The present invention provides a flow-gate design that utilizes chemo-responsive colloidal particles to control the flow rate therethrough. The flow-gate operates by changing the compactness of the colloidal particles, which changes in response to changes in pH or ionic strength in the flow medium or the surrounding environment. The design also allows the flow-gate as a size-discriminating filter. The ability to control the flow rate in response to changes in the flow medium or the environment makes the presently provided flow-gate useful for a variety of applications, including those that require automatic control of the flow rate, and automatic irrigation.

Provided is an alumina-based composite oxide having a large initial specific surface area and a small initial mean pore size, with excellent heat resistance of the specific surface area and pore volume; and a production method therefor. Specifically, provided is an alumina-based composite oxide wherein the initial crystallite diameter is 10 nm or less and the initial specific surface area is 80 m.sup.2/ml or more; after calcination at 1200° C. for 3 hours in air, the specific surface area is 10 m.sup.2/ml or more; the initial mean pore size is 10 nm or more and 50 nm or less; and after calcination at 1200° C. for 3 hours in air, the pore volume retention rate is 10% or more, which is determined by (P.sub.1/P.sub.0)×100 wherein P.sub.0 represents an initial pore volume (ml/g), and P.sub.1 represents a pore volume (ml/g) after calcination at 1200° C. for 3 hours in air.

The invention describes methods for the production of a high purity aluminum salt solution via electrodialysis, and ultimately, the conversion of the high purity aluminum salt to high purity aluminum oxide.

A process for the production of nanoparticles from a liquid mixture comprising at least one precursor and at least one solvent in a reactor with continuous through-flow comprises the steps of feeding at least one oxygen-containing gas inflow stream having a temperature into the at least one reactor, adding at least one fuel having a temperature to the oxygen-containing gas inflow stream, wherein the fuel and the oxygen-containing gas inflow stream form a homogeneous ignitable mixture having a temperature, wherein the temperature of the homogeneous ignitable mixture is above the autoignition temperature of the homogeneous ignitable mixture, introducing at least one precursor-solvent mixture into the homogeneous ignitable mixture; autoignition of the ignitable mixture of oxygen-containing gas and fuel after an ignition delay time to form a stabilized flame and reacting the precursor-solvent mixture in the stabilized flame to form nanoparticles from the metal salt precursor, removing the formed nanoparticles.

The instant disclosure sets forth multiphase lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes having secondary phase inclusions, wherein these secondary phase inclusions are material(s) which is/are not a cubic phase lithium-stuffed garnet but which is/are entrapped or enclosed within a lithium-stuffed garnet. When the secondary phase inclusions described herein are included in a lithium-stuffed garnet at 30-0.1 volume %, the inclusions stabilize the multiphase matrix and allow for improved sintering of the lithium-stuffed garnet. The electrolytes described herein, which include lithium-stuffed garnet with secondary phase inclusions, have an improved sinterability and density compared to phase pure cubic lithium-stuffed garnet having the formula Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12.

Disclosed are an alumina-based heterojunction material with abundant oxygen vacancies and a preparation method thereof. The heterojunction material is composed of alumina with abundant oxygen vacancies and bismuth-rich bismuth oxychloride. The method includes mixing aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, bismuth nitrate pentahydrate, an ammonium salt and urea, each in certain amount, under stirring to obtain a mixture B, placing the mixture B in a muffle furnace, heating the mixture B and continuing the stirring to gradually melt the mixture B to form an ionic liquid B; and subjecting the ionic liquid B to a spontaneous combustion reaction in the muffle furnace to obtain a product B, and cooling the product B to room temperature to obtain the alumina-based heterojunction material with abundant oxygen vacancies.

Disclosed are an alumina-based heterojunction material with abundant oxygen vacancies and a preparation method thereof. The heterojunction material is composed of alumina with abundant oxygen vacancies and bismuth-rich bismuth oxychloride. The method includes mixing aluminum nitrate nonahydrate, bismuth nitrate pentahydrate, an ammonium salt and urea, each in certain amount, under stirring to obtain a mixture B, placing the mixture B in a muffle furnace, heating the mixture B and continuing the stirring to gradually melt the mixture B to form an ionic liquid B; and subjecting the ionic liquid B to a spontaneous combustion reaction in the muffle furnace to obtain a product B, and cooling the product B to room temperature to obtain the alumina-based heterojunction material with abundant oxygen vacancies.

Provided is an alumina-based composite oxide having a large initial specific surface area and a small initial mean pore size, with excellent heat resistance of the specific surface area and pore volume; and a production method therefor. Specifically, provided is an alumina-based composite oxide wherein the initial crystallite diameter is 10 nm or less and the initial specific surface area is 80 m.sup.2/ml or more; after calcination at 1200 C. for 3 hours in air, the specific surface area is 10 m.sup.2/ml or more; the initial mean pore size is 10 nm or more and 50 nm or less; and after calcination at 1200 C. for 3 hours in air, the pore volume retention rate is 10% or more, which is determined by (P.sub.1/P.sub.0)100 wherein P.sub.0 represents an initial pore volume (ml/g), and P.sub.1 represents a pore volume (ml/g) after calcination at 1200 C. for 3 hours in air.

The invention describes methods for the production of a high purity aluminum salt solution via electrodialysis, and ultimately, the conversion of the high purity aluminum salt to high purity aluminum oxide.

This invention relates to a mixed metal oxides adsorbent which comprises: a) an oxide of a first metal which is selected from a metal in oxidation state +1, a metal in oxidation state +2, and mixtures thereof; and b) an oxide of a second metal which is selected from a metal in oxidation state +3, a metal in oxidation state of +4, and mixtures thereof; wherein at least one of the first metal or the second metal comprises a transition metal selected from Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and mixtures thereof.