A nickel-iron catalytic material, a preparation method thereof, and a use thereof in the hydrogen production through water electrolysis and the preparation of a liquid solar fuel (LSF) are provided. The nickel-iron catalytic material is prepared by using a soluble iron salt as a raw material and growing on a modified nickel substrate under mild conditions, and the nickel-iron catalytic material can be used in the industrial alkaline water electrolysis under harsh conditions. The nickel-iron catalytic material includes a nickel metal substrate and a catalytically-active layer with iron and nickel. When used to promote a water splitting reaction, the nickel-iron catalytic material can reduce the energy consumption per m.sup.3 of hydrogen production through industrial alkaline water electrolysis from 4.4 kWh to 4.01 kWh, thereby increasing the conversion of solar energy to methanol by 9.7%.

The present development is a method for the selective conversion of furfural to 2-methylfuran (2-MF) using a catalyst comprising non-toxic and non-noble metals and wherein the method requires relatively mild processing conditions. The catalyst comprises copper metal particles, used alone or in combination with cobalt, nickel, manganese, ruthenium, gallium, zinc, aluminum or a combination thereof, on a nanowire support. The catalyst is stable in liquid phase reactions and in the presence of water. The present development also includes a process for producing the catalyst.

A method of manufacturing a catalyst material includes the steps of: providing a body having an open-porous foam structure and comprising at least a first metal or alloy; providing particles, each of which particles comprising at least a second metal or alloy; distributing the particles on the body; forming a structural connection between each of at least a subset of the particles and the body; and forming an oxide film on at least the subset of the particles and the body, wherein the oxide film has a catalytically active surface.

A denitrification catalyst using ceramic nanotubes grown on a porous metal structure, including: a porous metal structure having a plurality of pores formed between metal supports such that exhaust gas penetrates through the pores in multiple directions; ceramic nanotubes grown on the porous metal structure through anodic oxidation; and an active material uniformly and highly dispersed as a nano-thin film layer on inner and outer surfaces of the ceramic nanotubes through a deposition or supporting process.

Provided is a method of producing a catalyst or adsorbent carrier and a catalyst or adsorbent carrier which can enhance a catalyst or adsorbent function, and prevent fall-off of catalyst particles or adsorbent particles. The surface of a metal base material made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy is subjected to an etching process using an etchant containing iron chloride and an oxide to convert the surface to an uneven and rough surface. The uneven and rough surface of the metal base material is subjected to an anodizing process to form a porous coating along the uneven and rough surface. A large number of catalyst or adsorbent particles are thus carried on the surface of the metal base material on which the porous coating is formed along the uneven and rough surface.

An object is to produce a titanium material with a crystalline titanium oxide film formed on the surface thereof. The titanium material with a crystalline titanium oxide film formed on the surface thereof is useful as a photocatalyst material, a photoelectric conversion element material, a wear-resistant member, an edible oil deterioration-preventing member, and the like that have high functionality.

Provided is a method for producing a titanium material with a crystalline titanium oxide film formed on the surface thereof, the method comprising: (1) performing roughening treatment on the surface of a titanium material to form a roughened material, (2) forming a titanium compound on the surface of the roughened material obtained in step (1), (3) performing anodizing treatment on the material with the titanium compound formed on the surface thereof to form an amorphous titanium oxide film, and (4) performing heat treatment on the material with the amorphous titanium oxide film formed on the surface thereof in an air atmosphere at a temperature of 300 C. or more to form a crystalline titanium oxide film.

Provided is a method of producing a catalyst or adsorbent carrier and a catalyst or adsorbent carrier which can enhance a catalyst or adsorbent function, and prevent fall-off of catalyst particles or adsorbent particles. The surface of a metal base material made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy is subjected to an etching process using an etchant containing iron chloride and an oxide to convert the surface to an uneven and rough surface. The uneven and rough surface of the metal base material is subjected to an anodizing process to form a porous coating along the uneven and rough surface. A large number of catalyst or adsorbent particles are thus carried on the surface of the metal base material on which the porous coating is formed along the uneven and rough surface.

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of exhaust catalysts. In particular, the process describes a way of coating a substrate in a manner which finally leads to reduced coating times.

Provided is a method of producing a catalyst or adsorbent carrier and a catalyst or adsorbent carrier which can enhance a catalyst or adsorbent function, and prevent fall-off of catalyst particles or adsorbent particles. The surface of a metal base material made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy is subjected to an etching process using an etchant containing iron chloride and an oxide to convert the surface to an uneven and rough surface. The uneven and rough surface of the metal base material is subjected to an anodizing process to form a porous coating along the uneven and rough surface. A large number of catalyst or adsorbent particles are thus carried on the surface of the metal base material on which the porous coating is formed along the uneven and rough surface.

Provided is a method forming a catalytic nanocoating on a surface of a metal plate, wherein the method comprises pretreating the surface of the metal plate by means of heat treatment at 500-800 C., forming a metaloxide support by washcoating on the surface of the metal plate, and coating the surface of the metal plate by depositing catalytically active metals and/or metaloxides on the metaloxide support by means of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method in order to form a thin and conformal catalyst layer on the metal plate. Further, the invention relates to a catalyst and a use.