Disclosed are embodiments of tungsten bronze crystal structures that can have both a high dielectric constant and low temperature coefficient, making them advantageous for applications that experience temperature changes and gradients. In particular, tantalum can be substituted into the crystal structure to improve properties. Embodiments of the material can be useful for radiofrequency applications such as resonators and antennas.

A dispersion includes silane-bonded inorganic oxide particles having surfaces modified with a hydrolyzable silane, and a liquid dispersion medium which contains a hydrolysate of the hydrolyzable silane; the ratio of (the number of moles of silicon atoms of the hydrolysate of the hydrolyzable silane in the dispersion medium)/(the number of moles of silicon atoms of the silane bonded to the surfaces of the particles) is 0.2 to 30; and Q4 is greater than that before the surface modification with silane, wherein Q4 corresponds to the case where the number of bridging oxygen atoms between silicon atoms of the silica particles is 4/2 per one silicon atom as determined by Si-NMR observation. The inorganic oxide particles have an average diameter of 5 nm to 100 nm and are particles of silica and at least one inorganic oxide from the group of alumina, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, and antimony oxide.

A method of forming lightweight structures from particle networks includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating of the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles. One example uses graphite powder mixed into 4-aminobenzoic acid for edge functionalization, and exfoliation occurs with sonication in a solvent. The resulting particles undergo alignment with an aligning nozzle that also dispenses the aligned particles to form a structure.

The invention provides a process for exfoliating a 3-dimensional layered material to produce a 2-dimensional material, said process comprising the steps of mixing the layered material in a solvent to provide a mixture; applying energy, for example ultrasound, to said mixture, and removing the energy applied to the mixture, such that sedimentation of the 2-dimensional material out of solution as a weakly re-aggregated, exfoliated 2-dimensional material is produced. The invention provides a fast, simple and high yielding process for separating 3-dimensional layered materials into individual 2-dimensional layers or flakes, which do not strongly re-aggregate, without utilising hazardous solvents.

A method of forming lightweight structures from particle networks includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating of the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles. One example uses graphite powder mixed into 4-aminobenzoic acid for edge functionalization, and exfoliation occurs with sonication in a solvent. The resulting particles undergo alignment with an aligning nozzle that also dispenses the aligned particles to form a structure.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing nanoparticles that are self-dispersing in water. It also relates to the self-dispersing nanoparticles obtained by the process of the invention and also a process for manufacturing a heat-transfer fluid containing the nanoparticles according to the invention or obtained by the process of the invention. The process of the invention comprises the following steps: a) optionally, manufacture of an aqueous dispersion of nanoparticles chosen from the nanoparticles of alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), of zinc oxide (ZnO), of titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2), of silica (SiO.sub.2) and of beryllium oxide (BeO), b) addition to an aqueous dispersion of nanoparticles chosen from nanoparticles of alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), of zinc oxide (ZnO), of titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2), of silica (SiO.sub.2) and of beryllium oxide (BeO), of a water-soluble polymer chosen from polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene glycols, polyvinylpyrrolidones, polyoxazolines, starches, and mixtures of two or more thereof, and c) thermal quenching of the dispersion obtained in step b), and d) lyophilization of the quenched dispersion obtained in step c). The invention finds an application in the field of coolants in particular.

Reactive oxygen species formulations as well as methods for making and using such formulations. Reactive oxygen species formulations comprising one or more parent oxidants, such as peroxides, or peroxyacids, and one or more reactive oxygen species. (ROS). The formulations optionally contain in addition one or more reactive species other than ROS. The reactive oxygen species and other reactive species when present provide chemical reactivity, oxidative activity and/or antimicrobial activity not provided otherwise by the parent oxidant.

A method includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating of the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles. A method includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an inorganic nanoparticle dispersion liquid in which an amount of a surfactant is reduced or in which an inorganic nanoparticle is dispersed with improved dispersion stability, and a production method thereof. The method for producing an inorganic nanoparticle dispersion liquid according to the present invention is characterized in comprising the steps of mixing an inorganic nanoparticle, a cyclic lipopeptide biosurfactant and a medium, and dispersing the inorganic nanoparticle in the medium.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of nanocrystalline metal oxide particles comprising the steps of a) the introduction of a starting compound into a reaction chamber by means of a carrier fluid, b) the subjecting of the starting compound in a treatment zone to a pulsating thermal treatment, c) the forming of nanocrystalline metal oxide particles, d) the removal of the nanocrystalline metal oxide particles obtained in steps b) and c) from the reactor, wherein the starting compound is introduced into the reaction chamber in the form of a solution, slurry, suspension or in solid aggregate state. Further, the present compound relates to a catalyst material, obtainable by the process according to the invention, in particular a catalyst material for use in the preparation of methanol from carbon monoxide and hydrogen.