Abstract: Fischer-Tropsch processes for converting syngas produces linear alpha olefins at high yield and selectivity in the presence of supported nano-particle catalyst compositions and/or metal carbide/nitride-containing catalyst compositions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using size-reversing materials in vessels where direct heating is used to at least partially provide heat for reforming reactions under cyclic reforming conditions. An example of a size-reversing material is the combination of NiO and Al2O3. It has been discovered that size-reversing materials can undergo a phase transition that can assist with re-dispersion of metal at elevated temperatures. This can assist with maintaining catalytic activity for reforming over longer time periods in the presence of cyclic reforming conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for direct conversion of methane and/or ethane to methanol. The methods can include exposing methane to an oxidant, such as O2, in a solvent at conditions that are supercritical for the solvent while having a temperature of 310° C. or less, or about 300° C. or less, or about 290° C. or less. The solvent can correspond to an electron donor solvent that, when in a supercritical state, can complex with O2. By forming a complex with the O2, the supercritical electron donor solvent can facilitate conversion of alkane to methanol at short residence times while reducing or minimizing further oxidation of the methanol to other products.

Abstract: Hydroxycarboxylic acids may be biosynthesized from a carbonaceous feedstock and then isolated through forming and subsequently hydrolyzing an intermediate sophorolipid. After biosynthesizing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a cell culture medium or otherwise providing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a first aqueous medium, the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose may be converted into at least one sophorolipid by a suitable microorganism or an enzyme cocktail. The at least one sophorolipid may be then be separated from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium and then hydrolyzed in a second aqueous medium to form the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose as free components separate from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium. The hydroxycarboxylic acid is present as a phase separate from the second aqueous medium and the glucose remains in the second aqueous medium.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel catalyst compositions, catalyst precursors, processes for making catalyst precursors, processes for making catalyst compositions, and processes for converting syngas. The catalytic component in the catalyst composition can comprise a metal carbide and/or a metal nitride. This disclosure is particularly useful for converting syngas via the Fischer-Tropsch reactions to make olefins and/or alcohols.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using size-reversing materials in vessels where direct heating is used to at least partially provide heat for reforming reactions under cyclic reforming conditions. An example of a size-reversing material is the combination of NiO and Al2O3. It has been discovered that size-reversing materials can undergo a phase transition that can assist with re-dispersion of metal at elevated temperatures. This can assist with maintaining catalytic activity for reforming over longer time periods in the presence of cyclic reforming conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for direct conversion of methane and/or ethane to methanol. The methods can include exposing methane to an oxidant, such as O2, in a solvent at conditions that are supercritical for the solvent while having a temperature of 310° C. or less, or about 300° C. or less, or about 290° C. or less. The solvent can correspond to an electron donor solvent that, when in a supercritical state, can complex with O2. By forming a complex with the O2, the supercritical electron donor solvent can facilitate conversion of alkane to methanol at short residence times while reducing or minimizing further oxidation of the methanol to other products.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to glycolipid compositions, methods for making glycolipid compositions, and their uses thereof. Glycolipid compositions can be prepared via yeast-mediated catalyzed reaction, and exhibit excellent surfactant properties having high corrosion inhibition performance, good reducing surface tension efficiency. Processes of the present disclosure can provide glycolipid compositions having one or more of: a ratio of lactonic glycolipids to glycolipid acylic esters is from about 1:10 to about 10:1, a molecular weight of from about 400 g/mol to about 10,000 g/mol, a corrosion rate of carbon steel from about 0.5 MPY to about 100 MPY at room temperature and at pH 4-6. Furthermore, aqueous solutions of the glycolipid compositions of the present disclosure can have a surface tension of from about 20 mN/m to about 80 mN/m.

Abstract: Hydroxycarboxylic acids may be biosynthesized from a carbonaceous feedstock and then isolated through forming and subsequently hydrolyzing an intermediate sophorolipid. After biosynthesizing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a cell culture medium or otherwise providing a hydroxycarboxylic acid in a first aqueous medium, the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose may be converted into at least one sophorolipid by a suitable microorganism or an enzyme cocktail. The at least one sophorolipid may be then be separated from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium and then hydrolyzed in a second aqueous medium to form the hydroxycarboxylic acid and glucose as free components separate from the cell culture medium or first aqueous medium. The hydroxycarboxylic acid is present as a phase separate from the second aqueous medium and the glucose remains in the second aqueous medium.

