Methods of producing hydrogen are described. A method can include combining an aqueous base, formaldehyde, and a transition metal complex having a coordination bond between a transition metal and a leaving group to form a homogeneous aqueous solution having a basic pH. The leaving group dissociates from the transition metal complex in response to light and/or the basic pH of the solution to produce hydrogen (H2) gas and formate or a salt thereof from the formaldehyde present in the homogeneous aqueous solution. Subsequent hydrogenation of the formate or a salt thereof produces formaldehyde.

Proposed is a catalyst complex having high activity for carbon dioxide conversion reaction that converts carbon dioxide to useful compounds through reaction of carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon containing at least one hydroxyl group, and a carbon dioxide conversion process using the same, wherein the catalyst complex includes, as an active metal in the catalyst complex, at least one of noble metals and at least one of transition metals other than noble metals, thereby having high activity for the carbon dioxide conversion reaction.

Proposed is a catalyst complex having high activity for carbon dioxide conversion reaction that converts carbon dioxide to useful compounds through reaction of carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon containing at least one hydroxyl group, and a carbon dioxide conversion process using the same, wherein the catalyst complex includes, as an active metal in the catalyst complex, at least one of noble metals and at least one of transition metals other than noble metals, thereby having high activity for the carbon dioxide conversion reaction.

Disclosed is a method for linkage recovery of an organic acid in an aqueous organic acid solution. The method comprises: mixing a solution with an organic acid concentration lower than 20 wt % with a specific extractant and then subjecting same to counter-current extraction so as to obtain an extract phase and a raffinate phase; and subjecting the extract phase together with a solution with an acid concentration higher than 70 wt % to an azeotropic rectification so as to recover an organic acid. When the concentration of the aqueous organic acid solution is 20 wt %-70 wt %, the aqueous organic acid solution is extracted and concentrated to make the concentration of the aqueous organic acid solution higher than 70 wt %. The method is simple, and has a low energy consumption and a good recovery effect with respect to the single recovery of a low concentration aqueous organic acid solution; and the method does not need to newly add an azeotrope agent and saves on costs with respect to the single recovery of a high concentration aqueous organic acid solution. In such a cooperating manner, a reagent during recovery can be fully utilized, energy consumption is reduced, and a process is simplified.

