Abstract: Sorbents and methods of using them for removing mercury from flue gases over a wide range of temperatures are disclosed. Sorbent materials of this invention comprise oxy- or hydroxyl-halogen (chlorides and bromides) of manganese, copper and calcium as the active phase for Hg0 oxidation, and are dispersed on a high surface porous supports. In addition to the powder activated carbons (PACs), this support material can be comprised of commercial ceramic supports such as silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), zeolites and clays. The support material may also comprise of oxides of various metals such as iron, manganese, and calcium. The non-carbon sorbents of the invention can be easily injected into the flue gas and recovered in the Particulate Control Device (PCD) along with the fly ash without altering the properties of the by-product fly ash enabling its use as a cement additive.

Abstract: Improved catalysts for oxidation of sulfur dioxide which are alkali metal-promoted vanadium catalysts which are further promoted by gold. Improved methods employing such catalyst for oxidation of sulfur dioxide and for manufacture of sulfuric acid. Improved methods for multiple step oxidation of sulfur dioxide in which the last oxidation step is carried out employing improved catalysts of this invention at temperatures lower than 400° C.

Abstract: Gas desulfurization sorbents and methods using them for removal of sulfur from gas streams, particularly at high temperatures ranging from 500 to 1000° C. The sorbents and methods are of particular application to produce a sulfur-clean feed from reformate gas generated from readily available transportation fuels containing sulfur. Sorbents of the invention can reduce the sulfur concentration in reformate gas to parts per billion on volume basis (ppbv) levels over a large range of temperatures. Sorbent materials of this invention comprise a nickel phase dispersed on a particulate support or a monolith support. The support can be a high surface area support with surface area of 100 m2/g or higher. The invention also provides systems for desulfurizing reformate gas and systems for providing a desulfurized gas to a fuel cell, particularly a solid oxide fuel cell.

Abstract: A nanoporous polymer electrolyte and methods for making the polymer electrolyte are disclosed. The polymer electrolyte comprises a crosslinked self-assembly of a polymerizable salt surfactant, wherein the crosslinked self-assembly includes nanopores and wherein the crosslinked self-assembly has a conductivity of at least 1.0×10?6 S/cm at 25° C. The method of making a polymer electrolyte comprises providing a polymerizable salt surfactant. The method further comprises crosslinking the polymerizable salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte.

Abstract: Pi-conjugated organoboron polymers for use in thin-film organic polymer electronic devices. The polymers contain aromatic and or unsaturated repeat units and boron atoms. Pi-conjugated organoboron polymers which are end capped, derivatized with solubilizing groups or both exhibit improved solubility and handling properties beneficial for the formation of thin films useful for device fabrication. The vacant p-orbital of the boron atoms conjugate with the pi-conjugated orbital system of the aromatic or unsaturated monomer units extending the pi-conjugation length of the polymer across the boron atoms. The pi-conjugated organoboron polymers are electron-deficient and, therefore, exhibit n-type semiconducting properties, photoluminescence, and electroluminescence.

Abstract: The invention provides improved therapeutic and diagnostic fullerenes and endohedral fullerenes. The fullerenes and endohedral fullerenes of the invention are derivatized with at least two charged functional groups (and preferably more than two charged functional groups) to provide for water-solubility and improved in vivo biodistribution. Improved derivatized fullerenes and endohedral fullerenes carry a plurality of functional groups at least two of which are charged. Preferably at least about ? of the possible derivations sites on the fullerene caged carry derivatives and preferably at least about ½ of the functional groups on the fullerene cage are charged groups. The invention also provides water-soluble endohedral metallofullerene with improved biodistribution which are useful as in vivo imaging agents, including MRI contrast agents.

Abstract: A method of extracting fullerenes from a carbon matrix in which they are produced. The method is applicable to both fullerenes that exhibit greater than 0.1 mg/ml solubility in toluene and to fullerenes that are essentially insoluble in toluene, i.e., those exhibiting less than or equal to 0.1 mg/ml solubility. The method disclosed herein extracts more of the soluble fullerenes from the carbon matrix than extraction conducted by solely contacting with solvent. A method is also provided for creating salts of the extracted fullerenes.

