Methanol Tolerant Non-noble Metal Co-C-N Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction Using Urea as Nitrogen Source

A non-noble metal oxygen reduction reaction （ORR） catalyst labeled as Co-C-N（800） was synthesized by heat-treating a mixture of urea, cobalt chloride and acetylene black for 2 h at 800 ℃ in an inert nitrogen atmosphere. X-ray diffraction pattern indicates that a metallic β-Co is generated after the heat-treating process. The results from cyclic voltammograms show that the obtained Co-C-N（800） catalyst has good ORR catalytic activity in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 solution. The catalyst is also good at methanol tolerance and stability in the acidic solution.

Theoretical insights into efficient oxygen evolution reaction using non-noble metal single-atom catalysts on W_(2)CO_(2)MXene

The pursuit of highly active oxygen evolution reaction(OER)catalysts,especially those free of noble metals,is a focal point in fuel cell research.Utilizing extensive density functional theory calculations,this study designed and evaluated the activity and stability of singleatom catalysts(SACs)composed of 3d,4d and 5d transition metals supported on tungsten-based MXene for OER applications.Results highlighted the exceptional OER performance of Ni@W_(2)CO_(2),Rh@W_(2)CO_(2)and Pt@W_(2)CO_(2),displaying remarkably low overpotentials The catalytic activity of TM@W_(2)CO_(2)SACs exhibited a robust correlation with surface properties,particularly the d-band center index and surface work function.Moreover Ni@W_(2)CO_(2),Rh@W_(2)CO_(2)and Pt@W_(2)CO_(2)emerged as promising candidates for OER and oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)bifunctional catalysis,while Pt@W_(2)CO_(2)and Rh@W_(2)CO_(2)showed high potential for OER and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)bifunctional catalysis The effectiveness of tungsten-based MXene as a substrate for non-noble-metal SACs marks a breakthrough in OER catalyst design,driving advancements towards sustainable energy solutions and addressing critical challenges in energy conversion and storage.

AH型非贵金属催化松香歧化反应动力学研究

用AH型非贵金属催化剂催化松香歧化反应,考察了搅拌速率、催化剂粒度、反应温度、反应时间对反应的影响,建立了动力学方程.确认在240～270 ℃范围反应为一级,求出在240、250、260和270 ℃时的反应速率常数分别为2.9×10-3、3.1×10-3、1.42×10-2和2.51×10-2 min-1.表观活化能E为184.80×103 kJ/mol,频率因子A=1.453×1016.

Recent advances in carbonized non-noble metal–organic frameworks for electrochemical catalyst of oxygen reduction reaction

The non-noble metal oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) catalysts prepared by carbonization of metal–organic framework(MOF) have attracted more and more attentions in the fields of fuel cells and metal-air batteries due to their unique intrinsic advantages such as high catalytic activity, low price, simple synthesis and good adaptability. Different from the study of traditional high active noble metal catalysts, this review systematically summarizes recent developments on non-noble metal(Fe,Co, Cu, Ni, Mn and Mo) ORR catalysts prepared by various MOFs carbonization in different metal centers. The effects of synthesis strategies and pyrolysis conditions on the catalyst properties are discussed. Meanwhile, the key parameters of catalytic performances(including active sites, dispersed state and specific surface area) are discussed and the prospect is presented. It is expected that this review will provide effective guidance for future studies on carbonized non-noble MOFs for ORR electrochemical catalyst.

Comparative Studies of Non-noble Metal Modified Mesoporous M-Ni-CaO-ZrO2 （M=Fe, Co, Cu） Catalysts for Simulated Biogas Dry Reforming

The present work is aimed to improve the performance of Ni-based catalysts for biogas dry reforming by adding a second non-noble metal （Fe, Co, Cu） into a previously studied mesoporous Ni-CaO-ZrO2 nanocomposite. Biogas was simulated with equivalent methane and carbon dioxide for the dry reforming reaction. X-ray diffraction （XRD）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, N2 adsorption, temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）, thermogravi- metric analysis （TGA）, and transmission electron microscopy （TEM） measurements were taken to characterize the structural and textual properties of the bimetallic catalysts as well as the accumulated carbon deposition. The addition of Fe leads to a less ordering growth of mesopores of Fe-Ni-CaO-ZrO2 sample, and the existence of Cu results in a relatively larger portion of free NiO in Cu-Ni-CaO-ZrO2. Compared with Fe and Cu, the presence of Co could efficiently form a beneficial dual metal effect and enhance the strong metal support interaction between Ni and CaO-ZrO2, thus enhancing the activity and stability of the catalyst in biogas dry reforming reaction.

Non-noble metal single-atom catalysts with phosphotungstic acid(PTA)support:A theoretical study of ethylene epoxidation

Geometric and electronic structures of phosphotungstic acid(PTA)supported single transition metal atom(Fe,Co,Ni,Ru,Rh,Pd,Os,Ir and Pt)catalysts have been systematically investigated by using the first-principles theoretical methods.Possible reaction mechanism for ethylene epoxidation was explored.The most possible anchoring site for the single transition metal atom is the fourfold hollow site on PTA.As the non-noble metal Fe1-PTA system possesses considerable adsorption energies towards both O2 and C2H4,the strong bonding interaction between Fe1 and PTA cluster was analyzed.It is found that the electron transfers from Fe atom to PTA cluster and strong covalent metal-support interactions(CMSI)between the Fe 3 d orbitals and O 2 p orbitals of PTA lay the foundation of high stability.The proposed catalytic reaction mechanism for ethylene epoxidation on Fe1-PTA single-atom catalyst(SAC)includes three steps:the O2 adsorbs on Fe1-PTA via electron transfer;the first ethylene attacks the adsorbed O2 molecule on Fe1-PTA followed by the formation of C2H4O;finally,the O atom remained on Fe1-PTA reacts with a second ethylene to form the product and accomplish the catalytic cycle.The Fe1-PTA has high selectivity and catalytic activity for ethylene epoxidation via an Eley–Rideal mechanism with low energy barriers.A potentially competitive pathway for the formation of acetaldehyde is not kinetically favorable.These results provide insights for the development of highly efficient heterogeneous SACs for ethylene epoxidation with non-noble metals.

