An improved cluster-supporting catalyst has heteroatom-removed zeolite particles, and catalyst metal clusters supported within the pores of the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles. A method for producing a cluster-supporting catalyst includes the following steps: providing a dispersion liquid containing a dispersion medium and the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; and in the dispersion liquid, forming catalyst metal clusters having a positive charge, and supporting the catalyst metal clusters within the pores of the heteroatom-removed zeolite particles through an electrostatic interaction.

An exothermic reaction assembly includes a reaction chamber and a generator operative to generate an AC electrical signal and apply the signal to the reaction chamber by superimposing the AC signal over a DC signal. A gas manifold and controller is operative to connect a vacuum pump and one or more gas chambers to the reaction chamber and to control a pressure of the reaction chamber. The signal generator is operative to create a plasma in the reaction chamber by superimposing the AC electrical signal to the reaction chamber over the DC signal. The gas manifold and controller are operative to adjust the pressure within the reaction chamber to achieve a predetermined plasma frequency.

Photocatalysts for water-splitting to produce hydrogen and oxygen, methods of making and uses thereof are described. The photocatalyst has a catalytic non-oxide metal semiconductor nanostructure attached to a zero valence metal (M.sup.) support. Thecatalyst is capable of catalyzing the production of hydrogen and oxygen from water.

There is provided a cluster-supporting porous carrier having improved heat resistance and/or catalytic activity, and a method for producing it. The cluster-supporting porous carrier of the invention has porous carrier particles (20) such as zeolite particles, and metal oxide clusters (16) supported within the pores of the porous carrier particles. The method of the invention for producing the cluster-supporting porous carrier includes providing a dispersion containing a dispersing medium (11) and porous carrier particles dispersed in the dispersing medium, forming positively charged metal oxide clusters (16) in the dispersion, and supporting the metal oxide clusters within the pores of the porous carrier particles (20) by electrostatic interaction.

A method of upcycling polymers to useful hydrocarbon materials. A catalyst with nanoparticles on a substrate selectively docks and cleaves longer hydrocarbon chains over shorter hydrocarbon chains. The nanoparticles exhibit an edge to facet ratio to provide for more interactions with the facets.

The present disclosure provides methods of making confined nanocatalysts within mesoporous materials (MPMs). The methods utilize solid state growth of nanocrystalline metal organic frameworks (MOFs) followed by controlled transformation to generate nanocatalysts in situ within the mesoporous material. The disclosure also provides applications of the nanocatalysts to a wide variety of fields including, but not limited to, liquid organic hydrogen carriers, synthetic liquid fuel preparation, and nitrogen fixation.

An improved process for the preparation of nanostructured metal species-based films in a flame aerosol reactor is provided. The present invention also further provides improved nanostructured photo-watersplitting cells, improved dye sensitized solar cells and improved nanostructured p/n junction solar cells.

Provided herein is a method of preparing a porous composite ceramic material and a porous composite ceramic material made by the method of preparing.

The invention relates to methods for producing hydrophobized, doped or non-doped mixed metal oxide nanoparticles or doped metal oxide nanoparticles by flame spray pyrolysis, wherein a combustible precursor solution A, containing at least two metal alkyloates of general formula Me(OOCR).sub.x with differing metals Me, or a combustible precursor solution B containing at least one metal alkyloate of general formula Me(OOCR).sub.x and at least one metal salt containing a metal ion Me and at least one metal salt containing a metal ion Me, with Me selected from metal ions of the subgroups of the periodic system of the elements, with R=alkyl or aryl, wherein the alkyl chain is branched or straight, and wherein x corresponds to the oxidation step of the metal ion, is used in stoichiometric excess relative to a quantity of oxygen, and wherein a combustion ratio of 3.5 bis 0.4 is established, and hydrophobized nanoparticles and the use thereof.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a carbon-supported metal oxide and/or alloy nanoparticle catalyst. According to the method, a carbon-supported metal oxide and/or alloy nanoparticle catalyst is prepared by depositing metal oxide and/or alloy nanoparticles on a water-soluble support and dissolving the metal oxide and/or alloy nanoparticles deposited on the water-soluble support in an anhydrous polar solvent containing carbon dispersed therein to support the metal oxide and/or alloy nanoparticles on the carbon. The anhydrous polar solvent has much lower solubility for the water-soluble support than water and is used to dissolve the water-soluble support. The use of the anhydrous polar solvent instead of water can prevent the water-soluble support present at a low concentration in the solution from impeding the support of the nanoparticles on the carbon, thus providing a solution to the problems of environmental pollution, high cost, and complexity encountered in conventional chemical and physical synthetic methods.