Composition for dispensing in manner of aerosol, pressurizing catalyst useful therein, precursors thereof, and their preparation

Claim 1

A method for preparing an activated silicon-containing aluminum complex which comprises: (a) Contacting substantially pure aluminum metal with a source of acid of a type which will remove and inhibit the formation of oxide thereon; simultaneously or thereafter contacting said aluminum metal with mercury or a source of mercury in an oxygen gas-containing atmosphere; (b) At least partly immersing said mercury-contacted aluminum in an acidic solution containing halogen ions to form a slurry of said mercury-contacted aluminum particles therein at a temperature of not more than about 30° C.; (c) Increasing the pH of said slurry to the pH wherein such halogen as is contained in the slurry material is active but is not capable of being liberated as halogen gas; (d) Contacting the surface of an aluminum material containing at least trace amounts of silicon atoms by weight, with the material of (c) above; (e) Heating said contacted surface to a temperature not higher than that at which halogen would be liberated as a gas; and under conditions of low humidity to insure that a hydrogen halide is not formed; for a period at least sufficient to observe a powder growing from the contacted surface of the silicon atom-containing aluminum which powder will have a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 14:14, 16:16, or 18:18, or mixtures of such ratios; (f) Removing said powder and contacting such under substantially inert conditions with a flow of hydrogen gas for a time sufficient to form the desired activated silicon-aluminum complex having a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 14:16, 16:18 or 18:20 or mixtures of such ratios.

Claim 2

A method for preparing an activated silicon-containing aluminum complex which comprises: (a) Contacting substantially pure aluminum metal with a source of acid of a type which will remove and inhibit the formation of oxide thereon; simultaneously or thereafter contacting said aluminum metal with mercury or a source of mercury in an oxygen gas-containing atmosphere; (b) At least partly immersing said mercury-contacted aluminum in an acidic solution containing halogen ions to form a slurry of said mercury-contacted aluminum particles therein at a temperature of not more than about 30° C.; (c) Increasing the pH of said slurry to the pH wherein such halogen as is contained in the slurry material is active but is not capable of being liberated as halogen gas; (d) Contacting the surface of an aluminum material containing at least trace amounts of silicon atoms by weight, with the material of (c) above; (e) Heating said contacted surface to a temperature not higher than that at which halogen would be liberated as a gas; and under conditions of low humidity to insure that a hydrogen halide is not formed; for a period at least sufficient to observe a powder growing from the contacted surface of the silicon atom-containing aluminum which powder will have a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 14:14, 16:16, or 18:18, or mixtures of such ratios; (f) Removing said powder and contacting such under substantially inert conditions with a flow of hydrogen gas for a time sufficient to form the desired activated silicon-aluminum complex having a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 14:16, 16:18 or 18:20 or mixtures of such ratios.

Claim 9

A method for preparing an activated-silicon containing aluminum complex capable of releasing hydrogen and oxygen from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid material, which comprises: (a) Contacting at ambient temperature aluminum metal in the form of a bar or rod and having a purity of at least about 99.97% by weight, with hydrochloric acid; (b) Subsequently immersing said aluminum bar or rod in a mercury bath; (c) Thereafter at least partly immersing said bar of mercury-contacted aluminum in a solution of HCl to form a white slurry of particles of said aluminum therein at a temperature of between about 22° C. and 25° C.; (d) Increasing the pH of the slurry to 5.4±0.1 by the addition of NaOH; (e) Contacting the surface of an aluminum foil containing trace to about 2% silicon atoms, the latter present as elemental silicon or in silica, with the slurry of step (d) above, said contact being effected by spreading of the slurry over a wide area of the aluminum material; (f) Heating the contacted surface at a temperature of 40.5±0.5° C. and under humidity of less than 20% for a period at least sufficient to observe a gray powder growing from the contacted surface of the aluminum foil; (g) Removing said powder, which has an oxygen to hydrogen ratio of 16:16; (h) Contacting said powder in a vacuum tube with a slow flow of hydrogen gas for a time and in an amount sufficient to form a complex having an oxygen to hydrogen ratio of 16:18; (i) Removing said complex as an intensely dark gray powder from the vacuum tube.

