An adsorbent system including an enclosure having a cavity defining a humidity-controlled environment and a body having or defining a channel therein. The body is coupled to the enclosure such that a first end of the channel is in selective fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second end of the channel is in fluid communication with the humidity-controlled environment. The system further includes an adsorbent material in the channel, wherein the channel and adsorbent material are configured such that inlet fluid flowing from the first end to the second end through the channel is flowable over at least a portion of the adsorbent material, and such that outlet fluid flowing from the second end to the first end is directly flowable over a majority of the portion of the adsorbent material that is flowable over by the inlet fluid, The system further includes a valve system positioned at or adjacent to or in fluid communication with the first end of the channel. The valve system includes an inlet valve portion that is biased to a closed position to generally block a flow of inlet fluid therethrough and that is movable to an open position when a pressure in the channel is sufficiently low relative to a pressure in the ambient environment. The valve system further includes an outlet valve portion that is biased to a closed position to generally block a flow of outlet fluid therethrough and that is movable to an open position when the pressure in the channel is sufficiently high relative to the pressure in the ambient environment.

A plurality of carbonation plots are positioned in communication with atmospheric carbon dioxide to facilitate sequestration thereof via ambient weathering. The carbonation plots include a composition rich in metal oxides, which are positioned within the environment, such as on non-arable land, and exposed to the environment to react with carbon dioxide in the air and form metal carbonates. After about one year of exposure, the composition is recollected and calcined to produce a carbon dioxide stream and replenish the metal oxides, which can be redistributed in the carbonation plots to sequester additional carbon dioxide. The systems and methods of the present disclosure enable capture and redistribution of carbon dioxide for industrial-scale uses for very abundant quarry minerals and enable large-scale low-cost carbon capture projects for municipalities or corporations. CO.sub.2 removal from air via these methods and systems have a similar or lower cost than CO.sub.2 removal using DAC with synthetic sorbents or solvents.

Proposed are a composition for production of cat litter, cat litter, and a method for production of cat litter, the composition including: 45% to 58% by weight of coffee grounds; 40% to 50% by weight of natural polymer; 0.03% to 3% by weight of polymer gum; and 0.5% to 5% by weight of sodium alginate.

A molybdenum sulfide powder according to the invention contains molybdenum disulfide having a 3R crystal structure. A heavy-metal adsorbent according to the invention contains molybdenum sulfide particles, and the molybdenum sulfide particles have a median diameter Dso of 10 nm to 1,000 nm obtained by a dynamic light scattering type particle diameter distribution measuring device. A photothermal conversion material according to the invention contains a material containing molybdenum sulfide particles and generates heat by absorbing light energy.

Provided is a water-absorbing agent that causes no or little fluctuation of feed rate when fed with use of a feeder. A water-absorbing agent containing a water-absorbing resin as a main component, the water-absorbing agent satisfying the following (a) and (b): (a) K-index is 70 or more; and (b) Moisture absorption blocking ratio, after 30 minutes of standing at a temperature of 25° C. and a relative humidity of 80% RH, is 70 weight % or less, the K-index being defined by the following equation: K-index=100−(−438+3.6×angle of repose+3.5×angle of difference+7.9×compressibility rate+290×bulk density (EDANA method)).

Metal Organic Framework (MOF) materials and methods of making MOF materials. The methods include grinding of mixtures of metal hydroxide(s) and ligand(s). The MOF materials may have at least two different ligands. The MOF materials may have open metal sites. The MOF materials can be used in gas storage applications.

Spike particles are disclosed including a core and a plurality of spikes attached to and extending from a core surface. The core may be nonporous, superficially porous, or porous. The plurality of spikes may be nonporous or superficially porous. Superficially porous spike particles are disclosed including a porous spike particle shell disposed over a nonporous spike particle. A method for forming the spike particles is disclosed including mixing a dispersed aqueous phase having a plurality of core particles, a water emulsion drop stabilizer, and a catalyst with a continuous oil phase having an organic solvent, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and a silane precursor to form a water-in-oil emulsion system, which is reacted without stirring to form the plurality of chromatographic spike particles. A chromatographic separation device is disclosed including the spike particles, which are randomly packed in the chromatographic separation device and have an external porosity ranging from about 0.4 to about 0.9.

Provided is a water-absorbing agent having an excellent ability to absorb and retain liquid and an excellent liquid suction power. The water-absorbing agent contains a polyacrylic acid (salt)-based water-absorbing resin as a main component and satisfies all of the following physical properties (a) to (e): (a) a weight average particle diameter (D50) is 300 μm or more and less than 400 μm; (b) a proportion of particles with a particle diameter of 600 μm or more and less than 850 μm is less than 10 weight %; (c) an average gap radius is 100 μm or more and less than 180 μm; (d) a CRC is 28 g/g or more and less than 34 g/g; and (e) an AAP is 24 g/g or more.

Provided are: a water-absorbing agent achieving, in a balanced manner, both good physical properties and a decrease in speed of coloration with lapse of time even if the water-absorbing agent has a high moisture absorbing speed due to having a large specific surface area; and an absorbent body having a low ratio of pulp and achieving, in a balanced manner, both good physical properties suitable for a thin disposable diaper and a decrease in speed of coloration with lapse of time. The absorbent body contains a hydrophilic base material and a water-absorbing agent which contains: surface-crosslinked water-absorbing resin particles having a non-uniformly pulverized shape; α-hydroxycarboxylic acid (salt); and an aminocarboxylic acid-based chelating agent and/or a phosphorus-based chelating agent, a point plotted along an x-axis that represents an amount (x.sub.1 mol %) of α-hydroxycarboxylic acid (salt) extracted from the water-absorbing agent and along a y-axis that represents an amount (y.sub.1 mmol %) of an aminocarboxylic acid-based chelating agent and/or a phosphorus-based chelating agent extracted from the water-absorbing agent being within a range that satisfies a specific relational formula of x.sub.1 and y.sub.1, the water-absorbing agent having a moisture absorbing speed of 120 mg/g/hr or more at a temperature of 40±1° C. at a relative humidity of 75±1% RH.

A filter medium for removal of contaminants from wastewater. The filter medium includes a walnut shell particle having a metal hydro(oxide) nanoparticle bonded to the surface of the nut shell particle. The filter medium is particularly useful for treating produced water and wastewater generated in steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) in recovery of hydrocarbons from oil sands to remove total organic carbon and silica. Processes for preparing the filter medium and for treating wastewater using the filter medium are also provided.