A hydrocracking catalyst having a support of a composite of mesoporous materials, molecular sieves and alumina, is used in the last bed of a multi-bed system for treating heavy crude oils and residues and is designed to increase the production of intermediate distillates having boiling points in a temperature range of 204? C. to 538? C., decrease the production of the heavy fraction (>538? C.), and increase the production of gasoline fraction (<204? C.). The feedstock to be processed in the last bed contains low amounts of metals and is lighter than the feedstock that is fed to the first catalytic bed.

A cluster-supporting catalyst including porous carrier particles having acid sites, and catalyst metal clusters supported within the pores of the porous carrier particles. The catalyst metal clusters are obtained by supporting catalyst metal clusters having a positive charge, which is formed in a dispersion liquid containing a dispersion medium and the porous carrier particles dispersed in the dispersion medium, on the acid sites within the pores of the porous carrier particles through an electrostatic interaction.

The invention relates to a method for optimizing layered catalytic processes. This is accomplished by testing various catalysts with a compound found in a feedstock to be tested, to determine the facility of the catalyst in hydrogenating, hydrosulfurizing, or hydrodenitrogenating the molecule, and hence the feedstock. In a preferred embodiment, the Double Bond Equivalence of the feedstock and molecule are determined, and catalysts are pre-selected based upon their known ability to work with materials of this DBE value. In preferred embodiments, the layered catalysts include a demetallization catalyst, used before hydrocracking. In additional preferred embodiments, the test feedstock contains 500 ppmw or less asphaltenes, preferably C.sub.5-asphaltenes.

A hydrocracking catalyst having a support of a composite of mesoporous materials, molecular sieves and alumina, is used in the last bed of a multi-bed system for treating heavy crude oils and residues and is designed to increase the production of intermediate distillates having boiling points in a temperature range of 204? C. to 538? C., decrease the production of the heavy fraction (>538? C.), and increase the production of gasoline fraction (<204? C.). The feedstock to be processed in the last bed contains low amounts of metals and is lighter than the feedstock that is fed to the first catalytic bed.

A method for producing a metal nanoparticle complex according to the present invention is a method for producing a metal nanoparticle complex in which metal nanoparticles are supported in pores of a porous body, said method comprising at least: an adsorption step of allowing an organic metal complex to adsorb in pores of a porous body; and a decomposition/reduction step of heating the porous body, which has had the organic metal complex adsorbed in the pores thereof, under a reductive atmosphere to decompose an organic compound in the organic metal complex adsorbed in the pores of the porous body and also reduce a metal cation in the organic metal complex, thereby causing metal nanoparticles to be supported in the pores of the porous body.

A hydrocracking catalyst having a support of a composite of mesoporous materials, molecular sieves and alumina, is used in the last bed of a multi-bed system for treating heavy crude oils and residues and is designed to increase the production of intermediate distillates having boiling points in a temperature range of 204? C. to 538? C., decrease the production of the heavy fraction (>538? C.), and increase the production of gasoline fraction (<204? C.). The feedstock to be processed in the last bed contains low amounts of metals and is lighter than the feedstock that is fed to the first catalytic bed.

The present disclosure relates to electrolysis systems and methods. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods and systems for the utilization of carbon dioxide and production of carbon monoxide. For example, a method may include: passing an electrolyte and carbon dioxide in front of a cathode through a cathode chamber; and removing electrolysis byproducts from an electrolyte/electrolysis product mixture using a catalytic filter system. The cathode may include material to reduce carbon dioxide. The process may generate a hydrocarbon compound or carbon monoxide as the electrolysis product and a formate as an electrolysis byproduct. The filter system may include a functionalized complex or a functionalized support material which catalyzes a cleavage reaction of formates (a) to hydrogen and carbon dioxide, or (b) to water and carbon monoxide.

A catalyst for the carbonylation of dimethyl ether to methyl acetate. The catalyst comprises a zeolite, such as a mordenite zeolite, at least one Group IB metal, such as copper, and/or at least one Group VIII metal, such as iron, and at least one Group IIB metal, such as zinc. Such a catalyst with combined metals provides enhanced catalytic activity, improved stability, and improved selectivity to methyl acetate, and does not require a halogen promoter, as compared to a metal-free or copper only zeolite.

Nanocatalysts and methods of using the same to obtain aromatic hydrocarbon compounds from a source of carbon atoms and a source of hydrogen atoms in a single reaction step is provided. The catalyst comprises an Fe/Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanocatalyst that may be supported on a non-reactive support material such as a zeolite or alumina CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 are preferred sources of carbon and hydrogen atoms for the reaction. The aromatic hydrocarbon compounds produced are suitable for direct usage as fuel without need for further refining.

A zeolite-containing fixed bed catalyst is formed by pre-shaping a mixture of a reactive aluminum-containing component and a matrix component into pre-shaped particles, and contacting the pre-shaped particles with a reactive liquid containing a silicate for a sufficient time and temperature to form an in-situ zeolite within the pre-shaped particles. The contacting of the pre-shaped particles and the liquid is achieved such that there is relative movement between the pre-shaped particles and the liquid.