Disclosed is a process for producing terephthalic acid. The process includes contacting p-xylene with a gaseous stream containing oxygen (O.sub.2) in presence of a homogeneous catalyst solution, at a reaction temperature of 180° C. to 195° C. to oxidize at least a portion of the p-xylene and form a product stream containing terephthalic acid, said homogeneous catalyst solution contains 350 ppm to 450 ppm cobalt (Co), 170 ppm to 270 ppm manganese (Mn), and 410 ppm to 510 ppm bromine (Br), wherein a Br/(Co+Mn) wt. % ratio is 0.5:1 to 1:1, and a Co to Mn wt. % ratio is 1.5:1 to 2:1.

Disclosed is a process for producing terephthalic acid. The process includes contacting p-xylene with a gaseous stream containing oxygen (O.sub.2) in presence of a homogeneous catalyst solution, at a reaction temperature of 180° C. to 195° C. to oxidize at least a portion of the p-xylene and form a product stream containing terephthalic acid, said homogeneous catalyst solution contains 350 ppm to 450 ppm cobalt (Co), 170 ppm to 270 ppm manganese (Mn), and 410 ppm to 510 ppm bromine (Br), wherein a Br/(Co+Mn) wt. % ratio is 0.5:1 to 1:1, and a Co to Mn wt. % ratio is 1.5:1 to 2:1.

A method for using a natural attapulgite is disclosed. The method includes using the natural attapulgite as a natural nano mineral enzyme. The results of the examples show that the natural attapulgite has peroxidase-like activity, catalase-like activity or superoxide dismutase-like activity, and good biocompatibility. Compared with protease, the natural attapulgite has the advantages such as large reserves, easy to obtain, low cost, high temperature resistance and wide range of pH value. Compared with a developed artificial nano enzymes, the natural attapulgite further has the advantages such as multi-function, natural non-toxic (from nature, no heavy metals), good biocompatibility, easy to obtain, no complex processing, and huge surface area which provides a place for cell growth and proliferation.

A method for using a natural attapulgite is disclosed. The method includes using the natural attapulgite as a natural nano mineral enzyme. The results of the examples show that the natural attapulgite has peroxidase-like activity, catalase-like activity or superoxide dismutase-like activity, and good biocompatibility. Compared with protease, the natural attapulgite has the advantages such as large reserves, easy to obtain, low cost, high temperature resistance and wide range of pH value. Compared with a developed artificial nano enzymes, the natural attapulgite further has the advantages such as multi-function, natural non-toxic (from nature, no heavy metals), good biocompatibility, easy to obtain, no complex processing, and huge surface area which provides a place for cell growth and proliferation.

A transformational energy efficient technology using ionic liquid (IL) to couple with monoethanolamine (MEA) for catalytic CO.sub.2 capture is disclosed. [EMmim.sup.+][NTF.sub.2.sup.−] based catalysts are rationally synthesized and used for CO.sub.2 capture with MEA. A catalytic CO.sub.2 capture mechanism is disclosed according to experimental and computational studies on the [EMmim.sup.+][NTF.sub.2.sup.−] for the reversible CO.sub.2 sorption and desorption.

Method for converting organic material into catalyst for biological hydrosynthesis, comprising providing organic material comprising at least one source of readily available carbon, at least one complex carbon-containing compound and at least one source of protein and contacting the organic material with preparatory catalyst is provided. The organic material is subjected to a size reduction process to produce size-reduced organic material and a solid to liquid ratio of the size-reduced organic material is adjusted to form organic material slurry. The organic material slurry is subjected to a fermentation process to produce amended organic material, by applying a process catalyst to at least a portion of the organic material slurry. A liquid is recovered from the amended organic material and transferred to a fermentation chamber, where it is subjected to a fermentation process to produce amended liquid by applying balancing catalyst to the liquid. The amended liquid is the catalyst.

Method for converting organic material into catalyst for biological hydrosynthesis, comprising providing organic material comprising at least one source of readily available carbon, at least one complex carbon-containing compound and at least one source of protein and contacting the organic material with preparatory catalyst is provided. The organic material is subjected to a size reduction process to produce size-reduced organic material and a solid to liquid ratio of the size-reduced organic material is adjusted to form organic material slurry. The organic material slurry is subjected to a fermentation process to produce amended organic material, by applying a process catalyst to at least a portion of the organic material slurry. A liquid is recovered from the amended organic material and transferred to a fermentation chamber, where it is subjected to a fermentation process to produce amended liquid by applying balancing catalyst to the liquid. The amended liquid is the catalyst.

A catalyst composition includes a metal catalyst dispersed in a molten eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides. A process for the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons includes contacting in a reactor system a carbon-containing feedstock with at least one catalyst in the presence of oxygen to generate olefinic and/or aromatic compounds; and collecting the olefinic and/or aromatic compounds; wherein: the at least one catalyst includes a metal catalyst dispersed in a molten eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides. A process for preparing the catalyst includes mixing metal catalyst precursors selected from transition metal compounds and rare-earth metal compounds and a eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides and heating it. A use of the catalyst in the catalytic cracking process of hydrocarbons.

A method is disclosed for converting biomass into a fuel additive, the method comprising: liquefying the biomass to form a liquor; neutralizing the liquor; precipitating lignin out of the liquor; extracting furfural (FF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from the liquor; and hydrodeoxygenating (HDO) the extracted furfurals over a Cu—Ni/TiO.sub.2 catalyst. The catalyst for hydrodeoxygenating (HDO) furfural (FF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to methylated furans comprises copper-nickel (Cu—Ni) particles supported on titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2), and wherein the copper-nickel particles form core-shell structures in which copper (Cu) is enriched at a surface of the catalyst.

In one embodiment, the present application discloses a catalyst composition comprising: a) a reaction solvent or a reaction medium; b) organometallic nanoparticles comprising: i) a nanoparticle (NP) catalyst, prepared by a reduction of an iron salt in an organic solvent, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one other metal selected from the group consisting of Pd, Pt, Au, Ni, Co, Cu, Mn, Rh, Ir, Ru and Os or mixtures thereof; c) a ligand; and d) a surfactant; wherein the metal or mixtures thereof is present in less than or equal to 50,000 ppm relative to the iron salt.