The present invention provides an improved sorbent and corresponding device(s) and uses thereof for the capture and stabilization of volatile organic compounds (VOC) or semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) from a gaseous atmosphere. The sorbent is capable of rapid and high uptake of one or more compounds and provides quantitative release (recovery) of the compound(s) when exposed to elevated temperature and/or organic solvent. Uses of particular improved grades of mesoporous silica are disclosed.

A capture mass for heavy metals, in particular mercury, contained in a gaseous or liquid feed, said mass comprising: copper which is present at least in part in the sulphide form, Cu.sub.xS.sub.y; a porous support based on alumina;
characterized in that said porous support has a total pore volume (TPV) in the range 0.8 to 1.5 cm.sup.3/g, a mesopore volume (V.sub.6nm-100nm) in the range 0.5 to 1.3 cm.sup.3/g, and a macropore volume (V.sub.100nm) in the range 0.33 to 0.45 cm.sup.3/g,
it being understood that the ratio between the mesopore volume and the macropore volume (V.sub.6nm-100nm/V.sub.100nm) is in the range 1 to 5.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of microporous carbon materials to perform selective separations of nitrogen in gas mixtures such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane and C.sub.2, C.sub.3 and C.sub.4.sup.+ hydrocarbons, with high efficiency, shaped of microspheres or cylinders from copolymers of poly (vinylidene chloride-co-methyl acrylate) with density of 1.3 to 1.85 g/cm.Math.sup.Math.3 or poly (vinylidene chloride-co-vinyl chloride) with density of 1.3 to 1.85 g/cm.sup.3, using two stages. The first stage consists of a surface passivation of the material by chemical attack in a highly alkaline alcohol solution, with the aim of effecting a precarbonization on the surface of the copolymer that during the pyrolysis process is not deformed and gradually develops microporosity. The material of the first stage presents, in the layer, percentages between 55% to 85% carbon, between 5% to 20% oxygen, and between 10% to 40% chlorine. The interior of the material presents lower percentages of carbon, between 30% to 65%, oxygen in the amount of between 2% to 6%, and chlorine in the amount of between 30% to 60%. The second stage consists of the gradual pyrolysis of the passivated copolymer, with the aim of developing microporosity and high surface area values; as well as during the melting and gas dehydrohalogenation stages thereof, the deformation of the material is avoided. The morphology of the copolymers are microspheres of 125 to 225 micrometers, or cylinders of 4 mm in height and 3 mm in diameter, which after pyrolysis reduce its size by 35% with respect to the initial one. The material of the second stage, which is already microporous carbon material, presents in the layer percentages between 90% to 100% carbon and between 10% to 0% oxygen.

An air treatment method for removing a contaminant is provided, comprising: providing a for-treatment air containing the contaminant; providing a plurality of multi-staged non-film forming polymer particles having a core polymer and at least one shell polymer; wherein the core polymer accounts for 1 to 25 wt % of the weight of the non-film forming polymer particles provided; wherein the multi-staged non-film forming polymer particles provided each contain a central void; and contacting the multi-staged non-film forming polymer particles and the for-treatment air; wherein the contaminant is extracted from the for-treatment air producing a treated air depleted in the contaminant.

The present invention provides an improved sorbent and corresponding device(s) and uses thereof for the capture and stabilization of volatile organic compounds (VOC) or semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) from a gaseous atmosphere. The sorbent is capable of rapid and high uptake of one or more compounds and provides quantitative release (recovery) of the compound(s) when exposed to elevated temperature and/or organic solvent. Uses of particular improved grades of mesoporous silica are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a super absorbent polymer having a controlled degree of internal crosslinking and thereby having simultaneously improved basic absorption capacity and absorbency under pressure, and a method for producing the same. The super absorbent polymer may comprise a base polymer powder including a cross-linked polymer of a monomer containing a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated compound or its salt; and a surface cross-linked layer that is formed on the base polymer powder and is further cross-linked from the cross-linked polymer, wherein a glass hollow particle having a micron-scale particle size is included in the cross-linked structure of the cross-linked polymer of the base polymer powder.

Particulate material comprising rough mesoporous hollow nanoparticles. The rough mesoporous hollow nanoparticles may comprise a mesoporous shell, the external surface of which has projections thereon, the projections having smaller sizes than the particle size. The particulate material may be used to deliver active agents, such as insecticides and pesticides. The active agents can enter into the hollow core of the particles and be protected from degradation by sunlight. The rough surface of the particles retains the particles on plant leaves or animal hair. Methods for forming the particles are also described. Carbon particles and methods for forming carbon particles are also described.

The core-shell type amine-based carbon dioxide adsorbent including a chelating agent resistant to oxygen and sulfur dioxide according to the present invention is an adsorbent which includes a chelating agent to inhibit oxidative decomposition of amine and has, as a core, a porous support on which an amine compound is immobilized and has, as a shell, an amine layer resistant to inactivity by sulfur dioxide, and a method of preparing the same. The amine-based carbon dioxide adsorbent including a chelating agent exhibits considerably high oxidation resistance because an added chelate compound functions to directly remove a variety of transition metal impurities catalytically acting on amine oxidation. In addition, the sulfur dioxide-resistant amine layer of the shell selectively adsorbs sulfur dioxide to protect the amine compound of the core and, at the same time, the amine compound of the core selectively adsorbs only carbon dioxide. In addition, sulfur dioxide adsorbed on the shell is readily desorbed therefrom at about 110 C. and thus remarkably improved regeneration stability is obtained during the temperature-swing adsorption (TSA) process containing sulfur dioxide.

A superabsorbent polymer according to the present invention has excellent initial absorption properties, and thus it may be used in sanitary materials such as diapers, etc., thereby exhibiting excellent performances.

The present invention relates to a super absorbent polymer having more improved absorbency under pressure and liquid permeability, and a method for producing the same. The super absorbent polymer comprises a base polymer powder including a cross-linked polymer of a monomer containing a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated compound or its salt; and a surface cross-linked layer that is formed on the base polymer powder and is further cross-linked from the cross-linked polymer, wherein a glass hollow particle having a micron-scale particle size is included on the surface cross-linked layer.