Catalytically altering the redox pathway of sulfur in propylene carbonate electrolyte using dual-nitrogen/oxygen-containing carbon

Carbonate electrolytes are one of the most desirable electrolytes for high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)because of their successful implementation in commercial Li-ion batteries.The low-polysulfide-solubility feature of some carbonate solvents also makes them very promising for overcoming the shuttle effects of LSBs.However,regular sulfur electrodes experience undesired electrochemical mechanisms in carbonate electrolytes due to side reactions.In this study,we report a catalytic redox mechanism of sulfur in propylene carbonate(PC)electrolyte based on a compari-son study.The catalytic mechanism is characterized by the interactions between polysulfides and dual N/O functional groups on the host carbon,which largely prevents side reactions between polysulfides and the carbonate electrolyte.Such a mechanism coupled with the low-polysulfide-solubility feature leads to stable cycling of LSBs in PC electrolyte.Favorable dual N/O functional groups are identified via a density functional theory study.This work provides an alternative route for enabling LSBs in carbonate electrolytes.

Kinetics of catalytically activated duplication in aggregation growth

We propose a catalytically activated duplication model to mimic the coagulation and duplication of the DNA polymer system under the catalysis of the primer RNA. In the model, two aggregates of the same species can coagulate themselves and a DNA aggregate of any size can yield a new monomer or double itself with the help of RNA aggregates. By employing the mean-field rate equation approach we analytically investigate the evolution behaviour of the system. For the system with catalysis-driven monomer duplications, the aggregate size distribution of DNA polymers αk（t） always follows a power law in size in the long-time limit, and it decreases with time or approaches a time-independent steady-state form in the case of the duplication rate independent of the size of the mother aggregates, while it increases with time increasing in the case of the duplication rate proportional to the size of the mother aggregates. For the system with complete catalysis-driven duplications, the aggregate size distribution αk（t） approaches a generalized or modified scaling form.

Unraveling the catalytically active phase of carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol on Zn/Cu alloy: Single atom versus small cluster

Methanol synthesis from CO_(2)hydrogenation catalyzed by Zn/Cu alloy has been widely studied,but there is still debate on its catalytic active phase and whether the Zn can be oxidized during the reaction process.What is more,as Zn atoms could locate on Zn/Cu alloy surface in forms of both single atom and cluster,how Zn surface distribution affects catalytic activity is still not clear.In this work,we performed a systematic theoretical study to compare the mechanistic natures and catalytic pathways between Zn single atom and small cluster on catalyst surface,where the surface oxidation was shown to play the critical role.Before surface oxidation,the Zn single atom/Cu is more active than the Zn small cluster/Cu,but its surface oxidation is difficult to take place.Instead,after the easy surface oxidation by CO_(2)decomposition,the oxidized Zn small cluster/Cu becomes much more active,which even exceeds the hardlyoxidized Zn single atom/Cu to become the active phase.Further analyses show this dramatic promotion of surface oxidation can be ascribed to the following factors:i)The O from surface oxidation could preferably occupy the strongest binding sites on the center of Zn cluster.That makes the O intermediates bind at the Zn/Cu interface,preventing their too tight binding for further hydrogenation;ii)The higher positive charge and work function on the oxidized surface could also promote the hydrogenation of O intermediates.This work provided one more example that under certain condition,the metal cluster can be more active than the single atom in heterogeneous catalysis.

Evolution behavior of catalytically activated replication-decline in a coagulation process

We propose a catalytically activated replication-decline model of three species, in which two aggregates of the same species can coagulate themselves, an A aggregate of any size can replicate itself with the help of B aggregates, and the decline of A aggregate occurs under the catalysis of C aggregates. By means of mean-field rate equations, we derive the asymptotic solutions of the aggregate size distribution ak（t） of species A, which is found to depend strongly on the competition among three mechanisms： the self-coagulation of species A, the replication of species A catalyzed by species B, and the decline of species A catalyzed by species C. When the self-coagulation of species A dominates the system, the aggregate size distribution a^（t） satisfies the conventional scaling form. When the catalyzed replication process dominates the system, ak（t） takes the generalized scaling form. When the catalyzed decline process dominates the system, ak（t） approaches the modified scaling form.

