Methods of synthesizing Bi.sub.2S.sub.3—CdS particles in the form of spheres as well as properties of these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3—CdS particles are described. Methods of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants employing these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3—CdS particles and methods of preventing or reducing microbial growth on a surface by applying these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3—CdS particles in the form of a solution or an antimicrobial product onto the surface are also specified.

A method for modifying surface wettability of a surface of a solid substrate may include contacting the surface of the solid substrate with a brine solution containing carbon nanodots. The carbon nanodots may have carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen as constituent elements and may include one or more functional groups disposed at outer surfaces of the carbon nanodots. The brine solution has a salinity of greater than 30,000 TDS. A concentration of carbon nanodots in the brine solution is less than or equal to 500 ppmw. Contacting the solid substrate with the brine solution comprising the carbon nanodots is characterized by a contact duration, a contact volume, or both, that is sufficient to reduce the oil wettability of the surface of the solid substrate by at least 15%, as defined by a contact angle of a crude oil droplet contacted with the surface of the solid substrate.

The present invention refers to Pickering emulsion comprising (i) water; (ii) 10 to 50 wt.-% oil, based on the total weight of the Pickering emulsion and (iii) 1 to 10 wt.-% of Pickering pigments, based on the total weight of the Pickering emulsion, wherein the Pickering pigments are calcium carbonate particles selected from surface-reacted calcium carbonate (SRCC) or mixtures of ground calcium carbonate (GCC) and surface-reacted calcium carbonate (SRCC) and wherein the calcium carbonate particles have a volume median particle size d.sub.50 value from 0.2 .Math.m to 10 .Math.m. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a composition comprising said Pickering emulsions and a method of preparing such Pickering emulsions. The present invention also refers to the use of calcium carbonate particles as Pickering pigments for stabilizing Pickering emulsions comprising water and 10 to 50 wt.-% oil, based on the total weight of the Pickering emulsion, wherein the calcium carbonate particles are selected from surface-reacted calcium carbonate (SRCC) or mixtures of ground calcium carbonate (GCC) and surface-reacted calcium carbonate (SRCC) and have a volume median particle size d.sub.50 value from 0.2 .Math.m to 10 .Math.m.

A positive-electrode material according to the present disclosure includes a positive-electrode active material and a cover layer 111 containing a first solid electrolyte and covering at least partially the surface of the positive-electrode active material. The positive-electrode active material and the cover layer constitute a covered active material; the positive-electrode active material has a pore volume V.sub.α, the covered active material has a pore volume V.sub.β, the positive-electrode active material has a specific surface area Sa, the covered active material has a specific surface area Sp, and at least one selected from the group consisting of 0.20<V.sub.β/V.sub.α<0.88 and 0.81<S.sub.β/S.sub.α<0.97 is satisfied.

Porous carbon particles, and a positive electrode active material and a lithium secondary battery including the same. This may improve the energy density of the lithium secondary battery by applying a porous electrode containing micropores and mesopores and having a uniform size distribution and shape as a positive electrode material.

Provided is a method for producing a porous metal oxide. The method includes: preparing a slurry by mixing a metal source, a pore forming agent and an aqueous solvent; drying the slurry to obtain a metal oxide precursor; and sintering the metal oxide precursor to generate a porous metal oxide. The metal source is an organometallic compound or hydrolyzate thereof containing a metal that makes up the porous metal oxide; the pore forming agent is an inorganic compound that generates a gas by decomposing at a temperature equal to or lower than a temperature at which the metal oxide precursor is sintered; and the slurry is prepared using 50 parts by weight or more of the pore forming agent with respect to 100 parts by weight of the metal source.

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

A process for producing a particulate TiO.sub.2 includes supplementing metatitanic acid with an alkali compound in a quantity of 1200 ppm to 2400 ppm of alkali, with a phosphorus compound in a quantity of 0.1 wt.-% to 0.3 wt.-% by weight of P, expressed as phosphorus, and with an aluminum compound in a quantity of 1 ppm to 1000 ppm of Al, expressed as Al, to obtain a mixture. The quantity of the alkali compound, of the phosphorus compound, and of the aluminum compound are with respect to the TiO.sub.2 content. The mixture is calcined at a constant temperature of 940° C. to 1020° C. until a numerical fraction X.sub.50 of TiO.sub.2 has a primary crystallite size of at least 200 nm, to obtain a calcined mixture. The calcined mixture is cooled to obtain a cooled calcined mixture. The cooled calcined mixture is grinded to obtain the particulate TiO.sub.2.

The invention relates to a mixed oxide composed of zirconium, cerium, lanthanum and at least one rare earth oxide other than cerium and lanthanum, having a specific porosity and a high specific surface area; to the method for preparing same and to the use thereof in catalysis.

The present invention relates in one aspect to the discovery of novel mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) templated around and comprising benzalkonium chloride (BAC). In certain embodiments, the BAC-SiO.sub.2 mesoporous nanoparticles are capable of sustained release of BAC under acidic conditions, thereby acting as a long release antimicrobial agent. In other embodiments, the BAC-SiO.sub.2 mesoporous nanoparticles can be incorporated into a variety of consumer products as an antimicrobial agent additive, including for example, but not limited to, surgical dressings, bandages, deodorants, soaps, facial cleansers and industrial cleaners.