Montedison S.p.a.

Giancarlo Perugini

Enzo Marcaccioli

A plasma-arc process is disclosed for the production of powders of various chemical products, according to endothermic reactions, such as TiC and the like. The process consists essentially in carrying out, in a furnace with an anodic function without dissipative cooling, a series of steps comprising:

Plasma arc process for the production of chemical products in power form

A process is disclosed for the preparation of a metallic and/or metal-ceramic and/or ceramic sponge with a three-dimensional cellular structure of filiform morphology, starting from a plastic sponge with a three-dimensional cellular structure of filiform morphology, which has been preliminarily metallized while maintaining substantially unaltered the initial geometrical shape, said process being characterized in that said metallized sponge is coated with a metallic and/or metal-ceramic and/or ceramic material, the coating with said metallic and/or metal-ceramic material being carried out by molten-spray deposition, galvanic co-deposition, evaporation under vacuum, or reactive sputtering, while the coating with the ceramic material is carried out by molten-spray deposition, reactive sputtering or chemical vapor deposition. The starting plastic sponge is foamed polyurethane preferably having a number of pores not exceeding 30 pores/inch, and a thickness not exceeding 25 mm. The metal-ceramic material consists essentially of one or more metal components selected from the class consisting of chromium and nickel associated with one or more ceramic compounds selected from the class consisting of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgO, ZrO.sub.2 and Cr.sub.3 C.sub.2, and the ceramic material is selected from the class consisting of ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 3Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.2SiO.sub.2, CaZrO.sub.3, MgZrO.sub.3, WC, TaC, MoC, TiC, ZrC and Cr.sub.3 C.sub.2. The sponges per se as well as supporting structures for catalysts in heterogenous catalytic processes are also claimed.

Growing community of inventors

Merano (Bolzano), Italy

Giancarlo Perugini