Mechanically activated starch magnetic microspheres for Cd(Ⅱ)adsorption from aqueous solution

Magnetic starch microspheres(AAM-MSM)were synthesized via an inverse emulsion graft copolymerization by using mechanically activated cassava starch(MS)as a crude material,acrylic acid(AA)and acrylamide(AM)as graft copolymer monomers,and methyl methacrylate(MMA)as the dispersing agent and used as an adsorbent for the removal of Cd(Ⅱ)ions from aqueous solution.Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and vibrating sample magnetometry(VSM)were used to characterize the AAM-MSM adsorbent.The results indicated that AA,AM,and MMA were grafted to the MS,and the Fe_(3)O_(4) nanoparticles were encapsulated in the AAM-MSM adsorbent microspheres.The adsorbent exhibited a smooth surface,uniform size,and good sphericity because of the addition of the MMA and provided more adsorption sites for the Cd(Ⅱ)ions.The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd(Ⅱ)on the AAM-MSM was 39.98 mg·g^(-1).The adsorbents were superparamagnetic,and the saturation magnetization was 16.7 A·m^(2)·kg^(-1).Additionally,the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of the adsorption process were further investigated.The process of Cd(Ⅱ)ions adsorbed onto the AAM-MSM could be described more favorably by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isothermal adsorption models,which suggested that the chemical reaction process dominated the adsorption process for the Cd(Ⅱ)and chemisorption was the rate-controlling step during the Cd(Ⅱ)removal process.

Different efficiency toward the biomimetic aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol in microchannel and bubble column reactors: Hydrodynamic characteristics and gas–liquid mass transfer

The selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde has attracted considerable attention because benzaldehyde is a high value-added product. The rate of this typical gas–liquid reaction is significantly affected by mass transfer. In this study, CoTPP-mediated(CoTPP: cobalt(II) mesotetraphenylporphyrin) selective benzyl alcohol oxidation with oxygen was conducted in a membrane microchannel(MMC) reactor and a bubble column(BC) reactor, respectively. We observed that 83% benzyl alcohol was converted within 6.5 min in the MMC reactor, but only less than 10% benzyl alcohol was converted in the BC reactor. Hydrodynamic characteristics and gas–liquid mass transfer performances were compared for the MMC and BC reactors. The MMC reactor was assumed to be a plug flow reactor,and the dimensionless variance was 0.29. Compared to the BC reactor, the gas–liquid mass transfer was intensified significantly in MMC reactor. It could be ascribed to the high gas holdup(2.9 times higher than that of BC reactor), liquid film mass transfer coefficient(8.2 times higher than that of BC reactor), and mass transfer coefficient per unit interfacial area(3.8 times higher than that of BC reactor). Moreover,the Hatta number for the MMC reactor reached up to 0.61, which was about 15 times higher than that of the BC reactor. The computational fluid dynamics calculations for mass fractions in both liquid and gas phases were consistent with the experimental data.

Highly efficient mixed-metal spinel cobaltite electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction

Cation substitution in spinel cobaltites(e.g.,ACo2O4,in which A=Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu,or Zn)is a promising strategy to precisely modulate their electronic structure/properties and thus improve the corresponding electrochemical performance for water splitting.However,the fundamental principles and mechanisms are not fully understood.This research aims to systematically investigate the effects of cation substitution in spinel cobaltites derived from mixed-metal-organic frameworks on the oxygen evolution reaction(OER).Among the obtained ACo2O4 catalysts,FeCo2O4 showed excellent OER performance with a current density of 10 mA·cm^-2 at an overpotential of 164 mV in alkaline media.Both theoretical calculations and experimental results demonstrate that the Fe substitution in the crystal lattice of ACo2O4 can significantly accelerate charge transfer,thereby achieving enhanced electrochemical properties.The crystal field of spinel ACo2O4,which determines the valence states of cations A,is identified as the key factor to dictate the OER performance of these spinel cobaltites.

