The present invention relates to methods of preparing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) by reacting biomass, a biomass component (e.g., lignin, ligno-cellulose, cellulose, hemiceullose or combination thereof) or a carbohydrate from any source with a polyoxometalate catalyst such as H.sub.5PV.sub.2Mo.sub.10O.sub.40, or solvates thereof, in the presence of a concentrated acid, under conditions sufficient to yield carbon monoxide (CO); followed by electrochemical release of hydrogen (H.sub.2). The carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) may be combined in any desired proportion to yield synthesis gas (Syngas). The present invention further relates to methods for preparing H.sub.2, CO and formic acid/formaldehyde from biomass, a biomass component and/or from carbohydrates.

The present invention relates to a phosphor monomolecular compound, an organic transistor using same, and a water splitting and hydrogen production photocatalytic system using same. More specifically, the present invention comprises a water-soluble monomolecular compound including 1,5-naphthyridine-2,6-dione structure as a phosphor monomolecular compound.

The present invention relates to a catalysed process of production of hydrogen from silylated derivatives as hydrogen carrier compounds. The present invention also relates to a new catalyst used in the catalysed process of production of hydrogen from silylated derivatives as hydrogen carrier compounds.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a novel dehydrogenation reaction catalyst, to provide a method that can produce a ketone, an aldehyde, and a carboxylic acid with high efficiency from an alcohol, and to provide a method for efficiently producing hydrogen from an alcohol, formic acid, or a formate, and they are accomplished by a catalyst containing an organometallic compound of Formula (1). ##STR00001##

A direct carbonaceous material to power generation system integrates one or more solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) into a fluidized bed gasifier. The fuel cell anode is in direct contact with bed material so that the H.sub.2 and CO generated in the bed are oxidized to H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 to create a push-pull or source-sink reaction environment. The SOFC is exothermic and supplies heat within a reaction chamber of the gasifier where the fluidized bed conducts an endothermic reaction. The products from the anode are the reactants for the reformer and vice versa. A lower bed in the reaction chamber may comprise engineered multi-function material which may incorporate one or more catalysts and reactant adsorbent sites to facilitate excellent heat and mass transfer and fluidization dynamics in fluidized beds. The catalyst is capable of cracking tars and reforming hydrocarbons.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for making fuels and feedstocks from readily available alcohol starting materials. In some embodiments, the method concerns converting alcohols to carbonyl-containing compounds and then condensing such carbonyl-containing compounds together to form oligomerized species. These oligomerized species can then be reduced using by-products from the conversion of the alcohol. In some embodiments, the method further comprises converting saturated, oligomerized, carbonyl-containing compounds to aliphatic fuels.

Disclosed is a method for production of ethylene by an oxidative coupling of methane process in the presence of a catalytic material. Heat generated from the oxidative coupling of methane can be transferred to an inert material in an amount sufficient to reduce thermal deactivation of the catalytic material.

Disclosed is a single process for producing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon from methane by forming gas products comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and solid products comprising carbon and an iron-based catalyst from methane in a methane-containing feedstock through pyrolysis route involving auto-thermal reduction in a rotary kiln-type reactor in the presence of an iron-based catalyst and separating and recovering respective products.

According to an embodiment there is provided a method of developing catalysts that are able to reduce the levels of tars in the syngas by reforming. One embodiment develops a co-catalyst, char supported nickel catalyst, for syngas conditioning. Biomass-derived char does not only serve as a support, but also plays a role in catalyzing the reactions. Biomass-derived char is a byproduct of biomass thermo-conversion process. In one variation, hydrazine was used to reduce supported Ni.sup.2 into Ni.sup.0. Compared with the traditional method of reducing nickel with hydrogen flow, this reduction method increases nickel dispersion rate and reduces nickel particle size.

The present invention relates to a perovskite-type strontium titanate, wherein the strontium titanate is Y- and Ni-doped and has the general formula (Sr,Y)(Ti,Ni)O.sub.3. A method of preparing the perovskite-type strontium titanate and its use are also provided.