at a cooling rate of 1 degrees Celsius per hour to 10 degrees Celsius per hour and keeping for 24 hours to 100 hours to obtain a crystal material of PtSe.sub.2; and separating the excessive reacting materials from the crystal material of PtSe.sub.2.

The present disclosure relates to a cathode material including bismuth-doped manganite-based perovskite and having excellent electrochemical properties and long-term stability, and a solid oxide fuel cell including the same. A cathode material according to an embodiment includes bismuth-doped manganite-based perovskite which is represented by Formula 1 below and in which praseodymium strontium manganite is deponed with bismuth:

##STR00001## wherein in the Formula 1, x is in a range of 0<X<0.5, and ? is in a range of 0<?<2.

The disclosure relates to a method for making semimetal compound of Pt. The semimetal compound is a single crystal material of PtSe.sub.2. The method comprises: placing pure Pt and pure Se in a reacting chamber as reacting materials; evacuating the reacting chamber to be vacuum less than 10 Pa; heating the reacting chamber to a first temperature of 600 degrees Celsius to 800 degrees Celsius and keeping for 24 hours to 100 hours; cooling the reacting chamber to a second temperature of 400 degrees Celsius to 500 degrees Celsius and keeping for 24 hours to 100 hours at a cooling rate of 1 degrees Celsius per hour to 10 degrees Celsius per hour to obtain a crystal material of PtSe.sub.2; and separating the excessive reacting materials from the crystal material of PtSe.sub.2.

A near-infrared-absorption white material, a method of manufacturing the same, and uses thereof. The near-infrared-absorption material includes copper pyrophosphate compound. The copper pyrophosphate compound has a brightness (CIE L*) value of 90 or more in a visible-ray region and is excellent in particle manufacturing properties, and a crystalline structure of the copper pyrophosphate compound is made chemically stable using a heat treatment at a high temperature. The copper pyrophosphate compound is represented by the following chemical formula:

Cu.sub.2P.sub.2O.sub.7 or Cu.sub.2P.sub.2O.sub.7.XH.sub.2O (x=13).

A tranition metal composite hydroxide can be used as a precursor to allow a lithium transition metal composite oxide having a small and highly uniform particle diameter to be obtained. A method also is provided for producing a transition metal composite hydroxide represented by a general formula (1) M.sub.xW.sub.sA.sub.t(OH).sub.2+, coated with a compound containing the additive element, and serving as a precursor of a positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. The method includes producing a composite hydroxide particle, forming nuclei, growing a formed nucleus; and forming a coating material containing a metal oxide or hydroxide on the surfaces of composite hydroxide particles obtained through the upstream step.

Provided are a cathode active material used for a lithium ion secondary battery capable of sufficiently realizing both high charge/discharge capacities and excellent cycle properties, and a lithium ion secondary battery using the cathode active material. The cathode active material contains a plurality of secondary particles formed via agglomeration of a plurality of primary particles of a lithium transition metal composite oxide. Spreading resistance distributions of the secondary particles respectively observed in cross-sections at optional three positions of the cathode active material are measured so as to afford average values of spreading resistance of the secondary particles in the respective cross-sections. The average values of spreading resistance of the secondary particles are further averaged. The resultant averaged value of spreading resistance is made to enter the range of 1.010.sup.6 /cm or more and 1.010.sup.10 /cm or less.