Abstract: A method for producing a metal nitride and/or a metal carbide, a metal nitride and/or metal carbide optionally produced according to the method, and the use of the metal nitride and/or carbide in catalysis optionally catalytic hydroprocessing. Optionally, the method comprises: i) contacting at least one metal oxide comprising at least one first metal M1 with a cyanometallate comprising at least one second metal M2 to form a reaction mixture; and, ii) subjecting the reaction mixture to a temperature of at least 300° C. for a reaction period. Optionally, the metal nitride and/or metal carbide is a metal nitride comprising tungsten nitride.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to glycolipid compositions, methods for making glycolipid compositions, and their uses thereof. Glycolipid compositions can be prepared via yeast-mediated catalyzed reaction, and exhibit excellent surfactant properties having high corrosion inhibition performance, good reducing surface tension efficiency. Processes of the present disclosure can provide glycolipid compositions having one or more of: a ratio of lactonic glycolipids to glycolipid acylic esters is from about 1:10 to about 10:1, a molecular weight of from about 400 g/mol to about 10,000 g/mol, a corrosion rate of carbon steel from about 0.5 MPY to about 100 MPY at room temperature and at pH 4-6. Furthermore, aqueous solutions of the glycolipid compositions of the present disclosure can have a surface tension of from about 20 mN/m to about 80 mN/m.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for direct methane conversion to methanol. The methods can include exposing methane to an oxidant, such as O2, in a solvent at conditions that are substantially supercritical for the solvent while having a temperature of about 310° C. or less, or about 300° C. or less, or about 290° C. or less. The solvent can correspond to an electron donor solvent that, when in a supercritical state, can complex with O2. By forming a complex with the O2, the supercritical electron donor solvent can facilitate conversion of methane to methanol at short residence times while reducing or minimizing further oxidation of the methanol to other products.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions with improved alkylation activity and corresponding methods for making such catalyst compositions are provided. The catalyst(s) correspond to solid acid catalysts formed by exposing a catalyst precursor with a zeolitic framework structure to a molten metal salt that includes fluorine, such as a molten metal fluoride. The resulting fluorinated solid acid catalysts can have improved alkylation activity while having a reduced or minimized amount of structural change due to the exposure to the molten metal fluoride. This is in contrast to fluorinated solid acid catalysts that are exposed to higher severity forms of fluorination, such as exposure to ammonium fluoride or HF. SnF2 is an example of a suitable molten metal fluoride.

Abstract: Methods and systems for converting hydrocarbons including exposing a portion of a hydroperoxide-containing feed including tert-butyl hydroperoxide to a solid deperoxidation catalyst under decomposition conditions to form an oxidation effluent comprising tert-butyl alcohol, wherein the solid deperoxidation catalyst comprises a manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve, are provided herein. Further methods and systems for converting the oxidation effluent to an alkylation product are also provided herein.

Abstract: A method for producing a metal nitride and/or a metal carbide, a metal nitride and/or metal carbide optionally produced according to the method, and the use of the metal nitride and/or carbide in catalysis optionally catalytic hydroprocessing. Optionally, the method comprises: i) contacting at least one metal oxide comprising at least one first metal M1 with a cyanometallate comprising at least one second metal M2 to form a reaction mixture; and, ii) subjecting the reaction mixture to a temperature of at least 300° C. for a reaction period. Optionally, the metal nitride and/or metal carbide is a metal nitride comprising tungsten nitride.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for direct methane conversion to methanol. The methods can include exposing methane to an oxidant, such as O2, in a solvent at conditions that are substantially supercritical for the solvent while having a temperature of about 310° C. or less, or about 300° C. or less, or about 290° C. or less. The solvent can correspond to an electron donor solvent that, when in a supercritical state, can complex with O2. By forming a complex with the O2, the supercritical electron donor solvent can facilitate conversion of methane to methanol at short residence times while reducing or minimizing further oxidation of the methanol to other products.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions with improved alkylation activity and corresponding methods for making such catalyst compositions are provided. The catalyst(s) correspond to solid acid catalysts formed by exposing a catalyst precursor with a zeolitic framework structure to a molten metal salt that includes fluorine, such as a molten metal fluoride. The resulting fluorinated solid acid catalysts can have improved alkylation activity while having a reduced or minimized amount of structural change due to the exposure to the molten metal fluoride. This is in contrast to fluorinated solid acid catalysts that are exposed to higher severity forms of fluorination, such as exposure to ammonium fluoride or HF. SnF2 is an example of a suitable molten metal fluoride.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a new route to acrylate esters via direct catalytic partial oxidation of allyl ether using heterogeneous manganese oxide catalysts. The method involves forming allyl acrylate by contacting allyl ether, where the allyl ether is in solution with a solvent, with one or more oxidants in the presence of a mesoporous manganese oxide (MnOx) catalyst. Oxygen or peroxide can be used as the oxidant. The yield of and selectivity for acrylate ester can be very high, and process efficiency is improved over current processes.

Abstract: The precursor of a hydroprocessing catalyst is made by impregnating a metal oxide component comprising at least one metal from Group 6 of the Periodic Table and at least one metal from Groups 8-10 of the Periodic Table with an amide formed from a first organic compound containing at least one amine group, and a second organic compound containing at least one carboxylic acid group. Following impregnation heat treatment follows to form in situ generated unsaturation additional to that in the two organic compounds. The catalyst precursor is sulfided to form an active, sulfide hydroprocessing catalyst.

Abstract: A process for forming allyl acrylate, comprising contacting allyl ether in solution with a solvent with one or more oxidants in the presence of a mesoporous manganese oxide (MnOx) catalyst.