A functional material is provided and includes a porous carbon material derived from a plant-derived material as a raw material, wherein a bulk density of the porous carbon material is in a range of 0.2 grams/cm.sup.3 to 0.4 grams/cm.sup.3, and wherein a value of an ignition residue of the porous carbon material ranges from 0.1 mass % to 20 mass %.

The present disclosure relates to hydrocarbon emission control systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to substrates coated with hydrocarbon adsorptive coating compositions and evaporative emission control systems for controlling evaporative emissions of hydrocarbons from motor vehicle engines and fuel systems. The hydrocarbon adsorptive coating compositions include particulate carbon having a BET surface area of at least about 1300 m.sup.2/g, and at least one of (i) a butane affinity of greater than 60% at 5% butane; (ii) a butane affinity of greater than 35% at 0.5% butane; (iii) a micropore volume greater than about 0.2 ml/g and a mesopore volume greater than about 0.5 ml/g.

An adsorbent composition contains molecular sieves, hydrated alumina and alumina. The adsorbent composition is particularly suitable for removing polar compounds from low-carbon olefins.

Methods for producing porous graphic carbon microspheres having improved separation properties over conventional porous graphitic carbons. The methods include dispersing a monovinyl aromatic monomer, a polyvinyl aromatic monomer, and an initiator in a solvent, contacting porous silica microspheres with the monomer dispersion for a time sufficient for the monomers to coat the porous silica microspheres, polymerizing the monomers to form copolymer coated microspheres, sulfonating the copolymer, pyrolyzing the sulfonated copolymer, digesting the carbon microspheres to dissolve the silica leaving porous carbon microspheres, pyrolyzing the porous carbon microspheres, and graphitizing the porous carbon microspheres to form porous graphitic carbon microspheres. Further provided are improved porous graphitic carbon microspheres and chromatography columns including the improved porous graphitic carbon microspheres described herein.

Disclosed in certain embodiments are adsorbents with improved mechanical properties for capturing heavy hydrocarbons during, for example, via thermal swing adsorption processes.

Immobilized diluents in a smoking article are provided, wherein diluents can be immobilized through absorption and/or adsorption of the diluents into immobilizing materials, such as sorbents like silica gels. By immobilizing diluents, the diluents can be available for vaporization, while still being protected from migration and/or loss of the diluents in a smoking article.

The present invention relates to granular functionalized silicas, wherein the Hg pore volume (<4 μm) is more than 0.80 ml/g, d.sub.Q3=10% is more than 400 μm, d.sub.Q3=90% is less than 3000 μm, the ratio of d.sub.50 without ultrasound exposure to d.sub.50 after 3 min of ultrasound exposure is <4.00 and the carbon content is 1.0-15.0% by weight. The inventive granular functionalized silicas can be used as a support material, especially as a support for enzymes.

Highly mesoporous activated carbon products are disclosed with mesoporosities characterized by mesopore volumes of 0.7 to 1.0 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. Also disclosed are activated carbon products characterized by a Molasses Number of about 500 to 1000 or greater. Also disclosed are activated carbon products characterized by a Tannin Value of about 100 to 35 or less. The activated carbon products may be further characterized by total pore volumes of at least 0.85 cubic centimeters per gram and BET surface areas of at least about 800 square meters per gram. The activated carbon product may be derived from a renewable feedstock.

Disclosed herein is a porous polymeric material having a repeating unit according to Formula (I) or (IV), wherein each of A and E has a π conjugated system and each of X and G contain a flexible tetraphenylethylene (TPE) group. Also disclosed herein are fluorescent chemical sensors or biosensors or environmental monitoring assays or nanosheets or composite materials that include the polymer, and a method of detecting a volatile organic chemical or a metal ion in solution phase. ##STR00001##

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.