An apparatus and a method for plant extraction are disclosed. The apparatus of the present invention comprises an extraction module, a separating module and a reservoir. The method essentially includes plant material preparing, decarboxylating, active components extracting and separating. By using liquid tetrafluoroethane as the solvent in the apparatus of the present invention, the active components of the plant material are efficiently extracted under low pressure extraction and high pressure extraction conditions.

A reverse-phase suspension polymerization process for the manufacture of polymer beads comprising forming aqueous monomer beads comprising an aqueous solution of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomer blend and polymerizing the monomer or monomer blend to form polymer beads while suspended in a non-aqueous liquid, and recovering polymer beads, in which the process comprises, providing in a vessel (1) a volume (2) of non-aqueous liquid wherein the volume of non-aqueous liquid extends between at least one polymer bead discharge point (3) and at least one monomer feed point (4), feeding the aqueous monomer or monomer blend through orifices (5) into, or onto, the non-aqueous liquid to form aqueous monomer beads, allowing the aqueous monomer beads to flow towards the polymer bead discharge point subjecting the aqueous monomer beads to polymerization conditions to initiate polymerization to form polymerizing beads, wherein the polymerizing beads have formed polymer beads when they reach the polymer bead discharge point, removing a suspension of the polymer beads in non-aqueous liquid from the vessel at the polymer bead discharge point and recovering water soluble or water swellable polymer beads from the suspension. The invention also relates to the apparatus suitable for carrying out a reverse-phase suspension polymerization and polymer beads obtainable by the process or employing the apparatus.

A principle is established to show that nanoscale energy deposition in water by X-rays can be greatly enhanced via the geometry of nanostructures. The calculated results show that enhancement over background water can reach over 60 times for a single nanoshell made of gold. Other geometries and nanostructures are investigated, and it is found that a shell of gold nanoparticles can generate similar enhancement. The concepts of composition, matrix, and satellite effects are established and studied, all of which can further increase the enhancement of the effect of X-rays.

An invention is provided for conversion of methane into hydrocarbon fuels is disclosed. The invention includes providing methane to an illumination chamber, and illuminating the methane with substantially narrow bandwidth photons of a predefined wavelength. The photons are provided from a substantially uncollimated light source producing photon intensities less than 10 Watt/m.sup.2. As a result, the methane is placed in an excited state that results in the molecules of the methane reacting more readily with other molecules to form a final product.

A nanostructured metal oxide composition comprising hydroxides or oxygen vacancies or both hydroxides and oxygen vacancies on its surface is described. A process for preparing the nanostructured metal oxide composition comprising hydroxides or oxygen vacancies or both hydroxides and oxygen vacancies on its surface, which hydroxides and oxygen vacancies can participate in chemical reactions, which composition is prepared by a method selected from the group of methods comprising: i) controlled thermally induced dehydroxylation of nanostructured metal hydroxide precursors; ii) thermochemical reaction of said nanostructured metal oxide with hydrogen gas; iii) vacuum thermal treatment of said nanostructured metal oxide; and iv) aliovalent doping with a lower oxidation state metal. A photocatalyst comprising a nanostructured metal oxide composition comprising an optimal loading of hydroxides or oxygen vacancies or both hydroxides and oxygen vacancies on its surface, which hydroxides and/or oxygen vacancies can participate in chemical or physical reactions.

Described herein are systems incorporating a Casimir cavity, such as an optical Casimir cavity or a plasmon Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavity modifies the zero-point energy density therein as compared to outside of the Casimir cavity. The Casimir cavities are paired in the disclosed systems with product generating devices and the difference in zero-point energy densities is used to directly drive the generation of products, such as chemical reaction products or emitted light.

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.

According to one embodiment, a photochemical reaction system comprises a CO.sub.2 production unit, a CO.sub.2 absorption unit, and a CO.sub.2 reduction unit. The CO.sub.2 reduction unit comprises a laminated body and an ion transfer pathway. The laminated body comprises an oxidation catalyst layer producing O.sub.2 and H.sup.+ by oxidizing H.sub.2O, a reduction catalyst layer producing carbon compounds by reducing CO.sub.2 absorbed by the CO.sub.2 absorption unit, and a semiconductor layer formed between the oxidation catalyst layer and the reduction catalyst layer and develops charge separation with light energy. The ion transfer pathways make ions move between the oxidation catalyst layer side and the reduction catalyst layer side.

A module for emitting radiations for curing and/or drying curable/dryable treatments like paints or glue applied on products includes a UV LED, emitting between 200 and 400 nm, or one IR LED, emitting between 600 and 1400 nm; a control circuit of the UV or IR LED; a supply circuit; a control circuit of the module; and a sensor detecting the product to be cured/dried.

The present invention provides a system for imparting electromagnetic energy into drinking water or aqueous potables and foods, comprising: a generator unit for generating a driving signal having a frequency to maintain a nature or an activity of microorganisms in living forms; a power supply unit for providing a voltage current to the generator unit to drive the generation of the driving signal; one or more inductor coils coupled to the generator unit to receive the driving signal, such that an electromagnetic field operating with the varying frequency is generated; and an electromagnetic wave-permeable container for containing the drinking water or the aqueous potables and foods wherein the drinking water or the aqueous potables and foods is subject to the generated electromagnetic field to allow permeation of the varying frequency electromagnetic wave through the container into the drinking water or the aqueous potables and foods to acquire electromagnetic energy. The invention also provides a method for imparting electromagnetic energy into drinking water or aqueous potables and foods.