A catalyst support comprising at least 95% silicon carbide, having surface areas of ≤10 m.sup.2/g and pore volumes of ≤1 cc/g. A method of producing a catalyst support, the method including mixing SiC particles of 0.1-20 microns, SiO.sub.2 and carbonaceous materials to form an extrusion, under inert atmospheres, heating the extrusion at temperatures of greater than 1400° C., and removing residual carbon from the heated support under temperatures below 1000° C. A catalyst on a carrier, comprising a carrier support having at least about 95% SiC, with a silver solution impregnated thereon comprising silver oxide, ethylenediamine, oxalic acid, monoethanolamine and cesium hydroxide. A process for oxidation reactions (e.g., for the production of ethylene oxide, or oxidation reactions using propane or methane), or for endothermic reactions (e.g., dehydrogenation of paraffins, of ethyl benzene, or cracking and hydrocracking hydrocarbons).

An antiviral air-filtering lighting device includes an air-permeable lampshade, a visible light source, a driver, and an air circulation mechanism. The lampshade diffuses a visible light emitted from the visible light source and includes an air inlet port. The lampshade is coated with a visible-light activatable antiviral photocatalytic coating. The visible light source is disposed inside the lampshade to shine its light through the lampshade to activate the visible-light activatable antiviral photocatalytic coating on the lampshade. The air circulation mechanism sucks an ambient air from outside the lighting device, and forces the air through the lampshade. The lampshade traps airborne microbials on the surface having the visible-light activatable antiviral photocatalytic coating. A light emitted by the first visible light source activates a photocatalyst material in the visible-light activatable antiviral photocatalytic coating, and the airborne microbials trapped by the air filter are killed or deactivated by the activated photocatalyst material.

A group of reductive 2D materials (R2D) with extended reactive vacancies and a method for making the R2D with extended reactive vacancies are provided, especially the example of the reductive boron nitride (RBN). To create defects such as vacancies, boron nitride (BN) powders are milled at cryogenic temperatures. Vacancies are produced by milling, and the vacancies can be used to reduce various metal nanostructures on RBN. Due to the thermal stability of the RBN and the enhanced catalytic performance of metal nanostructures, RBN-metals can be used for different catalysts, including electrochemical catalysts and high temperature catalysts.

A group of reductive 2D materials (R2D) with extended reactive vacancies and a method for making the R2D with extended reactive vacancies are provided, especially the example of the reductive boron nitride (RBN). To create defects such as vacancies, boron nitride (BN) powders are milled at cryogenic temperatures. Vacancies are produced by milling, and the vacancies can be used to reduce various metal nanostructures on RBN. Due to the thermal stability of the RBN and the enhanced catalytic performance of metal nanostructures, RBN-metals can be used for different catalysts, including electrochemical catalysts and high temperature catalysts.

The disclosure relates to a method for making a photocatalytic structure, the method comprising: providing a carbon nanotube structure comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes intersected with each other; a plurality of openings being defined by the plurality of carbon nanotubes; forming a photocatalytic active layer on the surface of the carbon nanotube structure; applying a metal layer pre-form on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer; and annealing the metal layer pre-form.

The disclosure relates to a method for making a photocatalytic structure, the method comprising: providing a carbon nanotube structure comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes intersected with each other; a plurality of openings being defined by the plurality of carbon nanotubes; forming a photocatalytic active layer on the surface of the carbon nanotube structure; applying a metal layer pre-form on the surface of the photocatalytic active layer; and annealing the metal layer pre-form.

Ceramic articles such as catalyst carriers that include a continuous matrix and a dispersed phase distributed within the matrix as a plurality of discrete regions are disclosed. The matrix and discreet regions have different dye penetration test values. The disclosure also relates to methods of making and characterizing ceramic articles, and to catalyst bodies including the ceramic articles.

Ceramic articles such as catalyst carriers that include a continuous matrix and a dispersed phase distributed within the matrix as a plurality of discrete regions are disclosed. The matrix and discreet regions have different dye penetration test values. The disclosure also relates to methods of making and characterizing ceramic articles, and to catalyst bodies including the ceramic articles.

A method for producing plasmonic nanomaterials that are catalytically or photocatalytically active by fabricating plasmonic nanostructures on substrates using electrodeposition into a nano-template structure and forming a plurality of nanorods in an array, wherein the nanorods are made from materials chosen from the group consisting of materials that are plasmonic and/or catalytic, and materials that are catalytically activated by depositing pure elemental metals, alloys, or alternating layers of different metals or alloys, and producing catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials. Catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials made from the above method. An optical reactor device that utilizes catalytic nanomaterials for photocatalytic synthesis of methanol or ammonia. A method of photocatalytic synthesis of methanol and ammonia by using catalytic plasmonic nanomaterial to convert CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to methanol and N.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to ammonia using optical power. A hybrid plasma-plasmonic reactor for the utilization of CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 to produce methanol, ethylene, and acetic acid.

A method for producing plasmonic nanomaterials that are catalytically or photocatalytically active by fabricating plasmonic nanostructures on substrates using electrodeposition into a nano-template structure and forming a plurality of nanorods in an array, wherein the nanorods are made from materials chosen from the group consisting of materials that are plasmonic and/or catalytic, and materials that are catalytically activated by depositing pure elemental metals, alloys, or alternating layers of different metals or alloys, and producing catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials. Catalytic plasmonic nanomaterials made from the above method. An optical reactor device that utilizes catalytic nanomaterials for photocatalytic synthesis of methanol or ammonia. A method of photocatalytic synthesis of methanol and ammonia by using catalytic plasmonic nanomaterial to convert CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to methanol and N.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to ammonia using optical power. A hybrid plasma-plasmonic reactor for the utilization of CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 to produce methanol, ethylene, and acetic acid.