A porous activated asphaltene material is described with a method of making and a method of using for the adsorption of a contaminant from a solution. The porous activated asphaltene material may be made by functionalizing solid asphaltene with nitric acid, and then treating the product with a metal hydroxide. The resulting porous activated asphaltene material exhibits a high porosity, and may be cleaned and reused for adsorbing contaminants.

A porous activated asphaltene material is described with a method of making and a method of using for the adsorption of a contaminant from a solution. The porous activated asphaltene material may be made by functionalizing solid asphaltene with nitric acid, and then treating the product with a metal hydroxide. The resulting porous activated asphaltene material exhibits a high porosity, and may be cleaned and reused for adsorbing contaminants.

A porous activated asphaltene material is described with a method of making and a method of using for the adsorption of a contaminant from a solution. The porous activated asphaltene material may be made by functionalizing solid asphaltene with nitric acid, and then treating the product with a metal hydroxide. The resulting porous activated asphaltene material exhibits a high porosity, and may be cleaned and reused for adsorbing contaminants.

A promoted activated carbon sorbent is described that is highly effective for the removal of mercury from flue gas streams. The sorbent comprises a new modified carbon form containing reactive forms of halogen and halides. Optional components may be added to increase reactivity and mercury capacity. These may be added directly with the sorbent, or to the flue gas to enhance sorbent performance and/or mercury capture. Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed conventional methods. The sorbent can be regenerated and reused. Sorbent treatment and preparation methods are also described. New methods for in-flight preparation, introduction, and control of the active sorbent into the mercury contaminated gas stream are described.

Provided is a method of making colloidal selenium nanoparticles. The method includes the steps as follows: Step (A): providing a reducing agent and an aqueous solution containing a selenium precursor; Step (B): mixing the aqueous solution containing the selenium precursor and the reducing agent to form a mixture solution in a reaction vessel and heating the mixture solution to undergo a reduction reaction and produce a composition containing selenium nanoparticles, residues and a gas, and guiding the gas out of the reaction vessel, wherein an amount of the residues is less than 20% by volume of the mixture solution; and Step (C): dispersing the selenium nanoparticles with a medium to obtain the colloidal selenium nanoparticles. The method has advantages of simplicity, safety, time-effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, high yield and eco-friendliness.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.

Articles including a solid porous material having a selenium nanomaterial bound to a surface of and within the solid porous material. The article may be a include no polymeric stabilizer or proteinaceous stabilizer. The solid porous material may be a sponge, a film, a fabric, a non-woven material, or a metal-organic framework (MOF), or a combination thereof. The article may be produced by treating a solid porous material with an aqueous selenous acid solution and heating the solid porous material to form the selenium nanomaterial on the surface of and within the solid porous material.

Various embodiments disclosed relate to sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury. The present invention includes removing mercury from a mercury-containing gas using a halide-promoted and optionally ammonium-protected sorbent that can include carbon sorbent, non-carbon sorbent, or a combination thereof.

Provided is a method of making colloidal selenium nanoparticles. The method includes the steps as follows: Step (A): providing a reducing agent and an aqueous solution containing a selenium precursor; Step (B): mixing the aqueous solution containing the selenium precursor and the reducing agent to form a mixture solution in a reaction vessel and heating the mixture solution to undergo a reduction reaction and produce a composition containing selenium nanoparticles, residues and a gas, and guiding the gas out of the reaction vessel, wherein an amount of the residues is less than 20% by volume of the mixture solution; and Step (C): dispersing the selenium nanoparticles with a medium to obtain the colloidal selenium nanoparticles. The method has advantages of simplicity, safety, time-effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, high yield and eco-friendliness.

Method of preparing a selenium nanomaterial and selenium nanomaterial articles. The method may include forming a saccharide coating on a surface of a solid support material, treating the solid support material having the saccharide coating on the surface with a selenous acid solution, and heating the solid support material to form the selenium nanomaterial on the surface of the solid porous support material. The saccharide may include a monosaccharide, a disaccharide, or a polysaccharide, or a combination thereof, such as sucrose, or fructose, or a combination thereof.