Zero-Rare Earth Metal (ZREM) and Zero-platinum group metals (ZPGM) compositions of varied binary spinel oxides are disclosed as oxygen storage material (OSM) to be used within TWC systems. The ZREM-ZPGM OSM systems comprise binary non-Cu spinel oxides of Co—Fe, Fe—Mn, Co—Mn, or Mn—Fe. The oxygen storage capacity (OSC) property associated with the non-Cu ZREM-ZPGM OSM systems is determined employing isothermal OSC oscillating condition testing. Further, the OSC test results compare the OSC properties of a ZREM-ZPGM reference OSM system including a Cu—Mn binary spinel oxide and PGM reference catalysts including Ce-based OSMs. The non-Cu spinel oxides ZREM-ZPGM OSM systems exhibit significantly improved OSC properties, which are greater than the OSC property of the Ce-based OSM PGM reference systems.

A catalyst composition includes a metal catalyst dispersed in a molten eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides. A process for the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons includes contacting in a reactor system a carbon-containing feedstock with at least one catalyst in the presence of oxygen to generate olefinic and/or aromatic compounds; and collecting the olefinic and/or aromatic compounds; wherein: the at least one catalyst includes a metal catalyst dispersed in a molten eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides. A process for preparing the catalyst includes mixing metal catalyst precursors selected from transition metal compounds and rare-earth metal compounds and a eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides and heating it. A use of the catalyst in the catalytic cracking process of hydrocarbons.

A catalyst composition includes a metal catalyst dispersed in a molten eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides. A process for the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons includes contacting in a reactor system a carbon-containing feedstock with at least one catalyst in the presence of oxygen to generate olefinic and/or aromatic compounds; and collecting the olefinic and/or aromatic compounds; wherein: the at least one catalyst includes a metal catalyst dispersed in a molten eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides. A process for preparing the catalyst includes mixing metal catalyst precursors selected from transition metal compounds and rare-earth metal compounds and a eutectic mixture of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonates or hydroxides and heating it. A use of the catalyst in the catalytic cracking process of hydrocarbons.

Synergized platinum group metals (SPGM) with ultra-low PGM loadings employed as underfloor (UF) three-way catalyst (TWC) systems with varied material compositions and configurations are disclosed. SPGM UF catalysts in which ZPGM compositions of binary and ternary spinel structures supported onto support oxides are coupled with commercialized PGM close-coupled (CC) catalysts and tested under Federal Test Procedure FTP-75 within TGDI and PI engines. The performance of the TWC systems including commercialized PGM CC and SPGM UF (with ultra-low PGM loadings) catalysts is compared to the performance of commercialized PGM CC and PGM UF catalysts. The disclosed TWC systems indicate that SPGM UF TWC catalytic performance is comparable or even exceeds high PGM-based conventional TWC catalysts, with reduced tailpipe emissions.

Synergized platinum group metals (SPGM) with ultra-low PGM loadings employed as underfloor (UF) three-way catalyst (TWC) systems with varied material compositions and configurations are disclosed. SPGM UF catalysts in which ZPGM compositions of binary and ternary spinel structures supported onto support oxides are coupled with commercialized PGM close-coupled (CC) catalysts and tested under Federal Test Procedure FTP-75 within TGDI and PI engines. The performance of the TWC systems including commercialized PGM CC and SPGM UF (with ultra-low PGM loadings) catalysts is compared to the performance of commercialized PGM CC and PGM UF catalysts. The disclosed TWC systems indicate that SPGM UF TWC catalytic performance is comparable or even exceeds high PGM-based conventional TWC catalysts, with reduced tailpipe emissions.

Systems and methods of synthesizing nanoparticles on substrates using rapid, high temperature thermal shock. A method involves depositing micro-sized particles or salt precursors on a substrate, and applying a rapid, high temperature thermal pulse or shock to the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors and the substrate to cause the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors to become nanoparticles on the substrate. A system may include a rotatable member that receives a roll of a substrate sheet having micro-sized particles or salt precursors; a motor that rotates the rotatable member so as to unroll consecutive portions of the substrate sheet from the roll; and a thermal energy source that applies a short, high temperature thermal shock to consecutive portions of the substrate sheet that are unrolled from the roll by rotating the first rotatable member. Some systems and methods produce nanoparticles on existing substrate. The nanoparticles may be metallic, ceramic, inorganic, semiconductor, or compound nanoparticles. The substrate may be a carbon-based substrate, a conducting substrate, or a non-conducting substrate. The high temperature thermal shock process may be enabled by electrical Joule heating, microwave heating, thermal radiative heating, plasma heating, or laser heating.

