Special Issue on Catalytic Activation and Selective Conversion of Energy-Related Molecules

The activation and selective conversion of energy-related molecules is an important research area of energy chemistry.The depletion of petroleum has stimulated research activities into the utilization of non-petroleum carbon resources such as natural gas(including conventional and

Highly Sensitive Ammonia Gas Sensors at Room Temperature Based on the Catalytic Mechanism of N,C Coordinated Ni Single-Atom Active Center

Significant challenges are posed by the limitations of gas sensing mechanisms for trace-level detection of ammonia(NH3).In this study,we propose to exploit single-atom catalytic activation and targeted adsorption properties to achieve highly sensitive and selective NH3 gas detection.Specifically,Ni singleatom active sites based on N,C coordination(Ni-N-C)were interfacially confined on the surface of two-dimensional(2D)MXene nanosheets(Ni-N-C/Ti_(3)C_(2)Tx),and a fully flexible gas sensor(MNPE-Ni-N-C/Ti_(3)C_(2)Tx)was integrated.The sensor demonstrates a remarkable response value to 5 ppm NH3(27.3%),excellent selectivity for NH3,and a low theoretical detection limit of 12.1 ppb.Simulation analysis by density functional calculation reveals that the Ni single-atom center with N,C coordination exhibits specific targeted adsorption properties for NH3.Additionally,its catalytic activation effect effectively reduces the Gibbs free energy of the sensing elemental reaction,while its electronic structure promotes the spill-over effect of reactive oxygen species at the gas-solid interface.The sensor has a dual-channel sensing mechanism of both chemical and electronic sensitization,which facilitates efficient electron transfer to the 2D MXene conductive network,resulting in the formation of the NH3 gas molecule sensing signal.Furthermore,the passivation of MXene edge defects by a conjugated hydrogen bond network enhances the long-term stability of MXene-based electrodes under high humidity conditions.This work achieves highly sensitive room-temperature NH3 gas detection based on the catalytic mechanism of Ni single-atom active center with N,C coordination,which provides a novel gas sensing mechanism for room-temperature trace gas detection research.

Biocatalytic enhancement of laccase immobilized on ZnFe_(2)O_(4) nanoparticles and its application for degradation of textile dyes

Efficient and convenient treatment of industrial dyeing wastewater is of great significance to guarantee human and animal health.This work presented the enhanced catalytic activity at pH 3.0 of laccase immobilized on amino-functionalized ZnFe_(2)O_(4) nanoparticles(ZnFe_(2)O_(4)-laccase)and its application for the degradation of textile dyes.Due to the existence of a large number of oxygen vacancies on the surface of the ZnFe_(2)O_(4) nanoparticles,negative ions accumulated on the magnetic carriers,which resulted in a harsh optimal pH value of the ZnFe_(2)O_(4)-laccase.Laccase activity assays revealed that the ZnFe_(2)O_(4)-laccase possessed superior pH and thermal stabilities,excellent reusability,and noticeable organic solvent tolerance.Meanwhile,the ZnFe_(2)O_(4) laccase presented efficient and sustainable degradation of high concentrations of textile dyes.The initial decoloration efficiencies of malachite green(MG),brilliant green(BG),azophloxine,crystal violet(CV),reactive blue 19(RB19),and procion red MX-5B were approximately 99.1%,95.0%,93.3%,87.4%,86.1%,and 85.3%,respectively.After 10 consecutive reuses,the degradation rates of the textile dyes still maintained about 98.2%,92.5%,83.2%,81.5%,79.8%and 65.9%,respectively.The excellent dye degradation properties indicate that the ZnFe_(2)O_(4)-laccase has a technical application in high concentrations of dyestuff treatment.

Understanding the Pt-like Catalytic Activity of Transition Metal Carbide Ta4C_(3) for I_(3)^(-) Reduction

This paper attempts to understand the Pt-like catalytic activity of transition metal carbide Ta4C_(3) for IRR(I_(3)^(-)reduction reaction)based on the correlation of adsorption energy to d-band center(εd).Ta4C_(3) was prepared by carbothermal reduction method with a template.Its photoelectrochemical properties were investigated as a CE(counter electrode)in DSSC(dye-sensitized solar cell).Its surface electronic structures,including DOS(density of state)andεd,and adsorption energy were computed by first-principle DFT(density functional theory).In TMC(transition metal carbide)Ta4C_(3),the interaction between Ta and C atoms makes the d-band of Ta broaden and results in the downward shift of itsεd.A moderate absorption energy corresponding to theεd is achieved,which is the nature of the Pt-like catalytic activity of Ta4C_(3).Appropriate change of adsorption energy by adjustingεd is a promising strategy to improve catalytic activity.This work is of great significance to the fundamental and application researches.

