The present invention relates to the use of mesoporous graphitic particles having a loading of sintering-stable metal nanoparticles for fuel cells and further electrochemical applications, for example as constituent of layers in electrodes of fuel cells and batteries.

A metal complex represented by the following Formula (1):

##STR00001##

(wherein M represents palladium or platinum; L represents a ligand selected from carbon monoxide, an olefin compound, an amine compound, a phosphine compound, an N-heterocyclic carbene compound, a nitrile compound and an isocyanide compound; n represents an integer of 0 to 2 showing the number of the ligand; and each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 represents an organic group). The metal complex described above can be fixed on an inorganic oxide while maintaining a skeletal structure thereof to obtain a supported metal complex, and this makes it possible to allow the supported metal complex to maintain the same catalytic activity as that of the original metal complex.

Also, calcining the supported metal complex obtained in the manner described above makes it possible to obtain a supported metal catalyst which is improved in catalytic activity to a greater extent than conventional supported metal catalysts.

A cold start catalyst is disclosed. The cold start catalyst comprises a zeolite catalyst and a supported platinum group metal catalyst. The zeolite catalyst comprises a base metal, a noble metal, and a zeolite. The supported platinum group metal catalyst comprises one or more platinum group metals and one or more inorganic oxide carriers. The invention also includes an exhaust system comprising the cold start catalyst. The cold start catalyst and the process result in improved NO.sub.x storage and NO.sub.x conversion, improved hydrocarbon storage and conversion, and improved CO oxidation through the cold start period.

A metal complex represented by the following Formula (1): ##STR00001##
(wherein M represents palladium or platinum; L represents a ligand selected from carbon monoxide, an olefin compound, an amine compound, a phosphine compound, an N-heterocyclic carbene compound, a nitrile compound and an isocyanide compound; n represents an integer of 0 to 2 showing the number of the ligand; and each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 represents an organic group). The metal complex described above can be fixed on an inorganic oxide while maintaining a skeletal structure thereof to obtain a supported metal complex, which makes it possible to allow the supported metal complex to maintain the same catalytic activity as that of the original metal complex. Also, calcining the supported metal complex obtained in the manner described above makes it possible to obtain a supported metal catalyst improved in catalytic activity to a greater extent than conventional supported metal catalysts.

The present invention provides an adsorbent catalytic nanoparticle including a mesoporous silica nanoparticle having at least one adsorbent functional group bound thereto. The adsorbent catalytic nanoparticle also includes at least one catalytic material. In various embodiments, the present invention provides methods of using and making the adsorbent catalytic nanoparticles. In some examples, the adsorbent catalytic nanoparticles can be used to selectively remove fatty acids from feedstocks for biodiesel, and to hydrotreat the separated fatty acids.

In a process for producing methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds, a feed comprising at least one aromatic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylene and mixtures thereof is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluenes and/or (dimethylcyclohexyl)xylenes together with dialkylated C.sub.21+ compounds. At least part of the dialkylated C.sub.21+ compounds is then removed from the hydroalkylation reaction product to produce a dehydrogenation feed; and at least part of the dehydrogenation feed is dehydrogenated in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising a mixture of methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds.

The present invention relates to a composite catalyst, and to a composite catalyst comprising: a porous support comprising mesopores; and gold nanoparticles impregnated in the pores of the porous support, wherein the radial distribution function obtained by Fourier transform of an extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectrum satisfies the following relation 1. [Relation 1] (DH2/DH1)<0.3 In relation 1, DH1 is the height of the peak at interatomic distance D1, DH2 is the height of the peak at interatomic distance D2, and D1 and D2 satisfy the following relations 2 and 3. [Relation 2] 0.8(D1/D3)0.95 [Relation 3] 0.6(D2/D3)0.7 In relations 2 and 3, D3 means the interatomic distance of an AuAu bond in the bulk phase, which is present at 2.8-3.0 .