Disclosed in certain embodiments are ZSM-5 zeolite microspheres. Disclosed in certain embodiments is a method of forming ZSM-5 zeolite microspheres including: 1) shaping a mixture into microspheres where the mixture includes a silica material and of particulates selected from at least one high-density material with an absolute bulk density of at least 0.3 g/cc, ZSM-5 zeolite crystals, and combinations thereof; 2) calcining the microspheres; and 3) reacting and subsequently heating the microspheres with at least one alkali solution to form ZSM-5 zeolite in-situ on the microspheres, where the ZSM-5 zeolite microspheres contain substantially no clay or calcined clay material.

A method of preparing a binder-free bulk silica aerogel material, comprising the steps of: (i) providing an amount of granular silica aerogel material, and (ii) carrying out a curing step wherein the granular silica aerogel material is contacted with a curing medium, thereby converting the granular silica aerogel material to the bulk silica aerogel material. According to the invention, the granular silica aerogel material is hydrophobic, and the curing medium is an aqueous curing medium which is either acidic with a pH<4 or basic with a pH>10. A resulting binder-free bulk silica aerogel material comprises silica aerogel granules which are interface-bonded and has the following properties: a thermal conductivity below 24 mW/(m.Math.K), a compressive strength of at least 5 kPa, a 3-point flexural stress (f), determined with a specimen having a longest dimension which is four times the specimen thickness, of at least 0.5 kPa.

A bimodal positive electrode material includes a large-particle diameter positive electrode active material and a small-particle diameter positive electrode active material, wherein the large-particle diameter positive electrode active material is a single particle composed of one nodule, and the small-particle diameter positive electrode active material is a pseudo-single particle which is an aggregate of 2 to 30 nodules.

The present invention provides type-I and II carbon-based clathrate compounds stabilized by boron, including a boron-substituted, carbon-based framework with guest atoms encapsulated within the clathrate lattice. In one embodiment, the invention provides a carbon-based type-I clathrate compound of the formula Ca.sub.8B.sub.xC.sub.46-x.

A thermal spray material comprising granules containing a rare earth oxyfluoride has a particle diameter of 1 to 150 m at a cumulative volume of 50 vol % before ultrasonic dispersion and 10 m or smaller after ultrasonic dispersion at 300 W for 15 minutes as determined by laser diffraction/scattering particle size distribution analysis. The particle diameter after ultrasonic dispersion is one-third or less of that before ultrasonic dispersion. The thermal spray material has an average aspect ratio of 2.0 or lower and a compressibility of 30% or less. When the granules further contain a rare earth fluoride, upon being analyzed by X-ray diffractometry using Cu-K or Cu-K1 radiation, S1/S2 is preferably 0.10. S1=intensity of the maximum peak assigned to the rare earth oxyfluoride. S2=intensity of the maximum peak assigned to the rare earth fluoride, both observed in a 2 angle range of 20 to 40.

The present disclosure relates generally to ceramic materials suitable for use as catalyst support materials, catalysts using such materials and methods for using them, such as methods for converting sugars, sugar alcohols, glycerol, and bio-renewable organic acids to commercially-valuable chemicals and intermediates. One aspect of the invention is a ceramic material including zirconium oxide and one or more metal oxides selected from nickel oxide, copper oxide, cobalt oxide, iron oxide and zinc oxide, the ceramic material being at least about 50 wt. % zirconium oxide. In certain embodiments, the ceramic material is substantially free of any binder, extrusion aid or additional stabilizing agent.

The present invention concerns spheroidal alumina particles, catalysts comprising such particles as a support and a process for the production of spheroidal alumina particles, comprising the following steps: a) preparing a suspension comprising water, an acid and at least one boehmite powder for which the ratio of the crystallite dimensions in the [020] and [120] directions obtained using the Scherrer X-ray diffraction formula is in the range 0.7 to 1; b) adding a pore-forming agent, a surfactant and optionally water, or an emulsion comprising at least one pore-forming agent, a surfactant and water to the suspension of step a); c) mixing the suspension obtained in step b); d) shaping the spheroidal particles by the oil-drop method using the suspension obtained in step c); e) drying the particles obtained in step d); f) calcining the particles obtained in step e).

A cobalt oxide precursor powder for use in preparing a positive electrode active material and methods of production thereof are described. The precursor powder comprises particles has a Fd-3m structure and a formula Co.sub.1-yA.sub.yO.sub.x, wherein 1<x4/3, 0y0.05, wherein A comprises at least one element from the group consisting of Ni, Mn, Al, Mg, Ti, and Zr. The particles have a D5015 m and a compressive strength at least 100 MPa and at most 170 MPa.

Disclosed herein is a continuous process for preparing a silica product, comprising: (a) continuously feeding an acidulating agent and an alkali metal silicate into a loop reaction zone comprising a stream of liquid medium; wherein at least a portion of the acidulating agent and the alkali metal silicate react to form a silica product in the liquid medium of the loop reaction zone; (b) continuously recirculating the liquid medium through the loop reaction zone; and (c) continuously discharging from the loop reaction zone a portion of the liquid medium comprising the silica product. Silica products and dentifrice compositions comprising the silica products are also disclosed. A continuous loop reactor is also disclosed.

A TiO.sub.2-based catalyst precursor material in powder form includes TiO.sub.2 particles with the formula TiO.sub.(2-x)(OH).sub.2x (x=0-1). The particles are coated with one or more auxiliary shaping agents and after coating and drying have a specific surface area of at least 150 m.sup.2/g. The material has a content of 1) 50-99.5% by weight of the titanium-oxygen compound with the general formula TiO.sub.(2-x)(OH).sub.2x, wherein x=0 to 1, or mixtures thereof, wherein the crystalline phases of the titanium-oxygen compound are in the anatase form, and 2) 0.5-50% by weight of an auxiliary shaping agent or mixtures thereof, which evaporates, sublimates and/or decomposes upon heating to temperatures below the transformation temperature from anatase to rutile, wherein the % by weight are relative to the total weight of the dried catalyst precursor material.