Claim 10

A method for preparing an activated-silicon containing aluminum complex capable of releasing hydrogen and oxygen from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid material, which comprises: (a) Contacting at ambient temperature aluminum metal in the form of a bar or rod and having a purity of at least about 99.97% by weight, with hydrochloric acid; (b) Subsequently immersing said aluminum bar or rod in a mercury bath; (c) Thereafter at least partly immersing said bar of mercury-contacted aluminum in a solution of HCl to form a white slurry of particles of said aluminum therein at a temperature of between about 22° C. and 25° C.; (d) Increasing the pH of the slurry to 5.4±0.1 by the addition of NaOH; (e) Contacting the surface of an aluminum foil containing trace to about 2% silicon atoms, the latter present as elemental silicon or in silica, with the slurry of step (d) above, said contact being effected by spreading of the slurry over a wide area of the aluminum material; (f) Heating the contacted surface at a temperature of 40.5±0.5° C. and under humidity of less than 20% for a period at least sufficient to observe a gray powder growing from the contacted surface of the aluminum foil; (g) Removing said powder, which has an oxygen to hydrogen ratio of 16:16; (h) Contacting said powder in a vacuum tube with a slow flow of hydrogen gas for a time and in an amount sufficient to form a complex having an oxygen to hydrogen ratio of 16:18; (i) Removing said complex as an intensely dark gray powder from the vacuum tube.

Claim 23

A method for releasing oxygen and hydrogen under pressure from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid in a confined container, which comprises contacting said fluid with an activated aluminum complex containing minor amounts of halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, the total of said halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen not exceeding about 5% by weight of the aluminum; the silicon being present in from trace to about 2% by weight of the aluminum and having an hexagonal structure shape, the halogen being present in those amounts sufficient to activate the silicon; the ratio of oxygen to hydrogen being 14:16, 16:18, 18:20 or mixtures thereof.

Claim 24

A method for releasing oxygen and hydrogen under pressure from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid in a confined container, which comprises contacting said fluid with an activated aluminum complex containing minor amounts of halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, the total of said halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen not exceeding about 5% by weight of the aluminum; the silicon being present in from trace to about 2% by weight of the aluminum and having an hexagonal structure shape, the halogen being present in those amounts sufficient to activate the silicon; the ratio of oxygen to hydrogen being 14:16, 16:18, 18:20 or mixtures thereof.

Claim 25

A method for releasing oxygen and hydrogen under pressure from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid in a confined container, which comprises contacting said fluid with an activated aluminum complex containing minor amounts of halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, the total of said halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen not exceeding about 5% by weight of the aluminum; the silicon being present in from trace to about 2% by weight of the aluminum and having an hexagonal structured shape, the halogen being present in those amounts sufficient to activate the silicon; the ratio of oxygen to hydrogen being 16:18 or 18:20.

Claim 26

A method for releasing oxygen and hydrogen under pressure from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid in a confined container, which comprises contacting said fluid with an activated aluminum complex containing minor amounts of halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, the total of said halogen, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen not exceeding about 5% by weight of the aluminum; the silicon being present in from trace to about 2% by weight of the aluminum and having an hexagonal structured shape, the halogen being present in those amounts sufficient to activate the silicon; the ratio of oxygen to hydrogen being 16:18 or 18:20.

Claim 27

A method for releasing oxygen and hydrogen under pressure from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid in a confined container, which comprises contacting said fluid with an activated aluminum complex prepared by the method comprising: (a) Contacting aluminum metal having a purity of at least about 99.97% by weight, with a source of acid of a type which will remove and inhibit the formation of oxide thereon; simultaneously or thereafter contacting said aluminum metal with mercury or a source of mercury in an oxygen gas-containing atmosphere; (b) At least partly immersing said mercury-contacted aluminum in an acidic solution containing halogen ions to form a slurry of said mercury-contacted aluminum particles therein, at a temperature of between ambient and not more than about 30° C.; (c) Increasing the pH of said slurry to the pH wherein such halogen as is contained in the slurry material is active but is not capable of being liberated as halogen gas; (d) Contacting the surface of an aluminum material containing amounts of from trace to about 2% silicon atoms by weight, with the material of (c) above; (e) Heating said contacted surface to a temperature not higher than that at which halogen would be liberated as a gas; and under conditions of low humidity to insure that a hydrogen halide is not formed; for a period at least sufficient to observe a powder growing from the contacted surface of the silicon atom-containing aluminum which powder will have a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 16:16 or 18:18 or mixtures thereof; (f) Removing said powder and contacting such under substantially inert conditions with a flow of hydrogen gas for a time sufficient to form the desired activated silicon-aluminum complex having a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 16:18 or 18:20 or mixtures thereof.