Kinetics of catalytically activated aggregation-fragmentation process

We propose a catalytically activated aggregation-fragmentation model of three species, in which two clusters of species A can coagulate into a larger one under the catalysis of B clusters; otherwise, one cluster of species A will fragment into two smaller clusters under the catalysis of C clusters. By means of mean-field rate equations, we derive the asymptotic solutions of the cluster-mass distributions ak（t） of species A, which is found to depend strongly on the competition between the catalyzed aggregation process and the catalyzed fragmentation process. When the catalyzed aggregation process dominates the system, the cluster-mass distribution ak（t） satisfies the conventional scaling form. When the catalyzed fragmentation process dominates the system, the scaling description of ak （t） breaks down completely and the monodisperse initial condition of species A would not be changed in the long-time limit. In the marginal case when the effects of catalyzed aggregation and catalyzed fragmentation counteract each other, ak（t） takes the modified scaling form and the system can eventually evolve to a steady state.

Catalytically active membranes for esterification:A review

Esterification is an important process in the food industry and can be carried out via homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis.The homogeneous catalyst,despite providing high conversion,can cause corrosion in reactors,which is not observed with the use of heterogeneous catalysts.However,some of these catalysts require a high process temperature and may lose their catalytic activity with reuse.Thus,catalytic membranes have been proposed as a promising alternative.The combination of catalysis and separation in a single module provides greater conversion,reduction of excess reagents,compact industrial plant,making the process more efficient.Within this context,this work aims to present a literature review on the catalytic membrane for the synthesis of esters,improving the understanding of the production and development.This review examines the materials,catalysts used,and synthetic pathways.A comparison between the methods,as well as limitations and gaps in the literature,are highlighted.

Atomic Interface Catalytically Synthesizing SnP/CoP Hetero-Nanocrystals within Dual-Carbon Hybrids for Ultrafast Lithium-Ion Batteries

Tin phosphides are attractive anode materials for ultrafast lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)because of their ultrahigh Li-ion diffusion capability and large theoretical-specific capacity.However,difficulties in synthesis and large size enabling electrochemical irreversibility impede their applications.Herein,an in situ catalytic phosphorization strategy is developed to synthesize SnP/CoP hetero-nanocrystals within reduced graphene oxide(rGO)-coated carbon frameworks,in which the SnP relative formation energy is significantly decreased according to density functional theory(DFT)calculations.The optimized hybrids exhibit ultrafast charge/discharge capability(260 mA·h·g^(-1)at 50 A·g^(-1))without capacity fading(645 mA·h·g^(-1)at 2 A·g^(-1))through 1500 cycles.The lithiation/delithiation mechanism is disclosed,showing that the 4.0 nm sized SnP/CoP nanocrystals possess a very high reversibility and that the previously formed metallic Co of CoP at a relatively high potential accelerates the subsequent reaction kinetics of SnP,hence endowing them with ultrafast charge/discharge capability,which is further verified by the relative dynamic current density distributions according to the finite element analysis.

Mössbauer Study of Catalytically Grown Carbon Nanotube

The valence states of iron in iron catalysts,hydrogen reduced catalysts,and catalytically grown carbon nanotubes are determined by Mössbauer spectra,respectively.The results show that the iron exists as Fe,FeO,andα-Fe_(2)O_(3) in hydrogen reduced catalysts,whereas it exists as Fe-C alloy,FeO,and α-Fe_(2)O_(3) in the catalysts encapsulated in carbon nanotube.It is postulated that Fe in hydrogen reduced catalysts plays the main role in the formation of catalytically grown carbon nanotube.

Deformable Catalytic Material Derived from Mechanical Flexibility for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Deformable catalytic material with excellent flexible structure is a new type of catalyst that has been applied in various chemical reactions,especially electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In recent years,deformable catalysts for HER have made great progress and would become a research hotspot.The catalytic activities of deformable catalysts could be adjustable by the strain engineering and surface reconfiguration.The surface curvature of flexible catalytic materials is closely related to the electrocatalytic HER properties.Here,firstly,we systematically summarized self-adaptive catalytic performance of deformable catalysts and various micro–nanostructures evolution in catalytic HER process.Secondly,a series of strategies to design highly active catalysts based on the mechanical flexibility of lowdimensional nanomaterials were summarized.Last but not least,we presented the challenges and prospects of the study of flexible and deformable micro–nanostructures of electrocatalysts,which would further deepen the understanding of catalytic mechanisms of deformable HER catalyst.

