A mercury-based compound is in powder form and has the general chemical formula: M1.sub.aX.sub.b, where M1 is Hg, MxcMyd or a combination thereof, with Mx being Hg and My being an arbitrary element; wherein X is chloride, bromide, fluoride, iodide, sulphate, nitrate or a combination thereof, wherein a, b, c, and d are numbers between 0.1 and 10, wherein particles of the powder have a minimum average dimension of width of at least 50 nm and a maximum average dimension of width of at most 20 m, and wherein the mercury-based compound is paramagnetic and is present in an excited state.

Provided are enhanced MXene materials made from MAX-phase precursors that comprise an excess of metal A. The resultant enhanced MXenes exhibit improved stability over periods of days and months, particularly when stored in aqueous media.

Provided are enhanced MXene materials made from MAX-phase precursors that comprise an excess of metal A. The resultant enhanced MXenes exhibit improved stability over periods of days and months, particularly when stored in aqueous media.

A Composition of matter defined by the general formula of M1M2M3M4X.sub.3 wherein: X is carbon; and M1, M2, M3, and M4 each represent a different transition metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ta, Sc, Cr, Zr, Hf, Mo, V, and Nb.

A Composition of matter defined by the general formula of M1M2M3M4X.sub.3 wherein: X is carbon; and M1, M2, M3, and M4 each represent a different transition metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ta, Sc, Cr, Zr, Hf, Mo, V, and Nb.

The present disclosure provides a rigid self-supporting MXene separation membrane and a preparation method and use thereof, belonging to the technical field of membranes. In the present disclosure, a MXene material is mixed with an aluminum salt powder to conduct one-step membrane formation by hot-pressing. The pressure forms the powder into a membrane and imparts rigidity, enabling a self-supporting structure; the heating breaks an ionic bond of an inorganic metal salt to reach a molten ionic state, and free metal cations react with active oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of the MXene to form new chemical bonds (such as an AlO bond); such a chemical bond has higher energy, achieving a desirable anti-swelling effect to improve the membrane stability. The separation membrane further has excellent conductivity and hydrophilicity.

The present disclosure provides a rigid self-supporting MXene separation membrane and a preparation method and use thereof, belonging to the technical field of membranes. In the present disclosure, a MXene material is mixed with an aluminum salt powder to conduct one-step membrane formation by hot-pressing. The pressure forms the powder into a membrane and imparts rigidity, enabling a self-supporting structure; the heating breaks an ionic bond of an inorganic metal salt to reach a molten ionic state, and free metal cations react with active oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of the MXene to form new chemical bonds (such as an AlO bond); such a chemical bond has higher energy, achieving a desirable anti-swelling effect to improve the membrane stability. The separation membrane further has excellent conductivity and hydrophilicity.

Provided are an anisotropic rare earth sintered magnet having a ThMn.sub.12-type crystal compound as a main phase and exhibits good magnetic characteristics, and a method for producing it. The anisotropic rare earth sintered magnet has a composition of a formula (R.sub.1-aZr.sub.a).sub.v(Fe.sub.1-bCo.sub.b).sub.100-v-w-x-y(M.sup.1.sub.1-cM.sup.2.sub.c).sub.wO.sub.xC.sub.y (where R is one or more kinds selected from rare earth elements and indispensably includes Sm, M.sup.1 is one or more kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Al, and Si, M.sup.2 is one or more kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, and W, and v, w, x, y, a, b, and c each satisfy 7v15 at %, 4w20 at %, 0.2x4 at %, 0.2y2 at %, 0a0.2, 0b0.5, and 0c0.9), which contains a main phase of a ThMn.sub.12-type crystal compound in an amount of 80% by volume or more with the average crystal particle diameter of the main phase being 1 m or more, which contains an R oxycarbide in the grain boundary area, and which has a density of 7.3 g/cm.sup.3 or more. The production method for the anisotropic rare earth sintered magnet includes grinding an alloy that contains a ThMn.sub.12-type crystal compound phase but does not contain an oxycarbide, then molding it in a mode of pressure powder molding with magnetic field application thereto to give a molded article, and thereafter sintering it at a temperature of 800 C. or higher and 1400 C. or lower to form an oxycarbide in the grain boundary area.

Provided are an anisotropic rare earth sintered magnet having a ThMn.sub.12-type crystal compound as a main phase and exhibits good magnetic characteristics, and a method for producing it. The anisotropic rare earth sintered magnet has a composition of a formula (R.sub.1-aZr.sub.a).sub.v(Fe.sub.1-bCo.sub.b).sub.100-v-w-x-y(M.sup.1.sub.1-cM.sup.2.sub.c).sub.wO.sub.xC.sub.y (where R is one or more kinds selected from rare earth elements and indispensably includes Sm, M.sup.1 is one or more kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Al, and Si, M.sup.2 is one or more kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, and W, and v, w, x, y, a, b, and c each satisfy 7v15 at %, 4w20 at %, 0.2x4 at %, 0.2y2 at %, 0a0.2, 0b0.5, and 0c0.9), which contains a main phase of a ThMn.sub.12-type crystal compound in an amount of 80% by volume or more with the average crystal particle diameter of the main phase being 1 m or more, which contains an R oxycarbide in the grain boundary area, and which has a density of 7.3 g/cm.sup.3 or more. The production method for the anisotropic rare earth sintered magnet includes grinding an alloy that contains a ThMn.sub.12-type crystal compound phase but does not contain an oxycarbide, then molding it in a mode of pressure powder molding with magnetic field application thereto to give a molded article, and thereafter sintering it at a temperature of 800 C. or higher and 1400 C. or lower to form an oxycarbide in the grain boundary area.

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.