Rational construction of Ag@MIL-88B(V)-derived hierarchical porous Ag-V_(2)O_(5) heterostructures with enhanced diffusion kinetics and cycling stability for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

With the advantages of the multiple oxidation states and highly open crystal structures,vanadium-based composites have been considered as the promising cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries(ZIBs).However,the inherent inferior electrical conductivity,low specific surface area,and sluggish Zn^(2+)diffusion kinetics of the traditional vanadium-based oxides have greatly impeded their development.Herein,a novel hierarchical porous spindle-shaped Ag-V_(2)O_(5) with unique heterostructures was rationally designed via a simple MOF-assisted synthetic method and applied as stable cathode for aqueous ZIBs.The high specific surface area and hierarchically porous superstructures endowed Ag-V_(2)O_(5) with sufficient electrochemical active sites and shortened the diffusion pathways of Zn^(2+),which was beneficial to accelerate the reversible transport of Zn^(2+)and deliver a high specific capacity(426 mA h g^(-1) at 0.1 A g^(-1) and 96.5%capacity retention after 100 cycles).Meanwhile,the self-built-in electric fields at the heterointerface of Ag-V_(2)O_(5) electrode could strengthen the synergistic coupling interaction between Ag and V_(2)O_(5),which can effectively enhance the electric conductivity and maintain the structural integrity,resulting in superb rate capability(326.1 mA h g^(-1) at 5.0 A g^(-1))and remarkable cycling stability(89.7%capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 5.0 A g^(-1)).Moreover,the reversible Zn^(2+)storage mechanism was further investigated and elucidated by kinetics analysis and DFT calculations.

N-hydroxyphthalimide anchored on hexagonal boron nitride as a metal-free heterogeneous catalyst for deep oxidative desulfurization

A metal-free N-hydroxyphthalimide/hexagonal boron nitride(NHPI/h-BN)catalytic system was developed for deep oxidative desulfurization(ODS)of fuel oils.Detailed experiments find that the heterogenization process of loading NHPI on h-BN not only benefits to the dispersion and utilization of NHPI,but also can significantly promote the catalytic performance.By employing NHPI/h-BN as the catalyst,azodiisobutyronitrile(AIBN)as the metal-free initiator,a 95%conversion of dibenzothiophene(DBT)can be acquired under the reaction conditions of 120°C and atmospheric pressure with molecular oxygen(O_(2))as oxidant.Moreover,the heterogenization is convenient for the regeneration of the catalyst with>94%DBT conversion after being recycled seven times.Characterizations illustrate that the promoted catalytic activity along with the regenerability originate from the interactions between NHPI and h-BN.The catalytic mechanism study shows that molecular oxygen is readily activated by the NHPI/h-BN to form a superoxide radical(O_(2)^(·-)),which oxidize DBT to DBTO2 for desulfurization.

Liquid-phase epoxidation of propylene with molecular oxygen by chloride manganese meso-tetraphenylporphyrins

Propylene molecule owns two active sites,the direct epoxidation of propylene by dioxygen is still a challenge due to the limitation of selectivity.In this work,the direct liquid-phase propylene aerobic epoxidation protocol by chloride manganese meso-tetraphenylporphyrin(MnTPPCl)was developed.The conversion of propylene was 12.7%,and the selectivity towards PO(propylene oxide)reached up to 80.5%.The formation of PO was attributed to the mechanism via high-valent Mn species,which was confirmed by means of in situ UV–vis spectrum.

In situ growth of cobalt on ultrathin Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)as an efficient cocatalyst of g-C_(3)N_(4)for enhanced photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction

Photocatalytic CO_(2)reduction to valuable product exhibit promising prospect for solving the energy crisis and the greenhouse effect.Herein,Co-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/g-C_(3)N_(4)(Co-TC/CN)composite with enhanced photocatalytic performance for converting CO_(2)to CO and CH_(4)was constructed by electrostatic self-assembly method.The close contact interface between Co-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)and g-C_(3)N_(4)nanosheets can be used as fast transport channels of photogenerated electrons and effectively promote the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes,and the interface between the Co and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)might be the active sites for CO_(2)adsorption and activation.The optimized Co-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/g-C_(3)N_(4)composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance with the CO and CH_(4)production of 55.04 μmol·g^(-1)and 2.29 μmol·g^(-1),respectively,which were 7.5 times and 5.8 times than those of g-C_(3)N_(4).Furthermore,the stability of g-C_(3)N_(4)was improved after coupling with Co-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x).

