An electrocatalyst comprises a crumpled transition metal dichalcogenide support loaded with catalytic metal nanoparticles through spontaneous reduction reactions. The support can be prepared by hydrothermal conversion of 2D nanosheets to 3D hierarchically crumpled sheets. As an example, using crumpled MoS.sub.2 as a support, highly tunable Ru loadings were obtained using the electrostatic interaction between MoS.sub.2 and RuCl.sub.3 in solution. Control over Ru loading was leveraged to produce Ru—MoS.sub.2 electrocatalysts that demonstrate different nitrogen reduction reaction activities, and which show varying resistance to electrochemical sintering and deactivation. Further, these high surface area materials can be utilized for many applications, including electrocatalysts, supercapacitors, and batteries.

An electrocatalyst comprises a crumpled transition metal dichalcogenide support loaded with catalytic metal nanoparticles through spontaneous reduction reactions. The support can be prepared by hydrothermal conversion of 2D nanosheets to 3D hierarchically crumpled sheets. As an example, using crumpled MoS.sub.2 as a support, highly tunable Ru loadings were obtained using the electrostatic interaction between MoS.sub.2 and RuCl.sub.3 in solution. Control over Ru loading was leveraged to produce Ru—MoS.sub.2 electrocatalysts that demonstrate different nitrogen reduction reaction activities, and which show varying resistance to electrochemical sintering and deactivation. Further, these high surface area materials can be utilized for many applications, including electrocatalysts, supercapacitors, and batteries.

A catalyst fibrous structure having a catalyst metal carried on a fibrous structure, wherein (a) a Log differential micropore volume distribution curve thereof obtained by measurement using a mercury intrusion technique has a peak having a maximum micropore diameter in the range of from 0.1 μm to 100 μm; (b) a Log differential micropore volume at the peak is 0.5 mL/g or more; and (c) an amount of a catalyst metal compound and a binder carried per unit volume is 0.05 g/mL or more. A production method for producing a catalyst fibrous structure having: (1) mixing a catalyst metal compound or a catalyst precursor, and an inorganic binder and a solvent; (2) grinding the mixture to obtain a coating material of the catalyst metal compound or the catalyst precursor having a median particle diameter of 2 μm or less and a viscosity of from 10 mPa.Math.s to 200 mPa.Math.s; (3) impregnating a fibrous structure with the coating material to fill up voids of the fibrous structure with the coating material of the catalyst metal compound or the catalyst precursor; (4) heating and drying the fibrous structure, directly as it is, at a temperature not lower than the boiling point of the solvent; and (5) heating and calcination the dried fibrous structure at a temperature not lower than the dehydration temperature of the inorganic binder to obtain a catalyst fibrous structure.

The present invention relates to colloidal dispersions comprising a plurality of precious group nanoparticles, wherein about 90% or more of the precious group metal is in fully reduced form; a dispersion medium comprising a polar solvent; a water-soluble polymer suspension stabilizing agent; and a reducing agent, wherein the nanoparticle concentration is at least about 2 wt. % of the colloidal dispersion, wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size of about 1 to about 6 nm and at least 95% of the nanoparticles have a particle size within this range; and further wherein the colloidal dispersion is substantially free of halides, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and sulfur compounds. Methods of preparing, further processing, and using such colloidal dispersions are also provided herein.

The present invention relates to colloidal dispersions comprising a plurality of precious group nanoparticles, wherein about 90% or more of the precious group metal is in fully reduced form; a dispersion medium comprising a polar solvent; a water-soluble polymer suspension stabilizing agent; and a reducing agent, wherein the nanoparticle concentration is at least about 2 wt. % of the colloidal dispersion, wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size of about 1 to about 6 nm and at least 95% of the nanoparticles have a particle size within this range; and further wherein the colloidal dispersion is substantially free of halides, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and sulfur compounds. Methods of preparing, further processing, and using such colloidal dispersions are also provided herein.

A method of reducing a gaseous carbon oxide includes reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the presence of a non-ferrous catalyst. The reaction proceeds under conditions adapted to produce solid carbon of various allotropes and morphologies, the selective formation of which can be controlled by means of controlling reaction gas composition and reaction conditions including temperature and pressure. A method for utilizing a non-ferrous catalyst in a reactor includes placing the catalyst in a suitable reactor and flowing reaction gases comprising a carbon oxide with at least one gaseous reducing agent through the reactor where, in the presence of the catalyst, at least a portion of the carbon in the carbon oxide is converted to solid carbon and a tail gas mixture containing water vapor.

A method of reducing a gaseous carbon oxide includes reacting a carbon oxide with a gaseous reducing agent in the presence of a non-ferrous catalyst. The reaction proceeds under conditions adapted to produce solid carbon of various allotropes and morphologies, the selective formation of which can be controlled by means of controlling reaction gas composition and reaction conditions including temperature and pressure. A method for utilizing a non-ferrous catalyst in a reactor includes placing the catalyst in a suitable reactor and flowing reaction gases comprising a carbon oxide with at least one gaseous reducing agent through the reactor where, in the presence of the catalyst, at least a portion of the carbon in the carbon oxide is converted to solid carbon and a tail gas mixture containing water vapor.

A method of forming an array of aligned, uniform-length carbon nanotubes on a planar surface of a substrate employing a composite catalyst layer of iron and cobalt. The carbon nanotubes have visible length and are useful for producing spun threads of carbon nanotubes having improved spinability and mechanical and electrical properties.

A method of forming an array of aligned, uniform-length carbon nanotubes on a planar surface of a substrate employing a composite catalyst layer of iron and cobalt. The carbon nanotubes have visible length and are useful for producing spun threads of carbon nanotubes having improved spinability and mechanical and electrical properties.

An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust gas purification catalyst for purifying exhaust gas, in particular, fine composite-metal particles contained therein, and a method for producing the same; the exhaust gas purification catalyst according to the present invention includes fine composite-metal particles containing Rh and Pd, wherein, when the fine composite-metal particles in the exhaust gas purification catalyst are analyzed by STEM-EDX, the average ratio of the amount of Pd with respect to the total amount of Rh and Pd in the fine composite-metal particles is 1.7 atomic % or more and 24.8 atomic % or less.