Abstract: A catalyst is provided for hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerization of paraffins having higher activity. The catalyst contains a molecular sieve, such as SAPO-11, a metal component such as platinum and/or palladium or nickel tungsten sulfide or nickel molybdenum sulfide and a binder such as gamma alumina. The catalyst exhibits a high proportion of weak acid sites and a relatively equal distribution of the metal component on the molecular sieve and the binder.

Abstract: A catalyst is provided for hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerization of paraffins having higher activity. The catalyst contains a molecular sieve, such as SAPO-11, a metal component such as platinum and/or palladium or nickel tungsten sulfide or nickel molybdenum sulfide and a binder such as gamma alumina. The catalyst exhibits a high proportion of weak acid sites and a relatively equal distribution of the metal component on the molecular sieve and the binder.

Abstract: A catalyst is provided for hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerization of paraffins having higher activity. The catalyst contains a molecular sieve, such as SAPO-11, a metal component such as platinum and/or palladium or nickel tungsten sulfide or nickel molybdenum sulfide and a binder such as gamma alumina. The catalyst exhibits a high proportion of weak acid sites and a relatively equal distribution of the metal component on the molecular sieve and the binder.

Abstract: FAU type binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the FAU type binderless adsorbents are described. The binderless zeolitic adsorbent comprises a first FAU type zeolite having a silica to alumina molar ratio below 3.0; a binder-converted FAU type zeolite having a silica to alumina molar ratio of from about 2.5 to about 6.0, wherein the binder-converted FAU type zeolite may be 5-50% of the binderless zeolitic adsorbent; and cationic exchangeable sites within the binderless zeolitic adsorbent. The FAU type binderless adsorbents may be used for xylene separation and purification in selective adsorptive separation processes using binderless zeolitic adsorbents.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the binderless adsorbents. More particularly, the invention relates to FAU type binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the FAU type binderless adsorbents. The FAU type binderless adsorbents may be used for xylene separation and purification in selective adsorptive separation processes using binderless zeolitic adsorbents.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the binderless adsorbents. More particularly, the invention relates to FAU type binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the FAU type binderless adsorbents. The FAU type binderless adsorbents may be used for xylene separation and purification in selective adsorptive separation processes using binderless zeolitic adsorbents.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the binderless adsorbents. More particularly, the invention relates to FAU type binderless zeolitic adsorbents and methods for making the FAU type binderless adsorbents. The FAU type binderless adsorbents may be used for xylene separation and purification in selective adsorptive separation processes using binderless zeolitic adsorbents.

Abstract: This invention involves a composition, a method of making, and an application of high plasticization-resistant chemically cross-linked polymeric membranes such as cross-linked cellulose acetate (CA) membrane. These cross-linked polymeric membranes with covalently interpolymer-chain-connected rigid networks showed no decrease in CO2/CH4 ideal selectivity under 690 kPa (100 psig) pure CO2 pressure and also no CO2 plasticization up to 3447 kPa (500 psig) pure CO2 pressure. By using the method of chemical cross-linking as described in this invention, the separation characteristics of the polymeric membranes can be decisively improved. These new cross-linked polymeric membranes can be used not only for gas separations such as CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 separations, O2/N2 separation, olefin/paraffin separations (e.g. propylene/propane separation), iso/normal paraffins separations, but also for liquid separations such as pervaporation and desalination.

Abstract: The present invention discloses microporous aluminophosphate (AlPO4) molecular sieve membranes and methods for making and using the same. The microporous AlPO4 molecular sieve membranes, particularly small pore microporous AlPO-14 and AlPO-18 molecular sieve membranes, are prepared by three different methods, including in-situ crystallization of a layer of AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals on a porous membrane support, coating a layer of polymer-bound AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals on a porous membrane support, and a seeding method by in-situ crystallization of a continuous second layer of AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals on a seed layer of AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals supported on a porous membrane support.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an approach for making mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and methods for using these membranes. These MMMs contain a continuous polymer matrix and dispersed microporous molecular sieve particles. This invention also pertains to control of the thickness of the thin dense selective mixed matrix membrane layer that is equal to or greater than the particle size of the largest molecular sieve particles for making large scale asymmetric MMMs. In particular, the invention is directed to making asymmetric flat sheet MMM by a phase inversion technique. The MMMs of the present invention exhibit at least 20% increase in selectivity compared to the polymer membranes prepared from their corresponding continuous polymer matrices. The MMMs of the present invention are suitable for a variety of liquid, gas, and vapor separations.

