The invention provides a Laves phase intermetallic compound having a composition represented by general formula ARu.sub.2 (A is Y, Sc, or at least one element selected from lanthanoid elements excluding Ce), the crystallite size thereof being 1 nm to 100 nm; a catalyst including the intermetallic compound as an active ingredient; and a method for producing ammonia using the same.

A process for the production of a catalyst system is described. For this purpose, at least one alkali metal alcoholate is introduced into a lactam melt and the resulting alcohol is removed. The resulting catalyst system is used for the production of cast nylon.

Provided are an intermetallic compound having high stability and high activity, and a catalyst using the same. A hydrogen storage/release material containing an intermetallic compound represented by formula (1): RTX . . . (1) wherein R represents a lanthanoid element, T represents a transition metal in period 4 or period 5 in the periodic table, and X represents Si, Al or Ge.

A process for preparing a composite material comprising an electride compound and an additive, said process comprising (i) providing a composition comprising the additive and a precursor compound of the electride compound, wherein the precursor compound comprises an oxidic compound of the garnet group, and wherein the additive has a boiling temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of the precursor compound; (ii) heating the composition provided in (i) under plasma forming conditions in a gas atmosphere to a temperature above the Httig temperature of the precursor compound and below the boiling temperature of the additive, obtaining the composite material.

A catalyst support may be provided that comprises: an inner core, which includes at least one phase change material; a coating layer around the inner core, which includes at least one metal oxide; a catalytically active layer, which is positioned in interstices of the coating layer and/or lying on the coating layer, wherein at least one catalytically active substance is included in the catalytically active layer; and a supporting layer which is positioned under the coating layer. A recycle reactor may be provided comprising a reservoir for accommodating a chemical hydrogen storage substance; the catalyst support; a screw conveyor for input and transport of the catalyst support; and a heating device with which the catalyst support can be heated. A method for releasing hydrogen from a chemical hydrogen storage substance may be provided.

A bulk three-dimensional (3-D) catalyst and methods of making and use are described herein. The bulk three-dimensional (3-D) catalyst is formed from a catalytically active metal or metal alloy and has a sulfurized or oxidized outer surface.

Process for preparing a catalyst or a trapping mass comprising the following steps: bringing a porous oxide support into contact with a metal salt comprising at least one metal belonging to groups VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB or IIB, of which the melting point of said metal salt is between 20 C. and 150 C., for a period of between 5 minutes and 5 hours in order to form a solid mixture, the weight ratio of said metal salt to said porous oxide support being between 0.1 and 1; heating the solid mixture with stirring at a temperature between the melting point of said metal salt and 200 C. and for 5 minutes to 12 hours; calcining the solid obtained in the preceding step at a temperature above 200 C. and below or equal to 1100 C. under an inert atmosphere or under an oxygen-containing atmosphere.

Method for the preparation of a catalyst comprising vanadium pentoxide supported on a metal oxide catalyst carrier comprising the steps of a) providing particles of crystalline vanadium pentoxide and particles of a metal oxide catalyst carrier; b) solid state mixing the particles and dispersing the vanadium pentoxide particles on surface of the metal oxide carrier particles; and c) anchoring the dispersed vanadium pentoxide particles on surface of the metal oxide carrier particles by calcination at a temperature above 500 C., characterized in that sintering of the vanadium pentoxide particles is suppressed by addition of an anti-sintering metal oxide component, such as tungsten trioxide, during the anchoring in step c).

An iron-containing catalyst for ammonia synthesis, characterized in that it contains the promoters potassium, calcium and aluminum, wherein the proportion of potassium, calculated as K.sub.2O, is 0.08% to 0.6% by weight, the proportion of calcium, calculated as CaO, is 0.8% to 2.2% by weight and the proportion of aluminum, calculated as Al.sub.2O.sub.3, is 1.0% to 2.3% by weight, is described. The invention further relates to the production of the catalyst according to the invention and to a process for ammonia synthesis using the catalyst according to the invention.

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.