Systems for reforming a feedstock comprising paraffins and naphthenes. A first reactor containing a first reforming catalyst is operable to maintain a temperature and pressure that facilitates conversion of naphthenes in the feedstock to aromatics while facilitating conversion of less than 50 wt. % of paraffins in the feedstock to olefins. A first separator receives and separates the first effluent that is produced in the first reactor to produce a first fraction enriched in aromatics and a second fraction enriched in paraffins. A second reactor containing a second reforming catalyst is operable to maintain a temperature and pressure that facilitates conversion of at least 50 wt. % of paraffins in the second fraction to olefins. The system is operable to produce a liquid hydrocarbon product suitable for use as a blend component of a liquid transportation fuel.

Provided are an intermetallic compound having high stability and high activity, and a catalyst using the same. A hydrogen storage/release material containing an intermetallic compound represented by formula (1): RTX . . . (1) wherein R represents a lanthanoid element, T represents a transition metal in period 4 or period 5 in the periodic table, and X represents Si, Al or Ge.

This invention provides a method for catalytic conversion of carbohydrates to low-carbon diols using alloy catalysts. In the process, carbohydrates as the feedstock are subjected to one-step catalytic conversion to realize the highly efficient and selective production of ethylene glycol etc. under hydrothermal conditions, with an alloy catalyst composed of tin, and a transition metal such as iron, cobalt, nickel, rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, iridium, platinum and copper, or a mixture thereof. The reaction is carried out in water at a temperature range of 120-300 C., with a hydrogen pressure range of 1-13 MPa. Compared with the present petroleum based synthesis technology of ethylene glycol, the method in this invention possesses advantages of using renewable feedstock, high atom economy and environmental friendly. Besides, compared with other technologies using biomass as feedstock to produce ethylene glycol, the alloy catalyst in this invention possesses the advantages of few leaching amount, good hydrothermal stability and easy to recycle.

Process for reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising paraffins and naphthenes. A hydrocarbon feedstock is separated to produce a first fraction enriched in naphthenes and a second fraction that is enriched in paraffins. The first fraction is contacted with a first reforming catalyst in a first reactor that is maintained at a temperature and pressure that facilitates conversion of naphthenes to aromatics. The second fraction is contacted with a second reforming catalyst in a second reactor at a temperature and pressure that converts at least 50 wt. % of paraffins in the second fraction to olefins. The process produces a liquid hydrocarbon reformate product suitable for use as a blend component of a liquid transportation fuel.

Disclosed is a direct synthesis method of nanostructured catalyst particles on surfaces of various supports. In the disclosed synthesis method of a catalyst structure having a plurality of nanostructured catalyst particles dispersed in a support by a one-step process using a high-temperature high-pressure closed reactor, the one-step process includes supplying the support and a catalyst source into the high-temperature high-pressure closed reactor; supplying an atmosphere forming gas of the reactor into the reactor; perfectly sealing the high-temperature high-pressure closed reactor and heating the reactor to produce the catalyst structure in the reactor under self-generated pressure and synthesis temperature conditions, the catalyst structure including the plurality of nanostructured catalyst particles dispersed in the support; removing internal gases of the reactor to allow the reactor to be in a high-temperature, atmospheric pressure state and supplying an inert gas into the reactor to remove unreacted materials and byproducts remaining in the reactor; and cooling the reactor to room temperature while supplying the inert gas to synthesize the catalyst structure.

Gamma-valerolactone is prepared from a levulinic acid ester in a continuous process where a stream of the levulinic acid ester together with a gaseous stream of a hydrogen-containing gas is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst, where the levulinic acid ester is in the liquid phase, and where the hydrogenation catalyst is a solid particulate catalyst including at least one hydrogenating metal, supported on an oxide carrier.

A supported catalyst used for synthesizing a polyether amine, and a manufacturing method of the catalyst. The catalyst comprises: a porous oxide as a support; Ni, Cu, Pd, and Rh as active components; and one or more of any of Zr, Cr, Mo, Fe, Zn, Sn, Bi, Ce, La, Hf, Sr, Sb, Mg, Be, Re, Ta, Ti, Sc, Ge and related metals as an auxiliary agent. The catalyst can be used in an amination reaction for a large molecular weight polyether polyol, and is particularly active and selective for an amination reaction of a low molecular weight polyether polyol. The catalyst has a simple and economic manufacturing technique and good potential for future applications.

Disclosed is a catalyst for desulfurization, including (a) an oxide selected from among SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, MgO, MnO, CaO, Na.sub.2O, K.sub.2O and P.sub.2O.sub.3, (b) a metal selected from among Li, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Sr, Cd and Pb, and (c) a liquid compound selected from among sodium tetraborate (Na.sub.2B.sub.4O.sub.7.10H.sub.2O), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium silicate (Na.sub.2SiO.sub.3) and hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2). The catalyst of the invention has a 2:1 type layered structure in which one octahedral layer is interposed between two tetrahedral layers and which has a net negative charge due to occupation of only two of three positively charged sites in the octahedral layer, and the catalyst for desulfurization is provided in the form of a metal chelate compound through chelation with a metal ion, whereby sulfur oxide (SO.sub.x) can be adsorbed and removed at high efficiency upon combustion of a combustible substance.

Processes for reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock by selectively reforming different sub-components or fractions of the feedstock using at least two compositionally-distinct reforming catalysts. Advantages may include a decreased rate of reforming catalyst deactivation and an increased yield of a liquid hydrocarbon reformate product that is characterized by at least one of an increased octane rating and a decreased vapor pressure (relative to conventional one-step reforming processes and systems).

Systems for reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock, where the system is operable to selectively reform different sub-components of the hydrocarbon feedstock using at least two structurally-distinct reforming catalysts. Advantages may include a decreased rate of reforming catalyst deactivation and an increased yield of a liquid hydrocarbon reformate product that is characterized by at least one of an increased octane rating and a decreased vapor pressure compared to the liquid hydrocarbon reformate product of conventional one-step reforming systems.