Calcium hydroxide nanoparticles (Ca(OH).sub.2NPs) synthesized using carob pulp extract may be hexagonal nanoparticles with a diameter ranging from about 31.22 nm to about 81.22 nm. The Ca(OH).sub.2NPs may be synthesized by heating ethylene glycol, adding calcium hydroxide to the ethylene glycol to provide a first mixture, heating the first mixture, adding a carob pulp aqueous extract to the first mixture to form a second mixture, heating the second mixture, adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to the second mixture to form a third mixture, heating the third mixture, resting the third mixture at room temperature after heating, centrifuging the third mixture, collecting a colloid sediment, extracting any unwanted contaminants from the colloid sediment, and drying the colloid sediment to obtain Ca(OH).sub.2NPs.

Calcium hydroxide nanoparticles (Ca(OH).sub.2NPs) synthesized using carob pulp extract may be hexagonal nanoparticles with a diameter ranging from about 31.22 nm to about 81.22 nm. The Ca(OH).sub.2NPs may be synthesized by heating ethylene glycol, adding calcium hydroxide to the ethylene glycol to provide a first mixture, heating the first mixture, adding a carob pulp aqueous extract to the first mixture to form a second mixture, heating the second mixture, adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to the second mixture to form a third mixture, heating the third mixture, resting the third mixture at room temperature after heating, centrifuging the third mixture, collecting a colloid sediment, extracting any unwanted contaminants from the colloid sediment, and drying the colloid sediment to obtain Ca(OH).sub.2NPs.

Nanoparticles of calcium hydroxide having a dumbbell shape, wherein the dumbbell shape has rounded ends separated by a narrow central portion, wherein a ratio of a largest width of the central portion to a largest width of the rounded ends is 0.30 to 0.75, a length is in the range of 500 nm to 1100 nm, the largest width of the narrow central portion is 100 to 250 nm, and the largest width of the narrow central portion is 100 to 250 nm. The nanoparticles have a mesoporous structure and are made up of subparticles that have a size of 5 to 75 nm. A method of making the nanoparticles from calcined calcium carbonate sources is disclosed. Also disclosed is an enhanced fuel containing the nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles of calcium hydroxide having a dumbbell shape, wherein the dumbbell shape has rounded ends separated by a narrow central portion, wherein a ratio of a largest width of the central portion to a largest width of the rounded ends is 0.30 to 0.75, a length is in the range of 500 nm to 1100 nm, the largest width of the narrow central portion is 100 to 250 nm, and the largest width of the narrow central portion is 100 to 250 nm. The nanoparticles have a mesoporous structure and are made up of subparticles that have a size of 5 to 75 nm. A method of making the nanoparticles from calcined calcium carbonate sources is disclosed. Also disclosed is an enhanced fuel containing the nanoparticles.

The disclosure relates to embodiments of an explosive formulation comprising a detonable mixture of an oxidizing agent such as carbon dioxide, and a material that decomposes the oxidizing agent exothermically (a reducing agent), and additives that increase the mixture's shock sensitivity. The formulations may be used in a method to produce diamonds or nano oxides or in other applications that use traditional explosives such as, but not limited to: ammonium nitrate and fuel oil combinations (ANFO), watergel explosives, emulsion explosives and RDX.

The disclosure relates to embodiments of an explosive formulation comprising a detonable mixture of an oxidizing agent such as carbon dioxide, and a material that decomposes the oxidizing agent exothermically (a reducing agent), and additives that increase the mixture's shock sensitivity. The formulations may be used in a method to produce diamonds or nano oxides or in other applications that use traditional explosives such as, but not limited to: ammonium nitrate and fuel oil combinations (ANFO), watergel explosives, emulsion explosives and RDX.

Provided are a method of preparing a metal oxide-silica composite aerogel, and a metal oxide-silica composite aerogel having an excellent weight reduction property prepared by the method. The method includes a step of adding an acid catalyst to a first water glass solution to prepare an acidic water glass solution (step 1); a step of adding a metal ion solution to the acidic water glass solution to prepare a precursor solution (step 2); and a step of adding a second water glass solution to the precursor solution and performing a gelation reaction (step 3) to yield a metal oxide-silica composite wet gel, wherein, in steps 2 and 3, bubbling of an inert gas is performed during the adding of the metal ion solution or the second water glass solution, respectively.

The present application pertains to methods for making alkali hydroxide, or alkali carbonates, or alkali bicarbonates, or alkaline-earth sulfates. In one embodiment, a material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with an alkali sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and alkali sulfite or bisulfite. The alkali sulfite or bisulfite is converted into an alkali hydroxide, or an alkali carbonate, or an alkali bicarbonate. In another embodiment, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate is reacted with an alkali sulfate, to form ammonium sulfate and an alkali carbonate or alkali bicarbonate. A material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with the ammonium sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and ammonium sulfite or ammonium bisulfite. The ammonium sulfite or bisulfite is regenerated into ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium carbonate, or ammonium bicarbonate.

The present application pertains to methods for making alkali hydroxide, or alkali carbonates, or alkali bicarbonates, or alkaline-earth sulfates. In one embodiment, a material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with an alkali sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and alkali sulfite or bisulfite. The alkali sulfite or bisulfite is converted into an alkali hydroxide, or an alkali carbonate, or an alkali bicarbonate. In another embodiment, ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate is reacted with an alkali sulfate, to form ammonium sulfate and an alkali carbonate or alkali bicarbonate. A material comprising an alkaline earth is converted to an alkaline earth sulfite or bisulfite and reacted with the ammonium sulfate to form an alkaline earth sulfate and ammonium sulfite or ammonium bisulfite. The ammonium sulfite or bisulfite is regenerated into ammonia, or ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium carbonate, or ammonium bicarbonate.

An oxide ion conductor has a X.sub.3Z.sub.2(TO.sub.4).sub.3 structure, where X is a divalent metal element, Z is a trivalent metal element, and T is a tetravalent metal element, and has a composition expressed by (X.sub.1-xA.sub.x).sub.3(Z.sub.1-yB.sub.y).sub.2(T.sub.1-zC.sub.z).sub.3O.sub.12+δ where the element X is Ca, Fe, Gd, Ba, Sr, Mn, and/or Mg, the element Z is Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, V, Ga, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, and/or Ir, the element T is Si and/or Ge, an element A is La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and/or Sr, an element B is Zn, Mn, Co, Ru, and/or Rh, and an element C is Si, Al, Ga, and/or Sn, 0≤x≤0.2, 0≤y≤0.2, and 0≤z≤0.2 are satisfied, and δ is a value securing electrical neutrality.