Progress in research on catalysts for catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde

Formaldehyde（HCHO）is carcinogenic and teratogenic,and is therefore a serious danger to human health.It also adversely affects air quality.Catalytic oxidation is an efficient technique for removing HCHO.The development of highly efficient and stable catalysts that can completely convert HCHO at low temperatures,even room temperature,is important.Supported Pt and Pd catalysts can completely convert HCHO at room temperature,but their industrial applications are limited because they are expensive.The catalytic activities in HCHO oxidation of transition-metal oxide catalysts such as manganese and cobalt oxides with unusual morphologies are better than those of traditional MnO2,Co3O4,or other metal oxides.This is attributed to their specific structures,high specific surface areas,and other factors such as active phase,reducibility,and amount of surface active oxygens.Such catalysts with various morphologies have great potential and can also be used as catalyst supports.The loading of relatively cheap Ag or Au on transition-metal oxides with special morphologies potentially improves the catalytic activity in HCHO removal at room temperature.The preparation and development of new nanocatalysts with various morphologies and structures is important for HCHO removal.In this paper,research progress on precious-metal and transition-metal oxide catalyst systems for HCHO oxidation is reviewed; topics such as oxidation properties,structure–activity relationships,and factors influencing the catalytic activity and reaction mechanism are discussed.Future prospects and directions for the development of such catalysts are also covered.

Effect of pore size in mesoporous MnO_2 prepared by KIT-6 aged at different temperatures on ethanol catalytic oxidation

KIT‐6 mesoporous silica aged at 40,100,and 150°C were used as hard templates to prepare different mesoporous MnO2 catalysts,marked as Mn‐40,Mn‐100,and Mn‐150,respectively.The catalytic activities of these catalysts and the effect of pore sizes on ethanol catalytic oxidation were investigated.Mn‐40,Mn‐100,and Mn‐150 have triple,double,and single pore systems,respectively.On decreasing the aging temperature of KIT‐6,the pore sizes of KIT‐6 decrease and that of mesoporous MnO2 catalysts increase.The pore sizes and catalytic activities increase in the order:Mn‐40>Mn‐100>Mn‐150.Mn‐40 catalyst has a higher TOF(0.11 s–1 at 120°C)and the best catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation because of a bigger pore size with three pore systems with maximum distribution at 1.9,3.4,and 6.6 nm,decrease in symmetry and degree of order,more surface lattice oxygen species,oxygen vacancies resulting from more Mn3+ions,and better low‐temperature reducibility.

Facile preparation of nanocrystal-assembled hierarchical mordenite zeolites with remarkable catalytic performance

The present study reports a novel strategy to fabricate nanocrystal-assembled hierarchical MOR zeolites. This is the first demonstration of hierarchical MOR without preferential growth along the c-axis, which facilitates mass transfer in the 12-membered ring channels of MOR zeolite for the conversions involving bulky molecules. The facile method involves the combined use of tetraethylammonium hydroxide （TEAOH） and commercial surfactants, in which TEAOH is essential for the construction of nanocrystal assemblies. The surfactant serves as a crystal growth-inhibiting agent to further inhibit nanocrystalline particle growth, resulting in enhanced mesoporosity. The hierarchical MOR assembled particles, constructed of 20-50-nm crystallites, exhibit superior catalytic properties in the alkylation of benzene with benzyl alcohol compared with the control sample, as the hierarchical MOR possesses a larger external surface area and longer c-axis dimension. More importantly, the material shows improved activity and stability in the dimethyl ether carbonylation to methyl acetate reaction, which is a novel route to produce ethanol from syngas.

PREPARATION OF MESOPOROUS CARBON BY CARBON DIOXIDE ACTIVATION WITH CATALYST

A mesoporous activated carbon (AC) can be successfully prepared by catalytic activation with carbon dioxide. For iron oxide as catalyst, there were two regions of mesopore size distribution, i.e. 2-5nm and 30-70nm. When copper oxide or magnesium oxide coexisted with iron oxide as composite catalyst, the content of pores with sizes of 2-5nm was decreased, while the pores with 30-70nm were increased significantly. For comparison, AC reactivated by carbon dioxide directly was also investigated. It was shown that the size of mesopores of the resulting AC concentrated in 2-5nm with less volume. The adsorption of Congo red was tested to evaluate the property of the result-ing AC. Furthermore, the factors affecting pore size distribution and the possibility of mesopore formation were discussed.