Deep Insight of Design,Mechanism,and Cancer Theranostic Strategy of Nanozymes

Since the discovery of enzyme-like activity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in 2007,nanozymes are becoming the promising substitutes for natural enzymes due to their advantages of high catalytic activity,low cost,mild reaction conditions,good stability,and suitable for large-scale production.Recently,with the cross fusion of nanomedicine and nanocatalysis,nanozyme-based theranostic strategies attract great attention,since the enzymatic reactions can be triggered in the tumor microenvironment to achieve good curative effect with substrate specificity and low side effects.Thus,various nanozymes have been developed and used for tumor therapy.In this review,more than 270 research articles are discussed systematically to present progress in the past five years.First,the discovery and development of nanozymes are summarized.Second,classification and catalytic mechanism of nanozymes are discussed.Third,activity prediction and rational design of nanozymes are focused by highlighting the methods of density functional theory,machine learning,biomimetic and chemical design.Then,synergistic theranostic strategy of nanozymes are introduced.Finally,current challenges and future prospects of nanozymes used for tumor theranostic are outlined,including selectivity,biosafety,repeatability and stability,in-depth catalytic mechanism,predicting and evaluating activities.

Importance of oxygen-containing functionalities and pore structures of biochar in catalyzing pyrolysis of homologous poplar

Biochar and bio-oil are produced simultaneously in one pyrolysis process,and they inevitably contact and may interact,influencing the composition of bio-oil and modifying the structure of biochar.In this sense,biochar is an inherent catalyst for pyrolysis.In this study,in order to investigate the influence of functionalities and pore structures of biochar on its capability for catalyzing the conversion of homologous volatiles in bio-oil,three char catalysts(600C,800C,and 800AC)produced via pyrolysis of poplar wood at 600 or 800℃or activated at 800℃,were used for catalyzing pyrolysis of homologous poplar wood at 600℃,respectively.The results indicated that the 600C catalyst was more active than 800C and 800AC for catalyzing cracking of volatiles to form more gas(yield increase by 40.2%)and aromatization of volatiles to form more light or heavy phenolics,due to its abundant oxygen-containing functionalities acting as active sites.The developed pores of the 800AC showed no such catalytic effect but could trap some volatiles and allow their further conversion via sufficient aromatization.Nevertheless,the interaction with the volatiles consumed oxygen on 600C(decrease by 50%),enhancing the aromatic degree and increasing thermal stability.The dominance of deposition of carbonaceous material of a very aromatic nature over 800C and 800AC resulted in net weight gain and blocked micropores but formed additional macropores.The in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy characterization of the catalytic pyrolysis indicated superior activity of 600C for removal of -OH,while conversion of the intermediates bearing C=O was enhanced over all the char catalysts.

A sustainable process to 100%bio-based nylons integrated chemical and biological conversion of lignocellulose

Considerable progress has been made in recent years to the development of sustainable polymers from bio-based feedstocks.In this study,100%bio-based nylons were prepared via an integrated chemical and biological process from lignocellulose.These novel nylons were obtained by the melt polymerization of 3-propyladipic acid derived from lignin and 1,5-pentenediamine/1,4-butanediamine derived from carbohydrate sugar.Central to the concept is a three-step noble metal free catalytic chemical funnelling sequence(Raney Ni mediated reductive catalytic fractionation-reductive funnelling-oxidative funnelling),which allowed for obtaining a single component 3-propyladipic acid from lignin with high efficiency.The structural and thermodynamic properties of the obtained nylons have been systematically investigated,and thus obtained transparent bio-based nylons exhibited higher Mw(>32,000)and excellent thermal stability(Td5%>265℃).Considering their moderate Tg and good melt strength,these transparent bio-based nylons could serve as promising functional additives or temperature-responsive materials.

Recent advances in cobalt phosphide-based materials for electrocatalytic water splitting:From catalytic mechanism and synthesis method to optimization design

Electrochemical water splitting has long been considered an effective energy conversion technology for trans-ferring intermittent renewable electricity into hydrogen fuel,and the exploration of cost-effective and high-performance electrocatalysts is crucial in making electrolyzed water technology commercially viable.Cobalt phosphide(Co-P)has emerged as a catalyst of high potential owing to its high catalytic activity and durability in water splitting.This paper systematically reviews the latest advances in the development of Co-P-based materials for use in water splitting.The essential effects of P in enhancing the catalytic performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction are first outlined.Then,versatile synthesis techniques for Co-P electrocatalysts are summarized,followed by advanced strategies to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of Co-P materials,including heteroatom doping,composite construction,integration with well-conductive sub-strates,and structure control from the viewpoint of experiment.Along with these optimization strategies,the understanding of the inherent mechanism of enhanced catalytic performance is also discussed.Finally,some existing challenges in the development of highly active and stable Co-P-based materials are clarified,and pro-spective directions for prompting the wide commercialization of water electrolysis technology are proposed.

