The present invention addresses the problem and purpose of providing a honeycomb structure that has a sufficiently high strength and is excellent in endurance, and a catalyst for cleaning an exhaust gas using the same that is excellent in resistance to sulfur oxide (SOX). The honeycomb structure of the present invention is one consists of a flat inorganic fiber sheet comprising an inorganic fiber sheet having supported thereon an inorganic binder and zeolite, and a corrugated inorganic fiber sheet comprising an inorganic fiber sheet having supported thereon the same inorganic binder and zeolite, which are alternately combined with each other, wherein it is characterized in that the zeolite has a particle diameter (i.e., a median particle diameter, D50) of from 0.5 to 10.0 ?m.

The present invention addresses the problem and purpose of providing a honeycomb structure that has a sufficiently high strength and is excellent in endurance, and a catalyst for cleaning an exhaust gas using the same that is excellent in resistance to sulfur oxide (SOX). The honeycomb structure of the present invention is one consists of a flat inorganic fiber sheet comprising an inorganic fiber sheet having supported thereon an inorganic binder and zeolite, and a corrugated inorganic fiber sheet comprising an inorganic fiber sheet having supported thereon the same inorganic binder and zeolite, which are alternately combined with each other, wherein it is characterized in that the zeolite has a particle diameter (i.e., a median particle diameter, D50) of from 0.5 to 10.0 ?m.

Cluster-supporting catalyst having an improved heat resistivity, and method for producing the same are provided. The cluster-supporting catalyst includes boron-substitute zeolite particles, and catalyst metal clusters supported within the pores of the boron-substitute zeolite particles. The method for producing a cluster-supporting catalyst, includes the following steps: providing a dispersion liquid containing a dispersion medium and boron-substitute zeolite particles dispersed in the dispersion medium; and in the dispersion liquid, forming catalyst metal clusters having a positive charge, and supporting the catalyst metal clusters on the acid sites within the pores of the boron-substitute zeolite particles through an electrostatic interaction.

Hydrocarbon (HC) traps are disclosed. The HC trap may include a first zeolite material having an average pore diameter of at least 5.0 angstroms and configured to trap hydrocarbons from an exhaust stream and to release at least a portion of the trapped hydrocarbons at a temperature of at least 225 C. The HC trap may also include a second zeolite material having an average pore diameter of less than 5.0 angstroms or larger than 7.0 angstroms. One or both of the zeolite materials may include metal ions, such as transition, Group 1A, or platinum group metals. The HC trap may include two or more discrete layers of zeolite materials or the two or more zeolite materials may be mixed. The multiple zeolite HC trap may form coke molecules having a relatively low combustion temperature, such as below 500 C.

Hydrocarbon (HC) traps are disclosed. The HC trap may include a first zeolite material having an average pore diameter of at least 5.0 angstroms and configured to trap hydrocarbons from an exhaust stream and to release at least a portion of the trapped hydrocarbons at a temperature of at least 225 C. The HC trap may also include a second zeolite material having an average pore diameter of less than 5.0 angstroms or larger than 7.0 angstroms. One or both of the zeolite materials may include metal ions, such as transition, Group 1A, or platinum group metals. The HC trap may include two or more discrete layers of zeolite materials or the two or more zeolite materials may be mixed. The multiple zeolite HC trap may form coke molecules having a relatively low combustion temperature, such as below 500 C.

The invention relates to the production of aromatic hydrocarbon by the conversion of a feed comprising C.sub.2+ non-aromatic hydrocarbon, e.g., natural gas. The invention is particularly useful in converting natural gas to liquid-phase aromatic hydrocarbon, which can be more easily transported away from remote natural gas production facilities. The conversion is carried out in the presence of a dehydrocyclization catalyst comprising dehydrogenation and molecular sieve components. The dehydrocyclization catalyst has an average residence time of 90 seconds or less.

To provide a functional structural body that can realize a long life time by suppressing the decline in function of the functional substance and that can attempt to save resources without requiring a complicated replacement operation, and to provide a method for making the functional structural body. The functional structural body (1) includes a skeletal body (10) of a porous structure composed of a zeolite-type compound, and at least one functional substance (20) present in the skeletal body (10), the skeletal body (10) has channels (11) connecting with each other, and the functional substance is present at least in the channels (11) of the skeletal body (10).

To provide a functional structural body that can realize a long life time by suppressing the decline in function of the functional substance and that can attempt to save resources without requiring a complicated replacement operation, and to provide a method for making the functional structural body. The functional structural body (1) includes a skeletal body (10) of a porous structure composed of a zeolite-type compound, and at least one functional substance (20) present in the skeletal body (10), the skeletal body (10) has channels (11) connecting with each other, and the functional substance is present at least in the channels (11) of the skeletal body (10).

A method for converting an alcohol to a hydrocarbon, the method comprising contacting said alcohol with a metal-loaded zeolite catalyst at a temperature of at least 100 C. and up to 550 C., wherein said alcohol can be produced by a fermentation process, said metal is a positively-charged metal ion, and said metal-loaded zeolite catalyst is catalytically active for converting said alcohol to said hydrocarbon.

A method for converting an alcohol to a hydrocarbon, the method comprising contacting said alcohol with a metal-loaded zeolite catalyst at a temperature of at least 100 C. and up to 550 C., wherein said alcohol can be produced by a fermentation process, said metal is a positively-charged metal ion, and said metal-loaded zeolite catalyst is catalytically active for converting said alcohol to said hydrocarbon.