The invention disclosed herein generally contemplates novel microelectrodes and methods of preparing same.

An apparatus includes a substrate having a surface and a transparent photocatalyst coating secured on the surface of the substrate, wherein the transparent photocatalyst coating includes titanium oxide and a component selected from a fluorescent dye, ultra-fine glitter, indium tin oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, silver nitrate, and combinations thereof. The substrate is preferably selected from an appliance handle, doorknob, switch, keyboard, countertop, appliance handle, equipment button, touchscreen, handrail, light emitting device, and light cover. Such substrates are frequently touched by one or more users and may become contaminated. However, the transparent photocatalyst coating may be self-decontaminating.

An exhaust gas purification system of the present disclosure includes a first exhaust gas purification device that purifies exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine and a second exhaust gas purification device that additionally purifies the exhaust gas purified by the first exhaust gas purification device, wherein the exhaust gas is exhaust gas with a gaseous composition in which an amount of reducing agents is in excess compared to a stoichiometric gaseous composition and a gaseous composition in which an amount of oxidants is in excess compared to the stoichiometric gaseous composition are alternately switched between, the first exhaust gas purification device includes a three-way catalyst, and the second exhaust gas purification device includes an exhaust gas purification catalyst containing spinel-type MgAl.sub.xFe.sub.2.00−xO.sub.4.00 supporting particles on which Rh is supported, where 0.00<×≤1.50.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a 3-methylcycloalkenone compound and a method for producing muscone. In the presence of a zirconium oxide catalyst, a diketone represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR00001##
wherein in formula (1), n represents 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12,
is subjected to a vapor-phase intramolecular condensation reaction, whereby a 3-methylcycloalkenone compound can be produced with high reaction efficiency. When a 3-methylcyclopentadecenone compound produced by this method is hydrogenated in a known manner, muscone can be produced efficiently.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to two improved catalysts and associated processes that directly convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen to liquid fuels. A catalytic system comprises two catalysts in series that are operated in tandem to directly produce synthetic liquid fuels. The carbon conversion efficiency for CO.sub.2 to liquid fuels is greater than 45%. The fuel is distilled into a premium diesel fuels (approximately 70 volume %) and naphtha (approximately 30 volume %) which are used directly as “drop-in” fuels without requiring any further processing. Any light hydrocarbons that are present with the carbon dioxide are also converted directly to fuels. This process is directly applicable to the conversion of CO.sub.2 collected from ethanol plants, cement plants, power plants, biogas, carbon dioxide/hydrocarbon mixtures from secondary oil recovery, and other carbon dioxide/hydrocarbon streams. The catalyst system is durable, efficient and maintains a relatively constant level of fuel productivity over long periods of time without requiring re-activation or replacement.

The instant disclosure provides a composition for fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum based feedstock into useful short chain olefins. The composition comprising: 76-86% of a non-zeolitic material; and 2-30% of at least one zeolite material, the percentage being based on weight of the catalyst composition, wherein one of the zeolites has been modified with 0.1-2.5 wt % metal. The said catalyst was found to be selective in enhancing the usable propylene gas content, while reducing the undesirable dry gas content of the cracked olefinic products. The present disclosure also provides a process for the preparation of the composition. The present disclosure also provides an apparatus (100) and process (200) for fluid catalytic cracking to obtain light olefins. The apparatus comprises a second riser (33) that includes a lower dense riser (2) and upper dilute riser (3). Further, the lower dense riser (2) has a diameter that is 1.1 to 2 times that of the upper dilute riser (3).

The present invention provides a production method for indene, comprising a dehydrogenation step of obtaining a reaction product containing indene by contacting a raw material gas containing indane and molecular hydrogen with a dehydrogenation catalyst, wherein the dehydrogenation catalyst comprises a support containing aluminum, and a supported metal supported on the support, the supported metal contains a group 14 metal element and platinum, and an atomic ratio of the group 14 metal element to the platinum in the dehydrogenation catalyst is 8.0 or less.

An improved catalyst system is provided for the direct decomposition removal of NO.sub.x from an exhaust gas stream at temperatures between about 350° C. and about 600° C. that employs an (amorphous CuO.sub.x)/Co.sub.3O.sub.4 catalyst. The catalyst has an amorphous CuO.sub.x deposit on the surfaces of particles of Co.sub.3O.sub.4 spinel oxide. The catalyst is configured to reduce NO.sub.x to N.sub.2 without the presence of a reductant. The (amorphous CuO.sub.x)/Co.sub.3O.sub.4 catalyst is formed by the precipitation of the deposit from solution onto a suspension of Co.sub.3O.sub.4 spinel oxide particles. The catalyst system can be employed in a catalytic converter for the direct decomposition removal of NO.sub.x from an exhaust gas stream flowing at a temperature of less than or equal to about 500° C.

A bifunctional catalyst for example for conversion of oxygenates, the bifunctional catalyst comprising zeolite, alumina binder, Zn and P, wherein Zn is present at least partly as ZnAl.sub.2O.sub.4.

A method of manufacturing a catalyst material includes the steps of: providing a body having an open-porous foam structure and comprising at least a first metal or alloy; providing particles, each of which particles comprising at least a second metal or alloy; distributing the particles on the body; forming a structural connection between each of at least a subset of the particles and the body; and forming an oxide film on at least the subset of the particles and the body, wherein the oxide film has a catalytically active surface.