To provide a uniform-type platinum-loaded alumina catalyst demonstrating excellent performance in terms of catalyst life, a uniform-type platinum-loaded alumina catalyst includes: an alumina carrier; sulfur or a sulfur compound dispersed over an entire cross section of the alumina carrier; platinum dispersed and loaded over the entire cross section of the alumina carrier; one or more alkali metals selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and calcium. Preferably, the content of platinum is 0.05 to 5.0 wt % calculated as elemental platinum. The content of the sulfur or the sulfur compound preferably is 0.15 to 5.0 wt % calculated as elemental sulfur. The content of the alkali metal preferably is 0.1 to 5.0 wt % calculated as elemental alkali metal.

To provide an egg shell-type platinum-loaded alumina catalyst demonstrating excellent performance in terms of catalyst life, an egg shell-type platinum-loaded alumina catalyst includes: an alumina carrier; platinum dispersed and loaded on an outer shell of the alumina carrier; and one or more second components selected from the group consisting of vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, and phosphorus. Preferably, the content of platinum is 0.05 to 5.0 wt % calculated as elemental platinum. The content of each second component preferably is 0.1 to 5.0 wt % calculated as each element. The alumina carrier has a surface area of 150 m.sup.2/g or more, a pore volume of 0.40 cm.sup.3/g or more, and an average pore diameter of 40 to 300 Å, with pores having a pore diameter in a range of ±30 Å from the average pore diameter occupying 60% or more of a total pore volume.

Provided is a post-treatment method and system for a core-shell catalyst, which relate to the field of fuel cell materials. The post-treatment method of the present disclosure includes the following steps: a core-shell catalyst is added into an electrolyte solution containing citric acid or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, a gas containing oxygen is introduced into the electrolyte solution followed by stirring for a predetermined reaction time, the open circuit potential of the reactor base is recorded during the reaction time, and the open circuit potential should stabilize at 0.90˜1.0 V vs. RHE when the reaction is completed. The molar ratio of citric acid or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid to platinum of the core-shell catalyst is 10 to 1000:1. A percentage of oxygen in the gas is 10 to 100% by volume. The post-treatment method of the present disclosure can significantly improve the platinum mass activity and PGM mass activity and durability of core-shell catalyst.

A catalyst for methanation reaction and a method for preparing methane are provided. The catalyst for methanation reaction includes a core, a shell encapsulating the core, and an active metal. The core includes cerium dioxide (CeO.sub.2), the shell includes zirconium dioxide (ZrO.sub.2), and the active metal is in particle form and is disposed on an outer surface of the shell layer.

A process for preparing a catalyst comprising nickel and copper, comprising the following steps: impregnating the porous support with a volume of a butanol solution of between 0.2 and 0.8 times the total pore volume of the support; maturing the impregnated porous support for 0.5 to 40 hours; impregnating the matured impregnated support with a solution comprising a precursor of the nickel active phase; impregnating the support with a solution containing a copper precursor and a nickel precursor.

A method for producing a shell catalyst which comprises, in the outer shell, one or more of the following metals: Pd, Pt, Ag and Au. Also the use of the shell catalyst produced using the method according to the invention for the production of vinyl acetate monomer, in the hydrogenation of hydrocarbons, in particular the selective hydrogenation of polyunsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, or in the oxidation of alcohols to ketones/aldehydes/carboxylic acids.

The present invention is directed to multifunctional nanomaterials for photothermal heating and catalytic applications. The present invention discloses a method of photothermally heating a solution. The present method also discloses a method of catalyzing a reaction. Both methods require a step of exposing a solution to at least one wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. A gold-iron oxide nanomaterial comprising an iron oxide substrate and discrete gold particles deposited on the substrate is also disclosed.

A process for preparing a catalyst comprising an active phase based on nickel and an alumina support, which process comprises the following steps: a) said support is impregnated with a volume V1 of a butanol solution of between 0.2 and 0.8 times the total pore volume TPV of said support in order to obtain an impregnated support; b) the impregnated support obtained at the end of step a) is left to mature for 0.5 to 40 hours; c) the matured impregnated support obtained at the end of step b) is impregnated with a solution comprising at least one precursor of the nickel active phase in order to obtain a catalyst precursor; d) the catalyst precursor obtained at the end of step c) is dried at a temperature below 250° C.

The present invention relates to a metal oxide coated composite comprising a core consisting of a mixture of a La stabilised AI.sub.2O.sub.3 phase and an Ce/Zr/RE.sub.2O.sub.3 mixed oxide phase, the core having a specific crystallinity, specific pore volume and a specific pore size distribution, and a method for the production of the metal oxide coated composite.

A catalyst carrier, an electrode catalyst, an electrode including the catalyst, a membrane electrode assembly including the electrode, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly. The catalyst carrier includes a carbon material having a chain structure including a chain of carbon particles and an alumina-carbon composite particle in which a carbon particle encloses an alumina particle, the alumina-carbon composite particle is contained in the carbon material, and the catalyst carrier has a BET specific surface area of 450 to 1100 m.sup.2/g.