It has been discovered that mixed-alcohol production can utilize the waste tail gas stream from the pressure-swing adsorption section of an industrial hydrogen plant. Some variations provide a process for producing mixed alcohols, comprising: obtaining a tail-gas stream from a methane-to-syngas unit (e.g., a steam methane reforming reactor); compressing the tail-gas stream; separating the tail-gas stream into at least a syngas stream, a CO.sub.2-rich stream, and a CH.sub.4-rich stream; introducing the syngas stream into a mixed-alcohol reactor operated at effective alcohol synthesis conditions in the presence of an alcohol-synthesis catalyst, thereby generated mixed alcohols; and purifying the mixed alcohols to generate a mixed-alcohol product. Other variations provide a process for producing clean syngas, comprising: obtaining a tail-gas stream from a methane-to-syngas unit; compressing the tail-gas stream; separating the tail-gas stream into at least a syngas stream, a CO.sub.2-rich stream, and a CH.sub.4-rich stream; and recovering a clean syngas product.

Disclosed herein are carbon doped tin disulphide (C—SnS.sub.2) and other SnS.sub.2 composites as visible light photocatalyst for CO.sub.2 reduction to solar fuels. The in situ carbon doped SnS.sub.2 photocatalyst provide higher efficiency than the undoped pure SnS.sub.2. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing the catalysts.

Disclosed herein are carbon doped tin disulphide (C—SnS.sub.2) and other SnS.sub.2 composites as visible light photocatalyst for CO.sub.2 reduction to solar fuels. The in situ carbon doped SnS.sub.2 photocatalyst provide higher efficiency than the undoped pure SnS.sub.2. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing the catalysts.

Methods of synthesizing Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of spheres as well as properties of these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles are described. Methods of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants employing these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles and methods of preventing or reducing microbial growth on a surface by applying these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of a solution or an antimicrobial product onto the surface are also specified.

Methods of synthesizing Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of spheres as well as properties of these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles are described. Methods of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants employing these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles and methods of preventing or reducing microbial growth on a surface by applying these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of a solution or an antimicrobial product onto the surface are also specified.

Methods of synthesizing Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of spheres as well as properties of these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles are described. Methods of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants employing these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles and methods of preventing or reducing microbial growth on a surface by applying these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of a solution or an antimicrobial product onto the surface are also specified.

Methods of synthesizing Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of spheres as well as properties of these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles are described. Methods of photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants employing these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles and methods of preventing or reducing microbial growth on a surface by applying these Bi.sub.2S.sub.3CdS particles in the form of a solution or an antimicrobial product onto the surface are also specified.

A multicomponent photocatalyst includes a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material. A method of performing a catalytic reaction includes loading a multicomponent photocatalyst including a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material into a reaction chamber; introducing molecular reactants into the reaction chamber; and illuminating the reaction chamber with a light source.

A multicomponent photocatalyst includes a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material. A method of performing a catalytic reaction includes loading a multicomponent photocatalyst including a reactive component optically, electronically, or thermally coupled to a plasmonic material into a reaction chamber; introducing molecular reactants into the reaction chamber; and illuminating the reaction chamber with a light source.

A method for preparing a porous nano-fiber heterostructure photocatalytic filter screen includes: preparing a noble metal nanostructure with tunable spectra and a heterostructure composite photocatalyst of a photocatalytic material; and preparing a large area and multilayer porous nano-fiber filter screen structure, while utilizing a scattering enhancement effect of metal nanoparticles in an porous optical fiber to realize repeated conduction of sunlight in the optical fiber and finally interact with the composite photocatalyst on a surface to improve photocatalytic efficiency. Preparation of the heterostructure composite photocatalyst with a wide spectral response of and tunable visible to infrared band spectra is realized, at the same time, with reference to high adsorbability, high light transmission of nanometer fiber and unique optical characteristics of metal nanoparticles, an air purification filter screen with a high sunlight utilization rate and a high catalytic degradation capability is creatively provided.