Building on the use cases for manganese sesquioxide - Mn2O3 - in purification and remediation systems, more ‘high tech’ uses for the compound include in rapidly expanding and economically important sectors around energy storage, transfer and gas/substance detection.
It is widely known that the outcome of certain biological materials entering or persisting in the water supply: illness. Made easier to remove via the use of activated carbon filtration, this third article in a series of activated carbon for water purification, looks at just that. Clean potable water supplies are essential for life - it’s that simple. Additionally, using activated carbon as a support for biological material may be useful.
Far from being an obvious choice for modern industry, manganese oxide - specifically Mn2O3 - finds a wealth of uses from water purification to removal of radionuclides. Coupling low toxicity with broad applications, Mn2O3 is a highly valued commodity.
In the second in a five part series on the applications of activated carbon, the use of activated carbon to sequester heavy metals is examined. Heavy metals, for example cadmium and lead, are notoriously difficult to remove from solution and there are serious consequences if these make their way into water courses, drinking water or the sea. Activated carbon is part of the solution.
Spodumene is a mineral with an important role to play in modern ceramics: the addition of resistance to thermal shock and expansion - making for a longer ceramic lifetime.
The first in a five part series on the applications of activated carbon, desalination is discussed here. With certain parts of the world consistently suffering from a poor potable water supply, the concept of desalination is appealing. Contemporary methods for removing the salt from seawater are expensive and energy intensive. The use of activated carbon may help alleviate some of these concerns.
The modern foundry producer is interested in the production of the best quality product without compromise - wetting can be a cause of some problems in the metals casting process.
Coal as mined is not a worthy material for modern combustion, owing to its large quantity of sulfur compounds amongst others. When burned, these release toxic gases. Coal washing reduces the amount of these gases released on burning - by helping to remove them from the coal. The addition of zinc chloride to a coal beneficiation process can lead to the production of activated carbon products.
Iron pyrite already has myriad uses, from the production of sulfur compounds to an additive in several types of commercial glass. In the metals refining space, pyrite is prized for use in the refining of lead, where it is an essential component, and the removal of copper from that molten lead and associated slags.
Crucial to the identity of the refractory material itself is how it performs in elevated temperatures - but this isn’t the only area where a refractory needs to excel. Certain applications require elevated levels of compressive strength and specific porosity profiles.