Stable immobilization of lithium polysulfides using three-dimensional ordered mesoporous Mn_(2)O_(3) as the host material in lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)have drawn significant attention owing to their high theoretical discharge capacity and energy density.However,the dissolution of long-chain polysulfides into the electrolyte during the charge and discharge process(“shuttle effect”)results in fast capacity fading and inferior electrochemical performance.In this study,Mn_(2)O_(3)with an ordered mesoporous structure(OM-Mn_(2)O_(3))was designed as a cathode host for LSBs via KIT-6 hard templating,to effectively inhibit the polysulfide shuttle effect.OM-Mn_(2)O_(3)offers numerous pores to confine sulfur and tightly anchor the dissolved polysulfides through the combined effects of strong polar-polar interactions,polysulfides,and sulfur chain catenation.The OM-Mn_(2)O_(3)/S composite electrode delivered a discharge capacity of 561 mAh g^(-1) after 250 cycles at 0.5 C owing to the excellent performance of OM-Mn_(2)O_(3).Furthermore,it retained a discharge capacity of 628mA h g^(-1) even at a rate of 2 C,which was significantly higher than that of a pristine sulfur electrode(206mA h g^(-1)).These findings provide a prospective strategy for designing cathode materials for high-performance LSBs.

Bimetallic CoNi single atoms supported on three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous chromia:highly active catalysts for n-hexane combustion

Developing the alternative supported noble metal catalysts with low cost,high catalytic efficiency,and good resistance toward carbon dioxide and water vapor is critically demanded for the oxidative removal of volatile organic compounds(VOCs).In this work,we prepared the mesoporous chromia-supported bimetallic Co and Ni single-atom(Co_(1)Ni_(1)/meso-Cr_(2)O_(3))and bimetallic Co and Ni nanoparticle(Co_(NP)Ni_(NP)/mesoCr_(2)O_(3))catalysts adopting the one-pot polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP)-and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)-protecting approaches,respectively.The results indicate that the Co_(1)Ni_(1)/meso-Cr_(2)O_(3)catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity for n-hexane(C_(6)H_(14))combustion(T_(50%)and T_(90%)were 239 and 263℃ at a space velocity of 40,000 mL g^(-1)h^(-1);apparent activation energy and specific reaction rate at 260℃ were 54.7 kJ mol^(-1)and 4.3×10^(-7)mol g^(-1)_(cat)s^(-1),respectively),which was associated with its higher(Cr^(5+)+Cr^(6+))amount,large n-hexane adsorption capacity,and good lattice oxygen mobility that could enhance the deep oxidation of n-hexane,in which Ni_(1) was beneficial for the enhancements in surface lattice oxygen mobility and low-temperature reducibility,while Co_(1) preferred to generate higher contents of the high-valence states of chromium and surface oxygen species as well as adsorption and activation of n-hexane.n-Hexane combustion takes place via the Mars van Krevelen(MvK)mechanism,and its reaction pathways are as follows:n-hexane→olefins or 3-hexyl hydroperoxide→3-hexanone,2-hexanone or 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran→2-methyloxirane or 2-ethyl-oxetane→acrylic acid→CO_x→CO_(2)and H_(2)O.

Enhanced activation of peroxymonosulfate by Fe/N co-doped ordered mesoporous carbon with dual active sites for efficient removal of m-cresol

The novel Fe-N co-doped ordered mesoporous carbon with high catalytic activity in m-cresol removal was prepared by urea-assisted impregnation and simple pyrolysis method.During the preparation of the Fe-NC catalyst,the complexation of N elements in urea could anchor Fe,and the formation of C3N4during urea pyrolysis could also prevent migration and aggregation of Fe species,which jointly improve the dispersion and stability of Fe.The FeN4sites and highly dispersed Fe nanoparticles synergistically trigger the dual-site peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for highly efficient m-cresol degradation,while the ordered mesoporous structure of the catalyst could improve the mass transfer rate of the catalytic process,which together promote catalytic degradation of m-cresol by PMS activation.Reactive oxygen species (ROS) analytic experiments demonstrate that the system degrades m-cresol by free radical pathway mainly based on SO_(4)^(-)·and·OH,and partially based on·OH as the active components,and a possible PMS activation mechanism by 5Fe-50 for m-cresol degradation was proposed.This study can provide theoretical guidance for the preparation of efficient and stable catalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants by activated PMS.

