Activated silicon-containing aluminum complex and process of preparation and use

Abstract

There is disclosed, in one aspect, a process for preparing an activated silicon aluminum complex capable of releasing oxygen and hydrogen in the presence of a halogen compound, such as salt in human perspiration, when added to a fluid which contains oxygen and hydrogen. The process comprises (a) contacting aluminum metal which contains at least trace amounts of silicon with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid, at such concentration that the acid both removes and inhibits formation of oxide on the metal, (b) contacting the thus treated metal with a source of mercury in an oxygen-containing atmosphere such as air, (c) immersing the mercury contacted aluminum in hydrogen halide acid solution at a temperature of from about 5.degree. to about 40.degree. C. for sufficient time to produce a slurry, (d) increasing the pH of the slurry to such an extent that the halogen which is contained in the slurry is neither chemically bound as a halide nor liberated as a halogen gas, (e) adding a source of oxygen gas to the slurry in an amount which depends upon the desired amount of oxygen to be released from the final activated silicon aluminum complex, (f) drying the slurry, (g) at least partially redissolving the solid contained within the slurry in a hydrogen halide, preferably hydrogen chloride, acid solution, (h) cooling the resulting product, and (i) increasing the pH of the cooled product to from about 5.0 to about 5.8. In another aspect, there is disclosed the product formed from this process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.