The disclosure relates to a method for making a photocatalytic structure, the method comprising: providing a carbon nanotube structure comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes intersected with each other; a plurality of openings being defined by the plurality of carbon nanotubes; forming a photocatalytic active layer on the surface of the carbon nanotube structure; applying a metal layer pre-form on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer; and annealing the metal layer pre-form.

The present disclosure discloses a method of preparing a Ni active site-loaded C—Si aerogel catalyst, and a product and use thereof, belonging to the technical field of catalyst preparation. The method includes the following steps: (1) dissolving absolute ethanol, trimethoxymethylsilane, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and HCl in deionized water, conducting hydrolysis to obtain a hydrolyzate, followed by adjusting a pH value of the hydrolyzate to 7 to 8.5, and drying to obtain a C—Si aerogel; and (2) in the absolute ethanol, mixing NiCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2O with the C—Si aerogel obtained in step (1) uniformly, and conducting ultrasonication, impregnation and drying, followed by calcination to obtain the Ni active site-loaded C—Si aerogel catalyst. In the present disclosure, the prepared Ni active site-loaded C—Si aerogel catalyst is capable of conducting catalytic degradation of aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at room temperature.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to catalyst compositions including metal chalcogenides, processes for producing such catalyst compositions, processes for enhancing catalytic active sites in such catalyst compositions, and uses of such catalyst compositions in, e.g., processes for producing conversion products. In an aspect, a process for forming a catalyst composition is provided. The process includes introducing an electrolyte material and an amphiphile material to a metal chalcogenide to form the catalyst composition. In another aspect, a catalyst composition is provided. The catalyst composition includes a metal chalcogenide, an electrolyte material, and an amphiphile material. Devices for hydrogen evolution reaction are also provided.

Methods of making an iron based catalyst using microwave hydrothermal synthesis are provided. The methods include dissolving iron(III) nitrate, Fe(NO.sub.3).sub.3, in an organic solvent to form a solution. Once dissolved, the methods include a step of neutralizing the solution with an alkaline mineralizing agent to obtain a precipitate. The solution with the precipitate is then subjected to microwave radiation to cause a temperature gradient and a hydrothermal crystallization process to form a synthesized product. The synthesized product is subsequently separated from the mineralizing agent. The method includes washing and drying the synthesized product to obtain particles of sodium iron oxide (NaFeO.sub.2) catalyst that can be used as a composition for a passive NO.sub.x adsorber. A two-stage NO.sub.x abatement device for removal of NO.sub.x from an exhaust gas stream during a cold start operation of an internal combustion engine is also provided.

Disclosed is the synthesis of novel supported metal catalytic materials for electromagnetic radiation absorption and chemical catalysis especially in the presence of plasma used in the conversion of nitrogen from air and hydrogen from water to useful products such as nitric acid, hydrogen, ammonia and fertilizers. These materials can also generate plasma when subjected to microwave irradiation thus form the basis of catalytic plasma reactors. They can be used in chemical looping reactions because plasma generation under microwave irradiation in air results in the reduction of catalyst oxides and oxidation of nitrogen.

A process for synthesis of PtNi high surface area core/shell particles. The processing including formation of PtNi nanoparticles, exposure of the PtNi nanoparticles to oxygen to form a nickel oxide coating on the nanoparticles at the same time the segregation of Ni to surface induces a Pt-skin with PtNi core structure, removal of the nickel oxide coating to form PtNi core/Pt shell (or Pt-skin) structure.

A process for producing functionalized organic molecules having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. The method includes the step of contacting carbon dioxide as the only gas, or a gas mixture that includes carbon dioxide and methane, in the presence of water, with a catalyst that includes permanently polarized hydroxyapatite.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a degradative sol, the method comprising providing an aqueous dispersion of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, providing gold and/or silver precursor compound(s) to the dispersion, illuminating the dispersion with ultraviolet light to photodeposit gold and/or silver nanoparticles onto the titanium dioxide nanoparticles to obtain photocatalytic plasmonic nanoparticles having a plasmonic resonance frequency in visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, and providing the photocatalytic plasmonic nanoparticles as a degradative sol. The present disclosure also provides a degradative sol, a degradative surface, a method for providing a degradative surface and a method for degrading organic substances.

An electrocoat system for electrodeposition is described. The system includes an inorganic bismuth-containing compound or a mixture of inorganic and organic bismuth-containing compounds. The system demonstrates a high degree of crosslinking and produces a cured coating with optimal crosslinking and corrosion resistance.

A method of making a titanium dioxide nanowire array includes contacting a substrate with a solvent comprising a titanium (III) precursor, an acid, and an oxidant while microwave heating the solvent, thereby forming a hydrogen titanate H2Ti2O5.H2O nanowire array. The hydrogen titanate nanowire array is annealed to form a titanium dioxide nanowire array. The substrate is seeded with titanium dioxide before starting the hydrothermal synthesis of the hydrogen titanate nanowire array. The titanium dioxide nanowire array is loaded with a platinum group metal to form an exhaust gas catalyst. The titanium dioxide nanowire array can be used to catalyze oxidation of combustion exhaust.