Abstract: A method for removing a contaminant from an environment is described comprising the steps of: (i) heating a reduced and passivated getter material containing crystallites of a metal in elemental form encapsulated by a layer comprising an oxide of the metal to a temperature in the range (TT?X) to (TT+Y), where TT is the Tammann temperature of the metal in elemental form in degrees Centigrade, X is 400 and Y is 200, to form an activated getter material having active surface for contaminant removal and (ii) exposing the activated getter material to the environment containing the contaminant.

Abstract: A method for activating a catalyst is described comprising the steps of: (i) installing a reduced and passivated catalyst containing crystallites of a catalytic metal comprising nickel, cobalt or iron in elemental form encapsulated by a layer comprising an oxide of the catalytic metal in a reactor, such as a steam methane reforming reactor, in which it is to be used, and (ii) heating the reduced and passivated catalyst in the reactor under a vacuum or an inert gas to a temperature in the range (TT?X) to (TT+Y), where TT is the Tammann temperature of the catalytic metal in elemental form in degrees Centigrade, X is 400 and Y is 200, to form a catalytically active surface on the catalyst without requiring the application of a reducing gas.

Abstract: A process is described for the removal of carbon dioxide from a gas mixture containing hydrogen by contacting the gas mixture with a shaped sorbent comprising a plurality of layers of photopolymerized resin containing particles of a molecular sieve carbon dioxide sorbent material.

Abstract: A shaped sorbent is described comprising a plurality of layers of photopolymerised resin containing particles of a sorbent material. The shaped sorbent may be used as a getter for use in gettering one or more contaminants in a sealed enclosure.