A polymer matrix composite comprising a porous polymeric network; and a plurality of functional particles distributed within the polymeric network structure, and wherein the polymer matrix composite has an air flow resistance at 25° C., as measured by the “Air Flow Resistance Test,” of less than 300 seconds/50 cm.sup.3/500 micrometers; and wherein the polymer matrix composite has a density of at least 0.3 g/cm.sup.3; and methods for making the same. The polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as filters.

A filter aid composition may include a first acid-treated silica-based filter aid having a first particle size distribution and a second acid-treated silica-based filter aid having a second particle size distribution. A method of making a filter aid composition may include providing a first silica-based filter aid having a first particle size distribution, providing a second silica-based filter aid having a second particle size distribution, and blending the first silica-based filter aid with the second silica-based filter aid to form the filter aid composition. A method of filtering a fluid may include providing a filter aid composition including a first acid-treated silica-based filter aid and a second acid-treated silica-based filter aid and filtering the fluid through the filter aid composition. The filter aid composition may have a multimodal particle size distribution such that the first particle size distribution has a d50 greater than the second particle size distribution.

A polymer matrix composite comprising a porous polymeric network; and a plurality of functional particles distributed within the polymeric network structure, and wherein the polymer matrix composite has an air flow resistance at 25° C., as measured by the “Air Flow Resistance Test,” of less than 300 seconds/50 cm.sup.3/500 micrometers; and wherein the polymer matrix composite has a density of at least 0.3 g/cm.sup.3; and methods for making the same. The polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, as filters.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.

Described herein relates to an optimum, low maintenance and low-cost filtration media which may be implemented near a source water location as a pretreatment to remove tannic acid and/or humic acid (color) from dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) (i.e., tannic acid, humic acid) to impede the prompt production of disinfection by-products collectively termed trihalomethanes in drinking water treatment processes. In an embodiment, the filtration media may comprise a composition having a ratio of at least 83% sand, at most 5% clay, at most 6% ZVI and at most 6% perlite by percent volume.

Compacting expanded perlite fines in the presence of a clay and water, followed by drying, produces particles with low density, good integrity, and surprisingly higher absorption by volume than non-compacted expanded perlite or non-swelling clay. Furthermore, addition of a clumping agent to the compacted granules results in a clumping litter with low density, good integrity and comparable clumping ability to traditional clay clumping litter.

This disclosure includes regenerated inorganic fermented beverage stabilization and/or clarification media and a process for such regeneration. Inorganic stabilization and clarification media (for processing beer or the like) may include expanded perlite or other expanded natural glasses, diatomaceous earth, silica gel or other precipitated silicas and compositions that incorporate these materials. Such media may be regenerated individually, together in a mixture or together as part of a composite product. The regenerated media meet the requirements for physical and chemical properties for re-use and replacement of the majority of particulate inorganic filtration media and inorganic stabilization media consumed in stabilization and clarification processes, and the related regeneration process provides for substantial benefits to brewers through a reduction of costs to purchase and transport stabilization and clarification media, to dispose of spent cake and/or membrane retentate, while providing for substantial reductions in the introduction of soluble impurities into the fermented beverage.

A method for treating an aqueous fluid resulting from a fluorine-containing polymer production step, the method comprising: separating the aqueous fluid into a solid component and a filtrate using a filter aid.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.

To adsorb a substance to be treated in a fluid (7) with a higher adsorption capacity and lower pressure loss, an adsorptive sintered compact (20) includes powder adsorbent materials (1a, 1b), and resin structures (2) in which voids (3) are formed in a three-dimensional network. The powder adsorbent materials (1a, 1b) include free adsorbent materials (1a) free-movably contained in the voids (3) between the resin structures (2), and fixed adsorbent materials (1b) fixed to a surface (2a) of the resin structure (2) and/or at least partly embedded inside the resin structure (2), and the powder adsorbent materials (1a, 1b) are at least one of powdered activated carbon, powdered activated clay, and zeolite.