A method for ammonia decomposition to produce hydrogen, the method comprising the steps of introducing an ammonia stream to a reactor, wherein the ammonia stream comprises ammonia, wherein the reactor comprises a cobalt-based catalyst, the cobalt-based catalyst comprising 15 wt % and 70 wt % of cobalt, 5 wt % and 45 wt % of cerium, and 0.4 wt % and 0.5 wt % barium, wherein a remainder of weight of the cobalt-based catalyst is oxygen; contacting the ammonia in the ammonia stream with the cobalt-based catalyst, wherein the cobalt-based catalyst is operable to catalyze an ammonia decomposition reaction; catalyzing the ammonia decomposition reaction to cause the ammonia decomposition in the presence of the cobalt-based catalyst to produce hydrogen; and withdrawing a product stream from the reactor, the product stream comprising hydrogen.

A porous carbon material having a value of a specific surface area by a nitrogen BET method of 1×10.sup.2 m.sup.2/g or more, a volume of fine pores by a BJH method of 0.3 cm.sup.3/g or more, and a particle size of 75 μm or more, alternatively, a porous carbon material having a value of a specific surface area by a nitrogen BET method of 1×10.sup.2 m.sup.2/g or more, a total of volumes of fine pores having a diameter of from 1×10.sup.−9 m to 5×10.sup.−7 m, obtained by a non-localized density functional theory method, of 1.0 cm.sup.3/g or more, and a particle size of 75 μm or more.

Sol-gel particles comprising a reaction product of a sol-gel precursor, the reaction product comprising networked polymeric chains including silicon or a metal and at least one dopant substantially homogeneously dispersed in the reaction product of the sol-gel precursor. A method and system for producing the sol-gel particles are also disclosed.

A system and method of producing carbon nanotubes from flare gas and other gaseous carbon-containing sources.

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

The present invention relates to granular functionalized silicas, wherein the Hg pore volume (<4 μm) is more than 0.80 ml/g, d.sub.Q3=10% is more than 400 μm, d.sub.Q3=90% is less than 3000 μm, the ratio of d.sub.50 without ultrasound exposure to d.sub.50 after 3 min of ultrasound exposure is <4.00 and the carbon content is 1.0-15.0% by weight. The inventive granular functionalized silicas can be used as a support material, especially as a support for enzymes.

Provided is a particulate alkaline earth metal ion adsorbent having a large adsorption capacity. The particulate alkaline earth metal ion adsorbent comprising: a potassium hydrogen dititanate hydrate represented by a chemical formula K.sub.2-xH.sub.xO.Math.2TiO.sub.2.Math.nH.sub.2O, wherein x is 0.5 or more and 1.3 or less, and n is greater than 0; and no binder, wherein the particulate alkaline earth metal ion adsorbent has a particle size range of 150 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.

The present invention relates to an electrode active material, a method for manufacturing the same, and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same. A method for producing carbide using bean curd or waste bean curd according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: drying bean curd or waste bean curd; thermally treating the dried bean curd or waste bean curd under an air atmosphere; and carbonizing the thermally treated bean curd or waste bean curd under an inert gas atmosphere.

Methods of using silica-zirconia catalysts in processes to reduce an amount of glycidol, glycidyl ester(s), or both glycidol and glycidyl ester(s) from a triglyceride-containing composition, such as edible oils, are disclosed. Silica-zirconia catalysts and methods of making silica-zirconia catalysts are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a waste battery treatment method which includes preparing a waste battery including a waste positive electrode which includes an aluminum current collector and a positive electrode active material layer formed on at least one surface of the aluminum current collector, heat treating the waste battery at a temperature of 650° C. or higher in an air atmosphere or oxidizing atmosphere to convert the aluminum current collector into aluminum oxide, and recovering aluminum oxide powder and positive electrode active material powder from the heat-treated waste battery.