Claim 28

A method for releasing oxygen and hydrogen under pressure from a hydrogen and oxygen containing fluid in a confined container, which comprises contacting said fluid with an activated aluminum complex prepared by the method comprising: (a) Contacting aluminum metal having a purity of at least about 99.97% by weight, with a source of acid of a type which will remove and inhibit the formation of oxide thereon; simultaneously or thereafter contacting said aluminum metal with mercury or a source of mercury in an oxygen gas-containing atmosphere; (b) At least partly immersing said mercury-contacted aluminum in an acidic solution containing halogen ions to form a slurry of said mercury-contacted aluminum particles therein, at a temperature of between ambient and not more than about 30° C.; (c) Increasing the pH of said slurry to the pH wherein such halogen as is contained in the slurry material is active but is not capable of being liberated as halogen gas; (d) Contacting the surface of an aluminum material containing amounts of from trace to about 2% silicon atoms by weight, with the material of (c) above; (e) Heating said contacted surface to a temperature not higher than that at which halogen would be liberated as a gas; and under conditions of low humidity to insure that a hydrogen halide is not formed; for a period at least sufficient to observe a powder growing from the contacted surface of the silicon atom-containing aluminum which powder will have a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 16:16 or 18:18 or mixtures thereof; (f) Removing said powder and contacting such under substantially inert conditions with a flow of hydrogen gas for a time sufficient to form the desired activated silicon-aluminum complex having a ratio of oxygen to hydrogen atoms of 16:18 or 18:20 or mixtures thereof.

Claim 46

A method for preparing a slurry of activated silicon-containing aluminum particles in a halogen acid bath which comprises: (a) Contacting essentially pure aluminum metal with a source of acid of a type which will remove and inhibit the formation of oxide thereon; (b) Simultaneously or thereafter contacting said aluminum metal with mercury or a source of mercury in an oxygen gas-containing atmosphere; (c) At least partly immersing said mercury-contacted aluminum in a acidic solution containing halogen ions to form a slurry of at least 1.5% by weight of aluminum particles therein at a temperature of not more than about 40° C.

Claim 47

A method for preparing a slurry of activated silicon-containing aluminum particles in a halogen acid bath which comprises: (a) Contacting essentially pure aluminum metal with a source of acid of a type which will remove and inhibit the formation of oxide thereon; (b) Simultaneously or thereafter contacting said aluminum metal with mercury or a source of mercury in an oxygen gas-containing atmosphere; (c) At least partly immersing said mercury-contacted aluminum in a acidic solution containing halogen ions to form a slurry of at least 1.5% by weight of aluminum particles therein at a temperature of not more than about 40° C.

Claim 51

A method for preparing a slurry of activated silicon-containing aluminum particles in a halogen bath which comprises: (a) Contacting at ambient temperature aluminum metal in the form of a bar or rod and having a purity of at least about 99.9% by weight with hydrochloric acid; (b) Subsequently immersing said aluminum bar or rod in a mercury bath; (c) Thereafter at least partly immersing said bar of mercury-contacted aluminum in a solution of HCl to form a white slurry of at least 1.5% by weight particles of said aluminum therein, at a temperature of between ambient and about 40° C.

Claim 52

A method for preparing a slurry of activated silicon-containing aluminum particles in a halogen bath which comprises: (a) Contacting at ambient temperature aluminum metal in the form of a bar or rod and having a purity of at least about 99.9% by weight with hydrochloric acid; (b) Subsequently immersing said aluminum bar or rod in a mercury bath; (c) Thereafter at least partly immersing said bar of mercury-contacted aluminum in a solution of HCl to form a white slurry of at least 1.5% by weight particles of said aluminum therein, at a temperature of between ambient and about 40° C.