A composite containing carbon nitride and a mixed metal sulfide. The composite is useful as a photocatalyst. A method of making the composite and a method of photocatalyzing the degradation of pollutants are described herein.

Catalysts for dehydrating hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity, short residence time, and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, for example, acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and acetic acid, are provided. The catalysts are mixed condensed phosphates. Methods of preparing the catalysts are also provided.

Catalysts for dehydrating hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity, short residence time, and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, for example, acetaldehyde, propionic acid, and acetic acid, are provided. The catalysts are mixed condensed phosphates. Methods of preparing the catalysts are also provided.

The invention relates to a silicon-based anode material for a lithium-ion battery, a preparation method therefor, and a battery. The silicon-based negative electrode material is prepared by the compounding of 90 wt %-99.9 wt % of a silicon-based material and 0.1 wt %-10 wt % of carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers which grow on the surface of the silicon-based material in situ.

The invention relates to a silicon-based anode material for a lithium-ion battery, a preparation method therefor, and a battery. The silicon-based negative electrode material is prepared by the compounding of 90 wt %-99.9 wt % of a silicon-based material and 0.1 wt %-10 wt % of carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers which grow on the surface of the silicon-based material in situ.

A two or particularly three-phase process, and corresponding apparatus, desulfurizes sour hydrocarbon gas, e.g., natural gas, generally better than known, using a fixed-bed, two-phase processes in terms of the amount of H.sub.2S scavenged and the breakthrough time of H.sub.2S. The three-phase process is effective in scavenging H.sub.2S at ambient temperature and pressure, using a copper salt catalyst impregnated on alumina or other generally inert support, which is regenerable.

A two or particularly three-phase process, and corresponding apparatus, desulfurizes sour hydrocarbon gas, e.g., natural gas, generally better than known, using a fixed-bed, two-phase processes in terms of the amount of H.sub.2S scavenged and the breakthrough time of H.sub.2S. The three-phase process is effective in scavenging H.sub.2S at ambient temperature and pressure, using a copper salt catalyst impregnated on alumina or other generally inert support, which is regenerable.

The present invention relates to a process for modifying a layered double hydroxide (LDH), the process comprising, a. providing a water-wet layered double hydroxide of formula:
[M.sup.z+.sub.1-xM.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n).sub.a/r.bH.sub.2O(1) wherein M and M are metal cations, z=1 or 2; y=3 or 4, x is 0.1 to 1, preferably x<1, more preferably x=0.1-0.9, b is 0 to 10, X is an anion, r is 1 to 3, n is the charge on the anion X and a is determined by x, y and z, preferably a=z(1x)+xy2; b. maintaining the layered double hydroxide water-wet, and c. contacting the water-wet layered double hydroxide with at least one solvent, the solvent being miscible with water and preferably having a solvent polarity (P) in the range 3.8 to 9,
as well as to a layered double hydroxide prepared according to that process.

The present invention relates to a process for modifying a layered double hydroxide (LDH), the process comprising, a. providing a water-wet layered double hydroxide of formula:
[M.sup.z+.sub.1-xM.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n).sub.a/r.bH.sub.2O(1) wherein M and M are metal cations, z=1 or 2; y=3 or 4, x is 0.1 to 1, preferably x<1, more preferably x=0.1-0.9, b is 0 to 10, X is an anion, r is 1 to 3, n is the charge on the anion X and a is determined by x, y and z, preferably a=z(1x)+xy2; b. maintaining the layered double hydroxide water-wet, and c. contacting the water-wet layered double hydroxide with at least one solvent, the solvent being miscible with water and preferably having a solvent polarity (P) in the range 3.8 to 9,
as well as to a layered double hydroxide prepared according to that process.

Layered double hydroxides having a high surface area (at least 125 m.sup.2/g) and the formula (I)
[M.sup.z+.sub.1?xM.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n?).sub.a/n.sub.+bH.sub.2O.c(AMO-solvent)(I)
wherein M and M are different and each is a charged metal cation (and must be present), z=1 or 2; y=3 or 4, 0<x<0.9, b is 0 to 10, c=0 to 10, X is an anion, n is the charge on the anion, and a=z(1?x)+xy?2; AMO-solvent is aqueous miscible organic solvent, may be prepared by a method which comprises a) precipitating a layered double hydroxide having the formula
[M.sup.z+.sub.1?xM.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n?).sub.a/n.sub.+bH.sub.2O wherein M, M, z, y, x, a, b and X are as defined above from a solution containing the cations of the metals M and M and the anion X.sup.n?; b) ageing the layered double hydroxide precipitate obtained in step a) in the original solution; c) collecting, then washing the layered double hydroxide precipitate; d) dispersing the wet layered double hydroxide in an AMO solvent so as to produce a slurry of the layered double hydroxide in the solvent; e) maintaining the dispersion obtained in step d); and f) recovering and drying the layered double hydroxide. The high surface area products have low particle size and are particularly suitable for use as catalysts, catalyst supports, sorbents and coatings.