Catalytic effect in lithium metal batteries: From heterogeneous catalyst to homogenous catalyst

Lithium metal batteries are regarded as prominent contenders to address the pressing needs owing to the high theoretical capacity.Toward the broader implementation,the primary obstacle lies in the intricate multi-electron,multi-step redox reaction associated with sluggish conversion kinetics,subsequently giving rise to a cascade of parasitic issues.In order to smooth reaction kinetics,catalysts are widely introduced to accelerate reaction rate via modulating the energy barrier.Over past decades,a large amount of research has been devoted to the catalyst design and catalytic mechanism exploration,and thus the great progress in electrochemical performance has been realized.Therefore,it is necessary to make a comprehensive review toward key progress in catalyst design and future development pathway.In this review,the basic mechanism of lithium metal batteries is provided along with corresponding advantages and existing challenges detailly described.The main catalysts employed to accelerate cathode reaction with emphasis on their catalytic mechanism are summarized as well.Finally,the rational design and innovative direction toward efficient catalysts are suggested for future application in metal-sulfur/gas battery and beyond.This review is expected to drive and benefit future research on rational catalyst design with multi-parameter synergistic impacts on the activity and stability of next-generation metal battery,thus opening new avenue for sustainable solution to climate change,energy and environmental issues,and the potential industrial economy.

Palladium-catalyzed dicarbonylation of 1,3-butadiene with bidentate phosphine ligands:A density functional theory study

DFT calculations have been performed to discover the mechanism for the synthesis of dimethyl adipate(DMA)by 1,3-butadiene(BD)dicarbonylation catalyzed by a complex consisting of palladium and a bidentate diphosphine ligand.The computational results indicate that BD dicarbonylation involves two catalytic stages with the same reaction mechanism including terminal alkenyl insertion,CO migratory insertion,and methanolysis.Four different reaction routes have been explored,the pathway yielding linear DMA has the lowest alkenyl C-H insertion barrier with an overall barrier of 13.4 kcal·mol^(-1)(1 kcal·mol^(-1)=4.184 kJ·mol^(-1)).The regioselectivity of the BD dicarbonylation depends mainly on the barrier of the alkenyl insertion into the palladium-hydrogen complex site.The computations well reproduced the experimentally observed linear selectivity.

Theoretically predicted innovative palladium stripe dopingcobalt(111) surface with excellent catalytic performance for carbonmonoxide oxidative coupling to dimethyl oxalate

Pd-based catalysts are extensively employed to catalyze CO oxidative coupling to generate DMO,while the expensive price and high usage of Pd hinder its massive application in industrial production.Designing Pd-based catalysts with high efficiency and low Pd usage as well as expounding the catalytic mechanisms are significant for the reaction.In this study,we theoretically predict that Pd stripe doping Co(111)surface exhibits excellent performance than pure Pd(111),Pd monolayer supporting on Co(111)and Pd single atom doping Co(111)surface,and clearly expound the catalytic mechanisms through the density functional theory(DFT)calculation and micro-reaction kinetic model analysis.It is obtained that the favorable reaction pathway is COOCH_(3)-COOCH_(3)coupling pathway over these four catalysts,while the rate-controlling step is COOCH_(3)+CO+OCH_(3)→2COOCH_(3)on Pd stripe doping Co(111)surface,which is different from the case(2COOCH_(3)→DMO)on pure Pd(111),Pd monolayer supporting on Co(111)and Pd single atom doping Co(111)surface.This study can contribute a certain reference value for developing Pd-based catalysts with high efficiency and low Pd usage for CO oxidative coupling to DMO.