Systems and methods of synthesizing nanoparticles on substrates using rapid, high temperature thermal shock. A method involves depositing micro-sized particles or salt precursors on a substrate, and applying a rapid, high temperature thermal pulse or shock to the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors and the substrate to cause the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors to become nanoparticles on the substrate. A system may include a rotatable member that receives a roll of a substrate sheet having micro-sized particles or salt precursors; a motor that rotates the rotatable member so as to unroll consecutive portions of the substrate sheet from the roll; and a thermal energy source that applies a short, high temperature thermal shock to consecutive portions of the substrate sheet that are unrolled from the roll by rotating the first rotatable member. Some systems and methods produce nanoparticles on existing substrate. The nanoparticles may be metallic, ceramic, inorganic, semiconductor, or compound nanoparticles. The substrate may be a carbon-based substrate, a conducting substrate, or a non-conducting substrate. The high temperature thermal shock process may be enabled by electrical Joule heating, microwave heating, thermal radiative heating, plasma heating, or laser heating.

A catalyst fibrous structure having a catalyst metal carried on a fibrous structure, wherein (a) a Log differential micropore volume distribution curve thereof obtained by measurement using a mercury intrusion technique has a peak having a maximum micropore diameter in the range of from 0.1 μm to 100 μm; (b) a Log differential micropore volume at the peak is 0.5 mL/g or more; and (c) an amount of a catalyst metal compound and a binder carried per unit volume is 0.05 g/mL or more. A production method for producing a catalyst fibrous structure having: (1) mixing a catalyst metal compound or a catalyst precursor, and an inorganic binder and a solvent; (2) grinding the mixture to obtain a coating material of the catalyst metal compound or the catalyst precursor having a median particle diameter of 2 μm or less and a viscosity of from 10 mPa.Math.s to 200 mPa.Math.s; (3) impregnating a fibrous structure with the coating material to fill up voids of the fibrous structure with the coating material of the catalyst metal compound or the catalyst precursor; (4) heating and drying the fibrous structure, directly as it is, at a temperature not lower than the boiling point of the solvent; and (5) heating and calcination the dried fibrous structure at a temperature not lower than the dehydration temperature of the inorganic binder to obtain a catalyst fibrous structure.

A catalyst fibrous structure having a catalyst metal carried on a fibrous structure, wherein (a) a Log differential micropore volume distribution curve thereof obtained by measurement using a mercury intrusion technique has a peak having a maximum micropore diameter in the range of from 0.1 μm to 100 μm; (b) a Log differential micropore volume at the peak is 0.5 mL/g or more; and (c) an amount of a catalyst metal compound and a binder carried per unit volume is 0.05 g/mL or more. A production method for producing a catalyst fibrous structure having: (1) mixing a catalyst metal compound or a catalyst precursor, and an inorganic binder and a solvent; (2) grinding the mixture to obtain a coating material of the catalyst metal compound or the catalyst precursor having a median particle diameter of 2 μm or less and a viscosity of from 10 mPa.Math.s to 200 mPa.Math.s; (3) impregnating a fibrous structure with the coating material to fill up voids of the fibrous structure with the coating material of the catalyst metal compound or the catalyst precursor; (4) heating and drying the fibrous structure, directly as it is, at a temperature not lower than the boiling point of the solvent; and (5) heating and calcination the dried fibrous structure at a temperature not lower than the dehydration temperature of the inorganic binder to obtain a catalyst fibrous structure.

Provided is a method for producing at least one of an unsaturated aldehyde and an unsaturated carboxylic acid from an alkene by an oxidation reaction, in which a n-layered catalyst layer (n≥2) is provided in a gas flow direction in a reaction tube, two or more kinds of catalysts having different activities are used; and the catalysts are packed in such a manner that dT≤20° C. is satisfied, when a difference between a temperature PT.sub.n of an exothermic peak in a n-th layer as counted from a gas inlet and a minimum value mT.sub.n−1 of a temperature of a catalyst layer which appears between an exothermic peak in a (n-1)th layer and an exothermic peak in a n-th layer from the gas inlet is represented as dT (=PT.sub.n−mT.sub.n−1), and the change rate of dT is 2.5 or less at a reaction bath temperature within a range of ±6° C. of a reaction bath temperature at which the highest yield is obtained.