Effects of Co_3O_4 nanocatalyst morphology on CO oxidation:Synthesis process map and catalytic activity

This study focuses on drawing a hydrothermal synthesis process map for Co3O4 nanoparticles with various morphologies and investigating the effects of Co3O4 nanocatalyst morphology on CO oxidation.A series of cobalt-hydroxide-carbonate nanoparticles with various morphologies（i.e.,nanorods,nanosheets,and nanocubes） were successfully synthesized,and Co3O4 nanoparticles were obtained by thermal decomposition of the cobalt-hydroxide-carbonate precursors.The results suggest that the cobalt source is a key factor for controlling the morphology of cobalt-hydroxide-carbonate at relatively low hydrothermal temperatures（≤ 140℃）.Nanorods can be synthesized in CoCl2 solution,while Co（NO3）2 solution promotes the formation of nanosheets.Further increasing the synthesis temperature（higher than 140 ℃） results in the formation of nanocubes in either Co（NO3）2 or CoCl2 solution.The reaction time only affects the size of the obtained nanoparticles.The presence of CTAB could improve the uniformity and dispersion of particles.Co3O4 nanosheets showed much higher catalytic activity for CO oxidation than nanorods and nanocubes because it has more abundant Co^（3＋） on the surface,much higher reducibility,and better oxygen desorption capacity.

Effect of Precipitation Method and Ce Doping on the Catalytic Activity of Copper Manganese Oxide Catalysts for CO Oxidation

The influence of Ce doping and the precipitation method on structural properties and the catalytic activity of copper manganese oxides for CO oxidation at ambient temperature have been investigated. The catalysts were characterized by means of the powder X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption-desorption, the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, the temperature programmed reduction, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectra, and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that after doping little amount of Ce in copper manganese oxide, CeO2 phase was highly dispersed and could prevent sintering and aggregating of the catalyst, the size of the catalytic material was decreased, the reducibility was enhanced, the specific surface area was increased and the formation of the active sites for the oxidation of CO was improved significantly. Therefore, the activity of the rare earth promoted catalyst was enhanced remarkably.

Size-dependent peroxidase-like catalytic activity of Fe_3O_4 nanoparticles

Peroxidase-like catalytic properties of Fe3O4 nanoparficles （NPs） with three different sizes, synthesized by chemical coprecipitation and sol-gel methods, were investigated by UV-vis spectrum analysis. By comparing Fe3O4 NPs with average diameters of 11, 20, and 150 nm, we found that the catalytic activity increases with the reduced nanoparticle size. The electrochemical method to characterize the catalytic activity of Fe3O4 NPs using the response currents of the reaction product and substrate was also developed.

Synthesis of Hierarchically Porous CaFe204/Carbon Fiber Hybrids and Microwave Induced Catalytic Activity

Hierarchically porous CaFe204/carbon fiber hybrids with enhanced microwave induced cat- alytic activity for the degradation of methyl violet （MV） from water were synthesized from kapok by a novel two-step process coupling pore-fabricating and nanoparticles assembling. The as-prepared samples exhibited characteristic hollow fiber morphology, CaFe204 nanopar- ticles dispersed uniformly on the surface of hollow carbon fibers （HCF）. The effects of various factors such as CaFe204 loading, microwave power, catalyst doses, initial concen- tration of MV solution and pH value on the microwave induced degradation of MV over CaFe204/HCF were evaluated. It was found that the microwave induced degradation of MV over CaFe204/HCF had high reaction rate and short process time. The kinetic study indicated that the degradation of MV over CaFe204/HCF followed pseudo-first-order kinet- ics model. The high catalytic activity of CaFe204/HCF was facilitated by the synergistic relationship between microwave induced catalytic reaction and adsorption characteristics.

