A nanocomposite sorbent which contains molybdenum carbide, molybdenum nitride, and molybdenum oxide. The nanocomposite sorbent is in the form of nanosheets having a mean size of 10 to 100 m and a mean thickness of 10 to 1000 nm. A method of forming the nanocomposite sorbent is also provided. The nanocomposite sorbent is used to form a membrane filter with a fluorinated polymer. The nanocomposite sorbent and membrane filter are each used in a method of removing an organic pollutant from water.

A chromatograph is provided for identifying components of a mixture. Components are identified by different rates of adsorption and/or desorption with a material phase. In one embodiment, an electrical lead is connected to the material phase for supplying an electrical charge to the material phase. The electrical charge alters the rate of adsorption/desorption of the components with the material phase. In another embodiment, the material phase is disposed between two conductors with electrical leads connected to each of the conductors. A charge differential between the two conductors alters the rate of adsorption and/or desorption of components with the material phase.

An engine control system configured to operate an engine is configured to predict an expected duty cycle including an expected demand from the engine, and calculate two or more future operating conditions, each future operating condition including engine control parameters that, when used to control the engine, are expected to result in the engine meeting the expected demand. One of the future operating conditions is selected, and a present operation of the engine is adjusted in response to the selected future operating condition. A vehicle and/or offroad diesel apparatus may comprise the engine control system.

Provided are a noble metal adsorbent, a method for recovering a noble metal, and a method for regenerating a noble metal adsorbent that can easily recover noble metal while high adsorption performance for noble metals is achieved. The noble metal adsorbent according to the present invention includes a metal sulfide. The metal sulfide is constituted of, for example, molybdenum disulfide particles. The method for recovering a noble metal according to the present invention includes adsorbing a noble metal onto the noble metal adsorbent, and thereafter heating and volatilizing the noble metal adsorbent in the presence of oxygen to recover the noble metal.

Carbide-derived carbons are provided that have high dynamic loading capacity for high vapor pressure gasses such as H.sub.2S, SO.sub.2, or NH.sub.3. The carbide-derived carbons can have a plurality of metal chloride or metallic nanoparticles entrapped therein. Carbide-derived carbons are provided by extracting a metal from a metal carbide by chlorination of the metal carbide to produce a porous carbon framework having residual metal chloride nanoparticles incorporated therein, and annealing the porous carbon framework with H.sub.2 to remove residual chloride by reducing the metal chloride nanoparticles to produce the metallic nanoparticles entrapped within the porous carbon framework. The metals can include Fe, Co, Mo, or a combination thereof. The carbide-derived carbons are provided with an ammonia dynamic loading capacity of 6.9 mmol g.sup.1 to 10 mmol g.sup.1 at a relative humidity of 0% RH to 75% RH.

An article comprising a substrate and at least one coating layer disposed on the substrate. The coating layer includes a silicate glass matrix, an oxygen scavenger phase dispersed through the silicate glass matrix, and at least one metal in metallic form.

Removing heavy metal ions from an aqueous composition includes contacting an aqueous composition including a heavy metal with nanoflakes comprising MoS.sub.2 for a length of time sufficient to form nanoclusters of the heavy metal on the nanoflakes. A composite may include a porous polymeric matrix and MoS.sub.2 nanoflakes coupled to the porous polymeric matrix. Making a porous MoS.sub.2-polymer composite may include combining a solution phase dispersion of MoS.sub.2 with a polymer precursor solution to yield a mixture, treating the polymer precursor solution to yield a composite precursor, and drying the composite precursor to yield a porous MoS.sub.2-polymer composite.

The invention provides an apparatus for polymer chromatography, comprising at least one column that comprises a first stationary phase comprising one of the following: A) a material comprising at least one non-carbon atom, excluding glass or a metal, selected from molybdenum sulfide MoS2, tungsten sulfide WS2, silicon carbide SiC, boron nitride BN, or combinations thereof, or B) glass, or a metal, or combinations thereof, and a material comprising at least one non-carbon atom selected from molybdenum sulfide MoS2, tungsten sulfide WS2, silicon carbide SiC, boron nitride BN, or combinations thereof. The invention also provides a method for polymer chromatography, comprising introducing a solution, comprising a polymer, into a liquid flowing through a first stationary phase, and wherein the first stationary phase comprises one of foregoing materials (A) or (B).

Ion separation media are described herein employing thermoelectric materials and architectures. In some embodiments, an ion separation medium comprises a layer of inorganic nanoparticles having a Seebeck coefficient sufficient to transport ionic species in a liquid medium along surfaces of the layer in the presence of a thermal gradient.

A sorbent filter and air filter assembly includes at least a first adsorbent layer and a second adsorbent layer. The first adsorbent layer can include one of a metal organic framework (MOF) or activated carbon. The second adsorbent layer is positioned adjacent the first adsorbent layer and can include an adsorbent material with water.