The invention relates to a household appliance, which comprises at least one catalytically effective substance in a surface, wherein the catalytically effective substance is a polyoxometalate that is comprised in an inner an/or outer surface of the household appliance, provided that the polyoxometalate is comprised at least in an outer surface of the household appliance if the household appliance is a water-bearing household appliance having a container for receiving objects to be cleaned. The invention further relates to a method for operating the household appliance.

The invention relates to a household appliance, which comprises at least one catalytically effective substance in a surface, wherein the catalytically effective substance is a polyoxometalate that is comprised in an inner an/or outer surface of the household appliance, provided that the polyoxometalate is comprised at least in an outer surface of the household appliance if the household appliance is a water-bearing household appliance having a container for receiving objects to be cleaned. The invention further relates to a method for operating the household appliance.

In a broad form the present invention relates to a method for oxidation of a species comprising sulfur in an oxidation state below +4, such as H.sub.2S, CS.sub.2, COS and S.sub.8 vapor, to SO.sub.2 said method comprising the step of contacting the gas and an oxidant with a catalytically active material consisting of one or more elements taken from the group consisting of V, W, Ce, Mo, Fe, Ca, Mg, Si, Ti and Al in elemental, oxide, carbide or sulfide form, optionally with the presence of other elements in a concentration below 1 wt %, at a temperature between 180° C. and 290° C., 330° C., 360° C. or 450° C., with the associated benefit of such a temperature being highly energy effective, and the benefit of said elements having a low tendency to form sulfates under the conditions, with the related benefit of an increased stability of the catalytically active material. The other elements present may be catalytically active noble metals or impurities in the listed materials.

In a broad form the present invention relates to a method for oxidation of a species comprising sulfur in an oxidation state below +4, such as H.sub.2S, CS.sub.2, COS and S.sub.8 vapor, to SO.sub.2 said method comprising the step of contacting the gas and an oxidant with a catalytically active material consisting of one or more elements taken from the group consisting of V, W, Ce, Mo, Fe, Ca, Mg, Si, Ti and Al in elemental, oxide, carbide or sulfide form, optionally with the presence of other elements in a concentration below 1 wt %, at a temperature between 180° C. and 290° C., 330° C., 360° C. or 450° C., with the associated benefit of such a temperature being highly energy effective, and the benefit of said elements having a low tendency to form sulfates under the conditions, with the related benefit of an increased stability of the catalytically active material. The other elements present may be catalytically active noble metals or impurities in the listed materials.

The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1, 2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, wherein the process comprises the steps of i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor, which first reactor operates with mixing; ii) reacting said starting material and hydrogen in the first reactor in the presence of solvent and a catalyst system; iii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor; iv) supplying at least a portion of the first reactor product stream to a second reactor, which reactor operates essentially in a plug flow manner; and v) further reacting the first reactor product stream with hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and optionally a catalyst system in the second reactor.

The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1, 2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, wherein the process comprises the steps of i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor, which first reactor operates with mixing; ii) reacting said starting material and hydrogen in the first reactor in the presence of solvent and a catalyst system; iii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor; iv) supplying at least a portion of the first reactor product stream to a second reactor, which reactor operates essentially in a plug flow manner; and v) further reacting the first reactor product stream with hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and optionally a catalyst system in the second reactor.

Embodiments of processes and multiple-stage catalyst systems for producing propylene comprising introducing a hydrocarbon stream comprising 2-butene to an isomerization catalyst zone to isomerize the 2-butene to 1-butene, passing the 2-butene and 1-butene to a metathesis catalyst zone to cross-metathesize the 2-butene and 1-butene into a metathesis product stream comprising propylene and C.sub.4-C.sub.6 olefins, and cracking the metathesis product stream in a catalyst cracking zone to produce propylene. The isomerization catalyst zone comprises a silica-alumina catalyst with a ratio by weight of alumina to silica from 1:99 to 20:80. The metathesis catalyst comprises a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with metal oxide. The catalyst cracking zone comprises a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst.

Embodiments of processes and multiple-stage catalyst systems for producing propylene comprising introducing a hydrocarbon stream comprising 2-butene to an isomerization catalyst zone to isomerize the 2-butene to 1-butene, passing the 2-butene and 1-butene to a metathesis catalyst zone to cross-metathesize the 2-butene and 1-butene into a metathesis product stream comprising propylene and C.sub.4-C.sub.6 olefins, and cracking the metathesis product stream in a catalyst cracking zone to produce propylene. The isomerization catalyst zone comprises a silica-alumina catalyst with a ratio by weight of alumina to silica from 1:99 to 20:80. The metathesis catalyst comprises a mesoporous silica catalyst support impregnated with metal oxide. The catalyst cracking zone comprises a mordenite framework inverted (MFI) structured silica catalyst.

The present invention relates to an LED photocatalyst module comprising: a light supplying unit for irradiating light onto a photocatalyst so that the photocatalyst is activated; a photocatalyst purifying unit disposed spaced apart from the light supplying unit and purifying polluted air; and a discharging unit disposed spaced apart from the photocatalyst purifying unit and sucking in the air purified by the photocatalyst purifying unit and discharging the air to the outside, wherein the photocatalyst purifying unit includes a ceramic honeycomb structure in which a plurality of photocatalyst pores, coated with the photocatalyst, are combined in a honeycomb pattern, and the photocatalyst includes a porous metal oxide film and metal particles formed on a surface of the porous metal oxide film.

The present invention relates to an LED photocatalyst module comprising: a light supplying unit for irradiating light onto a photocatalyst so that the photocatalyst is activated; a photocatalyst purifying unit disposed spaced apart from the light supplying unit and purifying polluted air; and a discharging unit disposed spaced apart from the photocatalyst purifying unit and sucking in the air purified by the photocatalyst purifying unit and discharging the air to the outside, wherein the photocatalyst purifying unit includes a ceramic honeycomb structure in which a plurality of photocatalyst pores, coated with the photocatalyst, are combined in a honeycomb pattern, and the photocatalyst includes a porous metal oxide film and metal particles formed on a surface of the porous metal oxide film.