There is disclosed a relatively simple method to increase the performance of surface localised multi-valent affinity ligands whose target's isoelectric pH differs significantly from the ligand's optimal target-binding pH. This situation can result in ligand binding of target affecting local pH and subsequent binding of more target. Increasing the buffering capacity of the ligand via recombinant or other addition of charge groups to the ligand is expected to partially offset such effects, leading to enhanced binding capacity as well as possible secondary favourable alterations in regard to ligand elution pH, and non-specific surface binding of non-target proteins.

A composition for making composite adsorbents from a mixture of geopolymer, zeolite and activated carbon wherein a geopolymer material, a carbonaceous material, and an alkali activating agent are the components of the mixture. The alkali activating agent to carbonaceous material solid mass ratio is at least 0.25:1, respectively. A process for producing shaped composite adsorbents from the composition is done using conventional means such as mixing, shaping, extrusion and other methods. Alkali activation is used to convert the carbonaceous material to activated carbon, followed by hydrothermal treatment to convert the geopolymer material to zeolites. Shaped composite adsorbents fabricated from the composition of the instant invention are used for adsorption, purification, or other separation applications of liquids and gases.

The present invention relates, in general terms, to methods of forming activated carbon. The method of forming activated carbon comprises mixing carbon black with an activation catalyst and heating the carbon black in order to form the activated carbon. The present invention also relates to applications of activated carbon as disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the activation catalyst is selected from ammonium persulfate, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate or a combination thereof.

A chiral stationary phase comprises a porous framework material and biomolecules. The porous framework material includes one of the metal-organic framework (MOF) material, the covalent organic framework (COF) material and the hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) material. The biomolecules are biological chiral resolving agents. A pore size of the porous framework material is 0.2-15 nm. The porous framework material serves as a solid carrier. The biomolecules are loaded into the porous framework material. The porous framework material is modified with one or more of carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino, aldehyde, double bonds and mercapto groups.

A method of producing a functionalized material that extracts metal ions from solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a precursor material having nitrile groups appended to its surface; and (ii) reacting said nitrile groups with hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature of 60-80° C. for at least 1 hour, to convert at least a portion of said nitrile groups to amidoxime and imide dioxime groups, followed by reaction with a base capable of hydrolyzing any remaining nitrile groups to carboxylic acid groups; wherein said functionalized material has a higher uranium absorption capacity than a functionalized material produced under same conditions except that the nitrile groups are reacted with hydroxylamine in only a protic solvent. The invention is also directed to functionalized materials produced by the above-described method, and methods for using the functionalized material for extracting metal ions from metal-containing solutions.

A method is for preparing acrylic acid from β-propiolactone and for using β-propiolactone. The process is based on a specific reactivity of β-propiolactone whereby acrylic acid is formed under operating conditions that are mild, especially in terms of temperature.

Methods that include providing and reacting a solid support and an alkali-stable ligand derived from an immunoglobulin-binding bacterial protein to form a separation matrix having covalently coupled alkali-stable ligands; and washing with a wash solution comprising at least 10 mM of an alkali metal hydroxide.

A fiber is provided as a substrate for a functional nanostructure (coated fiber), composed of (a) a fiber substrate; (b) a reactive dye conjugating moiety covalently bound to the fiber substrate; (c) a bonding agent covalently bound to the reactive dye conjugating moiety; and (d) the functional nanostructure bound to the bonding agent. A method of making the coated fiber is also provided, involving the following steps in any order: covalently binding the reactive dye conjugating moiety to the fiber; covalently binding a bonding agent to the reactive dye conjugating moiety; and binding the functional nanostructure to the bonding agent. The nanostructures are tenaciously attached to the fibers, resisting very rough treatments, and can be made using inexpensive and widely available reactive dyes under non-stringent synthesis conditions.

The present invention provides a separation material comprising porous polymer particles that comprise a styrene-based monomer as a monomer unit; and a coating layer that comprises a macromolecule having hydroxyl groups and covers at least a portion of the surface of the porous polymer particles, wherein the rupture strength is 10 mN or higher.

A filtration device for an air purification appliance includes a first filtering cartridge structure containing a classic absorbent or adsorbent material selected from activated carbon or zeolite and a second, different filtering cartridge structure holding a filtering medium consisting of a specific adsorbent material which is porous and functionalized with at least one probe molecule in such a way as to trap aldehyde-type chemical contaminants.