The invention relates to a composite material, suitable for treating water. The composite material comprises an active layer and a substrate layer, with the active layer including titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles. The active layer is bonded to the substrate layer such that, in use, there is substantially no leaching of the active layer into the body of water. The invention further relates to a method of preparing the composite material.

The invention relates to a composite material, suitable for treating water. The composite material comprises an active layer and a substrate layer, with the active layer including titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles. The active layer is bonded to the substrate layer such that, in use, there is substantially no leaching of the active layer into the body of water. The invention further relates to a method of preparing the composite material.

The exhaust gas purification catalyst disclosed here is an exhaust gas purification catalyst disposed in the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine to purify nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine, provided with a silver alumina catalyst comprising at least alumina as a catalyst and silver supported on this alumina, wherein, in the silver alumina catalyst, the ratio of the peak intensity at a wave number of 1595 cm.sup.−1 to the peak intensity at a wave number of 1613 cm.sup.−1 by the pyridine IR method is at least 0.3, and the carried amount of the silver is 1.0 wt % to 6.0 wt % given 100 wt % as the total amount of the silver alumina catalyst.

The exhaust gas purification catalyst disclosed here is an exhaust gas purification catalyst disposed in the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine to purify nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine, provided with a silver alumina catalyst comprising at least alumina as a catalyst and silver supported on this alumina, wherein, in the silver alumina catalyst, the ratio of the peak intensity at a wave number of 1595 cm.sup.−1 to the peak intensity at a wave number of 1613 cm.sup.−1 by the pyridine IR method is at least 0.3, and the carried amount of the silver is 1.0 wt % to 6.0 wt % given 100 wt % as the total amount of the silver alumina catalyst.

A nanocomposite photocatalyst is provided. The nanocomposite photocatalyst contains a carbon nanomaterial made of amorphous carbon and graphitic carbon, metal oxide nanoparticles disposed on the carbon nanomaterial, and noble metal nanoparticles disposed on the metal oxide nanoparticles and/or the carbon nanomaterial. Also provided is a method of forming the nanocomposite photocatalyst and a method of photodegrading an organic pollutant in water using the nanocomposite photocatalyst and visible light irradiation.

A nanocomposite photocatalyst is provided. The nanocomposite photocatalyst contains a carbon nanomaterial made of amorphous carbon and graphitic carbon, metal oxide nanoparticles disposed on the carbon nanomaterial, and noble metal nanoparticles disposed on the metal oxide nanoparticles and/or the carbon nanomaterial. Also provided is a method of forming the nanocomposite photocatalyst and a method of photodegrading an organic pollutant in water using the nanocomposite photocatalyst and visible light irradiation.

A precursor mixture for producing a porous body, wherein the precursor mixture comprises: (i) milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, (ii) boehmite powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and (iii) burnout materials having a particle sizes of 1-10 microns. In some embodiments, an unmilled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 10 to 100 microns is also included in said precursor mixture. Also described herein is a method for producing a porous body in which the above-described precursor mixture is formed to a given shape, and subjected to a heat treatment step in which the formed shape is sintered to produce the porous body.

A precursor mixture for producing a porous body, wherein the precursor mixture comprises: (i) milled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 6 microns, (ii) boehmite powder that functions as a binder of the alpha alumina powders, and (iii) burnout materials having a particle sizes of 1-10 microns. In some embodiments, an unmilled alpha alumina powder having a particle size of 10 to 100 microns is also included in said precursor mixture. Also described herein is a method for producing a porous body in which the above-described precursor mixture is formed to a given shape, and subjected to a heat treatment step in which the formed shape is sintered to produce the porous body.

An efficient green method for the synthesis of noble metal/transition metal oxide nanocomposite comprising reducing noble metal salt and a templating metal oxide is disclosed. The method is a one-step method comprises mixing coffee seed husk extract, a noble metal precursor, and a transition metal precursor; and filtering and drying the nanocomposite. The nanocomposite prepared by the method of the invention displays all the characteristics and biocidal activity of a composite prepared by traditional methods.

The present invention provides materials for improving the ignition of gaseous reactants in metal catalyzed oxidation reactions comprising a metal catalyst gauze, preferably, a platinum/rhodium catalyst gauze, having in contact therewith, from 0.5 to 1.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the metal catalyst gauze, of one or more pieces of previously used metal catalyst gauze. Further, methods of making the metal catalyst materials comprise shaping the pieces of previously used metal catalyst gauze and placing them equidistant from each other in contact with or on the surface of the metal catalyst gauze. And methods of using the materials comprise feeding into the reactor a gas mixture of oxygen or air and one or more reactant gases, and igniting the gas mixture at the surface of one or more or all of the pieces of previously used metal catalyst.