Efficient recovery of aromatic compounds from the wastewater of styrene monomer and propylene oxide co-production plant via hypercrosslinked aryl-rich starch-β-cyclodextrin polymeric sorbent

Adsorptive recovery of valuable components from industrial wastewater is highly desirable for avoiding resource wastage but remains a challenge.Herein,we develop an efficient continuous adsorption process for recovering aromatic compounds in wastewater from styrene monomer and propylene oxide coproduction(SMPO)plant.Based on our insight into the potential of bio-based porous materials for adsorption application,starch-graft-polystyrene(SPS)and aryl-modifiedβ-cyclodextrin(ACD)were prepared,and novel hypercrosslinked porous polymers combined SPS with ACD(HSPS-ACDs)were synthesized through external crosslinking approach.In a binary-component system,the best-performing one HSPS-ACD(H)with high ACD content and large specific surface area possessed superior capacities for the representative aromatic compounds,acetophenone(AP,2.81 mmol·g^(-1))and 1-phenylethanol(1-PE,1.35 mmol·g^(-1))compared with the previously reported materials.Further,the adsorption properties of aromatic compounds on HSPS-ACD(H)were investigated in batch mode.For practical application,continuous adsorption experiments were conducted in a HSPS-ACD(H)-packed fixed bed,where the target aromatic components in wastewater were effectively retained and further released by elution.Besides showing the reversible adsorption and efficient enrichment effect,the HSPS-ACD(H)-packed fixed bed also maintained great stability in multiple cycles.Moreover,quantum chemical calculations were performed to elucidate the potential mechanism of adsorption of AP and 1-PE onto HSPS-ACD(H).

A novel CoOOH/(Ti, C)-Fe_2O_3 nanorod photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting

In this work, we demonstrate the CoOOH/（Ti,C）-Fe2O3（CTCF） nanorods prepared by a facile approach as well as their implementation as photoanodes for photoelectrochemical（PEC） water splitting. The photocurrent density of CTCF photoanode is 1.85 m A cm-2 at ＋1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode（RHE）, which is more than 20 times higher than that of pristine α-Fe2O3 photoanode（0.08 m A cm-2）. The incident-photo-to-current conversion efficiency, applied bias photo-to-current efficiency and transfer efficiency of CTCF photoanode reaches 31.2% at 380 nm（＋1.23 V vs. RHE）,0.11%（＋1.11 V vs. RHE）, 68.2%（＋1.23 V vs. RHE） respectively, which are much higher than those of pristine α-Fe2O3 photoanode. Additionally, the longtime irradiation PEC water splitting of CTCF photoanode demonstrates its high stability at extreme voltage in NaOH（pH 14）.

Activity promotion of Rh_(1)Ca_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) single-atom catalyst in 1-octene hydroformylation:a volcano curve exists between Ca adding ratio and catalytic activity

Single-atom catalysts(SACs)are considered the best candidates for olefin hydroformylation due to their combined advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts.Unlike conventional organo-phosphine modification,Rh SAC is modified by introducing Ca,resulting in a significant increase in activity(maximum~5.7-fold)and stability.Furthermore,a volcano curve between Ca addition ratio and catalytic activity is found.Introducing Ca significantly increases activity by decreasing the energy barrier,but excessive Ca decreases activity due to hindering substrate adsorption and reaction.

Tandem hydroformylation/hydrogenation of olefins to alcohols using atomically dispersed bifunctional catalysts

Tandem hydroformylation/hydrogenation of olefins to alcohols is an appealing and challenging route that has received continuous interest. Herein, we report a bifunctional atomically dispersed Rh and Co catalyst(Rh Co/Al_(2)O_(3)-10) prepared by a simple ball milling method that displays superior synergistic catalytic performance(>95% olefins conversion and >80% alcohols selectivity) and broad substrate scope for tandem hydroformylation/hydrogenation reaction, outperforming Rh/Al_(2)O_(3), Co/Al_(2)O_(3),and their physically mixed counterparts. In situ CO-DRIFTS, XPS, and kinetic experiments demonstrate that the electron interaction between Rh and Co atoms effectively lowers the apparent activation energy, thus promoting the tandem hydroformylation/hydrogenation reaction. This work not only presents a novel tandem hydroformylation/hydrogenation reaction system for converting olefins to alcohol but also throws light on the rational design of versatile bifunctional catalysts for ondemand synergistic catalysis.

