A method for making a magnetic-nanoparticle-supported catalyst includes reacting a ferrocenyl phosphine compound with an amino alcohol compound to form a ligand having a phosphine group, an amine group and at least one hydroxyl group; anchoring the ligand to a surface of magnetic nanoparticles via an oxygen atom of the hydroxyl group to form a ligand complex; combining the ligand complex with a metal precursor comprising Rh to bind the metal precursor with the ligand complex and form the magnetic-particle-supported catalyst. The magnetic-particle-supported catalyst is a Rh complex of magnetic-Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-nanoparticle-supported ferrocenyl phosphine catalyst.

A zero-valent metal polymeric complex supporter (ZVM-PCS) is disclosed. PCS possesses porous surface and internal coralloid-like channel structure that can accommodate high amount of iron-containing materials and derivatives thereof. The surface pore size, porosity, hydrophilicity and internal coralloid-like channel structure of PCS can be tailored through the manufacturing process, with which PCS can be functioned as a regulator for the releasing of produced hydrogen, and also control the adsorption and reactions toward heavy metals and chlorinated volatile organic compounds in water. The released hydrogen from the ZVM-PCS can be applied to anaerobic bioremediation. Moreover, the ZVM-PCS can be developed as the filter materials that can be installed in a column or any storage for water and wastewater treatment, or even in a groundwater cut-off barrier for the cleanup of contamination. While the ZVM-PCS is synthesized as a film without openings, it can be used as the electromagnetic interference shielding material.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing the nano-porous oxide-noble metal composite material by deoxidation, comprising dissolving the noble metal ion or fine particles, the oxide salt to be dissolved and the target oxide salt in the pure water in a proportion to form the mixed solution, adding the surface active agent, and stirring magnetically; dropping the precipitant gradually to form the precipitate, stirring for 4 h, separating and cleaning the precipitate, and drying, grinding and calcining at a high temperature; corroding fully and dissolving part of the oxide with an etchant, preserving the noble metal and the target oxide, separating, cleaning, drying at 80 C., and heat treating at a high temperature to obtain the nano-porous oxide-noble metal composite material. The present invention has the technological advantages of simple operation, low energy consumption, environmental protection and suitable for batching, etc.

A method for preparing acrylic acid, more specifically, to a method for preparing acrylic acid under a neutral condition at high yield in a short time without using a base, unlike the prior art in which a base is essentially used. The acrylic acid is produced using a supported catalyst having a specific composition when preparing acrylic acid by oxidation of allyl alcohol. Particularly, the preparation method can recover acrylic acid rather than acrylic acid salt as a final product, and thus has an advantage that the overall process cost can be reduced by eliminating essential processes in the prior art, such as ion exchange after the acidification process required for the conversion of acrylic acid salt to acrylic acid.

A hierarchical porous material contains primary pore aggregates. The primary pore aggregates combine to form the secondary pore aggregates. The secondary pore aggregates connect to each other formed the hierarchical porous material. There are primary pores on the primary pore aggregates wherein the diameter of primary pore is 5-500 nm. There are secondary pores on the secondary pore aggregates wherein the diameter of secondary pore is 1-5 m. The hierarchical porous material is used as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts or photocatalysts having a significantly improved catalytic activity.

A three-way catalyst article, and its use in an exhaust system for compressed natural gas engines, is disclosed. The catalyst article for treating exhaust gas from compressed natural gas (CNG) engine comprising: a substrate comprising an inlet end, an outlet end with an axial length L; a first catalytic region beginning at the outlet end and extending for less than the axial length L, wherein the first catalytic region comprises a first zeolite; and a second catalytic region beginning at the inlet end, wherein the second catalytic region comprises a second platinum group metal (PGM) component, a second oxygen storage capacity (OSC) material, and a second inorganic oxide; wherein the second PGM component is selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, rhodium or a combination thereof.

A poison-resistant catalytic converter includes a washcoat having a support material comprised of titania and/or silica and a plurality of platinum group metal particles disposed in the support material. The washcoat is disposed on a substrate having a plurality of cells that define respective apertures. The catalytic converter is resistant to poisoning from sulfur and phosphorous compounds while operating at low temperatures. Applications include spark ignited internal combustion engines in combined heat and power systems, vehicles, combustion turbines, boilers and other applications for utilities, industry and vehicle emissions control.

The present invention is directed to multifunctional nanomaterials for photothermal heating and catalytic applications. The present invention discloses a method of photothermally heating a solution. The present method also discloses a method of catalyzing a reaction. Both methods require a step of exposing a solution to at least one wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. A gold-iron oxide nanomaterial comprising an iron oxide substrate and discrete gold particles deposited on the substrate is also disclosed.

A method of fabricating composite filaments is provided. An initial composite filament including a core and a cladding (such as a Pt-group metal) is cut into smaller pieces (or is first mechanically reduced and then cut into smaller pieces). The smaller pieces of the filaments are inserted into a metal matrix, and the entire structure is then further reduced mechanically in a series of reduction steps. The process can be repeated until the desired cross sectional dimension of the filaments is achieved. The matrix can then be chemically removed to isolate the final composite filaments with the cladding thickness down to the nanometer range. The process allows the organization and integration of filaments of different sizes, compositions, and functionalities into arrays suitable for various applications. Materials and components made from such composite filaments and arrays of composite filaments are also disclosed.

Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for fabrication of microtube engines using membrane template electrodeposition. Such nanomotors operate based on bubble-induced propulsion in biological fluids and salt-rich environments. In one aspect, fabricating microengines includes depositing a polymer layer on a membrane template, depositing a conductive metal layer on the polymer layer, and dissolving the membrane template to release the multilayer microtubes.