Disclosed is a method for linkage recovery of an organic acid in an aqueous organic acid solution. The method comprises: mixing a solution with an organic acid concentration lower than 20 wt % with a specific extractant and then subjecting same to counter-current extraction so as to obtain an extract phase and a raffinate phase; and subjecting the extract phase together with a solution with an acid concentration higher than 70 wt % to an azeotropic rectification so as to recover an organic acid. When the concentration of the aqueous organic acid solution is 20 wt %-70 wt %, the aqueous organic acid solution is extracted and concentrated to make the concentration of the aqueous organic acid solution higher than 70 wt %. The method is simple, and has a low energy consumption and a good recovery effect with respect to the single recovery of a low concentration aqueous organic acid solution; and the method does not need to newly add an azeotrope agent and saves on costs with respect to the single recovery of a high concentration aqueous organic acid solution. In such a cooperating manner, a reagent during recovery can be fully utilized, energy consumption is reduced, and a process is simplified.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide. The apparatus of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), comprising: an electrolysis reactor comprising (i) an anode which contains an aqueous solution of a Group I metal salt as an electrolytic solution, (ii) an ion-exchange membrane through which metal cations derived from the Group I metal salt and water flow from an anode to a cathode, (iii) a cathode, and (iv) a gas diffusion layer which supplies a carbon dioxide-containing gas to the cathode; a power supply unit of applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode; a first gas-liquid separator of recovering the electrolytic solution from the products formed in the anode; a second gas-liquid separator of recovering carbonate and/or formate from the products formed in the cathode; a pH meter of measuring the pH of the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator; a first reactant supply unit of supplying (a) the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator and (b) the aqueous solution of the Group I metal salt with which the recovered electrolytic solution is replenished according to the pH of the electrolytic solution, to the anode; and a second reactant supply unit of supplying carbon dioxide or a mixer comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor to the cathode; wherein, when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, in the anode, water undergoes electrolysis to generate hydrogen ions, oxygen, and electrons, and metal cations in the Group I metal salt are substituted with the hydrogen ions, while the generated metal cations move to the cathode through the ion-exchange membrane and the electrons move to the cathode through an external electric line; and in the cathode, carbon dioxide, water, metal cations, and electrons are reacted and produce carbonate and/or formate.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide. The apparatus of preparing carbonate and/or formate from carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), comprising: an electrolysis reactor comprising (i) an anode which contains an aqueous solution of a Group I metal salt as an electrolytic solution, (ii) an ion-exchange membrane through which metal cations derived from the Group I metal salt and water flow from an anode to a cathode, (iii) a cathode, and (iv) a gas diffusion layer which supplies a carbon dioxide-containing gas to the cathode; a power supply unit of applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode; a first gas-liquid separator of recovering the electrolytic solution from the products formed in the anode; a second gas-liquid separator of recovering carbonate and/or formate from the products formed in the cathode; a pH meter of measuring the pH of the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator; a first reactant supply unit of supplying (a) the electrolytic solution recovered from the first gas-liquid separator and (b) the aqueous solution of the Group I metal salt with which the recovered electrolytic solution is replenished according to the pH of the electrolytic solution, to the anode; and a second reactant supply unit of supplying carbon dioxide or a mixer comprising carbon dioxide and water vapor to the cathode; wherein, when a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, in the anode, water undergoes electrolysis to generate hydrogen ions, oxygen, and electrons, and metal cations in the Group I metal salt are substituted with the hydrogen ions, while the generated metal cations move to the cathode through the ion-exchange membrane and the electrons move to the cathode through an external electric line; and in the cathode, carbon dioxide, water, metal cations, and electrons are reacted and produce carbonate and/or formate.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

This invention relates to a method for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into ethyl esters of carboxylic acids. Said method consists of treating the biomass material with an oxidizing agent that is incorporated in an solution comprising one or more acids, one or more alcohols and water, and subsequently performing a catalytic reaction at a higher temperature using the same acidic solution into which a larger volume of alcohol is added, in such a way that the catalytic conversion occurs in a medium with a much higher concentration of alcohol, i.e. with a much higher alcohol-to-water wt ratio. Such a method results in relatively high yields of ethyl esters, such as ethyl esters of formic, acetic, and levulinic acids, while producing a low yield of dialkyl ethers, which are unwanted by-products. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the pre-treatment step is preferably higher than 6.0 wt %. The oxidizing agent is preferably a Fenton or Fenton-type reagent, and most preferably hydrogen peroxide activated by Fe (II), and/or Ti (IV) ions. The alcohol is preferably ethanol, and when ethanol is used, diethyl ether is formed as the unwanted dialkyl ether by-product. Preferably, the biomass material is pelleted before treatment.

A synthetic nicotine composition comprising synthetic nicotine, a synthetic nicotine salt and a synthetic nicotine derivative, wherein the synthetic nicotine, the synthetic nicotine salt, and the synthetic nicotine derivative are in mass percentage; the synthetic nicotine accounts for 1-20%, the synthetic nicotine salt accounts for 30-70%, and the synthetic nicotine derivative accounts for 20-50%; and the synthetic nicotine is one or more of S-nicotine and a mixture of R-nicotine containing a racemate and S-nicotine. The synthetic nicotine, synthetic nicotine salt and synthetic nicotine derivative according to the present invention are proportionally mixed to prepare an existing synthetic nicotine product, which relieves the problem of the impact of impurities in natural extracted nicotine products causing an unpleasant smell, a bitter taste and a strong volatility, and can be used in the fields of low temperature heat-not-burn products, snuff, electronic cigarettes, nicotine release patches, insecticides, herbicides, microbicides, drug synthesis, etc.