The invention is directed to a process to prepare metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles by applying a cathodic potential as an alternating current (ac) voltage to a solid starting metal object which solid metal object is in contact with a liquid electrolyte comprising a stabilising cation. The invention is also directed to the use of the nanoparticles as a catalyst.

Graphene layers made of primarily sp2 bonded atoms and associated methods are disclosed. In one aspect, for example, a method of forming a graphite film can include heating a solid substrate under vacuum to a solubilizing temperature that is less than a melting point of the solid substrate, solubilizing carbon atoms from a graphite source into the heated solid substrate, and cooling the heated solid substrate at a rate sufficient to form a graphite film from the solubilized carbon atoms on at least one surface of the solid substrate. The graphite film is formed to be substantially free of lattice defects.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing optically active carbonyl compound, comprising the following steps: under the catalysis of chiral amine salt and transition metal catalysts, with hydrogen and catalytic amount of dihydropyridine compound as hydrogen source, use , -unsaturated aldehydes or , -unsaturated troponoid compounds to conduct asymmetric catalytic reaction to obtain the optically active carbonyl compound. This method comes in moderate reaction condition, simple operation, and catalytic amount of dihydropyridine compounds usage, the target product is easy to be separated and purified from the reaction system, and the metal catalyst can be recycled, it is economical.

A process for vapor-phase carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate, whereby a feed gas containing methanol, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen is passed through a reactor loaded with a supported nano-scaled platinum group metal heterogeneous catalyst to produce methyl formate by a vapor-phase carbonylation reaction, under reaction conditions with a space velocity of 500-5000 h.sup.1, a temperature of 50-150 C. and a pressure of 0.01-2 MPa. Supported nano-scaled platinum group metal heterogeneous catalysts are prepared via ultrasonic dispersion and calcination. Methyl formate is produced and isolated under relatively mild conditions.

Provided herein are systems, methods, and compositions for bioluminescence-triggered photocatalytic activation of molecular entities in a proximity-dependent manner, which can be actuated within biological systems. In particular, provided herein are bioluminescent proteins or complexes, luminophore substrates thereof, photocatalysts, and activatable molecular entities incorporating light-responsive moieties that restrict their activity; systems thereof; and methods for catalytically activating the activatable molecular entities via bioluminescence-triggered catalysis.

An improved platinum and method for manufacturing the improved platinum wherein the platinum having a fractal surface coating of platinum, platinum gray, with a increase in surface area of at least 5 times when compared to shiny platinum of the same geometry and also having improved resistance to physical stress when compared to platinum black having the same surface area. The process of electroplating the surface coating of platinum gray comprising plating at a moderate rate, for example at a rate that is faster than the rate necessary to produce shiny platinum and that is less than the rate necessary to produce platinum black. Platinum gray is applied to manufacture a fuel cell and a catalyst.

A hydrofluoroolefin is produced by reacting a chlorofluoroolefin with hydrogen in the presence of a platinum group metal catalyst supported on a carbon carrier to obtain a hydrofluoroolefin. The chlorofluoroolefin is represented by formula (1): CZXCClY, where X is F or Cl, Y is F, Cl or H, and Z is F or CF.sub.3. The hydrofluoroolefin is represented by formula (2): CZX CHY, where X is F when X is F, or X is H when X is Cl, Y is F when Y is F, or Y is H when Y is Cl or H, and Z is the same as Z in the formula (1). The carbon carrier has acidic functional groups, and the total acidic functional group amount in the carbon carrier is at most 50 mol/g.

Methods and compositions for producing 1-butanol are described herein. In some examples, the methods can comprise, contacting a reactant comprising ethanol with a catalyst system, thereby producing a product comprising 1-butanol. The catalyst system can comprise, for example, an iridium catalyst and a nickel, copper, and/or zinc catalyst. The nickel, copper, and zinc catalysts can comprise nickel, copper, and/or zinc and a sterically bulky ligand.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a catalyst for exhaust gas removal having excellent heat tolerance and purification performance within a wide range of atmospheres and a catalyst obtained by the production method. The present invention relates to a method for supporting catalyst metal particles, comprising: (a) adding an iridium precursor and a palladium precursor to a solvent containing at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, and ethylene glycol; (b) adding a reducing agent to the obtained catalyst metal colloid; (c) obtaining a concentrated solution containing catalyst metal particles by subjecting the obtained solution to heat reflux; and (d) supporting the catalyst metal particles on a carrier, wherein the iridium content of the catalyst metal particles accounts for 3% to 10% by mass of the total mass of iridium and palladium.

The present disclosure provides improved films/coatings (e.g., catalyst films/coatings), and improved assemblies/methods for fabricating such films/coatings. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous assemblies/methods for fabricating or synthesizing catalytic material (e.g., catalytic nanostructures) in flame and depositing the catalytic material onto substrates. The present disclosure provides improved catalytic nanostructures, and improved assemblies and methods for their manufacture. In exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides for methods/assemblies for synthesizing electrocatalytic nanostructures in flame and depositing such material or catalyst onto different substrates or supports. As such, the present disclosure provides advantageous assemblies that are configured and dimensioned to deposit fully dense, controlled porosity films (e.g., films of metals and oxides or core-shell particles) onto different substrates.