Disclosed is a method for preparing a metal-carbon composite. The method includes synthesizing a planarized ligand compound via planarization-modification of a polyphenol-based ligand compound; synthesizing a metal-organic composite via hydrothermal synthesis of a mixed solution of the planarized ligand compound and metal ions; drying the metal-organic composite to prepare precursor powders; and carbonizing the precursor powders.

The present application provides a method for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching, the method comprising providing aqueous solution containing leaching agent precursor, providing one or more source(s) of external energy comprising a source of electric current connected to one or more non-metallic electrode(s) comprising carbon material(s) selected from graphite, graphene and derivatives thereof, and carbon nanomaterial(s) selected from carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanobuds, treating the aqueous solution with the external energy, which is electric current providing electrochemical reactions, to form hydrogen peroxide from oxygen in the aqueous solution, reacting the leaching agent precursor with the formed hydrogen peroxide to form a leaching agent and to obtain a leaching solution, providing metal-containing material, reacting the metal-containing material with the leaching solution to obtain soluble metal complexes, and recovering the soluble metal complexes. The present application also discloses a device for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching.

The present application provides a method for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching, the method comprising providing aqueous solution containing leaching agent precursor, providing one or more source(s) of external energy comprising a source of electric current connected to one or more non-metallic electrode(s) comprising carbon material(s) selected from graphite, graphene and derivatives thereof, and carbon nanomaterial(s) selected from carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanobuds, treating the aqueous solution with the external energy, which is electric current providing electrochemical reactions, to form hydrogen peroxide from oxygen in the aqueous solution, reacting the leaching agent precursor with the formed hydrogen peroxide to form a leaching agent and to obtain a leaching solution, providing metal-containing material, reacting the metal-containing material with the leaching solution to obtain soluble metal complexes, and recovering the soluble metal complexes. The present application also discloses a device for recovering metal from metal-containing material by leaching.

The disclosure provides a novel electrocatalytic membrane reactor and use thereof in preparation of high-purity hydrogen. The electrocatalytic membrane reactor adopts an H-shaped electrolytic tank in which a cathode chamber is isolated from an anode chamber through a diaphragm, a membrane electrode is used as an anode, an auxiliary electrode is used as a cathode, a direct-current regulated power supply supplies a constant current, and the flow of a reaction solution is realized through a pump. In the disclosure, electrocatalysis is coupled with a membrane separation function, an oxygen evolution reaction is replaced with an organic electrochemical oxidation reaction in the anode chamber so as to reduce the overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction, and a hydrogen evolving reaction is performed in the cathode chamber to prepare high-purity hydrogen.

A method of producing graphite may include beneficiating an amount of coal to form a coal char, grinding the coal char to produce a crushed char and placing the crushed char in a porous container. Then, the method includes immersing the porous container in a molten salt bath. The molten salt bath includes a graphite anode. The method further includes applying an electrical potential across the porous container and the graphite anode such that a graphite deposit forms on the graphite anode. The graphite anode is removed from the molten salt bath and the graphite deposit is separated from the graphite anode to produce graphite fragments.

A boron-doped diamond electrode with an ultra-high specific surface area, and a preparation method therefor and the application thereof are provided. The boron-doped diamond electrode includes a substrate and an electrode working layer arranged on a surface thereof, the substrate is polysilicon or monocrystal silicon with a high specific surface area, and the electrode working layer is a boron-doped diamond layer. The polysilicon with a high specific surface area is obtained by anisotropIc etching and/or isotropic etching, and the monocrystal silicon with a high specific surface area is obtained by anisotropic etching. The boron-doped diamond layer includes a highly conductive layer, a corrosion-resistant layer, and a strongly electrocatalytically active layer, which have different boron contents. Compared with a traditional plate electrode, the present disclosure has a low cost and an extremely high specific surface area, provides a larger current intensity with a lower current density, and has broad application prospects.

The present invention relates to a novel biocatalytic process for the stereoselective preparation of alpha amino amide compounds catalyzed by NHase enzymes. A further aspect of the invention relates to novel NHase enzymes as well as further improved NHase enzyme mutants, nucleic acid molecules encoding these enzymes, recombinant microorganisms suitable for preparing such enzymes and mutants. Another aspect of the invention relates to a chemo-biocatalytic process for the preparation of lactam compounds comprising the new catalytic process for the preparation of alpha amino amide compounds catalyzed by NHase enzymes, as well as the chemical oxidation of the alpha amino amide by applying certain chemical oxidation catalysts suitable for converting the alpha amino amide under retention of its stereochemical configuration to the respective lactam. The novel chemo-biocatalytic process is particularly suited for the synthesis of valuable pharmaceutical compounds, like in particular (S)-Levetiracetam.

An electrocatalyst material comprising cuprous oxide and antimony, the process for the production thereof and its use in the electrochemical reduction of CO.sub.2 to CO with high selectivity and efficiency are described.

Novel 2,2′-diaminobiaryls having two secondary amines and an electrochemical process for preparation thereof.

Compositions comprising hydrogenated and dehydrogenated graphite comprising a plurality of flakes. At least one flake in ten has a size in excess of ten square micrometers. For example, the flakes can have an average thickness of 10 atomic layers or less.