Provided are a polymer capsule loaded with transition metal particles having excellent water dispersibility and stability, and a method for preparing the same. Specifically, the polymer capsule loaded with transition metal particles according to the present invention includes a surface-modified polymer capsule surface-modified to thereby have a positive zeta potential in a dispersed state in water; and transition metal particles loaded on a surface of the surface-modified polymer capsule. In addition, a method for preparing a polymer capsule loaded with transition metal particles according to the present invention includes a) preparing a polymer capsule; b) surface-modifying the polymer capsule to prepare a polymer capsule having a positive zeta potential in a dispersed state in water; and c) sequentially adding a water-soluble transition metal precursor and a reducing agent to a water dispersion of the surface-modified polymer capsule obtained in step b).

A zinc-based nanohybrid was prepared using a facile wet chemistry process. This nanohybrid has zinc oxide nanostructures connected to zinc phthalocyanine molecules via biologically important ligands. In addition, this nanohybrid has photocatalytic properties and photodegrades water pollutants, such as methyl orange.

This invention provides a catalyst comprising a new form of ZnFe.sub.2O.sub.4 spinel nanoparticles, and a method for preparing same. The catalyst is useful for catalyzing the esterification of fatty acids or transesterification of triglycerides, wherein the reaction rate and conversion can be enhanced by free fatty acids.

A semiconductor material basically consists of titanium oxide, with the special feature of being like nanostructures, which gives special physicochemical properties, with ability to disperse and stabilize metal particles with high activity and selectivity in catalytic processes mainly. The process of producing the semiconductor material includes adding a titanium alkoxide to an alcoholic solution, adding an acid to the alcoholic solution, controlling the pH from 1 to 5; subjecting the acidic solution to agitation and reflux conditions at 70 to 80 C.; stabilizing the medium and adding bidistilled water in a water/alkoxide molar ratio of 1-2/0.100-0.150, continuing with reflux until gelation; aging the gel for 1 to 24 hours for complete formation of the titania; drying the titania nanostructured at of 50 to 80 C. for about 1 to 24 hours, and subjecting the dried titania to a calcination step at 200 to 600 C. for 1 to 12 hours.

Provided are catalysts suitable for the production of tetrahydrofuran from 1,4-butanediol. Also provided are methods of use of these catalyst, as well as catalyst systems. The catalysts described herein contain only Lewis acidity, but not Brnsted acidity, which results in decreased production of ether byproducts.

A continuous process for the preparation of propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a liquid feed stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide, acetonitrile, water, dissolved potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and optionally propane; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation reactor comprising a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite of structure type MWW, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation reactor; wherein the concentration of the dissolved potassium dihydrogen phosphate in the liquid feed stream is at least 10% of the solubility limit of the potassium dihydrogen phosphate in the liquid feed stream.

The present invention is directed to a degradation composition, methods and kits for degrading organic pollutants comprising reduced copper based nanoparticles-polymer complex (Cu-NPs) and an oxidant.

The present invention relates to a process for hydroxylation of a compound of formula (I) by reacting the compound of formula (I) with an oxidizing agent, in the presence of a titanium silicalite zeolite prepared by crystallization preceded by a maturing step. The present invention also relates to a titanium silicalite zeolite and to the process for preparing same.

The present invention is directed to a nanostructured binary oxide TiO.sub.2Al.sub.2O.sub.3 with high acidity and its synthesis process via the sol-gel method, hydrotreating and thermal activation. The nanostructured binary oxide TiO.sub.2Al.sub.2O.sub.3 with high acidity consists basically of titanium oxide and aluminum oxide with the special characteristic of being obtained as nanostructures, in their nanocrystal-nanotube evolution, which provides special physicochemical properties such as high specific area, purity and phase stability, acidity stability and different types of active acid sites, in addition to the capacity to disperse and stabilize active metal particles with high activity and selectivity mainly in catalytic processes.

A solid catalyst is provided. The solid catalyst includes a core particle composed of activated carbon, lignin or iron oxide, and a plurality of hydroxyl groups and sulfonic acid groups formed on the surface of the core particle. A method for preparing a sugar is also provided. The method includes mixing organic acid and the disclosed solid catalyst to form a mixing solution, adding a cellulosic biomass to the mixing solution to proceed to a dissolution reaction, and adding water to the mixing solution to proceed to a hydrolysis reaction to obtain a hydrolysis product.