Critical approaches in the catalytic transformation of sugar isomerization and epimerization after Fischer-History,challenges,and prospects

The transformation of aldose to ketose or common sugars into rare saccharides,including rare ketoses and aldoses,is of great value and interest to the food industry and for saccharidic biomass utilization,medicine,and the synthesis of drugs.Nowadays,high-fructose corn syrup(HFCS)is industrially produced in more than 10 million tons annually using immobilized glucose isomerase.Some low-calorie saccharides such as tagatose and psicose,which are becoming popular sweeteners,have also been produced on a pilot scale in order to replace sucrose and HFCS.However,current catalysts and catalytic processes are still difficult to utilize in biomass conversion and also have strong substrate dependence in producing high-value,rare sugars.Considering the specific reaction properties of saccharides and catalysts,since the pioneering discovery by Fischer,various catalysts and catalytic systems have been discovered or developed in attempts to extend the reaction pathways,improve the reaction efficiency,and to potentially produce commercial products.In this review,we trace the history of sugar isomerization/epimerization reactions and summarize the important breakthroughs for each reaction as well as the difficulties that remain unresolved to date.

A review on ultra-small undoped MoS_(2) as advanced catalysts for renewable fuel production

Molybdenum disulfide(MoS_(2))has garnered significant attention in the field of catalysis due to the high density of active sites in its unique two-dimensional(2D)structure,which could be developed into numerous high-performance catalysts.The synthesis of ultra-small MoS2 particles(<10 nm)is highly desired in various experimental studies.The ultra-small structure could often lead to a distinct S-Mo coordination state and nonstoichiometric composition in MoSx,minimizing in-plane active sites of the 2D structure and making it probable to regulate the atomic and electronic structure of its intrinsic active sites on a large extent,especially in MoSx clusters.This article summarizes the recent progress of catalysis over ultra-small undoped MoS_(2) particles for renewable fuel production.Through a systematic review of their synthesis,structural,and spectral characteristics,as well as the relationship between their catalytic performance and inherent defects,we aim to provide insights into catalysis over this matrix that may potentially enable advancement in the development of high-performance MoS_(2)-based catalysts for sustainable energy generation in the future.

Few-layered hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets stabilized Pt NPs for oxidation promoted adsorptive desulfurization of fuel oil

A few-layered hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets stabilized platinum nanoparticles(Pt/h-BNNS)is engineered for oxidation-promoted adsorptive desulfurization(OPADS)of fuel oil.It was found that the few-layered structure and the defective sites of h-BNNS not only are beneficial to the stabilization of Pt NPs but also favor the adsorption of aromatic sulfides.By employing Pt/h-BNNS with a Pt loading amount of 1.19 wt%as the active adsorbent and air as an oxidant,a 98.0%sulfur removal over dibenzothiophene(DBT)is achieved along with a total conversion of the DBT to the corresponding sulfones(DBTO_(2)).Detailed experiments show that the excellent desulfurization activity originates from the few-layered structure of h-BNNS and the high catalytic activity of Pt NPs.In addition,the OPADS system with Pt/h-BNNS as the active adsorbent shows remarkable stability in desulfurization performance with the existence of different interferents such as olefin,and aromatic hydrocarbons.Besides,the Pt/h-BNNS can be recycled 12 times without a significant decrease in desulfurization performance.Also,a process flow diagram is proposed for deep desulfurization of fuel oil and recovery of high value-added products,which would promote the industrial application of such OPADS strategy.

Green synthesis of ZSM-5 using silica fume and catalytic co-cracking of lignin and plastics for production of monocyclic aromatics

ZSM-5 with hierarchical pore structure was synthesized by a simple two-step hydrothermal crystallization from silica fume without using any organic ammonium templates.The synthesized ZSM-5 were oval shaped particles with a particle size about 2.0 μm and weak acid-dominated with proper Brønsted(B)and Lewis(L)acid sites.The ZSM-5 was used for catalytic co-cracking of n-octane and guaiacol,lowdensity polyethylene(LDPE)and alkali lignin(AL)to enhance the production of benzene,toluene,ethylbenzene and xylene(BTEX).The most significant synergistic effect occurred at n-octane/guaiacol at 1:1 and LDPE/AL at 1:3,under the condition,the achieved BTEX selectivity were 24%and 33%(mass)higher than the calculated values(weighted average).The highest BTEX selectivity reached 88.5%,which was 3.7%and 54.2%higher than those from individual cracking LDPE and AL.The synthesized ZSM-5 exhibited superior catalytic performance compared to the commercial ZSM-5,indicating potential application prospect.