The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a boron phosphide, more specifically BP and/or B.sub.12P.sub.2, comprising the mechanochemical reaction of boron phosphate (BPO.sub.4) with at least one alkaline earth metal (EA). In particular, the process of the invention allows for the selective preparation of either BP or B.sub.12P.sub.2 with more than 95% purity, through the reduction of boron phosphate (BPO.sub.4) with at least one alkaline earth metal (EA) according to reaction (1) for BP and according to reaction (2) for B.sub.12P.sub.2: BPO.sub.4+4 EA->BP+4 EA(O) (1) 2BPO.sub.4+5 (EA)B.sub.2+3 EA->B.sub.12P.sub.2+8 EA(O) (2). The present invention further relates to boron phosphide powders, in particular BP or B.sub.12P.sub.2 powders, of nanometric or micrometric size.

Novel methods for processing fumed metallic oxides into globular metallic oxide agglomerates are provided. The methodology may allow for fumed metallic oxide particles, such as fumed silica and fumed alumina particles, to be processed into a globular morphology to improve handling while retaining a desirable surface area. The processes may include providing fumed metallic oxide particles, combining the particles with a liquid carrier to form a suspension, atomizing the solution of suspended particles, and subjecting the atomized droplets to a temperature range sufficient to remove the liquid carrier from the droplets, to produce metallic oxide-containing agglomerations.

In a method for extracting boric acid from boron solution, the boron solution is processed at a nanofiltration system, wherein the nanofiltration system generates a first permeate and a first concentrate. The first permeate is stored in a first storage tank. The first permeate is polished to generate a second permeate and a second concentrate. The second concentrate is stored in a second storage tank. The second concentrate is processed at a seawater processing system to generate a third concentrate and a third permeate, wherein the third concentrate comprises boric acid. The third concentrate is stored in a third storage tank.

Disclosed are a cathode for an all-solid-state battery including a composite-coated or double-coated cathode active material and a method of manufacturing the same.

A reaction method comprising combining a carbonyl-substituted arylboronic acid or ester and an -effect amine in aqueous solution at a temperature between about 5 C to 55 C, and a pH between 2 and 8 to produce an adduct. A process is also provided comprising: contacting a boron compound having a boron atom bonded to a sp.sup.2 hybridized carbon conjugated with a cis-carbonyl, the boron having at least one labile substituent, with an -effect amine, in a solvent for a time sufficient to form an adduct, which may proceed to further products.

A reaction method comprising combining a carbonyl-substituted arylboronic acid or ester and an -effect amine in aqueous solution at a temperature between about 5 C to 55 C, and a pH between 2 and 8 to produce an adduct. A process is also provided comprising: contacting a boron compound having a boron atom bonded to a sp.sup.2 hybridized carbon conjugated with a cis-carbonyl, the boron having at least one labile substituent, with an -effect amine, in a solvent for a time sufficient to form an adduct, which may proceed to further products.

A process for preparing a mesoporous metal oxide, i.e., transition metal oxide. Lanthanide metal oxide, a post-transition metal oxide and metalloid oxide. The process comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to form the mesoporous metal oxide. A mesoporous metal oxide prepared by the above process. A method of controlling nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in mesoporous metal oxides. The method comprises providing an acidic mixture comprising a metal precursor, an interface modifier, a hydrotropic ion precursor, and a surfactant; and heating the acidic mixture at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to control nano-sized wall crystallinity and mesoporosity in the mesoporous metal oxides. Mesoporous metal oxides and a method of tuning structural properties of mesoporous metal oxides.

Methods of preparing boron suboxide are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for preparing boron suboxide may include loading elemental boron powder into a furnace; purging the furnace by flowing a first gas comprising one of nitrogen or an inert gas into the furnace; heating the boron powder in a reactive atmosphere comprising a mixture of argon and a non-reducing oxygen-containing gas to convert elemental boron powder into boron suboxide powder, wherein the amount of oxygen in the reactive atmosphere is no greater than about 1%.

The present invention relates to a cesium borosilicate compound, a nonlinear optical crystal of cesium borosilicate, and a preparation method therefor and a use thereof. The cesium borosilicate compound has a chemical formula of Cs.sub.2B.sub.4SiO.sub.9 and a molecular weight of 481.15, and is prepared using a solid phase method. The nonlinear optical crystal of the cesium borosilicate compound has a chemical formula of Cs.sub.2B.sub.4SiO.sub.9 and a molecular weight of 481.15, does not have a center of symmetry, belongs to the tetragonal system with space group I4 and unit-cell parameters a=6.731(3) , c=9.871(9) and V=447.2(5) .sup.3, and has a wide transmittance range. The shortest ultraviolet cutoff edge is smaller than 190 nm, the frequency doubling effect of the crystal is 4.6 KDP, and the crystal is grown by a high-temperature solution spontaneous crystallization method and a flux method. The crystal has advantages of high growth rate, being transparent and inclusion free, low cost having a wide transmittance range, high hardness, good mechanical property, being crack resistant and not prone to deliquescence, being easy to process and store, and the like. The crystal is widely applied to manufacturing of nonlinear optical devices such as frequency doubling generators, frequency up-converters, frequency down-converters or optical parametric oscillators.

The present invention relates to a cesium borosilicate compound, a nonlinear optical crystal of cesium borosilicate, and a preparation method therefor and a use thereof. The cesium borosilicate compound has a chemical formula of Cs.sub.2B.sub.4SiO.sub.9 and a molecular weight of 481.15, and is prepared using a solid phase method. The nonlinear optical crystal of the cesium borosilicate compound has a chemical formula of Cs.sub.2B.sub.4SiO.sub.9 and a molecular weight of 481.15, does not have a center of symmetry, belongs to the tetragonal system with space group I4 and unit-cell parameters a=6.731(3) , c=9.871(9) and V=447.2(5) .sup.3, and has a wide transmittance range. The shortest ultraviolet cutoff edge is smaller than 190 nm, the frequency doubling effect of the crystal is 4.6 KDP, and the crystal is grown by a high-temperature solution spontaneous crystallization method and a flux method. The crystal has advantages of high growth rate, being transparent and inclusion free, low cost having a wide transmittance range, high hardness, good mechanical property, being crack resistant and not prone to deliquescence, being easy to process and store, and the like. The crystal is widely applied to manufacturing of nonlinear optical devices such as frequency doubling generators, frequency up-converters, frequency down-converters or optical parametric oscillators.