The present invention provides an analytical method for precipitated particles during co-precipitation reaction, comprising: running a co-precipitation reaction in a reaction vessel to form a precipitated product; injecting a tracking metal to the reaction vessel for a given time duration; collecting the precipitated product containing the tracking metal from the reaction vessel in increments of time to obtain multiple product samples; filtering each collected product sample to separate precipitated particles from filtrate; performing elemental analysis for the tracking metal in the precipitated particles of each collected product sample, to obtain the residence time distribution of the precipitated particles in the reaction vessel according to the concentration of the tracking metal in the precipitated particles. By the analytical method, the preferred residence time of the precipitated particles in the reaction vessel can be ascertained, so that it is clear when the precipitated particles should be collected from the reaction vessel.

Materials and methods for preparing Cu.sub.2XSnY.sub.4 nanoparticles, wherein X is Zn, Cd, Hg, Ni, Co, Mn or Fe and Y is S or Se, (CXTY) are disclosed herein. The nanoparticles can be used to make layers for use in thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells. The CXTY materials are prepared by a colloidal synthesis in the presence of labile organo-chalcogens. The organo-chalcogens serves as both a chalcogen source for the nanoparticles and as a capping ligand for the nanoparticles.

Materials and methods for preparing Cu.sub.2XSnY.sub.4 nanoparticles, wherein X is Zn, Cd, Hg, Ni, Co, Mn or Fe and Y is S or Se, (CXTY) are disclosed herein. The nanoparticles can be used to make layers for use in thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells. The CXTY materials are prepared by a colloidal synthesis in the presence of labile organo-chalcogens. The organo-chalcogens serves as both a chalcogen source for the nanoparticles and as a capping ligand for the nanoparticles.

Materials and methods for preparing Cu.sub.2XSnY.sub.4 nanoparticles, wherein X is Zn, Cd, Hg, Ni, Co, Mn or Fe and Y is S or Se, (CXTY) are disclosed herein. The nanoparticles can be used to make layers for use in thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells. The CXTY materials are prepared by a colloidal synthesis in the presence of labile organo-chalcogens. The organo-chalcogens serves as both a chalcogen source for the nanoparticles and as a capping ligand for the nanoparticles.

In an embodiment, a metal or metal-ion battery cell, includes anode and cathode electrodes, a separator electrically separating the anode and the cathode, and a solid electrolyte ionically coupling the anode and the cathode, wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a material having one or more rearrangeable chalcogen-metal-hydrogen groups that are configured to transport at least one metal-ion or metal-ion mixture through the solid electrolyte, wherein the solid electrolyte exhibits a melting point below about 350 C. In an example, the solid electrolyte may be produced by mixing different dry metal-ion compositions together, arranging the mixture inside of a mold, and heating the mixture while arranged inside of the mold at least to a melting point (e.g., below about 350 C.) of the mixture so as to produce a material comprising one or more rearrangeable chalcogen-metal-hydrogen groups.

The present invention provides black particles having high electrical insulation properties, high blackness in a visible light region, and excellent dispersibility, and a method for producing the black particles. The present invention relates to black particles containing amorphous carbon, the amorphous carbon being derived from carbon contained in an oxazine resin, the black particles having a specific gravity of 1.8 g/cm.sup.3 or less, a zeta potential of ?70 to +80 mV, an average total light reflectance measured at a wavelength of 400 to 800 nm of 5% or less, and a peak intensity ratio between G band and D band as determined from a Raman spectrum of 1.2 or more.

The present invention relates to a method of making a mercury based compound, to a mercury based compound and to methods of using the mercury based compound and to uses of the mercury based compound.

Methylsilyl derivatized silica particles are disclosed. The methylsilyl derivatized silica particles have a methylsilyl content in a range of between 1-6 mol m.sup.2 on a surface of the silica particles. Colloidal silica comprising the methylsilyl derivatized silica particles is also disclosed. Methods for the manufacture of the methylsilyl derivatized silica particles are disclosed. Kits for coatings comprising the methylsilyl derivatized silica particles are also disclosed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, contaminants contained in polycrystalline silicon are removed to obtain highly-pure polycrystalline silicon, with only a small amount of etching. Polycrystalline silicon is washed with use of: a first washing step of bringing fluonitric acid into contact with the polycrystalline silicon; and a second washing step of bringing a non-oxidizing chemical containing hydrofluoric acid into contact with the polycrystalline silicon that has undergone the first washing step.

Favorable electrical characteristics are given to a semiconductor device. Furthermore, a semiconductor device having high reliability is provided. One embodiment of the present invention is an oxide semiconductor film having a plurality of electron diffraction patterns which are observed in such a manner that a surface where the oxide semiconductor film is formed is irradiated with an electron beam having a probe diameter whose half-width is 1 nm. The plurality of electron diffraction patterns include 50 or more electron diffraction patterns which are observed in different areas, the sum of the percentage of first electron diffraction patterns and the percentage of second electron diffraction patterns accounts for 100%, the first electron diffraction patterns account for 90% or more, the first electron diffraction pattern includes observed points which indicates that a c-axis is oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface where the oxide semiconductor film is formed.