The manufacturing method provided by the present invention provides a powder material substantially comprising Ag—Pd core-shell particles consisting of Ag core particles containing silver as a principal constituent element and a Pd shell containing palladium as a principal constituent element covering at least part of the surface of the Ag core particles, wherein hydroquinone and/or a quinone is attached to the surface of the Ag—Pd core-shell particles. Typically, when the powder material is in a dispersed state in a specific medium, a Z average particle diameter (D.sub.DLS) based on the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method is 0.1 μm to 2 μm, and the polydispersity index (PDI) based on the dynamic light scattering method is 0.4 or lower.

The manufacturing method provided by the present invention provides a powder material substantially comprising Ag—Pd core-shell particles consisting of Ag core particles containing silver as a principal constituent element and a Pd shell containing palladium as a principal constituent element covering at least part of the surface of the Ag core particles, wherein hydroquinone and/or a quinone is attached to the surface of the Ag—Pd core-shell particles. Typically, when the powder material is in a dispersed state in a specific medium, a Z average particle diameter (D.sub.DLS) based on the dynamic light scattering (DLS) method is 0.1 μm to 2 μm, and the polydispersity index (PDI) based on the dynamic light scattering method is 0.4 or lower.

A method for manufacturing a catalysis reactant having high efficiency catalysis for thermal reaction primarily includes: preparing a three-dimensional catalysis carrier; preparing at least one aqueous-phase nanometer metallic particle solution; soaking the catalysis carrier in a methanol solution containing a silane group compound and removing and subjecting the catalysis carrier to drying and freezing for surface modification; soaking the catalysis carrier in the aqueous-phase nanometer metallic particle solution and removing and subjecting the catalysis carrier to blow-drying to have the surface of the catalysis carrier combined with a first layer of nanometer metallic particles; soaking the catalysis carrier in a methanol solution containing 1,12-diaminododecane to carry out surface modification and removing and subjecting the catalysis carrier to drying, followed by soaking in the aqueous-phase nanometer metallic particle solution and then blow-drying to have the surface of the catalysis carrier further combined with a second layer of nanometer metallic particles.

A technique may produce a composite at a low temperature by a reducing agent that is easy to handle. A technique may produce a composite in which a metal simple substance or a metal oxide derived from reduced cations, or both of them are supported on a carrier. The technique may include at least: preparing a liquid phase mixture containing at least an alcohol compound as a first reducing agent, a phosphinic acid or a salt thereof as a second reducing agent, the carrier, and a source compound of one or more cations selected including Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, Rh, Ru, Re, Pd, and/or Ir; and reducing the cations in the liquid phase mixture.

The invention provides a process for treating waste water from an industrial process for producing propylene oxide, which process comprises subjecting the waste water to a catalytic wet oxidation treatment in the presence of a catalyst comprising metal nanoparticles-doped porous carbon beads.

A method for producing a metal catalyst, including applying an anodic current with a positive (+) sign to form a metal oxide having a bipyramidal shape, and then applying a cathodic current with a negative (−) sign or applying a potential in a negative (−) direction to form uniform atomic scale pores on the surface and inside of the metal particles, and controlling the amount of oxygen remaining in the metal to modify the metal surface.

A method for producing a metal catalyst, including applying an anodic current with a positive (+) sign to form a metal oxide having a bipyramidal shape, and then applying a cathodic current with a negative (−) sign or applying a potential in a negative (−) direction to form uniform atomic scale pores on the surface and inside of the metal particles, and controlling the amount of oxygen remaining in the metal to modify the metal surface.

A method of and apparatus for desalinating sea water using geothermal energy. A low voltage (such as less than 0.9V) is applied to a hydrogen generating catalysts to generate hydrogen and oxygen, wherein geothermal heat is used as a heat source. The hydrogen and oxygen are used to drive a gas turbine to generate electricity. The oxygen and hydrogen are transported away and combusted to generate heat and pure water, as such salt are separated from the pure water.

A method of and apparatus for desalinating sea water using geothermal energy. A low voltage (such as less than 0.9V) is applied to a hydrogen generating catalysts to generate hydrogen and oxygen, wherein geothermal heat is used as a heat source. The hydrogen and oxygen are used to drive a gas turbine to generate electricity. The oxygen and hydrogen are transported away and combusted to generate heat and pure water, as such salt are separated from the pure water.

Provided is a photocatalyst layer that improves the photocatalytic performance while suppressing detachment of photocatalyst particles. The photocatalyst layer has a front surface and a rear surface on the opposite side of the front surface. The photocatalyst layer includes photocatalyst particles and a binder. The photocatalyst layer has a first region containing the photocatalyst particles and a second region containing the binder and not containing the photocatalyst particles. The photocatalyst particles include tungsten oxide particles. The photocatalyst particles have contact points being in contact with the rear surface. The ratio of the thickness of the second region to the number-average secondary particle diameter of the photocatalyst particles is 0.20 or more and 0.80 or less.