Powder comprising particles comprising a matrix material and silicon-based domains dispersed in this matrix material, whereby the matrix material is carbon or a material that can be thermally decomposed to carbon, whereby either part of the silicon-based domains are present in the form of agglomerates of silicon-based domains whereby at least 98% of these agglomerates have a maximum size of 3 μm or less, or the silicon-based domains are not at all agglomerated into agglomerates.

The invention provides for a method of making a magnesium aluminate spinel including an alumina compound and a magnesium compound, the method including the steps of; dispersing the alumina compound by dispersing it in a aqueous solution, to form an alumina dispersion, the aqueous solution having a pH of between 2 and 5; preferably between 2 and 4, flocculating the alumina by increasing the pH of the alumina dispersion to a pH of between 8 and 10 by adding a base; adding the alumina dispersion to an aqueous dispersion of the magnesium compound to form a slurry; drying the slurry to produce a dried spinel precursor; and calcining the dried spinel precursor to produce the magnesium aluminate spinel. Dispersing at such a low pH results in a conversion to spinel as well as allows for the control of the surface area of the spinel.

A solidified porous carbon material uses a plant-derived material as a raw material, a bulk density of the solidified porous carbon material is in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 grams/cm.sup.3, preferably, 0.3 to 0.4 grams/cm.sup.3. A value of a cumulative pore volume in the range of 0.05 to 5 μm in pore size based on a mercury press-in method is in the range of 0.4 to 1.2 cm.sup.3, preferably, 0.5 to 1.0 cm.sup.3 per 1 gram of the solidified porous carbon material.

An object of the present invention is to provide ferrite particles for supporting a catalyst having a small apparent density, various properties are maintained in a controllable state and a specified volume is filled with a small weight, and a catalyst using the ferrite particles for supporting a catalyst. To achieve the object, ferrite particles for supporting a catalyst provided with an outer shell structure containing Ti oxide, a catalyst using the ferrite particles for supporting a catalyst are employed.

A non-flaky carbon material having specific optical structures, wherein the ratio between the peak intensity I110 of (110) plane and the peak intensity I004 of (004) plane of a graphite crystal determined by the powder XRD measurement, I110/I004, is 0.10 or more and 0.35 or less; an average circularity is 0.80 or more and 0.95 or less; d002 is 0.337 nm or less; and the total pore volume of pores having a diameter of 0.4 μm or less measured by the nitrogen gas adsorption method is 25.0 μl/g or more and 40.0 μl/g or less. Also disclosed is a method for producing the carbon material, a carbon material for a battery electrode, a paste for an electrode incorporating the carbon material for a battery electrode, an electrode for a lithium battery incorporating a formed body of the paste for an electrode, a lithium-ion secondary battery including the electrode and a method for producing the electrode.

Highly mesoporous activated carbon products are disclosed with mesoporosities characterized by mesopore volumes of 0.7 to 1.0 cubic centimeters per gram or greater. Also disclosed are activated carbon products characterized by a Molasses Number of about 500 to 1000 or greater. Also disclosed are activated carbon products characterized by a Tannin Value of about 100 to 35 or less. The activated carbon products may be further characterized by total pore volumes of at least 0.85 cubic centimeters per gram and BET surface areas of at least about 800 square meters per gram. The activated carbon product may be derived from a renewable feedstock.

The present invention relates to a mixed oxide of aluminium, of zirconium, of cerium, of lanthanum and optionally of at least one rare-earth metal other than cerium and lanthanum that makes it possible to repair a catalyst that retains, after severe ageing, a good thermal stability and a good catalytic activity. The invention also relates to the process for preparing this mixed oxide and also to a process for treating exhaust gases from internal combustion engines using a catalyst prepared from this mixed oxide.

Silica-based hydrophobic granular material with an increased polarity Silica-based granular material, comprising silica and at least one IR-opacifier, hydrophobized with a surface treatment agent comprising a silicon atom, wherein the granular material has: a) a cumulative pore volume of pores>4 nm of more than 2.5 cm.sup.3/g, as determined by the mercury intrusion method according to DIN ISO 15901-1; b) a tamped density of 140 g/L to 290 g/L; c) a number of silanol groups relative to BET surface area d.sub.SiOH of at least 0.5 SiOH/nm.sup.2, as determined by reaction with lithium aluminium hydride. d) a number of silicon atoms in the surface treatment agent relative to BET surface area d.sub.[Si] of at least 1.0 [Si atoms]/nm.sup.2.

A tableted catalyst support, characterized by an alpha-alumina content of at least 85 wt.-%, a pore volume of at least 0.40 mL/g, as determined by mercury porosimetry, and a BET surface area of 0.5 to 5.0 m.sup.2/g. The tableted catalyst support is an alpha-alumina catalyst support obtained with high geometrical precision and displaying a high overall pore volume, thus allowing for impregnation with a high amount of silver, while exhibiting a surface area sufficiently large so as to provide optimal dispersion of catalytically active species, in particular metal species. The invention further provides a process for producing a tableted alpha-alumina catalyst support, which comprises i) forming a free-flowing feed mixture comprising, based on inorganic solids content, at least 50 wt.-% of a transition alumina; ii) tableting the free-flowing feed mixture to obtain a compacted body; and iii) heat treating the compacted body at a temperature of at least 1100° C., preferably at least 1300° C., more preferably at least 1400° C., in particular at least 1450° C., to obtain the tableted alpha-alumina catalyst support. The invention moreover relates to a compacted body obtained by tableting a free-flowing feed mixture which comprises, based on inorganic solids content, at least 50 wt.-% of a transition alumina having a loose bulk density of at most 600 g/L, a pore volume of at least 0.6 mL/g, as determined, and a median pore diameter of at least 15 nm. The invention moreover relates to a shaped catalyst body for producing ethylene oxide by gas-phase oxidation of ethylene, comprising at least 15 wt.-% of silver, relative to the total weight of the catalyst, deposited on the tableted alpha-alumina catalyst support. The invention moreover relates to a process for producing ethylene oxide by gas-phase oxidation of ethylene, comprising reacting ethylene and oxygen in the presence of the shaped catalyst body.

Several variations of synthetic carbon materials are disclosed. The materials can assume a variety of properties, including high electrical conductivity. The materials also can have favorable structural and mechanical properties. They can form gas impenetrable barriers, form insulating structures, and can have unique optical properties.