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.

Calcium silicate hydrate nanoparticles are combined with ammonia control materials (e.g. alum, aluminum chloride, ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, and/or sodium bisulfate) to create a phosphorus-binding composition. In the preferred embodiment, the composition is applied to poultry litter, poultry bedding or other non-aqueous substrates that are at least partially comprised of animal manure. The composition binds with phosphorus to at least reduce the amount of phosphorus in runoff water or in leachate from fields fertilized with treated manure. The combining of the calcium silicate hydrate nanoparticles with the ammonia control products has a surprising and unexpected result. The calcium silicate hydrate-ammonia control material mix reduces soluble phosphorus more than either component of the mix alone.

An article for removing undesired chemical ions or compounds from gas and fluid streams where the article is a porous polymeric matrix with a sorption particle, the sorption particle is capable of removing the undesired chemical ion or compound.

An atmospheric water harvesting material includes a deliquescent salt, a photothermal agent, and a polymeric hydrogel matrix containing the deliquescent salt and photothermal agent.

A moisture adsorption composition that is a vacuum dried powder, that is a metal chloride-impregnated, nanoporous material including a crystallization reaction product of an aluminum precursor and a dicarboxylic acid organic ligand having an average particle diameter of 100 to 2,000 nm, a pore size of 0.6 to 1.7 nm, and a maximum moisture adsorption amount of from 0.2 to 0.9 g/g within a driving pressure (P/P.sub.0) that ranges from 0.1 to 0.3. The composition is prepared by synthesizing the nanoporous material by a crystallization reaction between the aluminum precursor and the dicarboxylic acid organic ligand; heat-treating to purify the nanoporous material; impregnating the nanoporous material by mixing with a metal chloride solution in water having a weight ratio of the metal chloride to the nanoporous material of 10:2.5 to 10:50; drying the mixture; crushing the dried product; and vacuum drying the crushed product to provide the moisture adsorption composition.

An adsorbent that includes: particles of a layered material including one or plural layers; and one or more metal atoms selected from Al, Mg, Ca, Ba, Fe, Zn, Mn, or Cu. The one or plural layers include a layer body represented by: M.sub.mX.sub.n wherein M is at least one metal of Group 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, X is a carbon atom, a nitrogen atom, or a combination thereof, n is 1 to 4, and m is more than n and 5 or less. A modifier or terminal T exists on a surface of the layer body, T is at least one of a hydroxyl group, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, an oxygen atom, or a hydrogen atom, and the M of the layer body is bonded to at least one of a chlorine atom, a phosphorus atom, an iodine atom, or a sulfur atom.

This invention provides processes for reducing the environmental availability of one or more environmental pollutants in solids, liquids, and combinations of solids and liquids.

Processes, compositions, and sensors for sensing a variety of toxic chemicals based on colorimetric changes. Exemplary process for sensing a toxic chemical includes contacting a toxic chemical, or byproduct thereof, with a sorbent that includes a porous metal hydroxide or a porous mixed-metal oxide/hydroxide and a transition metal reactant suitable to react with a toxic chemical or byproduct thereof. The sorbent is contacted with the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof for a sampling time. A difference between a post-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent and a pre-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent is determined to thereby detect exposure to, or the presence of, the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof.

Processes, compositions, and sensors for sensing a variety of toxic chemicals based on colorimetric changes. Exemplary process for sensing a toxic chemical includes contacting a toxic chemical, or byproduct thereof, with a sorbent that includes a porous metal hydroxide or a porous mixed-metal oxide/hydroxide and a transition metal reactant suitable to react with a toxic chemical or byproduct thereof. The sorbent is contacted with the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof for a sampling time. A difference between a post-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent and a pre-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent is determined to thereby detect exposure to, or the presence of, the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof.

Biogenic activated carbon compositions disclosed herein comprise at least 55 wt % carbon, some of which may be present as graphene, and have high surface areas, such as Iodine Numbers of greater than 2000. Some embodiments provide biogenic activated carbon that is responsive to a magnetic field. A continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon comprises countercurrently contacting, by mechanical means, a feedstock with a vapor stream comprising an activation agent including water and/or carbon dioxide; removing vapor from the reaction zone; recycling at least some of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to an inlet of the reaction zone(s) and/or to the feedstock; and recovering solids from the reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon. Methods of using the biogenic activated carbon are disclosed.