Ordered mesoporous materials for water pollution treatment:Adsorption and catalysis

To meet the growing emission of water contaminants,the development of new materials that enhance the efficiency of the water treatment system is urgent.Ordered mesoporous materials provide opportunities in environmental processing applications due to their exceptionally high surface areas,large pore sizes,and enough pore volumes.These properties might enhance the performance of materials concerning adsorption/catalysis capability,durability,and stability.In this review,we enumerate the ordered mesoporous materials as adsorbents/catalysts and their modifications in water pollution treatment from the past decade,including heavy metals(Hg^(2+),Pb^(2+),Cd^(2+),Cr^(6+),etc.),toxic anions(nitrate,phosphate,fluoride,etc.),and organic contaminants(organic dyes,antibiotics,etc.).These contributions demonstrate a deep understanding of the synergistic effect between the incorporated framework and homogeneous active centers.Besides,the challenges and perspectives of the future developments of ordered mesoporous materials in wastewater treatment are proposed.This work provides a theoretical basis and complete summary for the application of ordered mesoporous materials in the removal of contaminants from aqueous solutions.

Worm-like ordered mesoporous carbon from liquefied wood:Morphological manipulation by varying hydrothermal temperature

The hydrothermal/soft templating method is an effective way to synthesize ordered mesoporous carbon(OMC),yet the mechanism of this strategy is not well illustrated.Herein,a hydrothermal temperature-controlled approach is developed to precisely synthesize OMCs with well-defined morphologies from liquefied wood(LW).As the hydrothermal temperature increases from 130 to 210◦C,the hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic blocks decreases accompanied by the increase of the rel-ative volume of the hydrophobic block,resulting in the packing parameter p of micelles changing from p≤1/3 to 1/3<p<1/2,which transforms the micelle’s structure from spherical to cylindrical.Additionally,accelerated nucle-ation occurred with the increased hydrothermal temperature.When the rate of nucleation is matched to the self-assembly of the composite micelles,the compos-ite micelles grow into worm-like morphology and an ordered p6m mesostructure.This hydrothermal temperature-controlled strategy provides a straightforward and effective approach for synthesizing OMCs with various morphologies from LW,addressing the previously insufficiently elucidated micelle formation mechanism in the hydrothermal/soft templating method.

Mesoporous Carbon Nanofibers Loaded with Ordered PtFe Alloy Nanoparticles for Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia

Highly dispersed bimetallic alloy nanoparticle electrocatalysts have been demonstrated to exhibit exceptional performance in driving the nitrate reduction reaction(NO_(3)RR)to generate ammonia(NH_(3)).In this study,we prepared mesoporous carbon nanofibers(mCNFs)functionalized with ordered PtFe alloys(O-PtFe-mCNFs)by a composite micelle interface-induced co-assembly method using poly(ethylene oxide)-block-polystyrene(PEO-b-PS)as a template.When employed as electrocatalysts,O-PtFe-mCNFs exhibited superior electrocatalytic performance for the NO_(3RR)compared to the mCNFs functionalized with disordered PtFe alloys(D-PtFe-mCNFs).Notably,the NH_(3)production performance was particularly outstanding,with a maximum NH_(3)yield of up to 959.6μmol/(h·cm~2).Furthermore,the Faraday efficiency(FE)was even 88.0%at-0.4 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE).This finding provides compelling evidence of the potential of ordered PtFe alloy catalysts for the electrocatalytic NO_(3)RR.

Synthesis of three-dimensional ordered mesoporous MnO_2 and its catalytic performance in formaldehyde oxidation

Three-dimensional（3D）ordered mesoporous MnO2 was prepared using KIT-6 mesoporous molecular sieves as a hard template.The material was used for catalytic oxidation of HCHO.The material has high surface areas and the mesoporous characteristics of the template,with cubic symmetry（ia3d）.It consists of a β-MnO2 crystalline phase corresponding to pyrolusite,with a rutile structure.Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the 3D-MnO2 catalyst has a large number of exposed Mn4＋ ions on the（110）crystal plane surfaces,with a lattice spacing of 0.311 nm; this enhances oxidation of HCHO.Complete conversion of HCHO to CO2 and H2O was achieved at 130 °C on 3D-MnO2; the same conversions on α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods were obtained at 140 and 180 °C,respectively,under the same conditions.The specific mesoporous structure,high specific surface area,and large number of surface Mn4＋ ions are responsible for the catalytic activity of 3D-MnO2 in HCHO oxidation.

