The autothermal reforming (ATR) of methanol was performed using the Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃-based catalysts for the catalytic production of hydrogen. The Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ (CZA) catalyst exhibited a high hydrogen production rate during ATR even at a low external heating temperature of 100 °C. In the O₂ on/off durability test, although the hydrogen production rate of CZA gradually decreased owing to copper aggregation, the Pd-doped Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ (Pd-CZA) catalyst maintained a high hydrogen production rate. The reduction temperature of copper in Pd-CZA was found to be significantly lower than that in CZA, indicating that the reduction of copper in Pd-CZA takes place more easily. Thus, the aggregation of copper during the O₂ on/off durability test was remarkably suppressed due to the fact that the reduction of copper in Pd-CZA occurred at a lower temperature than in CZA. Moreover, the Pd-CZA catalyst was self-activated under ATR conditions without the requirement for reduction pretreatment using hydrogen.

Aromatic organosulfur compound, thianthrene (TA), was degraded by dibenzothiophene (DBT) desulfurizing strains Gordonia sp. TM414, and Rhodococcus erythropolis KA2-5-1, but not by benzothiophene (BT) desulfurizing strain R. jostii T09. Analysis of the acidic ethyl acetate extract of the culture broth revealed that TA-sulfoxide, TA-sulfone, and 2-phenylsulfanylphenol were formed, suggesting that the degradation pathway was similar to the 4S pathway with DBT. Thianthrene desulfurization is possible using Rhodococcus sp., which is a closely related taxa with Gordonia spp.

The effects of the preparation method on Rh and P species in P-added Rh catalysts, as well as hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activities, were investigated. Ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and CO adsorption analyses were used to characterize the catalysts. Rh species were highly dispersed in the Rh/P/SiO₂ catalyst prepared by sequential impregnation. Phosphate interacting with the SiO₂ surface will react with Rh complex to form Rh–phosphate complex, so highly dispersed rhodium phosphate species were present on the SiO₂ support in the catalyst. Phosphates supported on SiO₂ and highly dispersed Rh₂O₃ particles were impregnated sequentially in the P/Rh/SiO₂ catalyst, resulting in Rh species covered with P on the SiO₂ support. Polynuclear Rh complexes were formed in the Rh–P/SiO₂ catalyst. Dispersion of Rh species by XRD patterns and CO uptakes was in the order Rh/P/SiO₂ > P/Rh/SiO₂ ≈ Rh–P/SiO₂. HDS activities were in the order Rh/P/SiO₂ > P/Rh/SiO₂ ≈ Rh–P/SiO₂. High HDS activity of the Rh/P/SiO₂ catalyst depends on Rh₂P dispersion with very many exposed Rh sites.

The particle size effect of platinum nanoparticles on the conversion of methane (CH₄) into hydrogen cyanide (HCN) using nitric oxide (NO) as an oxidant over the Pt supported (γ + θ)-alumina was investigated. The Pt catalysts with various average particle size in the range of 1.6 to 4.1 nm were obtained by controlling the loading amount and calcination temperature. Amount of the Pt surface sites was determined by CO titration using a pulse method and the catalytic activity was evaluated under same contact time. In case of the catalysts having small particle size (1.6-3.2 nm) of Pt, NO conversion was lower than the large one. The catalysts having large particle size (4.1-4.2 nm) exhibited high selectivity of HCN reaching 53.5 % at 1.3 % C-based yield at 400 °C over 10 wt% Pt/Al₂O₃. One of the reasons for higher activity with the larger Pt particles is suppression of the sequential reaction of HCN to carbon dioxide and ammonia which likely proceeded at the interface between metal and support. Pt L₃-edge X-ray adsorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra showed that the small particle catalysts were covered with Pt–CN species after the reaction test. In contrast, Pt–CO was observed as main adsorbed species on the large particle catalysts, suggesting that HCN desorption process was facile for the larger Pt particle case.

Nickel catalysts were examined for hydrogenation of pyroglutamic acid into pyroglutaminol, an amino alcohol with a lactam group. Ni/SiO₂ exhibited high activity, yielding pyroglutaminol in 73 % selectivity. Infrared spectroscopy of acetic acid, a simple model compound of carboxylic acid, was used to investigate the structure and reactivity of carboxyl species adsorbed on the catalyst surface. On Ni/SiO₂, silyl ester-type monodentate species was formed by dissociative adsorption of acetic acid on the SiO₂ surface. The silyl ester was consumed by the introduction of H₂, indicating hydrogenation of the silyl ester species on Ni/SiO₂. The consumption of silyl ester species on Ni/SiO₂ was faster than the consumption of acetate and acetic acid species formed on Ni/Nb₂O₅ and Ni/ZrO₂. Therefore, pyroglutamic acid is supposed to form similar silyl ester species and is then hydrogenated over Ni/SiO₂.

Effects of additives (t-phosphine, borane etc.) in ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene (NBE) and cycloheptene (CHPE) were investigated using a series of (arylimido)vanadium(V)–alkylidene catalysts, V(CHSiMe₃)(N-2,6-Cl₂C₆H₃)(OR)(PMe₃)₂ [R = C₆F₅ (1), C₆Cl₅ (3), OC(CF₃)₃ (5)], V(CHSiMe₃)(N-2,6-F₂C₆H₃)(OC₆Cl₅)(PMe₃)₂ (2), V(CHSiMe₃)(NR’)[OC(CF₃)₃](PMe₃)₂ [R’ = C₆H₅ (4), C₆F₅ (6)]. Catalytic activities of 4 and 5 in the ROMP of NBE at 25 °C were affected by the additives. Addition of B(C₆F₅)₃ led to the deactivation in the ROMP of NBE accompanied by formation of Me₃SiHC = CHSiMe₃ as the major product, suggesting a dimeric catalyst decomposition by dissociation of PMe₃. Addition of 3 equiv. of PMe₃, PEt₃ increased the activities in the ROMP of NBE, but addition of 3 equiv. of PⁿBu₃, P^tBu₃, PPh₃, and P(OMe)₃ did not improve or decreased the activities. The high cis specificity (97∼>99 %) was maintained regardless of these additives. Addition of PEt₃ into a C₆D₆ solution of 3 monitored by ³¹P VT-NMR spectra and ¹⁹F VT-NMR spectra suggested the fast ligand exchange occurred to form another alkylidene species. ROMP of CHPE in the presence of allyltrimethylsilane (ATMS) as the chain transfer (cross metathesis) agent proceeded by 2 and the M_n values could be controlled by varying the ATMS concentration, whereas the ROMP by 1 and 6 with negligible activities by addition of ATMS. Synthesis of end functionalized linear ring-opened oligomers was thus achieved.

Acidizing operations are sometimes carried out in order to improve well productivity in the oil and gas industry. Duplex stainless steel, which consists of austenitic and ferritic phase, is used for the well material in severely corrosive environments such as high temperature, high pressure, and high salinity because of the excellent corrosion-resistant performance. However, selective corrosion may occur during acidizing operations even in the presence of a corrosion inhibitor. This study evaluated the corrosion inhibition effect of copper iodide (CuI) as an additive using corrosion tests and electrochemical measurements. Corrosion rate was significantly decreased by adding CuI compared to the control condition. Corrosion protection was over 97 % using CuI compared to only 35 % with the single corrosion inhibitor. XRD analysis and cross-section observation showed that selective corrosion was suppressed. Electrochemical measurements revealed that CuI made the corrosion potential nobler and increased the surface film resistance, which indicates that CuI improves the corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steel in acidizing environments.