Abstract: An improvement in a method of extruding a plasticized inorganic powder mixture having a plasticizing organic binder carried in an aqueous vehicle, by passing the mixture through an extruder and then through a die to produce an extrudate. The improvement involves homogeneously blending in the extruder as part of the mixture, carbon dioxide in the supercritical and/or liquid form, to lower the viscosity of the mixture and produce an extrudate that is stiffer in a shorter time than it would be, absent the carbon dioxide, without increasing the extrusion pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for converting exhaust gases to innocuous products is disclosed. Exhaust gas is conveyed by a first conduit to, and passed through a first multicellular unit in which a portion of the cells are catalyzed with a first catalyst for reacting at least a portion of the NO.sub.x to ammonia, and thereafter the resulting modified mixture only is conveyed by a second conduit from the first unit and to a second multicellular unit to react the ammonia and the remaining NO.sub.x to produce innocuous products. The second conduit is connected only to the first and second units. The passage of the exhaust gas through the units results in conversion of NO.sub.x, CO, and hydrocarbons to innocuous products.

Abstract: An improvement in a method of extruding a plasticized powder mixture having a thermally gellable binder carried in an aqueous vehicle, by passing the mixture through an extruder and then through a die to produce an extrudate, the improvement being the additional step of contacting the extrudate directly after it leaves the die with an agent for simultaneously lowering the gel point of the binder and dehydrating the extrudate. The result is a stiffening of the extrudate in a shorter time than it would be, absent the additional step.

Abstract: A method for making an activated carbon composite which involves providing a crosslinkable resin and a support material which is wettable by the resin. The support material can be cotton, chopped wood, sisal, non-fugitive material, and combinations of these. The support is contacted with the resin; and the resin and support material are dried. The resin and support material are then shaped, the resin is cured, and the resin and any carbonizable material are carbonized. The carbon is then activated to produce the product composite. An activated carbon composite produced by the above described method in which the carbon is in the form of a continuous structure reinforced by and uniformly distributed throughout non-fugitive support material.

Abstract: A device for purifying a workstream of contaminants and method of making. One device is made of an inorganic monolithic porous particulate filter and a continuous uninterrupted coating of activated carbon impregnated into the pores of the filter. Preferably the filter has inlet and outlet faces, and a multiplicity of cells separated by porous walls and extending longitudinally and mutually parallel therethrough from inlet to outlet end, a portion of the total number of cells being plugged at the inlet end face, and the remaining portion of the total number of cells being plugged at the outlet end face of the device. Another device can be made entirely of activated carbon having the multicellular structure. A workstream containing contaminants is passed through the device to cause retention of the contaminants. The device can have electrically conducting mechanism for conducting electric current therethrough for removal of the contaminants and regeneration of the device.

Abstract: A body made up of substantially continuous high strength multicellular support having porous cell walls, and pores in the cell walls having an average pore diameter of which have active material embedded therein, and an outer surface. The body is made of material which can be ceramics, glass, glass-ceramic, cermet, metal, oxides, and combinations of these. The active material can be molecular sieve, activated carbon, and combinations these. A method for producing a pore-impregnated body which involves providing the substrate having a wall porosity greater than about 45% by volume, and an average pore diameter of about 15 to 30 micrometers, providing a slurry of active material dispersed in a medium, contacting the support with the slurry at subatmospheric pressure to substantially fill the open pores of the substrate with the active material, removing excess slurry from the outer surface and the non-pore surfaces of the cell walls, followed by drying.

Abstract: A plastically deformable aqueous mixture capable of being shaped into a body, the mixture being composed of any one or combination of ceramic, glass-ceramic, glass, molecular sieve, carbon, or metal powders, cellulose ether organic binder, water insoluble hydrophobic polymer co-binder having an average molecular weight of at least about 8,000, plasticizer, and water. A method of making a body which involves mixing the above components in a high shear mixer at a temperature of about 30.degree. C. to 70.degree. C. to form a homogeneous mixture, extruding the mixture at a temperature of about 30.degree. C. to 70.degree. C. into a green body, followed by drying and firing to produce the product body.

Abstract: A system for adsorbing a plurality of contaminants from a workstream composed of a first stage open-ended activated carbon monolith adsorber, a second stage open ended activated carbon monolith adsorber downstream of the first stage. The first stage activated carbon has an average pore size that is larger than the average pore size of the second stage activated carbon.

Abstract: A method of making a catalyst, catalyst support or adsorbing structure which involves forming a mixture of raw material which can be ceramic and/or molecular sieve, silicone resin permanent binder, dibasic ester as a solvent for the silicone resin, organic binder of cellulose ether, and/or derivatives thereof, and water, shaping the mixture into a green body which is then dried and heated to develop strength and form the catalyst, catalyst support, or adsorber.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for converting exhaust gas which comprises NO.sub.x, CO, and hydrocarbons, to innocuous products. Exhaust gas is contacted in undiverted flow with a zeolite suitable for adsorption of hydrocarbons, and with a main catalyst suitable for conversion of NO.sub.x, CO, and hydrocarbons to innocuous products. Adsorption occurs when the temperature of the zeolite is suitable therefor. Conversion occurs when the temperature of the main catalyst is suitable therefor. The zeolite and main catalyst are connected directly to one another, that is, in-line, without by-pass valving. The zeolite can be Y zeolite, Beta, ZSM-5, and combinations thereof, and has a SiO.sub.2 to Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, mole ratio of no greater than about 200, and is ion exchanged with a metal which can be rare earth, chromium, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method of making a homogeneous formable mixture involves simultaneously mixing organic binder which can be cellulose ethers, cellulose ether derivatives, and combinations of these, powder material capable of being formed into a body when combined with the organic binder, water-insoluble wax, and vehicle of which at least about 90 wt % is water, at a temperature which is at least as high the temperature at which the wax begins to deform under shear. A method of making a shaped body involves shaping the above-described mixture into a green body, followed by drying and heating the green body at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form the product body. Preferably the mixture is extruded at a temperature between room temperature and the melting point of the wax, into a honeycomb. The honeycomb has no voids and a smooth skin. A formable mixture made up of organic binder, powder, and wax as described above, wherein the wax which makes up at least 3 wt.