Preparation, characterization and catalytic performance of single-atom catalysts

Supported and colloidal single‐atom catalysts(SACs),which possess excellent catalytic properties,are particularly important in both fundamental studies and practical applications.The progress made in the preparation methods,characterization,catalytic performances and mechanisms of SACs anchored to metal oxides,two‐dimensional materials and the surface of metal nanoclusters(NCs)are reviewed.The different techniques for SAC fabrication,including conventional solution methods based on co‐precipitation,incipient wetness co‐impregnation,and the chemical vapor deposition method,as well as the newer atom layer deposition(ALD)and galvanic replacement methods,are summarized.The main results from experimental and theoretical studies of various catalytic reactions over SACs,including oxidation reactions,hydrogenation,water gas shift,photocatalytic H2evolution and electrochemical reactions,are also discussed.Moreover,the electronic properties of the single atoms and their interactions with the supports are described to assist in understanding the origin of the high catalytic activity and selectivity of SACs.Finally,possible future research directions of SACs and their applications are proposed.

Catalytic properties of Cu/Co/Zn/Zr oxides prepared by various methods

The new Cu-Co based （Cu/Co/Zn/Zr） catalysts for higher-alcohol synthesis were prepared using coprecipitation method, plasma enhanced method and reverse coprecipitation method under ultrasound irradiation. The catalysts were investigated by the means of BET, SEM, XRD, H2-TPR and XPS. Catalytic properties of the catalysts prepared by various methods were examined using CO hydrogenation reaction. It was found that plasma enhanced method and reverse coprecipitation method under ultrasound irradiation were both effective in enhancing the catalytic properties of Cu/Co/Zn/Zr mixed oxides. The small particle size, high dispersion of active components, the improvement of specific surface area and surface contents of active phases could account for the excellent performance of the experimental Cu/Co/Zn/Zr catalysts.

Improving the performance of metal-organic frameworks for thermo-catalytic CO_(2)conversion:Strategies and perspectives

Climate change caused by the increasing emission of CO_(2)to the atmosphere has become a global concern.To ameliorate this issue,converting CO_(2)into valuable chemicals is highly desirable,enabling a sustainable low-carbon future.To this end,developing efficient catalytic systems for CO_(2)conversion has sparked intense interests from both academia and industry.Taking advantage of their highly porous structures and unique properties,metal−organic frameworks(MOFs)have shown great potential as heterogeneous catalysts for CO_(2)conversion.Various transformations involving CO_(2)have been accomplished over MOFs-based materials.Here we provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review on recent advances of heterogeneous CO_(2)thermocatalysis using MOFs,highlighting relationships between structures and properties.Special attention is given to the design strategies for improving the catalytic performance of MOFs.Avenues available to enrich the catalytic active sites in MOF structures are stressed and their respective impacts on CO_(2)conversion efficiency are presented.The synergistic effects between each active site within the structure of MOFs and derivatives are discussed.In the end,future perspectives and challenges in CO_(2)conversion by heterogeneous catalysis with MOFs are described.

A Sub-Nanostructural Transformable Nanozyme for Tumor Photocatalytic Therapy

The structural change-mediated catalytic activity regulation plays a significant role in the biological functions of natural enzymes.However,there is virtually no artificial nanozyme reported that can achieve natural enzyme-like stringent spatiotemporal structure-based catalytic activity regulation.Here,we report a subnanostructural transformable gold@ceria(STGC-PEG)nanozyme that performs tunable catalytic activities via near-infrared(NIR)light-mediated sub-nanostructural transformation.The gold core in STGC-PEG can generate energetic hot electrons upon NIR irradiation,wherein an internal sub-nanostructural transformation is initiated by the conversion between CeO;and electron-rich state of CeO;-x,and active oxygen vacancies generation via the hot-electron injection.Interestingly,the sub-nanostructural transformation of STGC-PEG enhances peroxidase-like activity and unprecedentedly activates plasmon-promoted oxidase-like activity,allowing highly efficient low-power NIR light(50 m W cm;)-activated photocatalytic therapy of tumors.Our atomic-level design and fabrication provide a platform to precisely regulate the catalytic activities of nanozymes via a light-mediated sub-nanostructural transformation,approaching natural enzyme-like activity control in complex living systems.

