Abstract: An artificial retina that includes: (i) a substrate; (ii) a first layer, placed onto said substrate and including photovoltaic material portions separated by at least one insulating material portion; and (iii) a second layer, placed onto said first layer and including conductive material portions separated by at least one insulating material portion. In said artificial retina, the photovoltaic material includes a titanium dioxide semiconductor.

Abstract: An artificial retina that includes: (i) a substrate; (ii) a first layer, placed onto said substrate and including photovoltaic material portions separated by at least one insulating material portion; and (iii) a second layer, placed onto said first layer and including conductive material portions separated by at least one insulating material portion. In said artificial retina, the photovoltaic material includes a titanium dioxide semiconductor.

Abstract: A composite comprising a support activated by impregnation and carbon nanotubes or nanofibers formed by vapor deposition, wherein the weight of said carbon nanotubes or nanofibers formed on the said support is at least equal to 10.

Abstract: The photocatalyst based on a composite WO3—SiC/TiO2 semiconductor and subjected to radiation whose wavelength is at least partly less than 400 nm gives1 photocatalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds and leads to their total mineralisation into CO2 and H2O. The process for the photocatalytic purification of industrial, agricultural or domestic gaseous effluent may be conducted at room pressure and temperature. Its conversion rate is high and stable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite formed of a zeolite (such as ZSM-5 zeolite, ?-zeolite and silicalite) deposited on a rigid support, wherein the rigid support comprises silicon carbide (SiC) with a specific surface area BET of at least 5 m2/g. Preferably, the support is a ?-SiC foam with a specific area of between 10 and 500 m2/g. This composite may be used as a catalyst and/or a catalyst support for chemical reactions in a gas or liquid medium. For example materials of the present invention are useful for example, in connection with cracking, acylation, alkylation and/or isomerization of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for natural gas in the form, e.g., of stranded gas or associated gas to transportable liquids. More particularly, the present invention provides a process in which the gas is non-oxidatively converted to aromatic liquid, preferably in proximity to the welihead, which may be onshore or offshore. In one aspect, the present invention provides integration of separation of wellhead fluids into associated gas and crude with blending of the aromatic liquid derived from the gas with the crude. Alternatively, or in combination, in another aspect, the present invention provides integration of conversion of byproduct hydrogen to power with non-oxidative conversion of gas to aromatic liquid.

Abstract: A catalyst comprising vanadium phosphorus oxide combined with a thermally conductive material is particularly useful for the selective hydrocarbon oxidations (e.g., butane to maleic anhydride) and can be prepared by forming a suspension comprising a vanadium (IV) phosphate compound in a liquid medium (via hydrochloric acid digestion of V2O5 and H3PO4 in an aqueous solvent or via heating vanadium pentoxide with at least one substantially anhydrous unsubstituted alcohol having 1-10 carbon atoms, 1-3 hydroxyl groups free from olefinic double bonds to form a feed of vanadium pentoxide reduced to a valence between 4 and 4.6, and then contacting the feed with a solution of orthophosphoric acid and at least one unsubstituted alcohol), adding a thermally conductive material to the suspension under agitation at moderated temperature between 40° C. and 120° C., followed by drying, optionally but preferably washing and calcining (either in situ or ex situ) the material thus formed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite formed of a zeolite (such as ZSM-5 zeolite, P-zeolite and silicalite) deposited on a rigid support, wherein the rigid support comprises silicon carbide (SiC) with a specific surface area BET of at least 5 m2/g. Preferably, the support is a &bgr;-SiC foam with a specific area of between 10 and 500 m2/g. This composite may be used as a catalyst and/or a catalyst support for chemical reactions in a gas or liquid medium. For example materials of the present invention are useful for example, in connection with cracking, acylation, alkylation and/or isomerization of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: he present invention provides a process for natural gas in the form, e.g., of stranded gas or associated gas to transportable liquids. More particularly, the present invention provides a process in which the gas is non-oxidatively converted to aromatic liquid, preferably in proximity to the wellhead, which may be onshore or offshore. In one aspect, the present invention provides integration of separation of wellhead fluids into associated gas and crude with blending of the aromatic liquid derived from the gas with the crude. Alternatively, or in combination, in another aspect, the present invention provides integration of conversion of byproduct hydrogen to power with non-oxidative conversion of gas to aromatic liquid.

Abstract: A process for isomerizing straight chain hydrocarbons having at least seven carbon atoms by forming a reaction mixture including at least one of the straight chain hydrocarbons and hydrogen and passing the reaction mixture over a catalyst including a molybdenum compound, at least the surface of which is formed of molybdenum carbide partially oxidized in the form of at least one oxycarbide.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of fine grains of silicon carbide which are formed by an agglomerate of submicronic grains having a specific surface area that is at least 100 m.sup.2 .multidot.g.sup.-1, which are intended in particular to serve as a carrier for catalysts for petrochemistry, and for catalytic reactions at elevated temperature which can attain 1000.degree. C., the process comprising reacting vapors of silicon monoxide SiO on carbon, being characterized by: generating vapors of SiO in a first reaction zone by heating a mixture SiO.sub.2 +Si at a temperature of between 1100.degree. and 1400.degree. C., under a pressure of between 0.1 and 1.5 hPa; and, in a second reaction zone, contacting the SiO vapors with reactive carbon in the divided state with a specific surface area that is at least equal to 200 m.sup.2 .multidot.g.sup.-1 at a temperature of between 1100.degree. and 1400.degree. C.