In an apparatus, a gas containing CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2 is supplied from a first supply unit to a synthetic gas production unit which generates a synthetic gas containing CO and H.sub.2 while heating a first catalytic structure; the synthetic gas is supplied to a gas production unit which generates a lower olefin-containing gas including propylene while heating a second catalytic structure; and a detection unit detects propylene discharged from the gas production unit. The first catalytic structure includes first supports having a porous structure and a first metal fine particle that is present in first channels of the first supports. The second catalyst structure includes second supports having a porous structure and a second metal fine particle in the second supports. The second supports have a second channels, a portion of which have an average inner diameter of 0.95 nm or less.

Methods and phosphorus-containing solid catalysts for catalyzing dehydration of cyclic ethers (e.g., furans, such as 2,5-dimethylfuran) and alcohols (e.g., ethanol and isopropanol). The alcohols and cyclic ethers may be derived from biomass. One example includes a tandem Diels-Alder cycloaddition and dehydration of biomass-derived 2,5-dimethyl-furan and ethylene to renewable p-xylene. The phosphorus-containing solid catalysts are also active and selective for dehydration of alcohols to alkenes.

Forming a diene includes contacting a reactant including at least one of a cyclic ether and a diol with a heterogeneous acid catalyst to yield a reaction mixture including a diene. The heterogeneous acid catalyst includes at least one of a Lewis acid catalyst, a supported Lewis-acid catalyst, a Brnsted acid catalyst, a solid acid catalyst, a supported phosphoric acid catalyst, and a sulfonated catalyst. The dehydration of cyclic ethers and diols with high selectivity to yield dienes completes pathways for the production of dienes, such as isoprene and butadiene, from biomass in high yields, thereby promoting economical production of dienes from renewable resources.

The present invention provides a coating composition suitable for use in forming a coating that can reduce a concentration of pollutant gases in the environment. The coating composition includes from 0.01 to 10 vol.-% of mesoporous titania particles, relative to a total volume of the coating composition, and from 5 to 99.99 vol.-% of a polymeric material, relative to the total volume of the coating composition. The mesoporous titania particles have a continuous exterior convex surface, a particle diameter of ?1 ?m but ? to 50 ?m, a BET specific surface area of from 30 to 350 m.sup.2/g, a modal pore diameter of ?5 nm but ?50 nm, and a pore size distribution so that 85% or more of a total pore volume is associated with pores having a diameter of 10 ?m or less.

According to one or more embodiments disclosed herein, a mesoporous zeolite may be made by a method comprising contacting an initial zeolite material with ammonium hexafluorosilicate to modify the framework of the initial zeolite material, and forming mesopores in the framework-modified zeolite material. The contacting may form a framework-modified zeolite material. The mesoporous zeolites may be incorporated into catalysts.

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.

Disclosed is a fuel additive which may remove varnish precursor species in a jet fuel. In particular, the fuel additive may be a multi-functional adsorbent which includes a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional interconnected mesoporous or mixed micro-/mesoporous framework and a plurality of internal cavities formed in the mesoporous or mixed micro-/mesoporous framework and the internal cavities include charged sites to accommodate fuel contaminants for varnish formation, such as metal ions and heteroatomic contaminants. In addition, methods of preparing the multi-functional adsorbent and methods for removing varnish precursor species with the fuel additive are provided.

Provided is a process for producing satisfactory particles held in porous silica. The process comprises (a) the step of preparing porous silica, (b) the step of bringing the porous silica into contact with a liquid which contains either a metal or a compound that has the metal as a component element and infiltrating the liquid into the pores of the porous silica, and (c) the step of subjecting, after the step (b), the impregnated porous silica to a heat treatment to thereby form fine particles comprising the metal or the metal compound in the pores of the porous silica. When porous silica is synthesized by hydrolyzing an alkoxysilane in a solvent-free system, it is possible to synthesize porous silica having a fine pore diameter. Use of this porous silica as a template facilitates formation of particles (e.g., W, Cu, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, or Ni or an oxide of any of these metals) that show peculiar properties not observed in the bulk material.

A catalyst for a selective conversion of hydrocarbons. The catalyst includes a first component selected from the group consisting of Group VIII noble metals and mixtures thereof, a second component selected from the group consisting of alkali metals or alkaline-earth metals and mixtures thereof, and a third component selected from the group consisting of tin, germanium, lead, indium, gallium, thallium and mixtures thereof. The catalyst is a support formed as a spherical catalyst particle with an average pore diameter between 200 to 350 Angstroms, a porosity of at least 75% and an apparent bulk density between 0.60 and 0.3 g/cc. Also, a process of using such a catalyst for a selective hydrocarbon conversion reaction and a process for regenerating such a catalyst by removing coke from same.

A catalyst for a selective conversion of hydrocarbons. The catalyst includes a first component selected from the group consisting of Group VIII noble metals and mixtures thereof, a second component selected from the group consisting of alkali metals or alkaline-earth metals and mixtures thereof, and a third component selected from the group consisting of tin, germanium, lead, indium, gallium, thallium and mixtures thereof. The catalyst is a support formed as a spherical catalyst particle with an average pore diameter between 200 to 350 Angstroms, a porosity of at least 75% and an apparent bulk density between 0.60 and 0.3 g/cc. Also, a process of using such a catalyst for a selective hydrocarbon conversion reaction and a process for regenerating such a catalyst by removing coke from same.