The present invention relates to novel sulfur-doped carbonaceous porous materials. The present invention also relates to processes for the preparation of these materials and to the use of these materials in applications such as gas adsorption, mercury and gold capture, gas storage and as catalysts or catalyst supports.

The invention relates to a method to produce a particulate activated carbon material for capturing CO.sub.2 from air, wherein the particulate activated carbon is impregnated with alkali carbonate salt such as K.sub.2CO.sub.3; and wherein the impregnated particulate activated carbon either has, determined using nitrogen adsorption methods, a pore volume of at least 0.10 cm.sup.3/g for pore sizes of at least 5 nm and a pore volume of at most 0.30 cm.sup.3/g for pore sizes of less than 2 nm or is based on a mixture of different alkali carbonate salts, or has a particular pore surface for pore sizes in the range of 2 nm-50 nm.

A process for the efficient transfer of molecules between phases employing mesoporous poly (aryl ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes is provided. The method addresses the controlled transfer of reactants into and removal of reaction products from a reaction media and the removal and separation of target molecules from process streams by membrane-assisted liquid-liquid extraction. A number of possible modes of liquid-liquid extraction are possible according to the invention by utilizing porous poly (aryl ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes of Janus-like structure that exhibit a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface characteristics. The method of the present invention can address the continuous manufacture of chemicals in membrane reactors and is useful for a broad range of separation applications, including separation and recovery of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

A composite material of polyurethane foam having a layer of reduced graphene oxide and polystyrene is described. This composite material may be made by contacting a polyurethane foam with a suspension of reduced graphene oxide, drying, and then irradiating in the presence of styrene vapor. The composite material has a hydrophobic surface that may be exploited for separating a nonpolar phase, such as oil, from an aqueous solution.

Provided herein are methods of making an adsorbent bed useful as a micro-reactor, or a catalytic and/or separation device. The adsorbent bed comprises a metal-organic framework composite. In the present methods, one or more metal-organic frameworks in powder form are mixed in a liquid to produce a metal-organic framework suspension or other type of metal-organic framework coating. A monolith is coated with the suspension or coating to provide the metal-organic framework composite having at least one metal-organic framework coating layer deposited on and bounded to the monolith. The metal-organic framework composite produced has a BET surface area of about 1 m.sup.2/g to about 300 m.sup.2/g and/or a comparative BET surface area of about 40% to about 100% relative to the metal-organic framework monolith, and pore size between about 1 nm and about 50 nm.

A lithium ion adsorbent includes a material having a chemical formula of LiCl.2Al(OH).sub.3.nH.sub.2O. n is an integer from 1 to 3, a specific surface area of the lithium ion adsorbent is 20-36 m.sup.2/g, an average pore diameter of the lithium ion adsorbent is 20-35 nm, a total pore volume of the lithium ion adsorbent is 0.15-0.32 mL/g, a D10 of the lithium ion adsorbent is 3-12 μm, a D50 of the lithium ion adsorbent is 12-22 μm, and a D90 of the lithium ion adsorbent is 20-40 μm.

Disclosed are methods for critical point drying a composite material. After exposing the composite material to a supercritical fluid, the composite material dries as the supercritical fluid evaporates with reduced pressure. The composite materials are useful as chromatographic separation media.

Metal Organic Framework (MOF) materials and methods of making MOF materials. The methods include grinding of mixtures of metal hydroxide(s) and ligand(s). The MOF materials may have at least two different ligands. The MOF materials may have open metal sites. The MOF materials can be used in gas storage applications.

Magnetic nanoparticle coated porous materials for recovering a contaminant from contaminated water are provided. In embodiments, such a material comprises a porous substrate having a solid matrix defining a plurality of pores distributed through the solid matrix and further comprising a coating comprising magnetic nanoparticles on surfaces of the solid matrix.

A coated substrate (2a, 2b) adapted for hydrocarbon adsorption having at least one surface, and a coating on the at least one surface, the coating comprising particulate carbon and a binder, wherein the particulate carbon has 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. A bleed emission scrubber (1) and an evaporative emission control canister system (30) comprising the coated substrate (2a, 2b) are provided. They can control evaporative hydrocarbon emissions and may provide low diurnal breathing loss (DBL) emissions even under a low purge condition.