Abstract: This invention describes a new concept of flexible template-directed microporous partially pyrolyzed polymeric membranes which have greatly improved performance in separation of gas pairs compared to their precursor polymeric membranes. Organic hosts, such as crown ethers, cyclodextrins (CDs), calixarenes (CXs), and spherands, or polymeric additives, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were used as the micropore-forming templates. Micropore-forming template/polymer blend membranes comprising organic micropore-forming templates embedded in a polymer matrix were prepared by dissolving the organic micropore-forming templates in the polymer solution followed by solution-casting and solvent evaporation or solvent exchange. Low-temperature selectively pyrolyzing micropore-forming templates in the micropore-forming template/polymer blend membranes at a nitrogen flow resulted in the formation of flexible microporous partially pyrolyzed polymeric membranes.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a new type of high performance mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and methods for making and using the same. The MMMs comprise a continuous polymer matrix and at least two types of molecular sieves dispersed therein. The continuous polymer matrix in the MMM contains at least one type of polymer. The MMM in the form of a dense film, asymmetric flat sheet membrane or otherwise prepared exhibits simultaneously improved selectivity and permeability for gas separations compared to polymer membranes made from a continuous polymer matrix without any molecular sieves or with only one type of molecular sieve. MMMs of the present invention are suitable for a wide range of gas, vapor, and liquid separations such as alcohol/water, CO2/CH4, H2/CH4, O2/N2, CO2/N2, olefin/paraffin, iso/normal paraffins, and other light gases separations.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel method of making high performance mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) using stabilized concentrated suspensions of solvents, uniformly dispersed polymer stabilized molecular sieves, and at least two different types of polymers as the continuous blend polymer matrix. MMMs as dense films or asymmetric flat sheet or hollow fiber membranes fabricated by the method described in the current invention exhibit significantly enhanced permeation performance for separations over the polymer membranes made from the continuous blend polymer matrix. MMMs of the present invention are suitable for a wide range of gas, vapor, and liquid separations such as alcohol/water, CO2/CH4, H2/CH4, O2/N2, CO2/N2, olefin/paraffin, iso/normal paraffins, and other light gases separations.

Abstract: A composition comprising an inner core and an outer layer comprising a molecular sieve has been prepared. The molecular sieve layer is characterized in that the molecular sieve layers are intergrown into each other. The inner core can be alpha alumina or other inert materials.

Abstract: This invention discloses a composition of, a method of making, and an application of high plasticization-resistant chemically cross-linked organic-inorganic hybrid membranes such as cross-linked cellulose acetate-cellulose triacetate-polyurethanepropylsilsesquioxane membranes. These cross-linked membranes with covalently interpolymer-chain-connected hybrid networks were prepared via a sol-gel condensation polymerization of cross-linkable organic polymer-organosilicon alkoxide precursor membrane materials. CO2 plasticization tests on these cross-linked membranes demonstrate extremely high CO2 plasticization resistance under CO2 pressure up to 5516 kPa (800 psig). These new cross-linked membranes can be used not only for gas separations such as CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 separations, O2/N2 separation, olefin/paraffin separations (e.g. propylene/propane separation), iso/normal paraffins separations, but also for liquid separations such as desalination.

Abstract: The present invention discloses microporous aluminophosphate (AlPO4) molecular sieve membranes and methods for making and using the same. The microporous AlPO4 molecular sieve membranes, particularly small pore microporous AlPO-14 and AlPO-18 molecular sieve membranes, are prepared by three different methods, including in-situ crystallization of a layer of AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals on a porous membrane support, coating a layer of polymer-bound AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals on a porous membrane support, and a seeding method by in-situ crystallization of a continuous second layer of AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals on a seed layer of AlPO4 molecular sieve crystals supported on a porous membrane support.

Abstract: This invention discloses a composition of, a method of making, and an application of high plasticization-resistant chemically cross-linked organic-inorganic hybrid membranes such as cross-linked cellulose acetate-cellulose triacetate-polyurethanepropylsilsesquioxane membranes. These cross-linked membranes with covalently interpolymer-chain-connected hybrid networks were prepared via a sol-gel condensation polymerization of cross-linkable organic polymer-organosilicon alkoxide precursor membrane materials. CO2 plasticization tests on these cross-linked membranes demonstrate extremely high CO2 plasticization resistance under CO2 pressure up to 5516 kPa (800 psig). These new cross-linked membranes can be used not only for gas separations such as CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 separations, O2/N2 separation, olefin/paraffin separations (e.g. propylene/propane separation), iso/normal paraffins separations, but also for liquid separations such as desalination.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel method of making high performance mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) using stabilized concentrated suspensions of solvents, uniformly dispersed polymer stabilized molecular sieves, and at least two different types of polymers as the continuous blend polymer matrix. MMMs as dense films or asymmetric flat sheet or hollow fiber membranes fabricated by the method described in the current invention exhibit significantly enhanced permeation performance for separations over the polymer membranes made from the continuous blend polymer matrix. MMMs of the present invention are suitable for a wide range of gas, vapor, and liquid separations such as alcohol/water, CO2/CH4, H2/CH4, O2/N2, CO2/N2, olefin/paraffin, iso/normal paraffins, and other light gases separations.

Abstract: A reversible hydrogen storage composition having an empirical formula of: Li(x+z)NxMgyBzHw where 0.4?x?0.8; 0.2?y?0.6; 0<z?0.4, x+y+z=1 and “w” varies from 0 to 2x+2y+4z. This composition shows greater low temperature reversible hydrogen storage compared to binary systems such as MgH2—LiNH2.

Abstract: The present invention is for high performance UV-cross-linked membranes from polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) and the use of such membranes for separations. More specifically, the invention involves the methods of making UV-cross-linked membranes from PIMs. These membranes were prepared by cross-linking the UV-cross-linkable membranes from PIMs by exposure to UV-radiation. Pure gas permeation test results demonstrate that the UV-cross-linked membranes from PIMs exhibit CO2/CH4 performance well above the Robeson's polymer upper bound trade-off curve for CO2/CH4 separation. They have more than doubled selectivity for CO2/CH4 and extremely high permeability of CO2 compared to the original UV-cross-linkable membranes from PIMs. These membranes also show excellent separation performance for CO2/N2, H2/CH4, O2/N2, and propylene/propane separations.