The invention relates to a method for producing functionalised bimodal periodic mesoporous organosilicates (PMOs) by means of pseudomorphic transformation, to functionalised bimodal periodic mesoporous organosilicates (PMOs) that comprise at least one organosilicate and at least one functional component, and to the use of the PMO as a filter material, adsorption means, sensor material or carrier material for pharmaceutical products, insecticides or pesticides.

Thermochemical storage materials having the general formula A.sub.xA′.sub.1-xB.sub.yB′.sub.1-yO.sub.3-δ, where A=La, Sr, K, Ca, Ba, Y and B=Mn, Fe, Co, Ti, Ni, Cu, Zr, Al, Y, Cr, V, Nb, Mo, are disclosed. These materials have improved thermal storage energy density and reaction kinetics compared to previous materials. Concentrating solar power thermochemical systems and methods capable of storing heat energy by using these thermochemical storage materials are also disclosed.

Inorganic halides (e.g., inorganic halide scintillators) of the general formula A.sub.3B.sub.2X.sub.9, including inorganic halides comprising thallium monovalent cations and/or combinations of different halides, are described. Radiation detectors including the inorganic halide scintillators and methods of using the detectors to detect high energy radiation are also described. In some cases, the scintillators can include a gadolinium cation, a boron cation, a lithium cation, a chloride ion, or combinations thereof and the scintillator can be used to detect neutrons.

The invention provides a method of producing a metal or metal oxide nanoparticle comprising mixing a metal salt, a metal chelating agent, a whey protein and a reducing saccharide in a solvent; heating and evaporating the solvent from said mixture to form a gel, thereby forming metal or metal oxide nanoparticles within the gel.

A stabilized lithium metal oxide cathode material comprises microparticles of lithium metal oxide in which individual particles thereof a core of lithium metal oxide and a coating of a different lithium metal oxide surrounding the core. There is an interface layer between the cores and the coatings in which there are gradients of metal ions in the direction of coating to core. The materials are made by a three stage process involving coprecipitating precursor metal hydroxide core particles at a controlled pH; coprecipitating a different metal hydroxide coating on the particles without controlling the pH; and then calcining the resulting coated precursor particles with lithium hydroxide to form the stabilized lithium metal oxide material.

Herein discloses a method of carbonating reactive magnesia cement, which includes: (i) providing an aqueous suspension including a carbon dioxide-producing bacteria; (ii) mixing the aqueous suspension with a precursor which the carbon dioxide-producing bacteria generates carbon dioxide from for a duration to form an aqueous mixture sufficient for substantially carbonating the reactive magnesia cement; (iii) mixing the aqueous mixture with the reactive magnesia cement to form a blend; wherein a nutrient is provided in the aqueous suspension of step (i) or in the reactive magnesia cement of step (iii) to sustain the carbon dioxide-producing bacteria in the reactive magnesia cement; and (iv) curing the blend to carbonate the reactive magnesia cement. A reactive magnesia cement composite formed by the method is also disclosed.

Mesomorphic ceramic films are fabricated over large areas by blade-coating of nematic lyotropic suspensions, followed by calcination. Lyotropic self-assembly of titania or ZnO nanorods by applying blade-coating shear force to a dispersion of the rods, followed by thermal treatment forms transparent ceramic films for applications such as large aperture inorganic waveplates for modifying the polarization state of incident light that have superior optical and mechanical properties

Provided herein are integrated biomass combustion-carbonation gas conditioning systems to directly sequester carbon dioxide from biomass-derived CO.sub.2-containing flue gas. The CO.sub.2 is sequestered by mineral carbonation in concrete materials within a carbonation reactor. The mineral carbonation processes sequester CO.sub.2 in concrete materials, aqueous slurries, or aggregates without any additional carbon enrichment process. Contacting a CO.sub.2-containing gas stream from a biomass combustion apparatus with concrete, aggregate, or alkaline solutions, causes a carbonation reaction in which carbonation products such as calcium carbonate (CaCO.sub.3) and alumina silica gel are formed. The carbonation reactions set forth herein are useful for strengthening concrete and concrete components. Certain processes herein condition the biomass-derived flue gas. The conditioning includes condensing the gas to remove acidic gas, and to remove particulates and water. The conditioning includes adjusting the temperature, relative humidity, and gas flow rate of the biomass-derived flue gas without any carbon capture step before entering the carbonation reactor. The permanent storage of CO.sub.2 in concrete materials reduces carbon emissions from biomass combustion systems. The process does so, in certain embodiments, at low temperatures, ambient pressure, and even under dilute CO.sub.2 concentrations in CO.sub.2-containing flue gas streams. For example, the CO.sub.2 concentration in a CO.sub.2-containing flue gas stream from a biomass combustion system may be lower than 20 volume percent (vol %) and be used to produce low-carbon concrete materials.

There is provided a modified zirconium phosphate tungstate which effectively suppresses the elution of phosphorus ions even when it contacts with water, can develop the performance excellent as a negative thermal expansion material, and can be dispersed in a polymer compound such as a resin, and use of which enables a low-thermal expansive material containing a negative thermal expansion filler to be well produced. The surface of a zirconium phosphate tungstate particle is coated with an inorganic compound containing one or two or more elements (M) selected from Zn, Si, Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Ti, V, Sn, Co, Fe and Zr. The BET specific surface area of the zirconium phosphate tungstate particle is preferably 0.1 m.sup.2/g to 50 m.sup.2/g.

A method for producing high purity iron oxide nanoparticles using nanoparticle-producing cells, including: a) a pre-growth step that includes amplifying the nanoparticle-producing cell(s) in a pre-growth and/or fed-batch medium/media, and b) a growth step that includes amplifying the nanoparticle-producing cell(s) originating from the pre-growth step in a growth and/or fed-batch medium/media, wherein the pre-growth and/or growth and/or fed-batch medium/media comprise(s), per kilogram or liter of pre-growth and/or growth and/or fed-batch medium/media: i) no more than 0.005 gram of yeast extract, and ii) no more than 0.001 gram of CMR agent selected from boric acid and nitrilotriacetic acid, wherein the fed-batch medium when it is present is a medium that supplements the pre-growth and/or growth medium/media, and wherein more nanoparticles are produced in the growth step than in the pre-growth step.