Abstract: A process for the production of an aqueous dispersion of metal nano particles comprising palladium is provided. The process comprises the admixture of a water soluble organic polymer, a palladium salt and a first reducing agent to an aqueous liquid. The first reducing agent is a metal-containing polymer which has reducing properties or a saccharide which has reducing properties. The nano particles can include a second metal. The dispersions can be used as catalysts for electroless plating, to produce heterogeneous catalysts and in the production of anti-microbial devices and compositions.

Abstract: A process for the production of an aqueous dispersion of metal nano particles comprising palladium is provided. The process comprises the admixture of a water soluble organic polymer, a palladium salt and a first reducing agent to an aqueous liquid. The first reducing agent is a metal-containing polymer which has reducing properties or a saccharide which has reducing properties. The nano particles can include a second metal. The dispersions can be used as catalysts for electroless plating, to produce heterogeneous catalysts and in the production of anti-microbial devices and compositions.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a process of applying onto substrates thin film coatings of porous ceramic incorporating metal particles and composites obtained by this process. The process includes applying solutions of organic precursor(s) of porous ceramic(s) and organic precursor(s) of a metal or metals onto a substrate, drying and decomposing the precursors to form a composite. The obtained composites can vary greatly in structure depending on the physical properties of the substrate, the ceramic precursor(s) selected for the application and the post-treatment operations, and may be used in preparing catalysts, gas sensors, and for depositing thin metal films and other applications.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing particles and/or other undesirable components from a gas stream includes a container containing a liquid, an inlet for the gas stream permitting wetting of at least a portion of the gas stream, and an outlet from the container for cleaned gas. The inlet and/or the outlet includes condensing means for cooling desired fractions of the gas stream and/or cleaned gas. The liquid may be such as to wet the particulates, thereby retaining them in the liquid while the gas passes through the liquid to the outlet. Methods for removing particulates and/or other undesirable components from a gas stream are also provided.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: forming one or more sheets of material in a single sheet of material with at least one generally planar region and at least one region of first corrugations. Second corrugations which are smaller than the first corrugations are then superimposed on the, or each, generally planar region and the, or each, corrugated region. The generally planar region, or regions are then laid onto the region, or regions that are provided with the first corrugations.

Abstract: A catalyst suitable for treating automobile exhaust emissions comprises an Al-containing Fe-base alloy substrate with a protective coating of, e.g., Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 and a second coating of, e.g., Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and a Pt-group metal. The coatings may be applied using sols obtained by dispersing Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, prepared by vapor phase condensation methods, in water and having appropriate convertible salts dissolved therein, followed by firing.

Abstract: In catalytic gas phase reactions there is used a catalyst comprising a sputtered deposit of catalytic material equivalent to between 0.5 and 5 monatomic layers upon a hard, substantially non-porous substrate. The substrate being hard and non-porous is of low surface area, that is not greater than 20 square meters per gram, and preferably comprises particles having a size in the range 0.1 micron to 0.5 centimeters.

Abstract: An apparatus for purifying exhaust waste gases including a catalytic element comprising a substrate of metal carrying a surface layer compatible with and supporting a coating of catalytic material, a major proportion of the surface coating of catalytic material comprising an unagglomerated atomic dispersion. An example of such a substrate is an aluminum bearing ferritic steel which has been heat treated in air to form an essentially alumina surface layer.

Abstract: A catalyst suitable, for example, for the treatment of car exhaust emissions comprises an unagglomerated atomic dispersion, said coated particles being in association with support material compatible with the coated particles, such that the support material and the coated particles are adhered together.

Abstract: A catalyst suitable, for example, for treatment of cat exhaust emissions is prepared by providing a substrate with a continuous adherent, surface layer of a carrier material for catalytic material by providing on the substrate a layer of carrier material, at least part of which comprises a gel, and firing; and sputtering catalytic material onto the surface layer by bombarding a source of the catalytic material in the neighbourhood of the surface layer with energetic ions, the conditions of atmosphere and selectivity of ions permitted to bombard the catalytic material being such that co-deposition upon the surface layer of unwanted material is avoided.