A chiral catalyst represented by formula (I) is provided. In formula (I), Z═Z.sub.1 or Z.sub.2, and the combination of Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 in formula (I) includes

##STR00001##

Y independently includes hydrogen, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, isopropyl, tert-butyl, C.sub.mH.sub.2m+1 or OC.sub.mH.sub.2m+1, m=1-10, and n=1-10. A heterogeneous chiral catalyst including the chiral catalyst is also provided.

##STR00002##

The present invention provides a method for preparing 1,5-pentanediol via hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. The catalyst used in the method is prepared by supporting a noble metal and a promoter on an organic polymer supporter or an inorganic hybrid material supporter, wherein the supporter is functionalized by a nitrogen-containing ligand. When the catalyst is used in the hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to prepare 1,5-pentanediol, a good reaction activity and a high selectivity can be achieved. The promoter and the nitrogen-containing ligand in the supporter are bound to the catalyst through coordination, thereby the loss of the promoter is significantly decreased, and the catalyst has a particularly high stability. The lifetime investigation of the catalyst, which has been reused many times or used continuously for a long term, suggests that the catalyst has no obvious change in performance, thus reducing the overall process production cost.

A method for making a metal organic framework suspension is described herein. The method includes providing a hybrid material comprising a nano-crystalline metal organic framework comprising micropores and a mesoporous polymeric material comprising mesopores, wherein the nano-crystalline metal organic framework is homogeneously dispersed and substantially present only within the mesopores or void spaces of the mesoporous polymeric material; and wherein the hybrid material has a weight percentage of the metal organic framework in the range of 5-50% relative to the total weight of the hybrid material. The method includes contacting the hybrid material with a solvent in which the mesoporous polymeric material is soluble, thereby forming a polymeric solution in which the nano-crystalline metal organic framework is substantially homogeneously dispersed and suspended.

Embodiments are directed to adamantane-intercalated layered double-hydroxide (LDH) particles and the methods of producing adamantane-intercalated LDH particles. The adamantane-intercalated LDH particles have a general formula defined by [M.sub.1-xAl.sub.x(OH).sub.2](A).sub.x.mH.sub.2O, where x is from 0.14 to 0.33, m is from 0.33 to 0.50, M is chosen from Mg, Ca, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn, and A is adamantane carboxylate. The adamantane-intercalated LDH particles further have an aspect ratio greater than 100. The aspect ratio is defined by the width of an adamantane-intercalated LDH particle divided by the thickness of the adamantane-intercalated LDH particle.

Disclosed is a catalytic test paper prepared by compositing metal particle-embedded bacterial cellulose with plant fibers, and a preparation method therefor. Hydroxyl groups of bacterial cellulose are bonded with a nitrogen-containing or phosphorus-containing organic small molecule compound. By means of a chelation between a nitrogen or phosphorus atom with a metal, transition metal ions are adsorbed to a nanoporous surface of bacterial cellulose, and the transition metal ions are reduced in situ to obtain bacterial cellulose embedded with metal nanoparticles. The bacterial cellulose is composited with the plant fiber, and the catalytic test paper is prepared by a papermaking method. The catalytic test paper has the advantages of convenient use and recovery, high reusability, simple design, low manufacturing cost, higher catalytic efficiency, a green degradable support material, etc.

A method for preparing particles comprising a material suitable for catalysing oxygen reduction or hydrogen oxidation, the particles being grafted by grafts consisting of at least one specific polymer comprising at least one repeating styrene unit bearing at least one proton-conducting group.

A superacid polymeric catalyst having both Lewis acidity and Brnsted acidity is described, along with methods of making and methods of using the same.

A multifunctional self-cleaning surface layer and methods of preparing the multifunctional self-cleaning surface layer are provided. The multifunctional self-cleaning surface layer includes an inorganic matrix including silicon and oxygen; a plurality of photocatalytic active particles distributed within and bonded to the inorganic matrix; and a plurality of nanopores defined within the inorganic matrix in regions corresponding to bonds between the plurality of photocatalytic active particles and the inorganic matrix. Water molecules may be disposed within at least a portion of the plurality of nanopores. In the presence of water and electromagnetic radiation, the plurality of photocatalytic active particles may facilitate a decomposition reaction of any oil or organic residue on the multifunctional self-cleaning surface layer.

Disclosed herein is a photocatalytic filter, which includes a plurality of cross-linked polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/ionic liquid (IL)/TiO.sub.2 nanocomposite pellets, and a photocatalytic vessel. The plurality of cross-linked PMMA/IL/TiO.sub.2 nanocomposite pellets is placed within the photocatalytic vessel. Each cross-linked PMMA/IL/TiO.sub.2 nanocomposite pellet includes a PMMA polymeric matrix, and a plurality of IL/TiO.sub.2 core-shell microspheres dispersed within the PMMA polymeric matrix. Moreover, each IL/TiO.sub.2 core-shell microsphere includes a core of IL and a shell of TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles.

Nanocages are formed by etching nanocubes. The nanocubes are added to an aqueous system having an amphiphilic lipid dissolved in an organic solvent (e.g. a hydrophobic alcohol) to form reverse micelles. As the water evaporates the micelles shrink as etching of the flat surface of the nanocubes occurs. In this fashion hollow nanocages are produced. In one embodiment, the nanocage is covalently attached to a polymer shell (e.g. a dextran shell).