Abstract: Methods of making alkyl esters are described herein. The methods are capable of using raw, unprocessed, low-cost feedstocks and waste grease. Generally, the method involves converting a glyceride source to a fatty acid composition and esterifying the fatty acid composition to make alkyl esters. In an embodiment, a method of making alkyl esters comprises providing a glyceride source. The method further comprises converting the glyceride source to a fatty acid composition comprising free fatty acids and less than about 1% glyceride by mass. Moreover, the method comprises esterifying the fatty acid composition in the presence of a solid acid catalyst at a temperature ranging firm about 70° C. to about 120° C. to produce alkyl esters, such that at least 85% of the free fatty acids are converted to alkyl esters. The method also incorporates the use of packed bed reactors for glyceride conversion and/or fatty acid esterification to make alkyl esters.

Abstract: A method comprising contacting an alcohol, a feed comprising one or more glycerides and equal to or greater than 2 wt % of one or more free fatty acids, and a solid acid catalyst, a nanostructured polymer catalyst, or a sulfated zirconia catalyst in one or more reactors, and recovering from the one or more reactors an effluent comprising equal to or greater than about 75 wt % alkyl ester and equal to or less than about 5 wt % glyceride.

Abstract: This invention relates to improved methods for the preparation, purification, and processing of poly(heteroaromatic) block copolymers, as well as compositions prepared by these methods. Methods relate to preparation of multiblock and triblock copolymers of intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) containing at least one block of a poly(heteroaromatic) polymer and at least two blocks of a non-conducting polymer. This invention provides polymer solutions or dispersions of improved stability and better film-forming properties. The poly(heteroaromatic) block copolymers are obtained in their conducting or doped form, and are retained in a solvated, wet form throughout the production and purification processes. Stable solutions or dispersions of the purified copolymers in organic solvents, water, or mixtures thereof are provided.

Abstract: A nanoporous polymer electrolyte and methods for making the polymer electrolyte are disclosed. The polymer electrolyte comprises a crosslinked self-assembly of a polymerizable salt surfactant, wherein the crosslinked self-assembly includes nanopores and wherein the crosslinked self-assembly has a conductivity of at least 1.0×10?6 S/cm at 25° C. The method of making a polymer electrolyte comprises providing a polymerizable salt surfactant. The method further comprises crosslinking the polymerizable salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte.

Abstract: This invention provides improved methods for the derivatization and solubilization of fullerenes, which are particularly useful for those fullerenes that are normally insoluble and which are specifically applied, among others, to endohedral fullerenes, including endohedral metallofullerenes; empty fullerenes, including small-bandgap fullerenes and other insoluble fullerenes and to very high molecular weight fullerenic materials generated in fullerenic soot, including giant fullerenes, fullerenic polymers, carbon nanotubes and metal-carbon nanoencapsulates. More specifically the invention relates to improved methods for cyclopropanation of fullerenes. Specific reaction conditions are provided which allow for cyclopropanation reactions to be successfully performed for the first time on insoluble classes of fullerenes.

Abstract: A porous carbon characterized by a volumetric pore size distribution having two peaks, a first of said peaks being between 0.5 and 1.0 nm and a second of said peaks being between 1.0 and 5.0 nm. The porous carbon may have a volumetric capacitance in an organic electrolyte of at least 40 F/cm3, an average pore diameter between about 2 nm and about 30 nm, a surface area of at least 900 m2/g, and/or a density of at least 0.4 g/cm3. A method for making such a carbon includes a) curing a mixture comprising a carbohydrate, a dehydrating component, and a nonmetallic cationic pore-forming agent and b) carbonizing the cured carbon under conditions effective to provide a porous carbon having a surface area between about 100 m2/g and about 3000 m2/g. The the dehydrating component and nonmetallic cationic component may comprise two moieties of one compound.

