A method for preparing a sol comprising TiO.sub.2 and ZrO.sub.2 and/or hydrated forms of TiO.sub.2 and ZrO.sub.2. The method includes mixing a material which includes metatitanic acid in an aqueous phase with a zirconyl compound or with a mixture of several zirconyl compounds. The material is provided either as a suspension or as a filter cake from the sulfate method. The material includes a H.sub.2SO.sub.4 content of 3 to 15 wt.-% relative to a quantity of TiO.sub.2 in the material. The zirconyl compound or the mixture of several zirconyl compounds is mixed in a quantity that is sufficient to provide the sol depending on the H.sub.2SO.sub.4 content.

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

The invention provides a process for treating waste water from an industrial process for producing propylene oxide, which comprises subjecting the waste water to a catalytic wet oxidation treatment comprising: feeding a stream comprising the waste water to a reactor; subjecting the stream comprising the waste water to an oxidation treatment in the presence of oxygen and a catalyst resulting in a treated stream; sending at least part of the treated stream to a separator wherein the treated stream is separated into a gas stream and a liquid stream; and recycling part of the liquid stream to the reactor.

A method of reducing an aromatic ring under relatively mild condition using sub-nano particles of a transition metal supported on super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). The catalyst is efficient for catalyzing the reduction of both carbocyclic and heterocyclic compound. In compound comprising both carbocyclic and heterocyclic aromatic rings, the catalyst displays high regioselectivity for the heterocyclic ring.

Disclosed are a heterogeneous catalyst, a production method thereof, and a method for producing a lignin-derived high-substituted aromatic monomer from a woody biomass material using the heterogeneous catalyst. The heterogeneous catalyst includes a carrier; and a NiAl nano-particle supported on the carrier.

A method for the preparation of zirconia-multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite utilizing Pluronics as templating agents is described. An efficient method for producing hydrogen gas using the nanocomposite as a photocatalyst.

Fischer-Tropsch processes for converting syngas produces linear alpha olefins at high yield and selectivity in the presence of supported nano-particle catalyst compositions and/or metal carbide/nitride-containing catalyst compositions.

The invention provides a process for the preparation of bismuth oxyhalide, comprising a precipitation of bismuth oxyhalide in an acidic aqueous medium in the presence of a reducing agent. Also provided are bismuth oxyhalide compounds doped with elemental bismuth Bi.sup.(0). The use of Bi.sup.(0)doped-bismuth oxyhalide as photocatalysts in water purification is also described.

A supported catalyst having rhodium particles with an average diameter of less than 1 nm disposed on a support material containing magnetic iron oxide (e.g. Fe.sub.3O.sub.4). A method of producing the supported catalyst and a process of reducing nitroarenes to corresponding aromatic amines employing the supported catalyst with a high product yield are also described. The supported catalyst may be recovered with ease using an external magnet and reused.

Heterogeneous catalysts with optional dopants are provided. The catalysts are useful in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane to C.sub.2+ hydrocarbons. Related methods for use and manufacture of the same are also disclosed.