Herein provided are composite materials comprising a phenyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and one or more metals. The composite materials may contain metal oxides, such as copper and zinc oxide. The composite materials may be used for catalysis, such as in CO.sub.2 hydrogenation. Methods of forming and using the composite materials are also provided.

Recovered carbon black (rCB) comprising carbon black, inorganic ash and carbon-based residues resulting from the decomposition of pneumatic rubbers and/or elastomer residues, characterized in that said content of carbon-based residues, determined with respect to the percentage of area of the C.sub.1 peak measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, is less than or equal to 1% of said area of the C.sub.1 peak, said percentage of area of the C.sub.1 peak being calculated with respect to the total area of the C.sub.0 to C.sub.5 peaks.

The present invention relates to upgrading heavy petroleum oils, their residues, and/or polymeric materials. More specifically the present invention relates to a method for upgrading heavy petroleum oils, their residues, and/or polymeric materials by hydrothermal treatment with an aqueous solvent.

Aqueous wastewater from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) systems is typically high in chemical oxygen demand (COD), which renders classic aerobic wastewater treatment to be prohibitively expensive. HTL wastewater can be processed using thermochemical wet oxidation in a manner that is not only cost efficient but also contributes more heat than is required for the energetically demanding HTL process. Provided are methods and devices for integrated hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass and treatment of resulting wastewater.

A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactor system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a mixing vessel, a pump, a HTL reactor section, a pressure letdown valve, and a vapor-liquid disengagement vessel. The mixing vessel can mix a biomass slurry stream received from the biomass slurry source with a vaporized water and gas byproducts stream. The pump can pressurize a biomass slurry stream received from the mixing vessel. The HTL reactor section can produce a product mixture stream from a biomass slurry stream received from the pump. The pressure letdown valve can reduce the pressure of a product mixture stream received from the HTL reactor section. The vapor-liquid disengagement vessel can separate vaporized water and gas byproducts from a product mixture stream received from the pressure letdown valve, wherein the separated vaporized water and gas byproducts can form the vaporized water and gas byproducts stream received by the mixing vessel.

A continuous process for producing hydrocarbon products, such as jet fuel, diesel, and naphtha, from lignin-derived materials comprising lignin oligomers, via hydrodeoxygenation in presence of catalysts under hydrogen pressure. These hydrocarbon products can then be fractionated into fuels such as naphtha, jet fuel, or diesel. Preferably, the jet fuel and diesel meet the corresponding fuel standards. Preferably, the naphtha meets key specifications of the corresponding gasoline and naphtha standards. Because lignin-derived materials are produced from biomass, the hydrocarbon products, including the jet fuel, diesel, and naphtha produced by this process, may contain up to 100% biogenic carbon.

The present invention relates to upgrading heavy petroleum oils, their residues, and/or polymeric materials. More specifically the present invention relates to a method for upgrading heavy petroleum oils, their residues, and/or polymeric materials by hydrothermal treatment with an aqueous solvent.

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to an industrial system for processing various plant materials to produce marketable materials. Particularly, the system integrates subcritical water extraction technology and includes a pre-processing module and a two-stage extractor (processing module) with constant control of temperature, pressure, and/or residence time. In some embodiments, the final product of the disclosed system can include feedstock constituents for biofuel production (sugars and/or oil), biochar, raw materials for various industries (such as pulp for manufacturing paper or cellulose for use in various industries). The disclosed system can be modular or non-modular, stationary or mobile, and can include prefabricated elements with programmed automatic or manual operation so that it can be easily moved and/or assembled on site.