Controlling hydrogenation of C=C and C=O bonds in cinnamaldehyde using Pt_(1)/Ni and Pt_(1)/Co single-atom alloy catalysts

Selective hydrogenation of C=C and C=O bonds in cinnamaldehyde(CAL)to produce desired products is a challenging task due to the complex conjugate system of the two unsaturated functional groups.In this study,a simple ball milling method is presented for synthesizing Pt-based single-atom alloy catalysts(SAAs)that can function as a control switch for the selective hydrogenation of CAL into highly valuable products.

Cyclohexene Promoted Efficient Biomimetic Oxidation of Alcohols to Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by Manganese Porphyrin under Mild Conditions

Selective oxidation of alcohols to corresponding carbonyl compounds is one of the most important processes both in academic and application research.As a kind of biomimetic catalyst,metalloporphyrins-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alcohols with aldehyde as hydrogen donator is gathering much attention.However,using olefins as another kind hydrogen donator for aerobic oxidation of alcohols has not been reported.In this study,a system comprising managenese porphyrin and cyclohexene for biomimetic aerobic oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds was developed.The catalytic system exhibited excellent catalytic performance and selectivity towards the corresponding products for most primary and secondary alcohols under mild conditions.Based on the results obtained from experiments as well as in situ EPR(electron paramagnetic resonance)and UV-vis spectroscopy,the role of cvclohexene was demonstrated.

Oxygen Atom Transfer Mechanism for Vanadium-Oxo Porphyrin Complexes Mediated Aerobic Olefin Epoxidation

The development of catalytic aerobic epoxidation by numerous metal complexes in the presence of aldehyde as a sacrificial reductant(Mukaiyama epoxidation)has been reported,however,comprehensive examination of oxygen atom transfer mechanism involving free radical and highly reactive intermediates has yet to be presented.Herein,meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinatooxidovanadium(Ⅳ)(VOTPFPP)was prepared and proved to be efficient toward aerobic olefin epoxidation in the presence of isobutyraldehyde.In situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy(in situ EPR)showed the generation,transfer pathways and ascription of free radicals in the epoxidation.According to the spectral and computational studies,the side-on vanadium-peroxo complexes are considered as the active intermediate species in the reaction process.In the cyclohexene epoxidation catalyzed by VOTPFPP,the kinetic isotope effect value of 1.0 was obtained,indicating that epoxidation occurred via oxygen atom transfer mechanism.The mechanism was further elucidated using isotopically labeled dioxygen experiments and density functional theory(DFT)calculations.

Amino-metalloporphyrin polymers derived Fe single atom catalysts for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Recently,nitrogen-doped porous carbon supported single atom catalysts(SACs)have become one of the most promising alternatives to precious metal catalysts in oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)due to their outstanding performance,especially those derived from porphyrin-based materials.However,most of them involve other metal residuals,which would cause the tedious pre-and/or post-treatment,even mislead the mechanistic investigations and active-site identification.Herein,we report a precursor-dilution strategy to synthesize Fe SACs through the Schiff-based reaction via co-polycondensation of amino-metalloporphyrin,followed by pyrolysis at high temperature.Systematic characterization results provide the compelling evidence of the dominant presence of atomically dispersed Fe-Nxspecies.Our catalyst shows superior ORR performance with positive half-wave potential(E1/2=0.85 V vs.RHE)in alkaline condition and moderate activity(E1/2=0.68 V vs.RHE)under the acidic condition,excellent methanol tolerance and good long-term stability.All the results indicate Fe SACs would be a promising candidate for replacing the precious Pt in metal-air batteries and fuel cells.

