The present invention refers to lightweight and settable photocatalytic compositions and solid composites; methods of preparing the compositions and solid composites; and their use in water purification. The compositions are comprised of photocatalysts such as titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) and zinc oxide (ZnO), lightweight glass bubbles, and a hydraulic cementing binder. The lightweight and settable photocatalytic compositions can be formed into lightweight photocatalytic solid composites and/or structures by mixing with water and moist curing. This invention also describes relatively simple, fast, and cost effective methodologies to photodope the TiO.sub.2ZnO compositions and composites with silver (Ag), to enhance and extend the photocatalytic activity from the ultraviolet into the visible light spectrum. The lightweight and settable TiO.sub.2ZnO and AgTiO.sub.2ZnO compositions are used in making solids, structures, coatings, and continuous or semi-continuous water purification panels for purifying contaminated water.

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 family of new crystalline molecular sieves designated SSZ-91 is disclosed. Molecular sieve SSZ-91 is structurally similar to sieves falling within the ZSM-48 family of molecular sieves, and is characterized as: (1) having a low degree of faulting, (2) a low aspect ratio that inhibits hydrocracking as compared to conventional ZSM-48 materials having an aspect ratio of greater than 8, and (3) is substantially phase pure.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a catalyst comprising a ruthenium-containing catalyst layer highly dispersed with a uniform thickness on a surface of a substrate having a structure, which comprises first aging a mixed solution of a ruthenium precursor-containing solution and a precipitating agent to form a ruthenium-containing precipitate seeds, secondarily aging the first aged mixed solution to grow the seeds thereby forming ruthenium-containing precipitate particles, and then contacting the particles with a substrate to deposit the particles on the surface of the substrate. Since the catalyst has a structure in which the round shaped ruthenium-containing precipitate particles are piled to form the ruthenium-containing catalyst layer, it has a large specific surface area. Thus, the catalyst may exhibit excellent catalytic performance in various reactions for producing hydrogen using a ruthenium catalyst.

Fluidizable catalysts for oxygen-free oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes to corresponding olefins. The catalysts contain 10-20% (by weight per total catalyst weight) of one or more vanadium oxides as the catalytic material, which are mounted upon an alumina support that is modified with zirconia at alumina/zirconia ratios of 5:1 up to 1:2. Various methods of preparing and characterizing the fluidizable catalysts are also provided.

Provided is a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst containing a carbon material loaded with vanadium and tungsten and a method of preparing the same, and relates to a method of loading vanadium and tungsten on a carbon material that exhibits excellent abrasion resistance and excellent strength and can be easily prepared.

An exhaust gas-purifying catalyst material includes first oxide particles having an average particle diameter D.sub.av of 1 m to 95 m and having an oxygen storage capacity, second oxide particles having an average particle diameter D.sub.av of 0.05 m to 0.5 m, containing a metal element, and having no oxygen storage capacity, precious metal particles, and acidic oxide particles. The material has a correlation coefficient of 0.45 or more obtained using first characteristic X-ray intensity for the metal element contained in the second oxide particle, second characteristic X-ray intensity for an element other than oxygen contained in the acidic oxide particle, and third characteristic X-ray intensity for a precious metal element contained in the precious metal particle.

A method of synthesizing manganese oxide nanocorals comprises the steps of a) heating a potassium permanganate solution; (b) providing manganese sulfate in a basic solution; (c) combining the manganese sulfate basic solution drop-wise with the heated potassium permanganate solution until a brown precipitate is formed; (d) stirring the brown precipitate for a period of about 12 hours at a temperature greater than 300 K; (e) isolating the precipitate; and (f) drying the precipitate inside an oven at a temperature greater than 300 K to provide manganese oxide nanocorals. The manganese oxide nanocorals include nanowires having a diameter typically ranging from about 20 nm to about 40 nm.

Carbon opals, a form of colloidal crystal, are composed of ordered two-dimensional or three-dimensional arrays of Monodispersed Starburst Carbon Spheres (MSCS). Methods for producing such carbon opals include oxidizing as-synthesized MSCS, for example by heating in air, to increase surface charge. Such oxidation is believed to decrease settling rates of a colloidal suspension, enabling formation of an ordered colloidal crystal. Inverse opals, composed of any of a wide variety of materials, and based on a carbon opal template, have a reciprocal structure to a carbon opal. Inverse opals are formed by methods including: forming a carbon opal as described, impregnating a desired material into pores in the carbon opal to produce a hybrid structure, and removing the carbon portion from the hybrid structure.

A composite photocatalyst, a manufacturing method thereof, the kits including the composite photocatalyst, and a bactericide photocatalyst. A composite photocatalyst includes photocatalyst nanocrystals and platinum nanocrystals. The photocatalyst nanocrystals include a compound represented by the following chemical formula (1):
A.sup.2+(B.sup.3+).sub.2X.sub.4chemical formula (1), wherein A.sup.2+ represents Zn.sup.2+, Cu.sup.2+, Fe.sup.2+, Mn.sup.2+, Ni.sup.2+, Co.sup.2+ or Ag.sub.2.sup.2+; B.sup.3+ represents Fe.sup.3+, Mn.sup.3+ or Cr.sup.3+; and X represents O.sup.2.