In one aspect, a process to decompose a hydrocarbon such as methane into carbon (graphitic powder) and hydrogen (H.sub.2 gas) without secondary production of carbon dioxide, employing a cycle in which a secondary chemical can be recycled and reused, is disclosed.

In one aspect, a process to decompose a hydrocarbon such as methane into carbon (graphitic powder) and hydrogen (H.sub.2 gas) without secondary production of carbon dioxide, employing a cycle in which a secondary chemical can be recycled and reused, is disclosed.

Provided is anhydrous nickel chloride having a total content of impurity elements other than gas components of less than 10 wt. ppm; each content of boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, calcium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, arsenic, silver, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium and lead of less than 1 wt. ppm, which can be produced by a method for producing anhydrous nickel chloride comprising the steps of carrying out ion exchange membrane electrolysis in an anolyte and a catholyte separated by an anion exchange membrane using raw metal nickel as an anode, a conductive material as a cathode and high purity hydrochloric acid as an electrolytic solution, to obtain a nickel chloride solution as the anolyte; concentrating the obtained nickel chloride solution by heating it at 80 to 100 C. under atmospheric pressure to obtain a concentrated nickel chloride solution; and dehydrating and drying the resulting concentrated nickel chloride solution by heating it at 180 to 220 C. under atmospheric pressure to obtain anhydrous nickel chloride.

Provided is anhydrous nickel chloride having a total content of impurity elements other than gas components of less than 10 wt. ppm; each content of boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, calcium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, arsenic, silver, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium and lead of less than 1 wt. ppm, which can be produced by a method for producing anhydrous nickel chloride comprising the steps of carrying out ion exchange membrane electrolysis in an anolyte and a catholyte separated by an anion exchange membrane using raw metal nickel as an anode, a conductive material as a cathode and high purity hydrochloric acid as an electrolytic solution, to obtain a nickel chloride solution as the anolyte; concentrating the obtained nickel chloride solution by heating it at 80 to 100 C. under atmospheric pressure to obtain a concentrated nickel chloride solution; and dehydrating and drying the resulting concentrated nickel chloride solution by heating it at 180 to 220 C. under atmospheric pressure to obtain anhydrous nickel chloride.

A method for recovering hydrochloric acid and metal oxides from a chloride liquor is described. The method uses a chloride liquor including the metal and mixing the liquor and a matrix solution to produce a reaction mixture, wherein the matrix solution assists oxidation/hydrolysis of the metal with HCl production. In a preferred embodiment the matrix solution includes zinc chloride in various stages of hydration and an oxygen containing gas is added to the mix. A method where the improvement is the mixing of a liquor and a matrix solution where the solution assists hydrolysis of the metal with HCl production is also disclosed. The reactor is a column reactor in a preferred embodiment. Further disclosed is the method of using the matrix solution and a reactor for recovering hydrochloric acid and for oxidizing/hydrolysis of a metal.

A method for recovering hydrochloric acid and metal oxides from a chloride liquor is described. The method uses a chloride liquor including the metal and mixing the liquor and a matrix solution to produce a reaction mixture, wherein the matrix solution assists oxidation/hydrolysis of the metal with HCl production. In a preferred embodiment the matrix solution includes zinc chloride in various stages of hydration and an oxygen containing gas is added to the mix. A method where the improvement is the mixing of a liquor and a matrix solution where the solution assists hydrolysis of the metal with HCl production is also disclosed. The reactor is a column reactor in a preferred embodiment. Further disclosed is the method of using the matrix solution and a reactor for recovering hydrochloric acid and for oxidizing/hydrolysis of a metal.

The present invention discloses a method and system for conducting high temperature corrosion tests on metallic alloys without the need for extensive laboratory equipment and attendant safety measures through the use of a two-compartment ampoule where a vestibule connects these two compartments. A pre-selected mixture of salts is placed in one compartment in order to generate a specific partial pressure of halogen gas; and a metallic alloy is placed in the other compartment. The ampoule is then heated to a pre-determined temperature and held at this temperature for a pre-determined time period. A halogen gas of a specific partial pressure is thereby generated from the mixture of salts which comes into contact with the metallic alloy. Because the ampoule creates a sealed environment, the metallic alloy is under constant halogenation during the pre-determined time period. The metallic alloy is removed for examination when the pre-determined time period expires.

A process to decompose methane into carbon (graphitic powder) and hydrogen (H.sub.2 gas) without secondary production of carbon dioxide, employing a cycle in which a secondary chemical is recycled and reused, is disclosed.

Removing metal from metal-carbon material includes contacting the metal-carbon material with hydrogen chloride, thereby yielding a metal chloride in the gas phase and a solid product comprising carbon. The metal-carbon material and the solid product may both contain elemental carbon. A concentration of metal in the solid product is typically less than 1 wt %.

Removing metal from metal-carbon material includes contacting the metal-carbon material with hydrogen chloride, thereby yielding a metal chloride in the gas phase and a solid product comprising carbon. The metal-carbon material and the solid product may both contain elemental carbon. A concentration of metal in the solid product is typically less than 1 wt %.