Copper-Mediated and Catalyzed C-H Bond Amination via Chelation Assistance: Scope, Mechanism and Synthetic Applications

Nitrogen-containing compounds are ubiquitously found in the fields of organic chemistry,pharmaceuticals,agrochemicals,medicinal chemistry and functional materials.The C-H bond amination reaction is one of the most straightforward protocols in the CN bond formation,showing"step"and"atomic"economy.As a catalyst for C-H amination reaction,copper exhibits its unique catalytic properties due to easily accessible oxidation states.The research progress of copper-catalyzed C-H amination in recent years is summarized.At the same time,reaction mechanisms are also briefly described in representative aminations to provide insights for the development prospects of highly practical and more environmentally benignprocesses.

Single Cu atom dispersed on S,N-codoped nanocarbon derived from shrimp shells for highly-efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Recently,Cu-based single-atom catalysts(SACs)have garnered increasing attention as substitutes for platinum-based catalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR).Therefore,a facile,economical,and efficient synthetic methodology for the preparation of a high-performance Cu-based SAC electrocatalyst for the ORR is extremely desired,but is also significantly challenging.In this study,we propose a ball-milling method to synthesize isolated metal SACs embedded in S,N-codoped nanocarbon(MNSDC,M=Cu,Fe,Co,Ni,Mn,Pt,and Pd).In particular,the Cu-NSDC SACs exhibit high electrochemical activity for the ORR with half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of 0.84 V(vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE),20 mV higher than Pt/C)in alkaline electrolyte,excellent stability,and electrocatalytic selectivity.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations demonstrated that the desorption of OH*intermediates was the rate-determining step over Cu-NSDC.This study creates a pathway for high-performance ORR single atomic electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications and provides opportunities to convert biowaste materials into commercial opportunities.

Enhanced performance for propane dehydrogenation through Pt clusters alloying with copper in zeolite

Metal alloys have been widely applied for heterogeneous catalysis,especially alkane dehydrogenation.However,the catalysts always suffer from sintering and coke deposition due to the rigorous reaction conditions.Herein,we described an original approach to prepare a catalyst where highly dispersed Pt clusters alloying with copper were encapsulated in silicalite-1(S-1)zeolite for propane dehydrogenation(PDH).The introduction of Cu species significantly enhances the catalytic activity and prolongs the lifetime of the catalyst.0.1Pt0.4CuK@S-1 exhibits a propane conversion of 24.8%with 98.2%selectivity of propene,and the specific activity of propylene formation is up to 32 mol·gPt^(−1)·h^(−1)at 500℃.No obvious deactivation is observed even after 73 h on stream,affording an extremely low deactivation constant of 0.00032 h^(−1).The excellent activity and stability are ascribed to the confinement of zeolites and the stabilization of Cu species for Pt clusters.

Quasi-continuous synthesis of cobalt single atom catalysts for transfer hydrogenation of quinoline

Improving the transfer hydrogenation of N-heteroarenes is of key importance for various industrial pro-cesses and remains a challenge so far.We reported here a microcapsule-pyrolysis strategy to quasi-continuous synthesis S,N co-doped carbon supported Co single atom catalysts(Co/SNC),which was used for transfer hydrogenation of quinoline with formic acid as the hydrogen donor.Given the unique ge-ometric and electronic properties of the Co single atoms,the excellent catalytic activity,selectivity and stability were observed.Benefiting from the quasi-continuous synthesis method,the as-obtained cata-lysts provide a reference for the large-scale preparation of single atom catalysts without amplification ef-fect.Highly catalytic performances and quasi-continuous preparation process,demonstrating a new and promising approach to rational design of atomically dispersed catalysts with maximum atomic efficiency in industrial.

Furfural Reduction via Hydrogen Transfer from Supercritical Methanol

Furfural derived from biomass hemicelluloses is an important intermediate for biofuels and chemicals. In order to further upgrade, furfural is usually reduced into 2-methyl furan that is more stable and useful. In this work, furfural was reduced by CuZnAl, CuMgAl, Cu2Cr2O5, CuNiAl as catalysts in a supercritical methanol without external H2 source. The best yield of 2-methyl furan was achieved among the H2 free furfural process reported as high as 74%. And the catalytic behaviors were discussed under difierent catalysts and temperatures conditions.