In accordance with one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts, a porous ceramic structure includes a three-dimensional printed structure having predefined features, where the three-dimensional structure has a geometric shape. The average length of the features may be at least 10 microns. The three-dimensional structure includes a ceramic material having an open cell structure with a plurality of pores, where the pores form continuous channels through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material.

The present invention provides novel chromatographic materials, e.g., for chromatographic separations, processes for their preparation and separations devices containing the chromatographic materials. The preparation of the inorganic/organic hybrid materials of the invention wherein a surrounding material is condensed on a superficially porous hybrid core material will allow for families of different hybrid packing materials to be prepared from a single core hybrid material. Differences in hydrophobicity, ion-exchange capacity, chemical stability, surface charge or silanol activity of the surrounding material may be used for unique chromatographic separations of small molecules, carbohydrates, antibodies, whole proteins, peptides, and/or DNA.

The present disclosure relates to methods for harvesting microalgae and to porous superabsorbent polymeric materials useful in such processes.

A column for removal of a component from a fluid is disclosed. The column has a compartment with a cross sectional area. The compartment contains beads having a diameter. A ligand selected to bind to the component is coupled to the beads. The cross-sectional area and bead diameter are selected to maintain a flow velocity of the fluid within the compartment below a first threshold, thereby reducing leaching of the ligand into the fluid. Also described herein is an adsorbent comprising a ligand that is attached to a substrate by an amine bond, wherein the ligand is resistant to dissociation from the substrate.

A method for separating N.sub.2 from a hydrocarbon gas mixture containing N.sub.2 comprising the steps of: i) providing a bed of adsorbent selective for N.sub.2; (ii) passing the hydrocarbon gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent to at least partially remove N.sub.2 from the gas mixture to produce: (a) N.sub.2-loaded adsorbent and (b) N.sub.2-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iii) recovering the N.sub.2-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iv) regenerating the N.sub.2-loaded adsorbent by at least partially removing N.sub.2 from the adsorbent; and v) sequentially repeating steps (ii) and (iii) using regenerated adsorbent from step (iv); wherein the adsorbent comprises a pyrolized sulfonated macroporous ion exchange resin.

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.

An air-permeable filter material that includes a polymeric aerogel having a polymeric matrix comprising an open-cell structure is disclosed. The air-permeable filter material can be included in a mask, which can be configured to be placed over a user's mouth and/or nose. The mask can include at least one layer of the air-permeable filter material and is positioned such that inhaled and/or exhaled air of the user passes through the filter material.

The present disclosure provides a macroporous noble metal catalyst and processes employing such catalysts for the regeneration of deactivated ionic liquid catalyst containing conjunct polymer.

A lithium adsorbent includes an aluminum-based adsorbing material, a binder, and a wetting and dispersing agent. The binder includes at least one of a vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene (VDF-CTFE) copolymer and a fluoroolefin-vinyl ether copolymer. The wetting and dispersing agent includes one or more of polyethylene glycol, sodium polyacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, and formaldehyde condensate.

A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, natural glass, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 3 to 20 darcys. A composite filter aid may include diatomaceous earth, perlite, and a precipitated silica binder, wherein the filter aid has an alpha density less than 15 lbs/ft.sup.3. A method for making a composite material may include blending diatomaceous earth and perlite, adding alkali silicate to the blended diatomaceous earth and perlite, and precipitating the alkali silicate as a binder to make the composite material. A method for filtering a beverage may include using a composite filter aid and/or composite material.