The present disclosure provides for methods for designing and constructing metal/semiconductor heterostructures as catalysts for a wide range of applications such as oxygen activation. In a particular aspect, the present disclosure provides for the manipulation of atomic structures at MJ/TiO.sub.2 interface (e.g., Au/TiO.sub.2 interface) that significantly alters the interfacial electron distribution and prompts O.sub.2 activation. In an aspect, the present disclosure provides for a M/TiO.sub.2 composites (e.g., heterostructures) having a N defect-free M/TiO.sub.2 interface and method of making the M/TiO.sub.2 composites having a defect-free M/TiO.sub.2 interface. The M can be Au, Ag, Cu, Al, Pt, Ni, or Pd, for example.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a catalyst includes an oxide containing 5 or more types of rare earth elements and 1 or more types of platinum group elements. The catalyst has a configuration entropy of a cation site determined based on (i) the number of types of the rare earth elements and the platinum group element that can be arranged in the cation site in a crystalline structure of the oxide, and (ii) each proportion of the rare earth elements and the platinum group element of more than 1.7R, where R is a gas constant.

The present invention relates to a metal powder catalyst and its use in the selective catalytic hydrogenation of organic starting materials comprising a carbon-carbon triple bond. The powder catalyst comprises a metal alloy carrier, wherein the metal alloy comprises (i) 55 weight-% (wt-%)-80 wt-%, based on the total weight of the metal alloy, of Co, and (ii) 20 wt-%-40 wt-%, based on the total weight of the metal alloy, of Cr, and (iii) 2 wt-%-10 wt-%, based on the total weight of the metal alloy, of Mo, and wherein the said metal alloy is coated by a metal oxide layer and impregnated with Pd, and is characterized in that the metal oxide layer comprises CeO.sub.2.

A method of making a titanium dioxide nanowire array includes contacting a substrate with a solvent comprising a titanium (III) precursor, an acid, and an oxidant while microwave heating the solvent, thereby forming a hydrogen titanate H2Ti2O5.H2O nanowire array. The hydrogen titanate nanowire array is annealed to form a titanium dioxide nanowire array. The substrate is seeded with titanium dioxide before starting the hydrothermal synthesis of the hydrogen titanate nanowire array. The titanium dioxide nanowire array is loaded with a platinum group metal to form an exhaust gas catalyst. The titanium dioxide nanowire array can be used to catalyze oxidation of combustion exhaust.

A preparation method and use of a novel pure inorganic solid silicon-based sulfonic acid and/or phosphoric acid catalytic material are disclosed. The surface hydroxyl-rich metasilicic acid is used as the raw material, and by using a sulfonating reagent and/or phosphoric acid, the sulfonic acid group and/or the phosphoric acid group are bonded to the inorganic silicon material by chemical bonding to obtain a pure inorganic solid silicon-based sulfonic acid and/or phosphoric acid catalytic material. The catalytic material can be widely used in many acid-catalyzed organic reactions such as isomerization, esterification, alkylation, hydroamination of olefins, condensation, nitration, etherification, multi-component reactions and oxidation reactions. The inorganic solid silicon-based sulfonic acid and/or phosphoric acid catalytic material of the present invention has the advantages of high acid amount, high activity, good hydrothermal stability, no swelling, simple preparation, low cost, no pollution, no corrosion, easy separation and reusability.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of functional organic macromolecule composite catalysts and involves the preparation of a nitrogen-doped lattice macromolecule composite loaded with an efficient denitrification and sulfur resistance catalyst, firstly using the method of adding metal salts to make a large amount of Ce.sup.3+, Ce.sup.4+, Sn.sup.3+ and Sn.sup.4+ ions accumulate around the cyanuric acid molecule. Afterwards, 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidine and cytosine were added to graft with the cyanuric acid to produce the N-doped macromolecule in the first stage. After that, potassium permanganate was used as the oxidizing agent, and redox reaction occurred on the surface of N-doped macromolecules, so that the manganese cerium tin catalyst was grown in situ on the surface of N-doped macromolecules, and finally calcined at once to cross-link the N-doped macromolecules to generate catalyst composites. The catalysts described in this invention have higher efficient NOx reduction and sulfur resistance performance.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a supported catalyst and a supported catalyst manufactured using the same. The method may prevent the growth of catalytic metal particles by repeatedly applying heat, so the method is simpler and more economical than conventional processes. Moreover, since the support in the supported catalyst thus manufactured includes a hollow having a predetermined size, an electrode manufactured using the supported catalyst may ensure a desired electrode thickness even when used in a relatively small amount compared to the conventional technology. Moreover, water generated during operation of a fuel cell can be efficiently discharged, so desired mass transfer resistance can be exhibited, and a high electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) and superior catalytic activity can be attained.

The present invention provides a method for producing urea by means of energy irradiation, the method comprises contacting a nanostructure catalyst with at least one carbon-containing source, at least one nitrogen-containing source and at least one hydrogen-containing source, and irradiating the nanostructure catalyst, the carbon-containing source, the nitrogen-containing source and the hydrogen-containing source with energy, to produce urea molecules.

A dry formulation obtained by desiccation of an emulsion comprises at least one surfactant, at least one lipophilic compound, and at least one metal catalyst. The dry formulation may be used to carry out a catalysed reaction in an aqueous medium. The dry formulation has a water content of less than (10) wt% relative to the total weight of the dry formulation, and wherein: - the at least one surfactant is selected from the group comprising dendrimers of Dendri-TAC type, oligomers of F,TACn or H,TACn type, TPGS 1000, TPGS 750 M, surfactants derived from sugars and/or amino acids, and combinations thereof; - the at least one lipophilic compound is selected from the group comprising lipids, hydrophobic complexing agents and combinations thereof; and - the metal catalyst comprises a metal selected from Groups (3) to (12) of the Periodic Table.

Provided herein is a composition comprising high surface area titanium dioxide nanospheres, as well as a process for making the same. Also provided is a composition comprising carbon nanotubes and high surface area titanium dioxide nanospheres, wherein said high surface area titanium dioxide nanospheres are dispersed in said carbon nanotubes. Further provided is a method for making a filter comprising carbon nanotubes, wherein said carbon nanotubes comprise high surface area titanium dioxide nanospheres dispersed therein, as well as filters so produced, and a method of photo-regenerating the filters.