A template based process is used for the production of the nanowire structural element, wherein the nanowires are electrochemically depositioned in the nanopores. The irradiation is carried out at different angles, such that a nanowire network is formed. The hollow chamber-like structure in the nanowire network is established through the dissolving of the template foil and removal of the dissolved template material. The interconnecting of the nanowires provides stability to the nanowire structural element and an electrical connection between the nanowires is created thereby.

The invention concerns the production of segmented nanowires and components having said segmented nanowires. For the production of the nanowire structural element, a template based process is used preferably, wherein the electrochemical deposition of the nanowires in nanopores is carried out. In this manner, numerous nanowires are created in the template foil. For the electrochemical deposition of the nanowires, a reversed pulse procedure with an alternating sequence consisting of cathodic deposition pulses and anodic counter-pulses is carried out. By this means, segmented nanowires can be produced.

A process for producing polymer-supported metal nanoparticles involves confinement of metal nanoparticles in polymeric nanotubes or nanosheets in an aqueous environment using hydrophobic reactants. Metal nanoparticles supported in the polymeric nanotubes or nanosheets are substantially monodisperse and have an average particle size of 4 nm or less. The polymer-supported metal nanoparticles are useful in fuel cells, sensors, bioanalysis, biological labeling or semi-conductors, especially as catalysts.

The invention relates to an exchanger-reactor comprising at least three stages with at least one stage comprising both: millimetric channels at least partially covered with a catalyst for stimulating a steam reforming reaction, and millimetric channels at least partially covered with a catalyst for stimulating a water gas reaction.

A process for producing polymer-supported metal nanoparticles involves confinement of metal nanoparticles in polymeric nanotubes or nanosheets in an aqueous environment using hydrophobic reactants. Metal nanoparticles supported in the polymeric nanotubes or nanosheets are substantially monodisperse and have an average particle size of 4 nm or less. The polymer-supported metal nanoparticles are useful in fuel cells, sensors, bioanalysis, biological labeling or semi-conductors, especially as catalysts.

This invention relates to a process for converting a carbonaceous material to a desired product comprising methane, methanol and/or dimethyl ether, the process comprising: gasifying the carbonaceous material at a temperature in excess of about 700 C. to form synthesis gas; and flowing the synthesis gas through two or more reaction zones in a microchannel reactor to convert the synthesis gas to the desired product.

Systems and methods are disclosed for synthesizing one or more simple alcohols from mixtures including organic acids, water, and a superparamagnetic catalyst exposed to fluctuating magnetic fields under ambient conditions.

Fluid reactors include a sealed housing enclosing a reactor core that includes at least one substrate-free multichannel reactor core element. Each reactor core element is made from a non-substrate mounted, open pore cellular network material having an asymmetric, tortuous, bi-continuous two-phase material structure and contains multiple perforating fluid channels. Multiple reactor core elements can be serially and/or parallelly piped in a sealed manner to form a reactor core for a fluid reactor with a higher production capacity.

The invention discloses a functionalised chromatography medium, comprising: i) at least one non-woven layer of polymeric nanofibres comprising a plurality of nanofibre-nanofibre fusion points; ii) a grafted polymer coating covering the polymeric nanofibres and the nanofibre-nanofibre fusion points; iii) a plurality of ligand groups covalently bound to the grafted polymer coating, wherein the ligand groups are capable of interacting with a target biomolecule.

The invention discloses a functionalised chromatography medium, comprising: i) at least one non-woven layer of polymeric nanofibres comprising a plurality of nanofibre-nanofibre fusion points; ii) a grafted polymer coating covering the polymeric nanofibres and the nanofibre-nanofibre fusion points; iii) a plurality of ligand groups covalently bound to the grafted polymer coating, wherein the ligand groups are capable of interacting with a target biomolecule.