Provided are superabsorbent materials composed of one or more water-soluble polysaccharides, such as gelling polysaccharides and gelling-compatible polysaccharides, and one or more insoluble fibers. The disclosed superabsorbent materials have a porous network structure and highly stable gelling properties as well as high absorption ratio and volume expansion capacity upon hydration or rehydration. Also provided are methods for preparing such superabsorbent materials and uses thereof.

Disclosed are compositions for use in the simultaneous removal of endotoxins from dialysate and uremic solutes from blood during the treatment of patients. The treatment is selected from the group consisting of hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration. The compositions comprise sorbent particles embedded in a membrane comprising a polymer and a hydrophilic additive.

Provided are superabsorbent materials composed of one or more water-soluble polysaccharides, such as gelling polysaccharides and gelling-compatible polysaccharides, and one or more insoluble fibers. The disclosed superabsorbent materials have a porous network structure and highly stable gelling properties as well as high absorption ratio and volume expansion capacity upon hydration or rehydration. Also provided are methods for preparing such superabsorbent materials and uses thereof.

A honeycomb structure comprising a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having a porous partition wall disposed so as to surround a plurality of cells, wherein let that A denotes an absolute value of open frontal area (%) in a plane of the honeycomb structure body orthogonal to the extending direction of the cells and P denotes an absolute value of porosity (%) of the partition wall, the honeycomb structure has a value represented by the following expression (1) that is 0.05 to 0.12, let that D denotes an average pore diameter (m) of the partition wall and G denotes a geometric surface area (mm.sup.2/mm.sup.3) of the partition wall, the honeycomb structure has a value represented by the following expression (2) that is 8 to 50 (μm×mm.sup.2/mm.sup.3), and the honeycomb structure has a hydraulic diameter of the cells that is 1.1 mm or more,

(1−A/100)×(1−P/100),  Expression (1)

D×G.  Expression (2)

A carbon dioxide adsorbent including a hierarchical zeolite. The hierarchical zeolite defines micropores having a pore width between about 0.4 nm and about 2 nm, and at least one of: mesopores having a pore width between about 2 nm and about 50 nm; and macropores having a pore width greater than about 50 nm.

A method for selective removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from oils obtained as a result of petroleum processing, including two separate processes: filtration through a porous carbon-containing bed comprising and filtration through microfiltration membranes. The method is particularly useful for purifying oils selected from unconverted oils obtained in hydrocracking processes, products of further processing of these oils, engine oil and used engine oil.

An adsorbent composition comprises a bismuth material, a promoter and optionally a support. The adsorbent composition is suitable for adsorbing an arsenic material, such as arsine, from a process stream.

An agent for removing a halogen gas, such as chlorine, in a waste gas by means of reduction; a method for producing this agent; a method for removing a halogen gas by use of this agent; and a system for removing a halogen gas. The agent for removing the halogen gas contains at least pseudo-boehmite, that serves as a host material, and a sulfur-containing reducing agent, that serves as a guest material. 1-8% by weight of the reducing agent, in terms of elemental sulfur, based on the total amount of the pseudo-boehmite and sulfur-containing reducing agent is present in the agent. At least one inorganic compound selected from among oxides, carbonates salts and hydrocarbon salts of alkaline earth metal elements, transition metal elements and zinc group elements is additionally contained in the agent as a third component.

An acid gas adsorbent that reversibly adsorbs an acid gas contained in a gas to be processed includes: metal oxide porous material particles; and an acid gas adsorbing agent with which the porous material particles are impregnated. Each of the porous material particles has binary pores including: a mesopore having a pore diameter in a nanometer region of 2 nm or more and 200 nm or less; and a macropore having a pore diameter in a micrometer region of more than 0.2 μm. The macropore is an empty pore, and the mesopore is filled with the acid gas adsorbing agent.

A composite of polyurethane foam grafted with carbon nanofibers is described. This composite foam may be made by contacting and drying a polyurethane foam with a suspension of carbon nanofibers and then drying. Additional carbon nanofiber layers may be added with repeated contacting. The composite film has a high surface area of 276 m.sup.2/g and a hydrophobic character that may be exploited for separating an oil phase from water.