Abstract: Low expansion molecular sieves bodies and method of making them which involves forming a mixture of up to about 40 weight parts of a thermal expansion control component which can be at least one of zircon, feldspar, calcium silicate, talc, steatite, forsterite, kyanite sillimanite, nepheline syenite, glasses, about 10 to 30 weight parts of permanent binder, at least 50 weight parts of molecular sieve, and temporary binder which can be cellulose ethers, cellulose ether derivatives, and combinations thereof, in a vehicle. The mixture is shaped into a green body which is then dried and fired to produce the product body. Among the preferred bodies are zeolites which find use in hydrocarbon adsorption, denox, and three-way catalyst applications.

Abstract: An activated carbon body and method for making the body which involves forming a wet mixture of in percent by weight based on activated carbon, about 2% to 10% organic binder which can be cellulose ethers, and/or their derivatives, 0 to about 4% of polyvinyl alcohol, about 5% to 40% bentonite clay, about 10% to 50% silicone resin, vehicle having a boiling point of at least about 100.degree. C., and the balance of the mixture being activated carbon particles. The mixture is formed into a green body which is then dried and heat-treated.

Abstract: A method for making a dried crack-free body involves forming a wet mixture of powder which can be ceramic, glass-ceramic, glass, molecular sieve, activated carbon, and combinations thereof, plasticizing organic binder which can be cellulose ethers, and/or their derivatives, and vehicle of water and at least one of the additional components of oleic acid, linoleic acid, linotenic acid, ricinoleic acid, or their derivatives, the vehicle content being at least about 35% by weight based on the powder content. The mixture is formed into a green body and dried. If the powder is conducting, the drying is done by a controlled humidity drying procedure which involves i) heating the green body at a temperature of about 35.degree. C. to 90.degree. C. at a relative humidity of about 90% to 95% for a time of about 1 to 7 hours, and thereafter ii) heating the green body at a temperature at about 88.degree. C. to 95.degree. C. at a relative humidity at about 90% to 95% for about 1 to 7 hours.

Abstract: An activated carbon body having flow-through channels and method of making the body. The method involves combining and shaping channel-forming material and optionally fugitive pore-forming material and non-fugitive support material, and a crosslinkable resin into a green body and curing the resin. The temperature at which the channel-forming material begins to distort is greater than the curing temperature of the resin. The resin is carbonized and at the same time the channel-forming material is vaporized out to form a carbon body having flow through channels in the configuration of the fugitive material. The carbon body is then activated. Among other shapes the channels can be straight, curved or crisscrossed.

Abstract: A method for making an activated carbon supported catalyst, the method comprising combining a carbon precursor and a catalyst precursor, curing the carbon precursor if necessary, carbonizing the carbon precursor, and activating the carbon to produce the activated carbon supported catalyst. The activated carbon supported catalyst can take the form of a coating on a substrate, a powder, or a monolithic body.

Abstract: A method of producing activated carbon supported on a substrate involves impregnating a substrate with a crosslinking resin curing catalyst, followed by impregnating the substrate with a crosslinking thermosetting resin, curing the resin, carbonizing the resin, and activating the carbon.

Abstract: A body made of activated carbon particles bonded together with a clay binder which can be attapulgite and/or sepiolite, and a plasticizing organic binder. The organic binder is more typically cellulose ether and/or cellulose ether derivative at a level of about 2 to 12 wt. % and the clay about 2% to about 30 wt % based on the carbon and clay. A method for making the body involves forming an aqueous mixture composed of the clay, organic binder and carbon, forming the mixture into a body, and drying the formed body.

Abstract: A carbon body and method for making the body. The body is characterized by carbon particles bonded together with bentonite clay and a cured epoxy resin. The bentonite content is about 5% to about 30% by weight based on carbon. The epoxy resin and curing agent content as measured before curing is about 5% to about 40% by weight based on carbon. The curing agent as measured before curing makes up about 5 parts to about 40 parts per 100 weight parts based on the epoxy resin. The resin has an average functionality of at least 3. The body has higher strength after exposure to temperatures of up to about 250.degree. C. in air than bodies absent the bentonite and resin. Additionally, the body has the properties of surface area retention after exposure to high temperatures, and water resistance.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for converting exhaust gas which comprises NO.sub.x, CO, and hydrocarbons, to innocuous products. Exhaust gas is contacted in undiverted flow with a zeolite suitable for adsorption of hydrocarbons, and with a main catalyst suitable for conversion of NO.sub.x, CO, and hydrocarbons to innocuous products. Adsorption occurs when the temperature of the zeolite is suitable therefor. Conversion occurs when the temperature of the main catalyst is suitable therefor. The zeolite and main catalyst are connected directly to one another, that is, in-line, without by-pass valving. The zeolite can be Y zeolite, Beta, ZSM-5, and combinations thereof, and has a SiO.sub.2 to Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 mole ratio of no greater than about 200, and is ion exchanged with a metal which can be rare earth, chromium, and combinations thereof.