Compositions of manganese accumulating plants.

When the porous ceramic structure contains Co together with Fe or Mn, the Co content is higher than or equal to 0.1 mass % and lower than or equal to 3.0 mass % in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4, and when the porous ceramic structure contains Co without containing Fe and Mn, the Co content is higher than or equal to 0.2 mass % and lower than or equal to 6.0 mass % in terms of Co.sub.3O.sub.4. The Ce content is higher than or equal to 0.1 mass % and lower than or equal to 10 mass % in terms of CeO.sub.2. The Fe/Mn/Co ratio is higher than or equal to 0.8 and lower than or equal to 9.5. The porous ceramic structure contains more than or equal to 0.03 percent and less than or equal to 2.5 percent by mass of Zn in terms of ZnO.

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, particularly an MRI contrast agent derived from nanoparticle that is porous first metal-doped second metal oxide nanoparticle with a central cavity, and a method for producing the same. The MEI contrast agent made in accordance with the present invention can be used not only as a drug-delivery agent for therapy but also as an MRI contrast agent for diagnosis.

The present disclosure provides catalysts, comprising: copper; zinc; one or more first elements selected from iron, nickel, or cobalt; aluminum; oxygen; optionally, one or more second elements selected from a Group V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XI metal (e.g., manganese, silver, niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, ruthenium, or palladium); and optionally, one or more Group IA metals, and wherein the first element is present in an amount of about 1 to about 40 wt. % (e.g., about 1 to about 10 wt. %, about 25 to about 40 wt. %, about 30 to about 40 wt. %, or about 35 to about 40 wt. %) of the total amount of the copper, zinc, first element, the optional second element, and the optional Group IA metal, and methods of using said catalyst in the production of ethanol and higher alcohols from carbon dioxide.

Ceramic compositions with catalytic activity are provided, along with methods for using such catalytic ceramic compositions. The ceramic compositions correspond to compositions that can acquire increased catalytic activity by cyclic exposure of the ceramic composition to reducing and oxidizing environments at a sufficiently elevated temperature. The ceramic compositions can be beneficial for use as catalysts in reaction environments involving swings of temperature and/or pressure conditions, such as a reverse flow reaction environment. Based on cyclic exposure to oxidizing and reducing conditions, the surface of the ceramic composition can be converted from a substantially fully oxidized state to various states including at least some dopant metal particles supported on a structural oxide surface.

Processes for transforming an inert metal component into an active metal catalyst are provided. Apparatus and methods using active metal catalyst prepared according the process described herein are also provided.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to an oxygen-deficient mixed metal perovskite having the formula Sr.sub.xA.sub.1-xFe.sub.yB.sub.1-yO.sub.3-δ, wherein A can be Ca, K, Y, Ba, La, Sm, or any combination thereof; wherein B can be Co, Cu, Mn, Mg, Ni, Ti, or any combination thereof; wherein x is from 0 to 1; wherein y is from 0 to 1; and wherein δ is from 0 to 0.7. Also disclosed are redox catalysts comprising the oxygen-deficient mixed metal perovskites and methods for chemical looping air separation, chemical looping CO.sub.2 splitting, and chemical looping alkane conversion using the disclosed catalysts.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a solid material including manganese, the method including the following steps: a. bringing into contact an aqueous effluent including manganese, for example at least 5 mg/L, typically at least 5 to 50 mg/L, and preferably 7 to 25 mg/L of manganese, with an oxidizing agent, manganese, preferably at a temperature between 10° C. and 50° C., and obtaining an oxidized aqueous solution; b. adding a base to the oxidized aqueous solution obtained at the end of step a) until a pH of between 8 and 12, preferably greater than 9, and preferably from 9 to 10.5, and obtaining a solution including a precipitate; c. filtration of the solution obtained at the end of step b); and d. obtaining a solid material including manganese, and especially manganese (IV) and/or Mn (III).

A system and method of pre-purification of a feed gas stream is provided that is particularly suitable for pre-purification of a feed air stream in cryogenic air separation unit. The disclosed pre-purification systems and methods are configured to remove substantially all of the hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water, and carbon dioxide impurities from a feed air stream and is particularly suitable for use in a high purity or ultra-high purity nitrogen plant. The pre-purification systems and methods preferably employ two or more separate layers of hopcalite catalyst with the successive layers of the hopcalite separated by a zeolite adsorbent layer that removes water and carbon dioxide produced in the hopcalite layers.

A method of preparing a calcined hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation catalyst includes mixing a copper-containing material, manganese-containing material, sodium aluminate, and water to obtain an aqueous slurry; contacting the aqueous slurry with a caustic material to form a precipitate in a caustic aqueous slurry; removing the precipitate from the caustic aqueous slurry; and removing residual water from the precipitate to form a dried precipitate; calcining the dried precipitate to form the calcined hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation catalyst exhibiting a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (“BET”) surface area of about 5 m.sup.2/g to about 75 m.sup.2/g. The calcined hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation catalyst may include a spinel structure crystallite size of about 15 nm or less. The calcined hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation catalyst may include a tenorite crystallite size of about 20 nm to 30 nm.