The present invention relates to novel catalysts for oxidative esterification, by means of which, for example, (meth)acrolein can be converted to methyl (meth)acrylate. The catalysts of the invention are especially notable for high mechanical and chemical stability even over very long periods. This especially relates to an improvement in the catalyst service life, activity and selectivity over prior art catalysts which lose activity and/or selectivity relatively quickly in continuous operation in media having even a small water content.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a mesoporous inorganic oxide, which includes preparing a mixture of a metal salt selected from the group consisting of at least one kind of alkali metal-containing compound, at least one kind of alkaline earth metal-containing compound, and any combination thereof and an amorphous inorganic oxide; sintering the mixture of a metal salt and an amorphous inorganic oxide; and removing the metal salt contained in the sintered mixture, and a mesoporous inorganic oxide that is manufactured by the above method and is composed of an aggregate of inorganic oxide particles having a size of from 2 nm to 5 nm. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a mesoporous inorganic oxide which has a simplified manufacturing process, has a short period of manufacturing time of about 1 day, does not generate secondary environmental contaminants to be environmentally friendly, and enables mass production, and a mesoporous inorganic oxide which has a dramatically decreased particle size and thus has an increased specific surface area and increased active sites.

The present invention relates to a method of reducing a metal oxide comprising the steps of preparing a mixture by mixing a metal oxide and a metal hydride (step 1) and reducing the mixture by heat treatment (step 2) and a method of producing a photocatalyst using the same, and The method of reducing a metal oxide of the present invention can easily reduce such metal oxides as TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, V.sub.2O.sub.3, and Fe.sub.2O.sub.3.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining glycidol in a semi-continuous or continuous manner by decarboxylating glycerol carbonate at reduced pressure, at a temperature less than or equal to 130 C. and in the presence of alkoxide catalysts of alkaline metals and alkaline earth metals, metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, metal stannates and mixed metal stannates, all of which optionally supported via SiO.sub.2, -Al.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO and ZrO.sub.2.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining glycidol in a semi-continuous or continuous manner by decarboxylating glycerol carbonate at reduced pressure, at a temperature less than or equal to 130 C. and in the presence of alkoxide catalysts of alkaline metals and alkaline earth metals, metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, metal stannates and mixed metal stannates, all of which optionally supported via SiO.sub.2, -Al.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO and ZrO.sub.2.

A dry reforming methane to synthesis gas catalyst is provided. The catalyst has a primary metal of magnesia (MgO). A secondary metal is mixed with the primary metal. The primary metal and the secondary metal have crystalline structures that are close to one another so as to be in solid solution with the support and form a mono-crystalline structure.

A nanocomposite catalyst includes a support, a multiplicity of nanoscale metal oxide clusters coupled to the support, and one or more metal atoms coupled to each of the nanoscale metal oxide clusters. Fabricating a nanocomposite catalyst includes forming nanoscale metal oxide clusters including a first metal on a support, and depositing one or more metal atoms including a second metal on the nanoscale metal oxide clusters. The nanocomposite catalyst is suitable for catalyzing reactions such as CO oxidation, water-gas-shift, reforming of CO.sub.2 and methanol, and oxidation of natural gas.

A multicomponent photocatalyst includes a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material. A method of performing a catalytic reaction includes loading a multicomponent photocatalyst including a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material into a reaction chamber; introducing molecular reactants into the reaction chamber; and illuminating the reaction chamber with a light source.

A multicomponent photocatalyst includes a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material. A method of performing a catalytic reaction includes loading a multicomponent photocatalyst including a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material into a reaction chamber; introducing molecular reactants into the reaction chamber; and illuminating the reaction chamber with a light source.

Methods may include contacting a degradable polymer in a wellbore traversing a subterranean formation with a treatment fluid, wherein the treatment fluid is formulated with one or more polymer degrading catalysts; and allowing the degradable polymer composite to at least partially degrade. In another aspect, methods may be directed to designing a wellbore treatment that includes determining at least one degradation characteristic for one or more degradable polymers; formulating an aqueous treatment fluid based on the determined values, wherein the aqueous treatment fluid comprises one or more polymer degrading catalysts; contacting the degradable polymer with an aqueous fluid; and allowing the degradable polymer to at least partially degrade the degradable polymer.