Method of forming micro channels in a polymeric nanocomposite film is provided. The method includes combining one or more monomers to form a mixture and adding a plurality of carbon fibers with metal nanoparticles dispersed therein to the mixture prior to or concurrently with formation of a polymer from the monomers. The method also includes adding at least one hydrophobic agent and at least one plasticizer to the polymer to form the polymeric nanocomposite film and forming a plurality of laser-etched micro channels in a surface of the polymeric nanocomposite film.

There is provided a catalyst for the conversion of methane to cyclohexane. The catalyst comprises gallium nitride, zinc oxide, gallium oxide or a combination thereof; and platinum clusters deposited at the surface of the gallium nitride, the zinc oxide, the gallium oxide or the combination thereof. The platinum clusters collectively represent from about 0.75 to about 4% by weight of the catalyst.

The invention concerns a catalyst for the low energy manufacture of ammonia; a process for manufacturing said catalyst; and a process for low energy manufacture of ammonia comprising the use of said catalyst.

The invention concerns a nanocomposite material for use as a high surface area heterogenous or electrocatalyst, and methods for preparing such catalysts.

Disclosed isthe synthesis of novel supported metal catalytic materials for electromagnetic radiation absorption and chemical catalysis especially in the presence of plasma used in the conversion of nitrogen from air and hydrogen from water to useful products such as nitric acid, hydrogen, ammonia and fertilizers. These materials can also generate plasma when subjected to microwave irradiation thus form the basis of catalytic plasma reactors. They can be used in chemical looping reactions because plasma generation under microwave irradiation in air results in the reduction of catalyst oxides and oxidation of nitrogen.

The present disclosure provides a noble metal-transition metal-based nano-catalyst thin film and a preparation method thereof, belonging to the fields of energy development and pollutant emission reduction. Based on a micro-nano processing technology, a noble metal-transition metal-based nano-catalyst thin film is loaded on a semi-cylindrical pipe with an inner thread structure, and heat generated is quickly accumulated on an upper surface of the catalyst to establish a large temperature gradient. By the insulation and high roughness of an alumina carrier layer and the inner thread structure of the pipe, a catalyst loading area is maximized and dispersion of noble metal atoms is enhanced. A transition metal-transition metal oxide thin film protects a noble metal nano-catalyst by core-shell wrapping, and a transition metal oxide prevents catalyst deactivation caused by oxygen occupying too many metal active sites.

Described herein is a submerged-plasma process for the production of amorphous and nanocrystalline nanostructured materials, depending on processing conditions, from precursors that can be in the liquid or injected into the plasma or both.