Disclosed is a supported catalyst for the preparation of vinyl acetate monomer, a process for preparing the supported catalyst in tablet or pellet form, and a catalytic process for the manufacturing vinyl acetate using the supported catalyst. Specifically, it is shown that catalyst performance shows a strong dependence on the crush strength of the tableted or pelletized alumina support used in the process to make the catalyst, and that the crush strength of the catalyst is closely related to the porosity of the support. Catalyst activity and selectivity can be enhanced by tailoring the crush strength of the support.

A method of using biopolymer to synthesize titanium-containing silicon oxide material and applications thereof are disclosed. The method comprises steps: mixing a titanium source, a silicon source, an acid source, a base source, a biopolymer and a solvent to form an aqueous solution, and letting the aqueous solution react to form a semi-product; performing aging, solid-liquid separation and drying of the semi-product to obtain a dried solid; and performing calcination or extraction of the dried solid to obtain a titanium-containing silicon oxide material with a high specific surface area. The present invention adopts a biopolymer as the templating agent, which makes the fabrication process of titanium-containing silicon oxide material more environment-friendly. After calcination or extraction, the product still has superior catalytic activity, able to catalyze epoxidation of olefins and favorable for the production of epoxide.

A unique process and catalyst is described that operates efficiently for the direct production of a high cetane diesel type fuel or diesel type blending stock from stochiometric mixtures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This invention allows for, but is not limited to, the economical and efficient production high quality diesel type fuels from small or distributed fuel production plants that have an annual production capacity of less than 10,000 barrels of product per day, by eliminating traditional wax upgrading processes. This catalytic process is ideal for distributed diesel fuel production plants such as gas to liquids production and other applications that require optimized economics based on supporting distributed feedstock resources.

A catalytic proppant and methods for making and using same are disclosed herein. The catalytic proppant can include a proppant support containing silica and alumina. The proppant support can have a macropore concentration of about 15% to about 45%, a mesopore concentration of about 20% to 50%, and a micropore concentration of about 8% to about 30% based on the total pore volume of the proppant support. The proppant support can also have a surface area of about 0.5 m.sup.2/g to about 50 m.sup.2/g. The catalytic proppant can have a long term permeability at 7,500 psi of at least about 10 D in accordance with ISO 13503-5.

A method of using biopolymer to synthesize titanium-containing silicon oxide material and applications includes mixing a titanium source, a silicon source, an acid source, a base source, a biopolymer and a solvent to form an aqueous solution, and letting the aqueous solution react to form a semi-product; performing aging, solid-liquid separation and drying of the semi-product to obtain a dried solid; and performing calcination or extraction of the dried solid to obtain a titanium-containing silicon oxide material with a high specific surface area. The present invention adopts a biopolymer as the templating agent, which makes the fabrication process of titanium-containing silicon oxide material more environment-friendly. After calcination or extraction, the product still has superior catalytic activity, able to catalyze epoxidation of olefins and favorable for the production of epoxide.

In a method for producing an aliphatic carboxylic acid ester by reacting an aliphatic carboxylic acid having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and an olefin having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms in a gas phase by use of a solid acid catalyst, a solid acid catalyst in which a heteropolyacid or a salt thereof is supported on a silica carrier obtainable by kneading fumed silica obtained by a combustion method, silica gel obtained by a gel method, and colloidal silica obtained by a sol-gel method or a water glass method, molding the resulting kneaded product, and calcining the resulting molded body, is used.

A method for producing the silica carrier which includes kneading fumed silica obtained by a combustion method, silica gel obtained by a gel method, and colloidal silica obtained by a sol-gel method or a water glass method, molding the resulting kneaded product, and calcining the resulting molded body. The silica carrier has, in the measurement of pore size distribution, mesopores with a pore size of 2 to 50 nm and macropores with a pore size of more than 50 nm and 1,000 nm or less.

Porous, extruded titania-based materials further comprising mesopores and macropores and/or prepared using one or more porogens, Fischer-tropsch catalysts comprising them, uses of the foregoing, processes for making and using the same and products obtained from such processes.

Porous, extruded titania-based materials further comprising one or more acids and/or prepared using one or more acids, Fischer-tropsch catalysts comprising them, uses of the foregoing, processes for making and using the same and products obtained from such processes.

A method of immobilizing a metal catalyst in a porous support includes additively forming a precursor structure on a substrate from a metal catalyst and at least one of a metal oxide or a metal cluster compound; exposing the precursor structure to a vapor of an organic linker; and reacting the at least one of the metal oxide or the metal cluster compound in the precursor structure with the organic linker to form a porous support that immobilizes the metal catalyst.