Preparation of SO_4^(2-)/TiO_2-WO_3 solid superacid and its catalytic activity in acetalation and ketaltion

SO_4^(2-)/TiO_2-WO_3 was prepared and its catalytic activity under differentsynthetic conditions was discussed with esterification of n-butanoic acid and n-butyl alcohol asprobing reaction. The optimum conditions are found that the mass fraction of H_2WO_4 used in thecompound is 12.5 percent, the calcination temperature is 580 deg C, the calcination time is 3 h, andthe soaked consistency of H_2SO_4 is 1.0 mol centre dot L^(-1). Then SO_4^(2-)/TiO_2-WO_3 wasapplied as the catalyst in the catalytic synthesis of eight similar important ketals and acetalsunder the optimum conditions and revealed high catalytic activity. On condition that the molar ratioof aldehyde/ketone to glycol is 1:1.5, the mass fraction of the catalyst used in the reactants is0.5 percent, and the reaction time is 1.0 h, the yields of ketals and acetals can reach 64.2percent-95.1 percent. Moreover, it can be easily recovered and reused.

Preparation and catalytic behavior of reduced graphene oxide supported cobalt oxide hybrid nanocatalysts for CO oxidation

The reduced graphene oxide （rGO） supported cobalt oxide nanocatalysts were prepared by the conventional precipitationand hydrothermal method. The as-prepared rGO-Co3O4 was characterized by the XRD, Raman spectrum, SEM, TEM, N2-sorption,UV-Vis, XPS and H2-TPR measurements. The results show that the spinel cobalt oxide nanoparticles are highly fragmented on therGO support and possess uniform particle size, and the as-prepared catalysts possess high specific surface area and narrow pore sizedistribution. The catalytic properties of the as-prepared rGO-Co3O4 catalysts for CO oxidation were evaluated through acontinuous-flow fixed-bed microreactor-gas chromatograph system. The catalyst with 30% （mass fraction） reduced graphene oxideexhibits the highest activity for CO complete oxidation at 100 ℃.

Study on Hydrothermal Stability and Catalytic Activity of Al-SBA-15 Mesoporous Materials Prepared by Impregnation Method

The mesoporous Al-SBA-15 zeolite was obtained via impregnation of pure silica-based SBA-15 zeolite with aluminum nitrate.The Al-SBA-15 sample was calcined in air at 800 ℃ for 6 h and hydrothermally treated at near 100 ℃ for 120 h,respectively,and then the thermal and hydrothermal stability of Al-SBA-15 sample was investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD),scanning electron microscopy (SEM),transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption and desorption techniques.The Al-SBA-15 sample was also studied by 27 Al nuclear magnetic resonance (27 Al NMR) and ammonia temperature programmed desorption (NH 3-TPD) techniques.In addition,the catalytic activity of Al-SBA-15 zeolite was investigated by the Friedel-Crafts reactions of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol with cinnamyl alcohol.The test results showed that the thermal and hydrothermal stability of Al-SBA-15 zeolite was better than that of SBA-15 zeo-lite.The Al-SBA-15 zeolite sample prepared by impregnation method exhibits more framework aluminum species and Al-O-Si units.Therefore,the number of the surface hydroxyl groups was reduced,resulting in the stabilization of framework structure ofAl-SBA-15 zeolite.The aluminum species can form weak and medium-strong acid sites with catalytic activity.

Influence of alkali metal doping on surface properties and catalytic activity/selectivity of CaO catalysts in oxidative coupling of methane

Surface properties （viz. surface area, basicity/base strength distribution, and crystal phases） of alkali metal doped CaO （alkali metal/Ca= 0.1 and 0.4） catalysts and their catalytic activity/selectivity in oxidative coupling of methane （OCM） to higher hydrocarbons at different reaction conditions （viz. temperature, 700 and 750 ℃; CH4/O2 ratio, 4.0 and 8.0 and space velocity, 5140-20550 cm^3 ·g^-1·h^-1） have been investigated. The influence of catalyst calcination temperature on the activity/selectivity has also been investigated. The surface properties （viz. surface area, basicity/base strength distribution） and catalytic activity/selectivity of the alkali metal doped CaO catalysts are strongly influenced by the alkali metal promoter and its concentration in the alkali metal doped CaO catalysts. An addition of alkali metal promoter to CaO results in a large decrease in the surface area but a large increase in the surface basicity （strong basic sites） and the C2＋ selectivity and yield of the catalysts in the OCM process. The activity and selectivity are strongly influenced by the catalyst calcination temperature. No direct relationship between surface basicity and catalytic activity/selectivity has been observed. Among the alkali metal doped CaO catalysts, Na-CaO （Na/Ca = 0.1, before calcination） catalyst （calcined at 750 ℃）, showed best performance （C2＋ selectivity of 68.8% with 24.7% methane conversion）, whereas the poorest performance was shown by the Rb-CaO catalyst in the OCM process.