A system and method for cleaning, conditioning, and/or rejuvenating carbon-based sorbents is disclosed where a chemical cleaning process is used to separate contaminants from the sorbent. The contaminants can be disposed of or recycled for industrial uses. The cleaned and/or rejuvenated carbon-based sorbent is recycled back into a reverse venturi shaped fluidized bed apparatus for later use. Spent carbon-based sorbent can be routed for appropriate disposal. The carbon-based sorbents include, but are not limited to, activated carbon sorbent and biochar sorbent. Optionally, the sorbents can be processed through the system prior to exposure to contaminated emissions to enhance and increase the porosity of the outer surface of the sorbents.

An emissions control system including a fluidized bed apparatus containing a reactive sorbent material is disclosed for gaseous and non-gaseous contaminated emissions. The reactive sorbent material may be CZTS, CZTS-Alloy, or a carbon-based sorbent material. The fluidized bed apparatus is configured with one or more closed loop sorbent recycling subsystems. The sorbent recycling subsystems include the capability to separate sorbents from each other, separate contaminates from sorbents for disposal and/or recycling, clean and/or rejuvenate sorbents for return to the fluidized bed apparatus, dispose of spent and exhausted sorbents, and replace the spent and exhausted sorbents with new sorbent to maintain consistent sorbent function in the fluidized bed apparatus. Monitoring sensors provide information useful in a method for establishing and maintaining consistent process parameter controls.

A material for moisture removal and/or water harvesting from air may include a hydrophilic material containing micropores and a low water activity material confined within the micropores of the hydrophilic material. Apparatuses containing such materials and methods for moisture removal and/or water harvesting from air by using such materials are also described.

The present invention provides a porous coordination polymer having high ability of storing a gas. The porous coordination polymer according to the present invention comprises zinc cluster ions and one kind of tricarboxylic acid ions selected from the group consisting of the following chemical formula (I), the following chemical formula (II), and the following chemical formula (III); ##STR00001## where X represents a natural number of not less than 1 and not more than 3, wherein the tricarboxylic acid ions are bound to the zinc cluster ions as terdentate ligands.

A variety of amphiphobic porous materials are provided. The materials can include a variety of porous frameworks that have an outer surface functionalized by a plurality of perfluoroalkyl moieties. By careful selection of appropriate perfluoralkyl moieties, hydrophobic properties can be imparted to the exterior surface of the porous materials without significantly impacting the wetting properties of the porous interior. This can be used to create a variety of highly amphiphobic porous materials. Methods of making and using the amphiphobic porous materials are also provided.

Nanoparticle-treated particle packs, such as sand beds, may effectively filter and purify liquids such as waste water. When tiny contaminant particles in waste water flow through the particle pack, the nanoparticles will capture and hold the tiny contaminant particles within the pack due to the nanoparticles' surface forces, including, but not necessarily limited to van der Waals and electrostatic forces. Coating agents may help apply the nanoparticles to the particle surfaces in the filter beds or packs.

Metal-containing sorbent materials are provided, methods of making the metal-containing sorbent materials, methods of using the metal-containing sorbent materials, and metal complex-containing composite materials resulting from the sorption of basic, nitrogen-containing compounds on the metal-containing sorbent materials are provided. The sorbent materials are prepared by incorporating divalent metals into a precursor material that is formed by treating a porous siliceous material having mesopores with a silane or disilazane surface treatment agent. The metal-containing sorbent materials can be used to capture basic, nitrogen-containing compounds having a molecular weight no greater than 150 grams/mole.

A sorbent bed may comprise a sorbent support comprising at least one of a carbon material, a polymeric material, or alumina, wherein the sorbent support comprises a plurality of pores; and an impregnant configured to absorb ammonia disposed within the plurality of pores in the sorbent support, wherein the sorbent bed comprises between 20% and 60% by weight impregnant.

An adsorbent system includes a passage and first and second adsorbents in the passage. The first adsorbent includes granules of non-impregnated activated carbon and the second adsorbent includes granules of acid- or metal salt-impregnated adsorbent. The granules of acid- or metal salt-impregnated adsorbent have, by weight, at least 20% acid or metal salt content. The granules of acid- or metal salt-impregnated adsorbent have, by weight, at least 35% acid or metal salt content. The granules of non-impregnated activated carbon and the granules of acid- or metal salt-impregnated adsorbent have a size of mesh 4 to mesh 40, and, by total combined weight of the granules of non-impregnated activated carbon and the granules of acid- or metal salt-impregnated adsorbent, the first adsorbent has 55%-75% of the granules of non-impregnated activated carbon and the second adsorbent has 45%-25% of the granules of acid- or metal salt-impregnated adsorbent.

A novel one-pot solvothermal reaction based on urea hydrolysis to synthesize single crystals of the Zn(NH.sub.3)(CO.sub.3) inorganic helical framework and its applications in selective CO.sub.2 separation.