A novel adsorbent of three-dimensional ordered macro/mesoporous carbon for removal of malachite green dye

Three-dimensional ordered macro/mesoporous carbon(3DOM/m-C)with high specific surface area was synthesized by colloid crystal template method with chemical activation by KOH and used as the adsorbent for removing malachite green(MG)in aqueous solution.The microstructures of the adsorbents were characterized by FESEM,TEM and BET,and the effects of initial dye concentration,contact time,solution pH,and temperature on adsorption performance were investigated.The results show that the 3DOM/m-C exhibits extremely high adsorption capacity of 3541.1 mg/g within 2 h,which could be attributed to the novel ordered hierarchical structure with mesopores on three-dimensional ordered macroporous carbon walls.And the adsorption behavior conforms to the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir adsorption isotherm.3DOM/m-C can be recycled after being desorbed by absolute ethanol,and still maintains a high capacity of 2762.06 mg/g after 5 cycles.

Synthesis of K-doped three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Mn_(0.5)Ce_(0.5)O_δ catalysts and their catalytic performance for soot oxidation

A series of K-doped Mn0.5Ce0.5Oδ （K-MCO） catalysts with three-dimensionally ordered macroporous （3DOM） structure and different K loadings were successfully synthesized using simple methods. These catalysts exhibited well-defined 3DOM nanostructure, which consisted of extensive interconnecting networks of spherical voids. The effects of the calcination temperature and calcination time on the morphological characteristics and crystalline forms of the catalysts were systematically studied. The catalysts showed high catalytic activity for the combustion of soot. 3DOM 20% K-MCO-4h catalyst, in particular, showed the highest catalytic activity of all of the catalysts studied （e.g., Ts0 = 331 ~C and Smco2 = 95.3%）. The occurrence of structural and synergistic effects among the K, Mn, and Ce atoms in the catalysts was favorable for enhancing their catalytic activity towards the combustion of diesel soot. Furthermore, the temperatures required for the complete combustion of the soot （〈400 ℃） were well within the exhaust temperature range （175-400 ℃）, which means that the accumulated soot can be removed under the conditions of the diesel exhaust gas. These catalysts could therefore be used in numerous practical applications because they are easy to synthesize, exhibit high catalytic activity, and can be made from low cost materials.

Three-dimensional ordered macroporous perovskite-type La_(1-x)K_xNiO_3 catalysts with enhanced catalytic activity for soot combustion: the Effect of K-substitution

Three-dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) La1?xKxNiO3 perovskite-type catalysts were successfully prepared by a colloidal crystal template method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray scattering elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction of H2. Further, their catalytic activity in soot combustion was determined by temperature-programmed oxidation reaction. K substitution into the LaNiO3 lattice led to remarkably improved catalytic activity of this catalyst in soot combustion. Amongst various catalysts, La0.95K0.05NiO3 exhibited the highest activity in soot combustion (with its T50 and CO2 S values being 338 °C and 98.2%, respectively), which is comparable to the catalytic activities of Pt-based catalysts under the condition of poor contact between the soot and the catalyst. K-substitution improves the valence state of Ni and increases the number of oxygen vacancies, thereby leading to increased density of surface-active oxygen species. The active oxygen species play a vital role in catalyzing the elimination of soot. The perovskite-type La1?xKxNiO3 nanocatalysts with 3DOM structure without noble metals have potential for practical applications in the catalytic combustion of diesel soot particles.

Three-dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Phosphotungstic Acid/SiO2 for Efficient Catalytic Oxidative Desulfurization

Three-dimensionally ordered（3DOM） macroporous phosphotungstic acid/SiO_2（HPW/SiO_2） materials were prepared by using colloidal crystal as templates and applied for oxidative desulfurization（ODS） of the model fuel oil. The obtained HPW/SiO_2 materials were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, N_2 sorption, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results indicated that 3 DOM HPW/SiO_2 possessed hierarchical pore architectures which contained ordered macropores and disordered mesopores, with the Keggin type HPW embedded in the framework of pore structure. The removal rate of dibenzothiophene（DBT） could reach 100% under the optimum conditions, moreover. The performance was only slightly decreased for the regenerated catalyst after 7 cycles.

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous cross-linked polystyrene incorporating functional group via hydrophilic spacer arm

A versatile and effective method for incorporating functional groups on the pore wall of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous cross-linked polystyrene（3DOM CLPS） by hydrophilic spacer arm has been investigated.The 3DOM CLPS with pore size 865 nm was prepared by sacrifice template method.The hydrophilic spacer arm（polyethylene glycol,molecular weight is 600） was grafted to the 3DOM CLPS via nucleophilic substitution reaction.The other side of active hydroxyl can be further converted into a lot of other functional groups.In this report,the chelating ligand 2-mercaptobenzothiazole（MBZ） group was introduced on the end of the PGE chain to evidence the versatile functionalization approach.The functionalized ordered macroporous materials were characterized by FT-IR,element analyzer,SEM.The results reveal that the pores were successfully bonded with 2-mercaptobenzothiazole groups via hydrophilic spacer arms and the original morphology of ordered macroporous materials were remained after functionalization.The MBZ group density is 0.052 mmol/m^2.The functionalized 3DOM CLPS are expected to application as heavy metal ions adsorbent.

Three-dimensionally ordered macro-porous Pt/TiO_2 catalyst used for water-gas shift reaction

Three-dimensionally ordered macro-porous （3DOM） Pt/TiO2 catalysts were prepared by template and impregnation methods, and the resultant samples were characterized by using TG-DTA, XRD, SEM, TEM, and TPR techniques. The catalytic performance for water-gas shift （WGS） reaction was tested, and the influences of some conditions, such as reduction temperature of catalysts, the amount of Pt loadings and space velocity on catalytic performance were investigated. It was shown that Pt particles were homogeneously dispersed on 3DOM TiO2. The reduction of TiO2 surface was important for the catalytic performance. The activity test results showed that the 3DOM Pt/TiO2 catalysts exhibited very good catalytic performance for WGS reaction even at high space velocity, which was owing to the better mass transfer of 3DOM porous structure besides the high intrinsic activity of Pt/TiO2.

Efficient aerobic oxidative desulfurization via three-dimensional ordered macroporous tungsten-titanium oxides

A series of three-dimensional ordered macroporous(3 DOM)W-TiO_(2)catalysts have been prepared through a facile colloidal crystal template method.The prepared materials characterized in detail exhibited enhanced catalytic activity in aerobic oxidative desulfurization process.The experimental results indicated that the as-prepared materials possessed excellent 3 DOM structure,which is beneficial for the catalytic activity.The sample 3 DOM W-TiO_(2)-20 exhibited the highest activity in ODS process,and the sulfur removal can reach 98%in 6 h.Furthermore,the oxidative product was also analyzed in the reaction process.

Pore-filling Three-dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Polyimide Composite Proton Conducting Membranes

The silica opal templates were prepared from three silica colloids of different diameters of 230 nm, 500 nm and 1.5 mm by a filtration route. The large-scale stable opal template membranes after sintering the deposited SiO2 opal template can be successfully obtained by optimizing the pH value and NaCl concentration in silica colloidal solutions. The three-dimensionally ordered macroporous（3DOM） polyimide membranes without crack were fabricated by reproducing the structure of silica opal template. We prepared the pore-filling composite proton exchange membranes by filling the 3DOM structure with proton conducting organosilane sol. The result indicates that the composite membranes exhibit higher water uptake than pure filling organosilane gel. The proton conductivity increased with the increasing of pore cell in composite membranes.

Solid-conversion synthesis of three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous ZSM-5 catalysts for the methanol-to-propylene reaction

A facile synthesis of hierarchical ZSM-5 with the three-dimensionally ordered mesoporosity(3DOm ZSM-5)was achieved by solid conversion(SC)of SiO_(2)colloidal crystals to high-crystalline ZSM-5.The products of 3DZ5_S/C and 3DZ5_S,which were severally transformed from the carbon-padded SiO_(2)colloidal crystals and the initial SiO_(2)colloidal crystals,exhibited not only a similar ordered structure and acidity but also higher crystallinity and more balanced meso-/micropore combination in comparison with 3DZ5_C obtained by the conventional confined space crystallization approach.All three synthesized 3DZ5 catalysts showed improved methanol-to-propylene performance than the commercially microporous ZSM-5(CZ5),embodied in five times longer lifetime,higher propylene selectivity and S_(propylene)/S_(ethylene) ratio(P/E),and superior coke toleration with lower formation rate of coke(R_(coke)).Moreover,the 3DZ5_S catalyst in situ converted from SiO_(2)colloidal crystals presented the highest selectivities of propylene(42.51%)and light olefins(74.6%)among all three 3DZ5 catalysts.The high efficiency in synthesis and in situ utilization of SiO_(2)colloidal crystals demonstrate the proposed SC strategy to be more efficiently and eco-friendly for the high-yield production of not only 3DOm ZSM-5 but also other types of hierarchical zeolites.

Preparation and improved photocatalytic activity of ordered mesoporous TiO_2 by evaporation induced self-assembly technique using liquid crystal as template

Ordered mesoporous TiO2 （OMPT） was prepared by an evaporation induced self-assembly technique using liquid crystal as template. The key factors affecting the methylene blue （MB） oxidation efficiency were investigated, including the initial concentration of MB, pH value and catalyst concentration. The results show that the obtained OMPT has high thermal stability and shows a 2D hexagonal mesostructure with the small particle size and high surface area, which lead to higher degradation efficiency than commercial P25 or nanoparticle TiO2 （NPT） fabricated by sol-gel process. The optimal conditions are 5 mg/L MB, pH 6 and 1.5 g/L OMPT for the fastest rate of MB degradation. Total organic carbon （TOC） analysis indicates complete mineralization of MB in 240 min by OMPT, with rate constant higher than NPT or P25.

Influence of Preparation Conditions on Structural Stability of Ordered Mesoporous Carbons Synthesized by Evaporation-induced Triconstituent Co-assembly Method

Various ordered mesoporous carbons （OMCs） have been prepared by evaporation-induced trieonstituent co-assembly method. Their mesostructural stability under different carbon content, aging time and acidity were conveniently monitored by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and N2 sorption isotherms techniques. The results show mesostruetural stability of OMCs is enhanced as the carbon content increases from 36% to 46%, further increasing carbon content deteriorates the mesostructural stability. Increasing aging time from 0.5 h to 5.0 h make the mesostructural stability go through an optimum （2.0 h） and gradually reduce framework shrinkage of the OMCs. Highly OMCs can only be obtained in the acidity range of 0.2-1.2 mol/L HC1, when the acidity is near the isoelectrie point of silica, the resulting OMCs have the best mesostructure stability. Under the optimum condition, the carbon content of 46%, aging time of 2.0 h, and 0.2 mol/L HCl, the resulting OMCs have the best mesostrueture stability and the highest BET surface areas of 2281 m2/g.

Pt nanoparticles entrapped in ordered mesoporous carbons:An efficient catalyst for the liquid-phase hydrogenation of nitrobenzene and its derivatives

Pt nanoparticles entrapped in ordered mesoporous CMK-3 carbons with p6mm symmetry were prepared using a facile impregnation method, and the resulting materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed in the CMK-3 with 43.7% dispersion. The Pt/CMK-3 catalyst was an effective catalyst for the liquid-phase hydrogenation of nitrobenzene and its derivatives under the experimental conditions studied here. The Pt/CMK-3 catalyst was more active than commercial Pt/C catalyst in most cases. A highest turnover frequency of 43.8 s-1 was measured when the Pt/CMK-3 catalyst was applied for the hydrogenation of 2-methyl-nitrobenzene in ethanol under optimal conditions. It is worthy of note that the Pt/CMK-3 catalyst could be recycled easily, and could be reused at least fourteen times without any loss in activity or selectivity for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in ethanol.

Ultrasmall NiS_(2)Nanocrystals Embedded in Ordered Macroporous Graphenic Carbon Matrix for Efficiently Pseudocapacitive Sodium Storage

Sodium-ion hybrid capacitor(SIHC)is one of the most promising alternatives for large-scale energy storage due to its high energy and power densities,natural abundance,and low cost.However,overcoming the imbalance between slow Na^(+)reaction kinetics of battery-type anodes and rapid ion adsorption/desorption of capacitive cathodes is a significant challenge.Here,we propose the high-rate-performance NiS_(2)@OMGC anode material composed of monodispersed NiS_(2) nanocrystals(8.8±1.7 nm in size)and N,S-co-doped graphenic carbon(GC).The NiS_(2)@OMGC material has a three-dimensionally ordered macroporous(3DOM)morphology,and numerous NiS_(2) nanocrystals are uniformly embedded in GC,forming a core-shell structure in the local area.Ultrafine NiS_(2) nanocrystals and their nano-microstructure demonstrate high pseudocapacitive Na-storage capability and thus excellent rate performance(355.7 mAh/g at 20.0 A/g).A SIHC device fabricated using NiS_(2)@OMGC and commercial activated carbon(AC)cathode exhibits ultrahigh energy densities(197.4 Wh/kg at 398.8 W/kg)and power densities(43.9 kW/kg at 41.3 Wh/kg),together with a long life span.This outcome exemplifies the rational architecture and composition design of this type of anode material.This strategy can be extended to the design and synthesis of a wide range of high-performance electrode materials for energy storage applications.