Abstract: A method comprising contacting an alcohol, a feed comprising one or more glycerides and equal to or greater than 2 wt % of one or more free fatty acids, and a solid acid catalyst, a nanostructured polymer catalyst, or a sulfated zirconia catalyst in one or more reactors, and recovering from the one or more reactors an effluent comprising equal to or greater than about 75 wt % alkyl ester and equal to or less than about 5 wt % glyceride.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal-exchanged hexaaluminate catalysts that exhibit good catalytic activity and/or stability at high temperatures for extended periods with retention of activity as combustion catalysts, and more generally as oxidation catalysts, that make them eminently suitable for use in methane combustion, particularly for use in natural gas fired gas turbines. The hexaaluminate catalysts of this invention are of particular interest for methane combustion processes for minimization of the generation of undesired levels (less than about 10 ppm) of NOx species. Metal exchanged hexaaluminate oxidation catalysts are also useful for oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOC), particularly hydrocarbons. Metal exchanged hexaaluminate oxidation catalysts are further useful for partial oxidation, particularly at high temperatures, of reduced species, particularly hydrocarbons (alkanes and alkenes).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a class of conducting oligomers and polymers and to a method for the preparation of the same. The conducting oligomers and polymers contain an end-capping group, which is non-electrically conductive and contains at least one branch point. The branched end-capping groups are made by a method that first substitutes the branched group on the heteroaromatic monomer, particularly at the “2” position on these monomers. In a second step, the end-capping intermediate is co-polymerized with one or more additional heteroaromatic monomers to form capped conducting oligomers and polymers.

Abstract: Methods of making alkyl esters are described herein. The methods are capable of using raw, unprocessed, low-cost feedstocks and waste grease. Generally, the method involves converting a glyceride source to a fatty acid composition and esterifying the fatty acid composition to make alkyl esters. In an embodiment, a method of making alkyl esters comprises providing a glyceride source. The method further comprises converting the glyceride source to a fatty acid composition comprising free fatty acids and less than about 1% glyceride by mass. Moreover, the method comprises esterifying the fatty acid composition in the presence of a solid acid catalyst at a temperature ranging firm about 70° C. to about 120° C. to produce alkyl esters, such that at least 85% of the free fatty acids are converted to alkyl esters. The method also incorporates the use of packed bed reactors for glyceride conversion and/or fatty acid esterification to make alkyl esters.

Abstract: The present invention provides block copolymers containing at least one block of a poly(heteroaromatic) polymer and at least two blocks of a non-conjugated polymer. The chemically different blocks of the copolymer are covalently bonded to each other in an alternating fashion through an appropriate linkage group. The poly(heteroaromatic) block may exist in its neutral or oxidized form, and when in the oxidized form, it associates with organic or inorganic counter-anions to balance the charge. The poly(heteroaromatic) polymer is an intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP), and when in the oxidized form it is electrically conducting. When the ICP block or blocks of the block copolymer are in the doped form, the block copolymer is electrically conducting. Preferably the conducting block copolymers have conductivities in the range 10?6-103 S/cm. Block copolymers of this invention are soluble or dispersible in water, one or more organic solvents, or in a mixture thereof at a level of at least about 0.1 g/liter.

Abstract: The invention provides improved burners, combustion apparatus, and methods for carbon nanomaterial production. The burners of the invention provide sooting flames of fuel and oxidizing gases. The condensable products of combustion produced by the burners of this invention produce carbon nanomaterials including without limitation, soot, fullerenic soot, and fullerenes. The burners of the invention do not require premixing of the fuel and oxidizing gases and are suitable for use with low vapor pressure fuels such as those containing substantial amounts of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The burners of the invention can operate with a hot (e.g., uncooled) burner surface and require little, if any, cooling or other forms of heat sinking. The burners of the invention comprise one or more refractory elements forming the outlet of the burner at which a flame can be established. The burners of the invention provide for improved flame stability, can be employed with a wider range of fuel/oxidizer (e.g.

Abstract: A nanoporous polymer electrolyte and methods for making the polymer electrolyte are disclosed. The polymer electrolyte comprises a crosslinked self-assembly of a polymerizable salt surfactant, wherein the crosslinked self-assembly includes nanopores and wherein the crosslinked self-assembly has a conductivity of at least 1.0×10?6 S/cm at 25° C. The method of making a polymer electrolyte comprises providing a polymerizable salt surfactant. The method further comprises crosslinking the polymerizable salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte.