Abstract: A bicontinuous optical switching structure includes a predetermined number of tunnels coated with a reflective material or a very smooth. The tunnels provide pathways from one side of bicontinuous optical switching structure to another. Each tunnel represents an entry point having a multitude of entry angles. Since the angle of entry dictates the exit point, a single tunnel can represent multiple entry/exit point pairs. A three-dimensional circuit may include a hyperbolic bicontinuous structure forming a substrate; circuits formed on a first surface of the hyperbolic bicontinuous structure; and electrically conductive traces formed between the circuits. The electrically conductive traces are formed two-dimensionally on the first surface of the hyperbolic bicontinuous structure. The electrically conductive traces are effectively three-dimensional traces between the circuits.

Abstract: A hydrocracking system involves introducing a heavy oil feedstock and a colloidal or molecular catalyst, or a catalyst precursor capable of forming the colloidal or molecular catalyst, into a hydrocracking reactor. The colloidal or molecular catalyst is formed in situ within the heavy oil feedstock by 1) premixing the catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluents to form a catalyst precursor mixture, 2) mixing the catalyst precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock, and 3) raising the temperature of the feedstock to above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor to form the colloidal or molecular catalyst. The colloidal or molecular catalyst catalyzes upgrading reactions between the heavy oil feedstock and hydrogen and eliminates or reduces formation of coke precursors and sediment.

Abstract: Methods for hydrocracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock (e.g., heavy oil and/or coal resid) employ a catalyst composed of well dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles (e.g., colloidally or molecularly dispersed catalyst particles, such as molybdenum sulfide), which provide an increased concentration of metal sulfide catalyst particles within lower quality materials requiring additional hydrocracking. In addition to increased metal sulfide catalyst concentration, the systems and methods provide increased reactor throughput, increased reaction rate, and higher conversion of asphaltenes and lower quality materials. Increased conversion of asphaltenes and lower quality materials also reduces equipment fouling, enables processing of a wider range of lower quality feedstocks, and leads to more efficient use of a supported catalyst if used in combination with the well dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for the electronic display of information, where the apparatus is a substrate incorporating a digital recording medium attached to or embedded within the substrate. The substrate further includes a flexible-substrate display located on an exposed surface of the substrate, where the display is a medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at each pixel location thereon in order to produce a substrate medium that may be modified in accordance with a user's selection.

Abstract: Novel methods for manufacturing carbon nanostructures (e.g., carbon nanospheres) that are highly dispersed include forming a precursor composition, polymerizing the precursor composition, extracting water from the polymerized carbon material using an organic solvent, and carbonizing the polymerized material (e.g., through pyrolysis) to form the carbon nanostructures. The extraction-treated polymerized carbon material forms carbon nanostructures that are less agglomerated than carbon nanostructures manufactured using a similar technique without solvent extraction of water.

Abstract: Novel methods for manufacturing carbon nanostructures (e.g., carbon nanospheres) that are highly dispersed include forming a precursor composition, polymerizing the precursor composition, applying a long chain hydrocarbon surfactant to the polymerized carbon material, and carbonizing the polymerized material (e.g., through pyrolysis) to form the carbon nanostructures. The long chain hydrocarbon surfactant facilitates the formation of dispersed carbon nanostructures during the carbonization step.

Abstract: A self-cleaning humidity sensor based on Mg2+/Na+-doped TiO2 nanofiber mats is provided. Examples show the response and recovery characteristic curves for ten circles with the RH changing from 11% to 95%. The nanofibers are manufactured by mixing together a metal salt comprising titanium, a magnesium compound, a sodium compound, and a high molecular weight material to form a mixture, electrospinning the mixture to form composite nanofibers, and calcining the composite nanofibers to yield a TiO2 nanofiber material doped with magnesium and sodium.

Abstract: An apparatus for the electronic display of information, where the apparatus is a substrate incorporating a digital recording medium attached to or embedded within the substrate. The substrate further includes a flexible-substrate display located on an exposed surface of the substrate, where the display is a medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at each pixel location thereon in order to produce a substrate medium that may be modified in accordance with a user's selection.

Abstract: A novel zeolite membrane is manufactured using zeolite seeds that are deposited on a support material. The seeds are then further grown in a secondary growth step to form a membrane with inter-grown particles. The pore size of the zeolite membrane is in a range between 3 angstrom and 8 angstrom, which allows water to flow through the membrane at a relatively high flux rate while excluding dissolved ions. The novel zeolite membrane is surprisingly efficient for desalinating sea water using reverse osmosis. The zeolite membrane is capable of high rates of water flux rate and high percentage of ion rejection.

Abstract: Disclosed in this specification is a method for identifying at least one aptamer that can bind to a bio-molecular target. The aptamer is designed in silico based on the structure of the target molecule. The process includes the steps of determining a first seed residue and growing an oligomer, one residue at a time, while maximizing the entropy of target-oligomer complex or minimizing the binding energy after the addition of each oligomer.

Abstract: An apparatus for the electronic display of information, where the apparatus is a substrate incorporating a digital recording medium attached to or embedded within the substrate. The substrate further includes a flexible-substrate display located on an exposed surface of the substrate, where the display is a medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at each pixel location thereon in order to produce a substrate medium that may be modified in accordance with a user's selection.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons containing polynuclear aromatics, such as cycle oil and pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO), are upgraded using an catalyst complex that selectively cracks the polynuclear aromatic compounds to form higher value mono-aromatic compounds, such as benzene toluene, xylenes and ethyl benzene (i.e., BTX). The catalyst complexes include a catalytic metal center and a plurality of organic ligands. During the hydrocracking procedure, the organic ligand preserves one of the aromatic rings of the polynuclear aromatic compounds while the catalytic metal breaks the other aromatic rings thereby yielding a monoaromatic compound.

Abstract: The fuel cells include electrode membrane assemblies having a nanoparticle catalyst supported on carbon nanorings. The carbon nanorings are formed from one or more carbon layers that form a wall that defines a generally annular nanostructure having a hole. The length of the nanoring is less than or about equal to the outer diameter thereof. The nanorings exhibit high surface area, high porosity, high graphitization, and/or facilitate mass transfer and electron transfer in fuel cell reactions.

Abstract: Method for making a direct synthesis hydrogen peroxide catalyst includes (i) mixing together a solvent, a plurality of noble metal catalyst atoms, and a plurality of organic dispersing agent molecules, the organic dispersing agent molecules each including at least one functional group capable of bonding with the noble metal catalyst atoms; (ii) reacting the organic dispersing agent with the catalyst atoms to form complexed catalyst atoms and forming a plurality of catalytic nanoparticles from the complexed catalyst atoms; (iii) supporting the catalytic nanoparticles on a support material; and (iv) reducing the catalyst atoms at a temperature of at least 351° C. to yield a supported and activated direct synthesis hydrogen peroxide catalyst.

Abstract: Inorganic oxide substrates are functionalized with silicon-free organic functionalizing agents. The organic functionalizing agent has a bonding functional group for bonding to the substrate and a functionalizing moiety that is not bonded to the substrate for imparting a desired functionality to the substrate. The functionalized inorganic oxide substrates are manufactured by selecting a functionalizing agent and reaction conditions that allows the bonding functional group to bond to the inorganic material while leaving the functionalizing moiety available for providing the desired functionality. The functionalized inorganic oxides can be used as filler materials in polymers or to manufacture a supported nanoparticle catalyst.

Abstract: Oil soluble catalysts are used in a process to hydrodesulfurize petroleum feedstock having a high concentration of sulfur-containing compounds and convert the feedstock to a higher value product. The catalyst complex includes at least one attractor species and at least one catalytic metal that are bonded to a plurality of organic ligands that make the catalyst complex oil-soluble. The attractor species selectively attracts the catalyst to sulfur sites in sulfur-containing compounds in the feedstock where the catalytic metal can catalyze the removal of sulfur. Because the attractor species selectively attracts the catalysts to sulfur sites, non-productive, hydrogen consuming side reactions are reduced and greater rates of hydrodesulfurization are achieved while consuming less hydrogen per unit sulfur removed.

Abstract: Hydrogen is stored by adsorbing the hydrogen to a carbon nanomaterial that includes carbon nanospheres. The carbon nanospheres are multi-walled, hollow carbon nanostructures with a maximum diameter in a range from about 10 nm to about 200 nm. The nanospheres have an irregular outer surface with graphitic defects and an aspect ratio of less than 3:1. The carbon nanospheres can store hydrogen in quantities of at least 1.0% by weight.

Abstract: Methods and systems for hydrocracking a heavy oil feedstock using, a colloidally or molecularly dispersed catalyst (e.g., molybdenum sulfide) which provide for concentration of the colloidally dispersed catalyst within the lower quality materials requiring additional hydrocracking. In addition to increased catalyst concentration, the inventive systems and methods provide increased reactor throughput, increased reaction rate, and of course higher conversion of asphaltenes and lower quality materials. Increased conversion levels of asphaltenes and lower quality materials also reduces equipment fouling, enables the reactor to process a wider range of lower quality feedstocks, and can lead to more efficient use of a supported catalyst if used in combination with the colloidal or molecular catalyst.

Abstract: An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system, and also a method for upgrading an existing ebullated bed hydroprocessing system, involves introducing a colloidal or molecular catalyst, or a catalyst precursor capable of forming the colloidal or molecular catalyst, into an ebullated bed reactor. The colloidal or molecular catalyst is formed by intimately mixing a catalyst precursor into a heavy oil feedstock and raising the temperature of the feedstock to above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor to form the colloidal or molecular catalyst in situ. The improved ebullated bed hydroprocessing system includes at least one ebullated bed reactor that employs both a porous supported catalyst and the colloidal or molecular catalyst to catalyze hydroprocessing reactions involving the feedstock and hydrogen. The colloidal or molecular catalyst provides catalyst in what would otherwise constitute catalyst free zones within the ebullated bed hydroprocessing system.

Abstract: A hydrocracking system involves introducing a heavy oil feedstock and a colloidal or molecular catalyst, or a catalyst precursor capable of forming the colloidal or molecular catalyst, into a hydrocracking reactor. The colloidal or molecular catalyst is formed in situ within the heavy oil feedstock by 1) premixing the catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluents to form a catalyst precursor mixture, 2) mixing the catalyst precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock, and 3) raising the temperature of the feedstock to above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor to form the colloidal or molecular catalyst. The colloidal or molecular catalyst catalyzes upgrading reactions between the heavy oil feedstock and hydrogen and eliminates or reduces formation of coke precursors and sediment.