Disclosed is a catalyst for producing ethylbenzene in one-step by vapor phase alkylation reaction of ethanol and benzene. The catalyst has the following features for the reaction: high alkylation reaction activity, high selectivity of ethylbenzene in an alkylation product, high hydrothermal stability and stable catalytic performance. The catalyst comprises a mesoporous-microporous composite TNU-9 molecular sieve and the silicon to aluminum molar ratio, SiO.sub.2/Al.sub.2O.sub.3, of the meso-microporous composite TNU-9 molecular sieve ranges from 50 to 200.

Provided is a method for preparing a diol. In the method, a saccharide and hydrogen as raw materials are contacted with a catalyst in water to prepare the diol. The employed catalyst is a composite catalyst comprised of a main catalyst and a cocatalyst, wherein the main catalyst is a water-insoluble acid-resistant alloy; and the cocatalyst is a soluble tungstate and/or soluble tungsten compound. The method uses an acid-resistant, inexpensive and stable alloy needless of a support as a main catalyst, and can guarantee a high yield of the diol in the case where the production cost is relatively low.

Provided is a method for preparing a diol. In the method, a saccharide and hydrogen as raw materials are contacted with a catalyst in water to prepare the diol. The employed catalyst is a composite catalyst comprised of a main catalyst and a cocatalyst, wherein the main catalyst is a water-insoluble acid-resistant alloy; and the cocatalyst is a soluble tungstate and/or soluble tungsten compound. The method uses an acid-resistant, inexpensive and stable alloy needless of a support as a main catalyst, and can guarantee a high yield of the diol in the case where the production cost is relatively low.

Redox catalysts having surface medication, methods of making redox catalysts with surface modification, and uses of the surface modified redox catalysts are provided. In some aspects, the redox catalysts include a core oxygen carrier region such as CaMnO.sub.3, BaMnO.sub.3-, SrMnO.sub.3-, Mn.sub.2SiO.sub.4, Mn.sub.2MgO.sub.4-, La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2O.sub.3-, La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2FeO.sub.3-, Ca.sub.9Ti.sub.0.1Mn.sub.0.9O.sub.3-, Pr.sub.6O.sub.11-, manganese ore, or a combination thereof; and an outer shell having an average thickness of about 1-100 monolayers surrounding the outer surface of the core region. The outer shell can include, for example a salt selected such as Li.sub.2WO.sub.4, Na.sub.2WO.sub.4, K.sub.2WO.sub.4, SrWO.sub.4, Li.sub.2MoO.sub.4, Na.sub.2MoO.sub.4, K.sub.2MoO.sub.4, CsMoO.sub.4, Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, Na.sub.2CO.sub.3, K.sub.2CO.sub.3, or a combination thereof.

Redox catalysts having surface medication, methods of making redox catalysts with surface modification, and uses of the surface modified redox catalysts are provided. In some aspects, the redox catalysts include a core oxygen carrier region and an outer shell having an average thickness of about 1-100 monolayers surrounding the outer surface of the core region.

A catalyst including an amorphous matrix of a metallic glass including iron and phosphorous; wherein when the catalyst performs a catalytic reaction with a reactant, the metallic glass catalyst activates at least some of the reactant, and at least a portion of the catalyst at a surface of the metallic glass matrix transforms to a surface layer including a material property different from that of the metallic glass matrix being covered by the surface layer; and wherein the surface layer is arranged to maintain an amorphous structure of the metallic glass matrix and to facilitate the catalytic reaction to occur at the surface layer.

Oil soluble organic-inorganic fused slurry phase hydroprocessing catalysts for heavy oils and residues are prepared at supercritical conditions. The hydrodemetallization, hydrodesulfurization, asphaltene conversion and hydrocracking activities of a residue having high percentage of metals, sulfur and asphaltene have been tested in an autoclave batch reactor. The different organic compounds are used to modify the solid fused material (catalyst). The effect of the concentration of modifier on the hydroprocessing and hydrocracking reactions has also been investigated.

The present invention provides amorphous bi-functional catalytic aluminum metallic glass particles having an aluminum metallic glass core and 2 or more transition metals disposed on the surface of the aluminum metallic glass core to form amorphous bi-functional aluminum metallic glass particles with catalytic activity.

Redox catalysts having surface medication, methods of making redox catalysts with surface modification, and uses of the surface modified redox catalysts are provided. In some aspects, the redox catalysts include a core oxygen carrier region such as CaMnO.sub.3, BaMnO.sub.3-, SrMnO.sub.3-, Mn.sub.2SiO.sub.4, Mn.sub.2MgO.sub.4-, La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2O.sub.3-, La.sub.0.8Sr.sub.0.2FeO.sub.3-, Ca.sub.9Ti.sub.0.1Mn.sub.0.9O.sub.3-, Pr.sub.6O.sub.11-, manganese ore, or a combination thereof; and an outer shell having an average thickness of about 1-100 monolayers surrounding the outer surface of the core region. The outer shell can include, for example a salt selected such as Li.sub.2WO.sub.4, Na.sub.2WO.sub.4, K.sub.2WO.sub.4, SrWO.sub.4, Li.sub.2MoO.sub.4, Na.sub.2MoO.sub.4, K.sub.2MoO.sub.4, CsMoO.sub.4, Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, Na.sub.2CO.sub.3, K.sub.2CO.sub.3, or a combination thereof.

An acid-resistant alloy catalyst, comprising nickel, one or more rare earth element, tin, aluminum and molybdenum. The catalyst is cheap and stable, does not need a carrier, can be stably applied in industrial continuous production, and can lower the production cost.