A bifunctional catalyst for conversion of oxygenates, said catalyst comprising zeolite, alumina binder and Zn, wherein the Zn is present at least partly as ZnAl.sub.2O.sub.4.

A heterogeneous core@shell photocatalyst having a combination of properties that include rapid adsorption and effective decomposition with respect to various substances is provided. This core@shell photocatalyst comprises a conventional photocatalyst core coated with an adsorbent surface layer (in the nanometer size range). The novel heterogeneous photocatalyst can be formed by a simple hydrothermal method.

A method of producing propylene and ethylene from a butene-containing hydrocarbon stream by cracking olefin compounds in the butene-containing hydrocarbon stream in the presence of a core-shell ZSM catalyst, wherein the core-shell ZSM catalyst comprises a ZSM-5 core and a silica shell disposed thereon. Various embodiments of the method of producing propylene and ethylene, and the method of making the core-shell ZSM catalyst are also provided.

A method of producing propylene and ethylene from a butene-containing hydrocarbon stream by cracking olefin compounds in the butene-containing hydrocarbon stream in the presence of a core-shell ZSM catalyst, wherein the core-shell ZSM catalyst comprises a ZSM-5 core and a silica shell disposed thereon. Various embodiments of the method of producing propylene and ethylene, and the method of making the core-shell ZSM catalyst are also provided.

A catalyst that includes heterogeneous metal carbide nanomaterials and a novel preparation method to synthesize the metal carbide nanomaterials under relatively mild conditions to form an encapsulated transition metal and/or transition metal carbide nanoclusters in a support and/or binder. The catalyst may include confined platinum carbide nanoclusters. The preparation may include the treatment of encapsulated platinum nanoclusters with ethane at elevated temperatures. The catalysts may be used for catalytic hydrocarbon conversions, which include but are not limited to, ethane aromatization, and for selective hydrogenation, with negligible green oil production.

The present invention discloses a rare-earth-manganese/cerium-zirconium-based composite compound, a method for preparing the same, and a use thereof. The composite compound is of a core-shell structure with a general formula expressed as: A RE.sub.cB.sub.aO.sub.b-(1-A)Ce.sub.xZr.sub.(1-x-y)M.sub.yO.sub.2-z, wherein 0.1?A?0.3, preferably 0.1?A?0.2; a shell layer has a main component of rare-earth manganese oxide with a general formula of RE.sub.cMn.sub.aO.sub.b, wherein RE is a rare-earth element or a combination of more than one rare-earth elements, and B is Mn or a combination of Mn and a transition metal element, 1?a?8, 2?b?18, and 0.25?c?4; and a core has a main component of cerium-zirconium composite oxide with a general formula of Ce.sub.xZr.sub.(1-x-y)M.sub.yO.sub.2-z, wherein M is one or more non-cerium rare-earth elements, 0.1?x?0.9, 0?y?0.3, and 0.01?z?0.3. The composite compound enhances an oxygen storage capacity of a cerium-zirconium material through an interface effect, thereby increasing a conversion rate of a nitrogen oxide.

Catalyst comprising a nickel-based active phase and an alumina support, characterized in that: the nickel is distributed both on a crust at the periphery of the support, and in the core of the support, the thickness of said crust being between 2% and 15% of the diameter of the catalyst; the nickel density ratio between the crust and the core is strictly greater than 3; said crust comprises between 40% and 80% by weight of nickel element relative to the total weight of nickel contained in the catalyst; the size of the nickel particles in the catalyst is less than 7 nm.

A method of making silica-layered double hydroxide microspheres having the formula I: (i) wherein, M.sup.z+ and M.sup.y+ are two different charged metal cations; z=1 or 2; y=3 or 4; 0<x<0.9; b is 0 to 10; c is 0 to 10; P>0, q>0, X.sup.n is an anion; with n>0 a=z(1x)+xy2; and the AMO-solvent is an 100% aqueous miscible organic solvent; comprises the steps: (a) contacting silica microspheres and a metal ion containing solution containing metal ions M.sup.z+ and M.sup.y+ in the presence of a base and an anion solution; (b) collecting the product; and (c) optionally treating the product with AMO-solvent and recovering the solvent treated material to obtain the silica-layered double hydroxide microspheres. Preferably, M in the formula I is Li, Mg, Ni or Ca. Preferably, M in formula I is Al. The invention further provides silica-layered double hydroxide microspheres having the formula I. The silica-layered double hydroxide microspheres may be used as catalysts and/or catalyst supports.

(SiO.sub.2).sub.p@{[M.sup.z+.sub.(1x)M.sup.y+.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.a+(X.sup.n).sub.a/n.bH.sub.2O.c(AMO-solvent)}.sub.q(I)

An electrode material which may be used in an electrochemical cell used to convert carbon dioxide into useful products, such as synthetic fuel. The electrode material may comprise nano-sized core-shell catalyst (i.e., core-shell nanoparticles, or CSNs) having a catalytic core component encompassed by one or more outer shells, wherein at least one of the outer shells has a mesoporous structure. Electrochemical cells, electrochemical cell electrodes, and methods of making CSNs are also provided.

A catalytic converter includes a catalyst. The catalyst includes a metal oxide support and platinum group metal (PGM) complexes atomically dispersed on the metal oxide support. The PGM complexes include a PGM species selected from the group consisting of an atom of a platinum group metal, a cluster including from 2 atoms to less than 10 atoms of the platinum group metal, a nanoparticle including 10 or more atoms of the platinum group metal, and combinations thereof. An alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal is bonded to the PGM species. The alkali or alkaline earth metal is part of a structure including oxygen atoms and hydrogen atoms. A barrier is disposed between a first PGM complex and a second PGM complex.