Method of making a mercury based compound, mercury based compound, methods of using the mercury based compound and uses of the mercury based compound

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of making a mercury based compound, to a mercury based compound and to methods of using the mercury based compound and to uses of the mercury based compound.

1 . A method of fabricating a mercury based compound, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a pure mineral acid in a container;   adding liquid mercury to the container;   reacting the mercury and the mineral acid to form a mixture; and   drying the mixture to form the mercury based compound in powder form.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mineral acid is formed in the container before, after or during the step of adding the liquid mercury.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mineral acid comprises at least one acid selected from the group of acids consisting of aqua regia, HNO 3 , HCl, H 2 SO 4 . 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of mineral acid to liquid mercury is selected from the range of between at least substantially 0.1 to 1 and 10:1 of mineral acid to. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of drying is carried out at a temperature selected in the range of 80° to 150° C. for a time selected in the range of 30 minutes to 10 hours. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a solvent, with the solvent is selected from the group of solvents consisting of a polar solvent, formic acid, ethanol, acetone, ammonia, acetic acid, a non-polar solvent, toluene, benzene and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of:
 separating residual liquid from the mixture prior to drying the mixture.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following steps:
 maintaining an initial temperature of the mixture at room temperature;   heating the mixture, e.g. up to a temperature at which the mineral acid is evaporated to dry the mercury based compound; and   isolating compounds that do not contain liquid mercury from the mixture.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of adding the liquid mercury to the container takes place before the mineral acid is added to the container. 
     
     
         10 . A mercury based compound in powder form having the general chemical formula:
   M 1   a X b      where M 1  is selected from the group of compounds consisting of Hg, M x   c M y   d  and a combination thereof, with M x  being Hg and M y  being an arbitrary element; where X is one of a halide, sulphate nitrate and a combination thereof; and where a, b, c and d are numbers selected between 0.1 and 10.   
     
     
         11 . The mercury based compound according to  claim 10 , wherein the mercury based compound is obtained by:
 providing a pure mineral acid in a container;   adding liquid mercury to the container;   reacting the mercury and the mineral acid to form a mixture; and   drying the mixture to form the mercury based compound in powder form   
     
     
         12 . The mercury based compound according to  claim 10 , wherein X is a halide and the halide is selected from the group of members consisting of chloride, bromide, fluoride and iodide. 
     
     
         13 . The mercury based compound according to  claim 10 , wherein the mercury based compound is present in powder form at room temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The mercury based compound according to  claim 13 , wherein particles of the powder have a minimum average dimension of width of at least 50 nm and a maximum average dimension of width of at most 20 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The mercury based compound according to  claim 10 , wherein an XRD spectrum of the mercury based compound includes peaks corresponding to Di-mercury sulphate (Hg2O4 S1) and Calomel (Cl2Hg2), and wherein: the peaks present in the XRD spectrum show mercury based compounds that include at least one of C, N, O, Cl, and S; or the mercury based compound is paramagnetic. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing metal compounds and metal elements in an endothermic reaction, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a metal target material, in the molten state, with the metal target material having a proton number of greater than or equal to 26, and   adding a mercury based compound;   wherein the mercury based compound reacts with the metal target material to transmutate elements; and wherein the mercury based compound has the general chemical formula: M 1   a X b , wherein M 1  is selected from the group of compounds consisting of Hg, M x   c M y   d  and a combination thereof, with M x  being Hg and M y  being an arbitrary element; wherein X is one of a halide, sulphate nitrate and a combination thereof; and where a, b, c and d are numbers selected between 0.1 and 10.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the metal target material includes between 10 g and 1000000 Kg of, molten, metal target material. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein a range of between 1 mg to 100 kg of the mercury based compound are added to the metal target material. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the ratio of mass between the mercury based compound and the metal target material is selected from the range 1:100000 to 1:100. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the mercury based compound comprises energy reacting with nuclei of the metal target material in order to create elements having at least one of a higher proton number and a higher neutron number. 
     
     
         21 - 25 . (canceled)