The invention comprises methods and apparatuses for the electrorefining of Mg from Al or Mg alloy scrap. The invention utilizes the density and charge features of Mg present in a melted alloy to continuously extract Mg and Mg alloys from a melted Al alloy feed.

An article with a body having spaced channels created at a surface of the body and extending into the body, wherein the channels are located at controlled spaced locations. The channeled or microchanneled articles may be in the form of channeled or microchanneled membranes or otherwise. Methods of manufacturing channeled articles and uses of the channeled articles are described.

A masterbatch in agglomerated solid form including carbon nanofibers and/or nanotubes and/or carbon black, the content of which is between 15 wt % and 40 wt %, preferably between 20 wt % and 35 wt %, relative to the total weight of the masterbatch; at least one solvent; at least one polymer binder, which represents from 1 wt % to 40 wt %, preferably from 2 wt % to 30 wt % relative to the total weight of the masterbatch. Also, a concentrated masterbatch, characterized in that it is obtained by eliminating all or part of the solvent from the masterbatch described previously. Also, a process for preparing said masterbatches and to the uses of the latter, especially in the manufacture of an electrode or of a composite material for an electrode.

The invention comprises methods and apparatuses for the electrorefining of Mg from Al or Mg alloy scrap. The invention utilizes the density and charge features of Mg present in a melted alloy to continuously extract Mg and Mg alloys from a melted Al alloy feed.

The invention relates to solid-state electrolytes for use in lithium-air batteries or in lithium-water batteries. It is the object of the invention to provide solid electrolyte for use in lithium-air batteries or lithium-water batteries, with the solid electrolyte having sufficient strength, good conductivity for lithium ions, imperviousness for gas and water resistance and being inexpensive in manufacture. The solid-state electrolyte in accordance with the invention has an open-pore ceramic carrier substrate. In this respect, at least one layer which is conductive for lithium ions, which has an electrical conductivity of at least 10.sup.5 Scm.sup.1 and which is gas-impervious is formed on the surface facing the cathode. In this respect, the carrier substrate has greater mechanical strength and a larger layer thickness than the at least one layer.

The invention relates to a method for economically producing a composite powder made of carbon and electrochemical active material. According to the invention, a melt made of a meltable carbon precursor substance having nanoparticles made of an active material distributed in the melt is provided, and said melt is divided into the composite powder, in which nanoparticles made of the active material are embedded in a matrix made of the carbon precursor substance. A porous composite material produced using the composite powder is used to produce an electrode for a secondary battery, in particular for use as an anode material. The production of the composite material comprises the following steps: providing template particles made of inorganic template material, producing a powder mixture of the composite powder and the template particles, heating the powder mixture and softening the composite powder in such a way that the composite powder penetrates the pores and is carbonated, and removing the template material to form the porous electrochemical composite material.

A porous structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is constituted by a frame having a plurality of pores interconnected 3-dimensionally through a plurality of connecting passages. The plurality of pores defined by the frame are distributed in a closest packed state and are interconnected 3-dimensionally through a plurality of connecting passages in a symmetric structure, thus being effective in achieving a maximum porosity of the porous structure. A porous hierarchical structure according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first porous structure having a plurality of 3-dimensionally interconnected first pores and a second porous structure having a plurality of 3-dimensionally interconnected second pores whose diameter is different from that of the first pores and surrounding and bonded to the first porous structure. A porous hierarchical structure according to a further embodiment of the present invention includes a frame having a plurality of 3-dimensionally interconnected first pores having a diameter in the micrometer range and a plurality of 3-dimensionally interconnected second pores formed around the first pores and whose diameter is smaller than that of the first pores.

Provided is an interconnector material which is chemically stable in both oxidation atmospheres and reduction atmospheres, has a high electron conductivity (electric conductivity), a low ionic conductivity, does not contain Cr, and enables a reduction in sintering temperature. The interconnector material is arranged between a plurality of cells each composed of an anode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a cathode layer stacked sequentially, and electrically connects the plurality of cells to each other in series in a solid electrolyte fuel cell. The interconnector is formed of a ceramic composition represented by the composition formula La(Fe.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)O.sub.3 in which 0<x<0.5.

The disclosure relates to a process for preparing particulate materials having high electrochemical capacities that are suitable for use as anode active materials in rechargeable metal-ion batteries. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a process for preparing a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles. The process includes providing particulate porous carbon frameworks comprising micropores and/or mesopores, wherein the porous carbon frameworks have a D.sub.50 particle diameter of at least 20 ?m; depositing an electroactive material selected from silicon and alloys thereof into the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon frameworks using a chemical vapour infiltration process in a fluidised bed reactor, to provide intermediate particles; and comminuting the intermediate particles to provide said composite particles.

A method of forming a carbon foam precursor for use in the formation of carbon foam materials. The carbon foam precursor comprises an aerogel of polymeric material which has a coating layer thereon, the coating layer comprising a material susceptible to dielectric heating, for example carbon nanotubes. The carbon foam precursor is suitable for forming into a carbon foam material using a dielectric heating step, despite the aerogel of polymeric material not being susceptible to dielectric heating, without adversely affecting the structure and physical properties of the carbon foam so formed. A carbon foam precursor, a carbon foam material and a method of forming such a carbon material are also disclosed.