Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in a vault in which the equipment is protected from radiation and hazardous gases by equipment enclosures. The equipment enclosures may be purged with gas.

Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, where the feedstock is enclosed in a web.

A method for preparation of gold nanoparticles in aqueous solution through pulsed laser, comprises firstly preparing an aqueous solution including HAuCl.sub.4.H.sub.2O and H.sub.2O.sub.2, followed by allowing a catalytic light source to emit into the aqueous solution for catalysis, such that a plurality of gold nanoparticles are formed in the aqueous solution, the catalytic light source being a pulsed laser. Additionally, it is also possible for firstly placing a porous silicon substrate into the aqueous solution, and then allowing the catalytic light source to emit into the aqueous solution for catalysis, such that the gold nanoparticles are grown on the surface of the porous silicon substrate. In this way, the gold nanoparticles of smaller particle diameters with more uniform size may be obtained without adding a surfactant during the preparation.

Methods and systems are described for processing cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials into useful intermediates and products, such as energy and fuels. For example, conveying systems and methods, such as highly efficient vibratory conveyors, are described for the processing of the cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials.

A flow reactor for photochemical reactions comprises an extended flow passage (20) surrounded by one or more flow passage walls (22), the flow passage having a length and a light diffusing rod (30) having a diameter of at least 500 m and a length, with at least a portion of the length of the rod (30) extending inside of and along the flow passage (20) for at least a portion of the length of the flow passage (20).

An oxidative method for water is provided. The oxidative method includes providing a compound having properties of a p-type semiconductor and an n-type semiconductor; obtaining a mixture by adding the compound to the water; and illuminating the mixture using a light source to excite the compound.

A nucleic acid purification device includes a housing and an adapter operatively attached to the housing. The adapter is configured to receive at least one well plate which includes a plurality of wells for receiving contents including at least a sample and a plurality of paramagnetic particles. The device also includes a motor disposed within the housing and configured to selectively move at least the adapter to thereby disrupt or shake the contents of the plurality of wells when the at least one well plate is received by the adapter. The device further includes at least one electromagnetic feature configured to selectively receive an electrical signal and thereby magnetize at least a portion of the plurality of paramagnetic particles when the plurality of paramagnetic particles are received by the plurality of wells and the at least one well plate is received by the adapter.

A microwave reduction furnace including a reaction furnace provided with a refractory chamber of silica or silicon carbide for storing a material therein, a supply section for supplying the material into the refractory chamber, the material being a mixture of a silica powder and a graphite powder or a mixture of a silica powder, a silicon carbide powder and a graphite powder, a discharge section for discharging molten silicon, obtained through reduction, out of the chamber, and a microwave oscillator for outputting microwave toward the refractory chamber in the reaction furnace with a degree of directionality by virtue of a helical antenna or a waveguide.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in a vault in which the equipment is protected from radiation and hazardous gases by equipment enclosures. The equipment enclosures may be purged with gas.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, while cooling equipment and the biomass to prevent overheating and possible distortion and/or degradation. The biomass is conveyed by a conveyor, which conveys the biomass under an electron beam from an electron beam accelerator. The conveyor can be cooled with cooling fluid. The conveyor can also vibrate to facilitate exposure to the electron beam. The conveyor can be configured as a trough that can be optionally cooled.