A process for preparing lead by electroreduction with an ammonium chloride and an ammonia is disclosed. In the process, an ammonium chloride aqueous solution is used as an electrolyte, a lead compound is used as a raw material, titanium is used as an anode, stainless steel or lead is used as a cathode, and a direct-current electric field is applied in an electrolytic bath; the lead compound is reduced to metal lead after obtaining electrons at the cathode; and at the anode, ammonia is oxidized to nitrogen for escaping, and H.sup.+ ions are generated simultaneously; sulfate radical ions and chloride ions in the lead compound enter the solution to form ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride; and the lead monoxide and lead dioxide in the lead compound are reduced to a metal lead and OH.sup. ions are simultaneously released to combine with the H.sup.+ ions to form water.

A process for preparing lead by electroreduction with an ammonium chloride and an ammonia is disclosed. In the process, an ammonium chloride aqueous solution is used as an electrolyte, a lead compound is used as a raw material, titanium is used as an anode, stainless steel or lead is used as a cathode, and a direct-current electric field is applied in an electrolytic bath; the lead compound is reduced to metal lead after obtaining electrons at the cathode; and at the anode, ammonia is oxidized to nitrogen for escaping, and H.sup.+ ions are generated simultaneously; sulfate radical ions and chloride ions in the lead compound enter the solution to form ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride; and the lead monoxide and lead dioxide in the lead compound are reduced to a metal lead and OH.sup. ions are simultaneously released to combine with the H.sup.+ ions to form water.

Method and apparatus thereof to separate aluminum from aluminum-containing source material, such as fly ash, includes preparing a slurry of the source material and water in an agitation tank and adding a leaching reactant to the slurry in an amount dependent on the amount of aluminum in the source material. After agitation, transferring the mixture to a settling pond. After settling, transferring the liquid as a pregnant solution to an electric cell. Treating the pregnant solution in the electric cell by applying an electrical current that is periodically reversed as the pregnant solution passes between at least two metal plates in the electric cell. Collecting the treated solution in a cone bottom tank and separating aluminum particles from the treated solution using a filter press. Drying the particulate aluminum and pressing the aluminum into solid shapes.

Method and apparatus thereof to separate aluminum from aluminum-containing source material, such as fly ash, includes preparing a slurry of the source material and water in an agitation tank and adding a leaching reactant to the slurry in an amount dependent on the amount of aluminum in the source material. After agitation, transferring the mixture to a settling pond. After settling, transferring the liquid as a pregnant solution to an electric cell. Treating the pregnant solution in the electric cell by applying an electrical current that is periodically reversed as the pregnant solution passes between at least two metal plates in the electric cell. Collecting the treated solution in a cone bottom tank and separating aluminum particles from the treated solution using a filter press. Drying the particulate aluminum and pressing the aluminum into solid shapes.

Lead from lead acid battery scrap is recovered in two separate production streams as clean grid lead and as high-purity lead without smelting. In preferred aspects, lead recovery is performed in a continuous process that uses an aqueous electroprocessing solvent and electro-refining. Spent electroprocessing solvent and/or base utilized to treat lead paste from the lead acid battery scrap can be recycled to the recovery process.

Lead from lead acid battery scrap is recovered in two separate production streams as clean grid lead and as high-purity lead without smelting. In preferred aspects, lead recovery is performed in a continuous process that uses an aqueous electroprocessing solvent and electro-refining. Spent electroprocessing solvent and/or base utilized to treat lead paste from the lead acid battery scrap can be recycled to the recovery process.

Various configurations of a power plant are described. The power plant is configured to supply power to a receiving electrical grid by the combustion of metal powder. The power plant is also configured absorb power by recovering the metal powder from the metal oxide produced by the combustion of the metal powder, with electricity from a source electrical grid.

Various configurations of a power plant are described. The power plant is configured to supply power to a receiving electrical grid by the combustion of metal powder. The power plant is also configured absorb power by recovering the metal powder from the metal oxide produced by the combustion of the metal powder, with electricity from a source electrical grid.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a catalyst having high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and the like, particularly a catalyst employing platinum group particles having a small particle diameter. A layered manganese oxide comprising platinum group metal particles between layers. A method for producing a layered manganese oxide comprising platinum group metal particles between layers, or platinum group metal particles, the method comprising introducing a platinum group complex between layers of a layered manganese oxide and reducing the introduced platinum group complex by electrolysis, wherein a potential applied to the platinum group complex is changed in a positive direction and a negative direction.

A new dendritic silver powder can be mixed with a synthetic resin to give electroconductive films having sufficient electroconductivity. Even when the films vary in thickness, the electroconductivity of the films can be maintained. The volume-cumulative particle diameter D50 (referred to as D50D) determined by adding the silver powder to water containing a dispersant, applying 300-watt ultrasonic waves to the resultant mixture for 3 minutes, and examining the dispersion with a laser diffraction/scattering type particle size analyzer is 1.0-15.0 m and that the ratio of the volume-cumulative particle diameter D50 (referred to as D50N) determined by adding the silver powder to the water containing a dispersant and examining the mixture under the same conditions as for the D50D except that no ultrasonic waves are applied, to the D50D, D50N/D50D, is 1.0-10.0.