A catalyst carrier, an electrode catalyst, an electrode including the catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly including the electrode, a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly, and a method for producing the catalyst carrier. The catalyst carrier includes a carbon material having a chain structure including a chain of carbon particles. The catalyst carrier contains a titanium compound-carbon composite particle in which carbon encloses a titanium compound particle. The molar ratios of a carbon element, a nitrogen element, and an oxygen element to a titanium element taken as 1 in the catalyst carrier are more than 0 and 50 or less, more than 0 and 2 or less, and more than 0 and 3 or less, respectively.

This invention relates to a catalyst used in a carbonylation of methanol using carbon monoxide to acetic acid, and more particularly to a heterogeneous catalyst represented by Rh/WxC (where x is an integer of 1 or 2) in which a complex of a rhodium compound and 3-benzoylpyridine is fixed on a support of tungsten carbide.

Pyrochlore-based solid mixed oxide materials suitable for use in catalysing a hydrocarbon reforming reaction are disclosed, as well as methods of preparing the materials, and their uses in hydrocarbon reforming processes. The materials contain a catalytic quantity of inexpensive nickel and exhibit catalytic properties in dry reforming reactions that are comparable—if not better—than those observed using expensive noble metal-containing catalysts. Moreover, the Pyrochlore-based solid mixed oxide materials can be used in low temperature dry reforming reactions, where other catalysts would become deactivated due to coking. Accordingly, the catalytic materials represent a sizeable development in the industrial-scale reforming of hydrocarbons.

Pyrochlore-based solid mixed oxide materials suitable for use in catalysing a hydrocarbon reforming reaction are disclosed, as well as methods of preparing the materials, and their uses in hydrocarbon reforming processes. The materials contain a catalytic quantity of inexpensive nickel and exhibit catalytic properties in dry reforming reactions that are comparable—if not better—than those observed using expensive noble metal-containing catalysts. Moreover, the Pyrochlore-based solid mixed oxide materials can be used in low temperature dry reforming reactions, where other catalysts would become deactivated due to coking. Accordingly, the catalytic materials represent a sizeable development in the industrial-scale reforming of hydrocarbons.

Zeolites having highly dispersed bimetallic clusters, uniformly distributed in size and composition, encapsulated therein are disclosed. Metal encapsulation and alloying is conferred by introducing ligated metal cation precursors into zeolite synthesis gels, which are subsequently crystallized hydrothermally to form zeolites with metal cations occluded in the pores. The ligated cations are anchored to the zeolite framework via siloxane bridges which enforces their uniform dispersion throughout the zeolite crystals. Treatment of the crystallized zeolites in O.sub.2 and then H.sub.2 forms bimetallic clusters, which remain narrowly distributed in size and composition.

Zeolites having highly dispersed bimetallic clusters, uniformly distributed in size and composition, encapsulated therein are disclosed. Metal encapsulation and alloying is conferred by introducing ligated metal cation precursors into zeolite synthesis gels, which are subsequently crystallized hydrothermally to form zeolites with metal cations occluded in the pores. The ligated cations are anchored to the zeolite framework via siloxane bridges which enforces their uniform dispersion throughout the zeolite crystals. Treatment of the crystallized zeolites in O.sub.2 and then H.sub.2 forms bimetallic clusters, which remain narrowly distributed in size and composition.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a molecular sieve catalyst. A water-in-oil micro-emulsion including a continuous phase containing an organic solvent and a dispersed phase containing an aqueous solution containing one or more metal salts and a water-soluble organic carbon source is prepared, hydrolyzed, and azeotropically distilled to form a mixture solution. The mixture solution is heated to carbonize the water-soluble organic carbon source to form nanoparticles each having a core-shell structure including a carbon-shelled metal-oxide. The nanoparticles containing the carbon-shelled metal-oxide are dispersed in a molecular sieve precursor solution. A nanoparticle-loaded molecular sieve is formed from the molecular sieve precursor solution containing the nanoparticles, and then calcined to remove carbon there-from to form a metal-oxide loaded molecular sieve.

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing a molecular sieve catalyst. A water-in-oil micro-emulsion including a continuous phase containing an organic solvent and a dispersed phase containing an aqueous solution containing one or more metal salts and a water-soluble organic carbon source is prepared, hydrolyzed, and azeotropically distilled to form a mixture solution. The mixture solution is heated to carbonize the water-soluble organic carbon source to form nanoparticles each having a core-shell structure including a carbon-shelled metal-oxide. The nanoparticles containing the carbon-shelled metal-oxide are dispersed in a molecular sieve precursor solution. A nanoparticle-loaded molecular sieve is formed from the molecular sieve precursor solution containing the nanoparticles, and then calcined to remove carbon there-from to form a metal-oxide loaded molecular sieve.

A process for producing a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst according to the present invention comprises a step of calcining a carrier precursor containing silica calcined at a temperature T.sub.1 and a zirconium compound at a temperature T.sub.2 to obtain a carrier; and a step of calcining a catalyst precursor containing the carrier and a cobalt compound and/or a ruthenium compound at a temperature T.sub.3, wherein the content of the zirconium compound in the carrier precursor is 0.01 to 7% by mass in terms of zirconium oxide based on the total mass of the catalyst, and T.sub.1, T.sub.2, and T.sub.3 satisfy conditions represented by expressions (1) to (3):
T.sub.1≧T.sub.3  (1)
250° C.≦T.sub.2≦450° C.  (2)
250° C.≦T.sub.3≦450° C.  (3).

A method of making a hydrodesulfurization catalyst having nickel and molybdenum sulfides deposited on a support material containing mesoporous silica that is optionally modified with zirconium. The method of making the hydrodesulfurization catalyst involves a single-step calcination and reduction procedure. The utilization of the hydrodesulfurization catalyst in treating a hydrocarbon feedstock containing sulfur compounds (e.g. dibenzothiophene, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene) to produce a desulfurized hydrocarbon stream is also provided.