The present disclosure relates to methods of combining chemical enhancement and physical enhancement to produce a combined synergistic total enhancement, and more specifically to methods of irradiating samples containing nanomaterials capable of producing chemical or physical enhancement to produce combined synergistic total enhancement.

InGaN offers a route to high efficiency overall water splitting under one-step photo-excitation. Further, the chemical stability of metal-nitrides supports their use as an alternative photocatalyst. However, the efficiency of overall water splitting using InGaN and other visible light responsive photocatalysts has remained extremely low despite prior art work addressing optical absorption through band gap engineering. Within this prior art the detrimental effects of unbalanced charge carrier extraction/collection on the efficiency of the four electron-hole water splitting reaction have remained largely unaddressed. To address this growth processes are presented that allow for controlled adjustment and establishment of the appropriate Fermi level and/or band bending in order to allow the photochemical water splitting to proceed at high rate and high efficiency. Beneficially, establishing such material surface charge properties also reduces photo-corrosion and instability under harsh photocatalysis conditions.

Provided is a method for industrially producing 5-(bromomethyl)-1-benzothiophene. The production method according to the present invention comprises: (1) a step for introducing 5-methyl-1-benzothiophene, a brominating agent, and a solvent into a reactor; (2) a step for emitting light having a wavelength range of 200-780 nm inside the reactor; and (3) a step for recovering 5-(bromomethyl)-1-benzothiophene from the reactor.

A device and method are provided for manipulating petroleum, non-conventional oil and other viscous complex fluids made of hydrocarbons that comprise enforcement of fluid in a multi-stage flow-through hydrodynamic cavitational reactor, subjecting said fluids to a controlled cavitation and continuing the application of such cavitation for a period of time sufficient for obtaining desired changes in physical properties and/or chemical composition and generating the upgraded products. The method includes alteration of chemical bonds, induction of interactions of components, changes in composition, heterogeneity and rheological characteristics in order to facilitate handling, improve yields of distillate fuels and optimize other properties.

A visible light sensitive photocatalyst including a compound represented by Formula 1:
A.sub.a-xM.sup.1.sub.xSi.sub.b-yM.sup.2.sub.yO.sub.c  Formula 1
wherein A is one or more metals selected from Ag, Cu, and Au; M.sup.1 is one or more metals selected from Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs; M.sup.2 is one or more metals selected from Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf, and 1.7≦a≦2.3, 0.7≦b≦1.3, 2.7≦c≦3.3, 0≦x<a, and 0≦y<b.

An electromagnetic resonance apparatus for molecular, atomic, and chemical modification of water is provided. The apparatus includes a water container, a resonance induction cell tower, an electronic control unit, a 12-volt power source, a DC to AC power inverter, and a pressure vessel for storing produced hydrogen gas. An electronic control unit is used to provide vibrational energy to the cell tower to facilitate water decomposition.

An apparatus for the treatment of a liquid that includes a chamber having at least one inner surface, the chamber adapted for passage of a fluid therethrough. The chamber is at least 80 percent enclosed. The apparatus also includes an optional ultraviolet-transmissive tube disposed within the chamber and also adapted for the passage of the liquid therethrough. The apparatus further includes an ultraviolet lamp disposed within the chamber and, optionally, within the ultraviolet-transmissive tube. A reflective material is interposed between the chamber and the transmissive tube. The reflective material is adapted so as to reflect at least a portion of light emitted by the ultraviolet lamp, wherein the reflective material is at least 80 percent reflective.

The present disclosure provides a liquid treatment device and a liquid treatment method each capable of efficiently generating plasma and treating a liquid in a short time period. A liquid treatment device according to the present disclosure includes a first electrode, a second electrode disposed in a liquid, an insulator disposed surrounding the first electrode through a space, the insulator having an opening portion at a position in contact with the liquid, and a power supply that applies an AC voltage or a pulse voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Methods of making fuel are described herein. A method may include providing a first working fluid, a second working fluid, and a third working fluid. The method may also include exposing the first working fluid to a first high voltage electric field to produce a first plasma, exposing the second working fluid to a second high voltage electric field to produce a second plasma, and exposing the third working fluid to a third high voltage electric field to produce a third plasma. The method may also include providing and contacting a carbon-based feedstock with the third plasma, the second plasma, and the first plasma within a processing chamber to form a mixture, cooling the mixture using a heat exchange device to form a cooled mixture, and contacting the cooled mixture with a catalyst to form a fuel.

A method for producing functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose, the method comprising the steps of providing cellulose, mixing said cellulose with a peroxide, thereby producing a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture, and/or exposing the reaction mixture to UV radiation is provided. Functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose produced by this method is also provided.