A method for decontamination of a toxic substance is disclosed. The method includes fabricating a plurality of nanomotors, and putting the plurality of nanomotors in contact with a contaminant solution comprising the toxic substance. Fabricating the plurality of nanomotors includes preparing a mesoporous silica template, forming the plurality of nanomotors within the mesoporous silica template, and separating the plurality of nanomotors from the mesoporous silica template. The mesoporous silica template includes a plurality of channels, where each channel of the plurality of channels have a diameter less than about 50 nm and a length of less than about 100 nm, and each nanomotor of the plurality of nanomotors is formed within a channel of the plurality of channels. Putting the plurality of nanomotors in contact with the contaminant solution includes adding hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2) and the plurality of nanomotors to the contaminant solution.

Disclosed are iron nanoparticles, in which at least 70% of the iron atoms they contain are present in an Fe2,2C crystalline structure. In particular, these nanoparticles can be obtained via the carburization of zero-valent iron nanoparticles, by contacting the iron nanoparticles with a gas mixture of dihydrogen and carbon monoxide. The iron carbide nanoparticles are particularly suitable to be used for hyperthermia and for catalyzing Sabatier and Fischer-Tropsch reactions.

Ceramic compositions with catalytic activity are provided, along with methods for using such catalytic ceramic compositions. The ceramic compositions correspond to compositions that can acquire increased catalytic activity by cyclic exposure of the ceramic composition to reducing and oxidizing environments at a sufficiently elevated temperature. The ceramic compositions can be beneficial for use as catalysts in reaction environments involving swings of temperature and/or pressure conditions, such as a reverse flow reaction environment. Based on cyclic exposure to oxidizing and reducing conditions, the surface of the ceramic composition can be converted from a substantially fully oxidized state to various states including at least some dopant metal particles supported on a structural oxide surface.

Continuous processes for making ethylene glycol form aldohexose-yielding carbohydrates are disclosed which enhance the selectivity to ethylene glycol.

Shaped porous carbon products and processes for preparing these products are provided. The shaped porous carbon products can be used, for example, as catalyst supports and adsorbents. Catalyst compositions including these shaped porous carbon products, processes of preparing the catalyst compositions, and various processes of using the shaped porous carbon products and catalyst compositions are also provided.

The present invention relates to a process for continuous hydrogenation of a nitro compound to the corresponding amine in a liquid reaction mixture comprising the nitro compound in the presence of a supported catalyst which comprises as the active component at least one element from groups 7 to 12 of the periodic table of the elements, wherein the hydrogenation is performed in the presence of at least one salt selected from the group consisting of the salts of the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and of the rare earth metals and to a supported catalyst for continuous hydrogenation of a nitro compound to the corresponding amine in a liquid reaction mixture comprising the nitro compound which comprises as the active component at least one element from groups 7 to 12 of the periodic table of the elements and one salt of the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals or of the rare earth metals.

The present invention relates to a method for producing 1-octanol comprising a contact step between ethanol, n-hexanol and two catalysts A and B, wherein catalyst A comprises a metal oxide comprising Ga and a noble metal and catalyst B comprises a metal oxide comprising Cu, Ni or any mixture thereof.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for supported Ni/Pt bimetallic nanoparticles having a Ni core and a Pt layer disposed on the surface of the Ni core, compositions including supported NiPt nanoparticles, methods of making supported NiPt nanoparticles, methods of using supported NiPt nanoparticles, and the like.

A catalyst in a calcined state has a specific surface area of 20-50 m.sup.2/g of catalyst, and a specific surface area of nickel metal after reduction of the catalyst of 8 to 11 m.sup.2/g, wherein the average particle size of nickel metal is 3-8 nm, the dispersion of the particles is 10-16%, and the content of nickel is 5-15 wt. % based on the weight of calcined catalyst. A support has a specific surface area of 40-120 m.sup.2/g with a pore volume of the support of 0.2-0.4 cm.sup.3/g, wherein the support is selected from a mixture of zirconium oxide and cerium oxide or magnesium oxide, cerium oxide and the ballast being zirconium oxide. The catalyst further contains a promoter selected from the group consisting of palladium and ruthenium, in an amount of from 0.01 to 0.5 wt. %. The catalyst is prepared by co-precipitation with ammonium hydroxide from a solution containing nickel, cerium and zirconium precursors and distilled water or from a solution containing nickel, cerium, zirconium, and magnesium precursors and distilled water, and having a pH of 8.0-9.0. The process is carried out under agitation at a temperature of 40-45 C. for 1-2 hours, followed by filtration, drying at a temperature of 100-110 C. for 6-8 hours, and calcining at a temperature of 400-650 C. for 4-6 hours. The invention provides a high average conversion of natural/associated gas of at least 90% in an autothermal reforming reaction of natural or associated gas, and a high synthesis gas output of at least 7000 m.sup.3/m.sup.3.sub.cat.Math.h.

A method for producing a hydrocarbon liquid fuel including hydrocracking a raw material oil in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst, at a supplying pressure of hydrogen of from 0.1 to 1.0 MPa, a liquid space velocity of liquid volume of the raw material oil of from 0.05 to 10.0 hr.sup.1, and a flow rate of the hydrogen from 50 to 3,000 NL per 1 L of the raw material oil, wherein the hydrocracking catalyst is produced by a method including stirring a sulfur compound and a cracking catalyst in an aqueous medium to allow liquid-solid separation (step 1); stirring a solid product obtained in the step 1 and a metal component in an aqueous medium to allow liquid-solid separation (step 2); baking a solid product obtained in the step 2 (step 3); and reducing a solid product obtained in the step 3, or reducing a solid product obtained in the step 3, and then subjecting a reduced product to sulfurization treatment (step 4). According to the present invention, the hydrocracking of a raw material oil such as fats and oils and biomass retort oils, or a hydrocarbon or the like in petroleum oils, in a given composition can be accomplished by supplying a low-pressure hydrogen of a normal pressure or so.