A catalyst precursor, suitable for use after reduction as a water-gas shift catalyst, is described, which is in the form of a pellet comprising one or more oxides of iron, wherein the catalyst precursor has a pore volume 0.30 cm.sup.3/g and an average pore size in the range 60 to 140 nm The precursor may be prepared by calcination of precipitated iron compounds at temperatures in the range 400-700 C.

A composition and method for creating silicon nanowires or silicon nano-plates is presented, the composition comprising: Potassium Hydroxide (KOH), at least one catalyst, Sodium Metal Siliconate (Na.sub.2SiO.sub.2), and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA), which act as a first chelating agent.

A reactor system for aromatization of higher hydrocarbons within a given temperature range T upon bringing a reactant stream including higher hydrocarbons into contact with a catalytic mixture. The reactor system includes a reactor unit arranged to accommodate a catalytic mixture. The catalytic mixture includes a catalyst material and a ferromagnetic material. The catalyst material is arranged to catalyze the aromatization of higher hydrocarbons. The ferromagnetic material is ferromagnetic at least at temperatures up to an upper limit of the given temperature range T, where the temperature range T is the range from between about 400 C. and about 700 C. or a subrange thereof. The reactor system also includes an induction coil arranged to be powered by a power source supplying alternating current, whereby the ferromagnetic material is heated to a temperature within the temperature range T by means of an alternating magnetic field.

Use of diverse biomass feedstock in a process for the recovery of target C5 and C6 alditols and target glycols via staged hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis processes is disclosed. Particular alditols of interest include, but are not limited to, xylitol and sorbitol. Various embodiments of the present invention synergistically improve overall recovery of target alditols and/or glycols from a mixed C5/C6 sugar stream without needlessly driving total recovery of the individual target alditols and/or glycols. The result is a highly efficient, low complexity process having enhanced production flexibility, reduced waste and greater overall yield than conventional processes directed to alditol or glycol production.

A photocatalytic member comprises a base and a photocatalytic layer fixed on the base. The photocatalytic layer comprises first photocatalyst particles being visible light responsive photocatalyst particles for hydrogen generation, second photocatalyst particles being visible light responsive photocatalyst particles for oxygen generation, and conductive particles which are provided between the first photocatalyst particle and the second photocatalyst particle, have Fermi level at a negative position relative to an electronic energy level at the upper end of the valence band of the first photocatalyst particle and at a positive position relative to an electronic energy level at the bottom end of the conduction band of the second photocatalyst particle, and are able to store an electron and a hole. In the photocatalytic layer, the conductive particles are located to be coupled to both the first photocatalyst particles and the second photocatalyst particles.

A photocatalytic member comprises a base and a photocatalytic layer fixed on the base. The photocatalytic layer comprises first photocatalyst particles being visible light responsive photocatalyst particles for hydrogen generation, second photocatalyst particles being visible light responsive photocatalyst particles for oxygen generation, and conductive particles which are provided between the first photocatalyst particle and the second photocatalyst particle, have Fermi level at a negative position relative to an electronic energy level at the upper end of the valence band of the first photocatalyst particle and at a positive position relative to an electronic energy level at the bottom end of the conduction band of the second photocatalyst particle, and are able to store an electron and a hole. In the photocatalytic layer, the conductive particles are located to be coupled to both the first photocatalyst particles and the second photocatalyst particles.

A method of preparing butadiene that includes supplying butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam into a reactor filled with a metal oxide catalyst, and performing an oxidative dehydrogenation reaction at a temperature of 300 to 450 C. as a reaction step; after the reaction step, maintaining supplying the butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam within a range within which the flow rate change of the butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam is less than 40%, or stopping supplying the butene, and cooling the reactor to a temperature range of 200 C. or lower and higher than 70 C. as a first cooling step; and after the first cooling step, stopping supplying the butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam or stopping at least supplying the butene, and cooling the reactor to a temperature of 70 C. or lower as a second cooling step.

A method of preparing butadiene that includes supplying butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam into a reactor filled with a metal oxide catalyst, and performing an oxidative dehydrogenation reaction at a temperature of 300 to 450 C. as a reaction step; after the reaction step, maintaining supplying the butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam within a range within which the flow rate change of the butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam is less than 40%, or stopping supplying the butene, and cooling the reactor to a temperature range of 200 C. or lower and higher than 70 C. as a first cooling step; and after the first cooling step, stopping supplying the butene, oxygen, nitrogen, and steam or stopping at least supplying the butene, and cooling the reactor to a temperature of 70 C. or lower as a second cooling step.

Provided is a novel exhaust gas purification catalyst, which uses a Cu-based delafossite oxide, capable of increasing the exhaust gas purification performance compared to the case of using the Cu-based delafossite oxide alone. Proposed is an exhaust gas purification catalyst comprising a delafossite-type oxide represented by a general formula ABO.sub.2 and an inorganic porous material, wherein Cu is contained in the A site of the general formula of the delafossite oxide, one or two or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Al, Cr, Ga, Fe, Co, Ni, In, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Y, V, and Ti are contained in the B site thereof, and Cu is contained in 3 to 30% relative to the total content (mass) of the delafossite-type oxide and the inorganic porous material.

The present invention provides a catalyst for production of nitric oxide from ammonia and oxygen. The catalyst has the composition A.sub.3-xB.sub.xO.sub.9-y, wherein A and B are selected from the group Mn, Co, Cr, Fe and Al, x is between 0 and 3 and y is between 0 and 6. The catalyst has a high selectivity towards nitric oxide and a low ignition temperature in the reactor. Further the present invention relates to a method for the production of gas comprising nitric oxide by the catalyst of the present invention. The produced gas has a low content of nitrous oxide.