A novel solar-powered desalination and water purification system is disclosed herein. The system includes a nanofiber-impregnated graphene aerogel, an untreated water source, a water collection surface, and a purified water storage container. A novel photocatalytic nanofiber-impregnated graphene aerogel for desalination and photodegradation of contaminants for use in the disclosed system is also disclosed herein. The nanofiber-impregnated graphene aerogel exhibits excellent hydrophilicity, thermal insulation, and photodegradation capability, and allows for efficient solar-powered evaporation of water. The introduction of photocatalytic nanofibers into the graphene aerogel allows effective interfacial evaporation and in situ photodegradation of contaminants. The rate of water evaporation is preferably greater than 1.3 gal/ft.sup.2 per day, and the contaminant removal is preferably greater than 90%. A method of desalinating and purifying water using the disclosed system is also disclosed herein.

An apparatus (1) for dry powder coating a filter (2), comprising: i) a filter holder for holding a filter; ii) an inlet passage (5) for receiving a mixture of dry powder and gas, the inlet passage (5) communicating in use with an inlet face (3) of the filter (2) held by the filter holder; and iii) an outlet passage (6) comprising a first end (31) communicating in use with an outlet face (4) of the filter (2) held by the filter holder and a second end (32) communicating with a vacuum generator (9).

The inlet passage (5) comprises a diffuser (21) , and a divergent portion (22), downstream of the diffuser (21), that is outwardly tapered, or otherwise increases in its area for flow, towards the inlet face (3) of the filter (2).

A method of producing a catalyst comprises generating an aerosolized flow of catalyst support particles, heating a catalytically active compound precursor to produce a catalytically active compound precursor vapor, contacting the aerosolized flow of catalyst support particles with the catalytically active compound precursor vapor, and condensing the catalytically active compound precursor onto the catalyst support particles to produce the catalyst comprising catalytically active compound deposited on surfaces of the catalyst support particles. The method may further comprise aerosolizing a catalyst support precursor mixture, drying the aerosolized catalyst support precursor mixture in a first heating zone to form an aerosolized flow of catalyst support particles, and contacting the catalyst support particles with a catalytically active compound precursor vapor in a second heating zone to form the catalyst comprising the layer of the catalytically active compound deposited on surfaces of the catalyst of catalyst support particles.

The invention relates to a method for producing a wall-flow filter for removing fine particulate solids from gases, and to the use thereof for cleaning exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The invention also relates to a correspondingly produced exhaust-gas filter having a high filtration efficiency.

Provided is a method for forming catalytic nanocoating on a metal surface. The method comprises pretreating the metal surface by means of heat treatment at 500-800° C., forming a metaloxide support, and depositing catalytic nanosized metal and/or metaloxide particles on the metaloxide support and coating the metal surface with catalytic nanosized metal and/or metaloxide particles. Further, the invention relates to a catalyst and a use.

A method for transforming waste into carbon in a reactor, said method comprising: a) drying the waste by submitting said waste to a pressure of at least 3 bar, and a temperature of at least 250° C.; b) releasing the water vapor out of the reactor, and; c) carbonizing at least partially the waste by maintaining said waste during a period of time of at least 5 minutes to a pressure of at least 3 bar, and a temperature of at least 250° C., thereby obtaining carbon; and d) optionally separating non-organic material from the obtained carbon.

The present invention relates to a high-performance polyoxometalate catalyst and a method of preparing the same. More particularly, the present invention provides a high-performance polyoxometalate catalyst, the activity and selectivity of which may be improved by controlling the content of vanadium and the like and which has superior reproducibility and may unsaturated carboxylic acid from unsaturated aldehyde in a high yield for a long time, a method of preparing the same, and the like.

One or more embodiments presently disclosed is directed to a method for reacting a chemical stream which may include contacting the chemical stream with a catalyst to produce a product stream. The catalyst may include alumina, silica, and a catalytically active compound such as tungsten.

The invention relates to a method for producing a wall-flow filter for removing fine particulate solids from gases, and to the use thereof for cleaning exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The invention also relates to a correspondingly produced exhaust-gas filter having a high filtration efficiency.

Processes for the catalytic conversion of alcohols and/or ethers to olefins over zeolite catalysts are described. Self-bound ZSM-5 and metal containing variants, such as Zn ZSM-5, produce high yields of olefins, particularly C3+ olefins, between 250 and 450° C.