A sparsely pillared organic-inorganic hybrid compound is provided. The sparsely pillared organic-inorganic hybrid compound includes: two inorganic material layers, each extending in one direction and facing each other; and an organic material layer disposed between the two inorganic material layers, wherein each of the inorganic material layers has a gibbsite structure in which a divalent metal cation is doped to an octahedral site, and the organic material layer includes a plurality of pillar portions, each of which is chemically bound to each of the two inorganic material layers such that the two inorganic material layers are connected to each other.

A composite material is provided comprising a porous polymeric matrix having metal-organic framework (MOF) domains dispersed within the porous polymeric matrix, each of said MOF domains in fluid communication with the external environment through the pores in the porous polymeric matrix. A process of using the composite material to chemically modify or detoxify a chemical warfare agent or a toxic industrial chemical is also provided. The chemical warfare agent or the toxic industrial chemical is brought into contact with a MOF domain within the porous polymeric matrix so that the MOFs adsorb and chemically modify the chemical warfare agent or the toxic industrial chemical. A process for producing such a composite material is also disclosed.

A refractory filter suitable for filtering molten metal, such as steel, and a method and powdered composition for producing said filter. The filter comprises refractory material, said refractory material comprising: 60-90 wt % alumina; 8-30 wt % zirconia; and 3-20 wt % magnesia. The powdered composition comprises: 60-90 wt % alumina; 8-30 wt % zirconia; and 3-20 wt % magnesia, wherein the powdered composition comprises less than 12.5 wt % reactive alumina, calcined alumina or a mixture thereof, and wherein the remainder of the alumina is tabular alumina. The method comprises: providing a powdered composition in accordance with the invention; forming a filter precursor from the powdered composition and a liquid component; and firing the filter precursor to form a refractory filter.

An adsorbent for phosphoric acid-based anionic substances, that contains foamed glass, and that has a Ca2p concentration of 7.5 atom % or more or a Na1s concentration of 5.0 atom % or less at the surface thereof as measured by XPS analysis, and a half-width of Si2p peak of 2.4 eV or more. The adsorbent can also have a specific surface area of 45 m.sup.2/g or more or a pore volume of 2.5 cm.sup.3/g or more as measured by mercury intrusion.

Metal-organic framework materials (MOFs) are highly porous entities comprising a multidentate organic ligand coordinated to multiple metal centers. MOFs having ambient condition stability may comprise a plurality of metal clusters comprising one or more M.sub.4O clusters (M is a metal), and a plurality of 4-pyrazolecarboxylate ligands coordinated to the plurality of metal clusters to define an at least partially crystalline network structure having a plurality of internal pores. The MOFs may have a Pa3 symmetry, which upon activation may convert into Fm3m symmetry. Methods for synthesizing the MOFs may comprise combining a metal source, such as a preformed metal cluster, with 4-pyrazolecarboxylic acid, and reacting the preformed metal cluster with the 4-pyrazolecarboxylic acid to form a MOF having an at least partially crystalline network structure with a plurality of internal pores defined therein and comprising a plurality of metal clusters coordinated to a multidentate organic ligand comprising 4-pyrazolecarboxylate.

The present disclosure relates to a single-use filter component for removing NO.sub.2 in an air-treatment system, the component comprising a polymeric composition as an air-filtration medium, the polymeric composition comprising a plurality of free vinyl groups, wherein the component permits inspection of the air-filtration medium by an end-user to determine when the filter is spent, based on a white to yellow colour change, or comprises an optical sensor configured to notify the end-user of the colour change. The present disclosure further relates to a single-use filter component for simultaneously removing NO.sub.2 in an air-treatment system, wherein the component comprises a HEPA filter formed from a polymeric composition comprising a plurality of free vinyl groups. The present disclosure further relates to an air treatment system, to a method of treating air and to the use of a polymer or copolymer of divinylbenzene for forming an air-filtration medium.

Mesoporous poly (aryl ether ketone) articles are formed from blends of poly (aryl ether ketones) with pore forming additives by melt processing, and can be in the form of a monofilament, disc, film, microcapillary or other complex shapes. The method of formation provides for preparation of poly (aryl ether ketone) articles with high degree of surface area and uniform nanometer pore size. The preferred poly (aryl ether ketone)s are poly (ether ketone) and poly (ether ether ketone). The mesoporous articles formed by the method of the present invention are useful for a broad range of applications, including molecular separations and organic solvent filtration.

A method of purifying gaseous mixtures, for example ternary or quaternary gaseous mixtures, using a sorbent media comprising two or more sorbent materials. The method involves obtaining a target gas from a gaseous composition comprising the target gas, a first gas and a second gas, and optionally further gases by contacting the gaseous composition with the sorbent media to remove at least some of the first gas and at least some of the second gas from the gaseous composition. The sorbent media comprises at least a first sorbent material and a second sorbent material; wherein the first sorbent material has a higher adsorption selectivity for the first gas than for the target gas; and wherein the second sorbent material has a higher adsorption selectivity for the second gas than for target gas. The method may be particularly useful for the separation of pure ethylene, methane or propylene from such gaseous mixtures. A sorbent media and an apparatus for obtaining a target gas from such a gaseous composition are also disclosed.

A method for preparing a nanoporous silica sol-gel matrix containing at least one amine reactant selected from hydroxylamine, methylhydroxylamine, tertbutylhydroxylamine, methoxyamine, tetraethylenepentamine, dicarboxylic acid dihydrazides, particularly adipic acid dihydrazide, and the salts thereof, said method including the following steps: a) synthesising a gel from tetramethoxysilane or from a mixture of tetramethoxysilane and another organosilicon precursor selected from among phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, a fluoroalkyltrimethoxysilane, a fluoroalkyltriethoxysilane, a chloroalkylmethoxysilane, a chloroalkylethoxysilane, an alkyltrimethoxysilane, an alkyltriethoxysilane, an aminopropyltriethoxysilane and the mixtures thereof, the synthesis being performed in an aqueous medium at a temperature ranging from 10 to 70° C. in the presence of at least one amine reactant selected from among hydroxylamine, methylhydroxylamine, tertbutylhydroxylamine, methoxyamine, dicarboxylic acid dihydrazides, particularly adipic acid dihydrazide, and the salts thereof; b) drying the gel obtained during step a) so as to obtain a sol-gel matrix containing at least one amine reactant.

It is an object to provide a water-absorbing resin that while maintaining water-absorbing resin physical properties such as water absorption performance, has a sufficiently reduced odor produced during swelling. The object is attained by causing the water-absorbing resin to be a water-absorbing resin which is a surface-crosslinked water-absorbing resin, the water-absorbing resin having a volatile component concentration of 3.5 ppm or less as measured when the water-absorbing resin is caused to stand still for 15 minutes under a condition that the water-absorbing resin has a swelling capacity of 1.0-fold.