Hierarchical structured CoP nanosheets/carbon nanofibers bifunctional eletrocatalyst for high-efficient overall water splitting

The design of efficient,stable,and economical electrocatalysts for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction(OER and HER)is a major challenge for overall water splitting.Herein,a hierarchical structured CoP/carbon nanofibers(CNFs)composite was successfully synthesized and its potential application as a high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall splitting water was evaluated.The synergetic effect of two-dimensional(2D)CoP nanosheets and on e-dimensi on al(1D)CNFs endowed the CoP/CNFs composites with abundant active sites and rapid electron and mass transport pathways,and thereby significantly improved the electrocatalytic performances.The optimized CoP/CNFs delivered a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2) at low overpotential of 325 mV for OER and 225 mV for HER.In the overall water splitting,CoP/CNFs achieved a low potential of 1.65 V at 10 mA cm^(-2).The facile strategy provided in the present work can facilitate the design and development of multifunctional non-noble metal catalysts for energy applications.

Stability and activity of carbon nanofiber-supported catalysts in the aqueous phase reforming of ethylene glycol

Nickel, cobalt, copper and platinum nanoparticles supported on carbon nano-fibers were evaluated with respect to their stability, catalytic activity and selectivity in the aqueous phase reforming of ethylene glycol （230 ℃, autogenous pressure, batch reactor）. The initial surface-specific activities for ethylene glycol reforming were in a similar range but decreased in the order of Pt （15.5 h-1 ） 〉Co（13.0 h 1 ） 〉Ni（5.2 h-1） while the Cu catalyst only showed low dehydrogenation activity. The hydrogen molar selectivity decreased in the order of Pt （53%）〉Co（21%）〉Ni （15%） as a result of the production of methane over the latter two catalysts. Over the Co catalyst acids were formed in the liquid phase while alcohols were formed over Ni and Pt. Due to the low pH of the reaction mixture, especially in the case of Co （as a result of the formed acids）, significant cobalt leaching occurs which resulted in a rapid deactivation of this catalyst. Investigations of the spent catalysts with various techniques showed that metal particle growth is responsible for the deactivation of the Pt and Ni catalysts. In addition, coking might also contribute to the deactivation of the Ni catalyst.

A Low-Cost and Easily Prepared Manganese Carbonate as an Effi cient Catalyst for Aerobic Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Diformylfuran

A low-cost and easily prepared manganese carbonate(Mn CO_3) has been synthesized for catalytic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(5-HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran(DFF). The properties and morphology of the manganese carbonate were measured by SEM,XRD,TGA,BET and XPS. In this method,no harsh reaction conditions were required,and it was a simple and green process for the oxidation of 5-HMF into DFF. To achieve an optimum DFF yield,different reaction conditions,including reaction temperature,reaction time,catalyst amount,and solvents were investigated. Results from the experiments indicated that the highest DFF yield of 86.9% was obtained at 120 °C under atmospheric oxygen pressure after 6h. Finally,Mn CO_3 could be used at least five times with considerable stability.

Progress on Platinum-Based Catalyst Layer Materials for H_(2)-PEMFC

The constant increase in energy demand and related environmental issues have made fuel cells an attractive technology as an alternative to conventional energy technologies.Like any technology,fuel cells face drawbacks that scientific society has been focused on to improve and optimize the overall technology.Thus,the cost is the main inhibitor for this technology due to the significantly high cost of the materials used in catalyst layers.The current discussion mainly focuses on the fundamental electrochemical half-cell reaction of hydrogen oxidation reaction(HOR)and oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)that are taking place in the catalyst layers consisting of Platinum-based and Platinum-non noble metals.For this purpose,studies from the literature are presented and analyzed by highlighting and comparing the variations on the catalytic activity within the experimental catalyst layers and the conventional ones.Furthermore,an economic analysis of the main platinum group metals(PGMs)such as Platinum,Palladium and Ruthenium is introduced by presenting the economic trends for the last decade.

Metal–Organic Framework-Derived Hollow Nanocubes as Stable Noble Metal-Free Electrocatalyst for Water Splitting at High Current Density

Alkaline water electrolysis is an environmentally friendly and promising approach to produce hydrogen.However,high cost,low efficiency,and poor stability are roadblocks to commercialization of electrocatalysts.This work aims to design and develop a highly efficient,durable,and cost-effective electrocatalyst toward water splitting through modifying metal–organic frameworks.The electrocatalytic performance and stability surpass those of noble metal benchmarks at high current density(1–10 A·cm^(−2)).Theoretical calculations and in situ Raman spectra reveal the electronic structure of the synthesized catalyst and the mechanism of the catalytic reaction process,which rationalizes that the high catalytic activity and stability at high current are attributed to the unique electronic structure of cobalt regulated by copper and the protection provided by carbon nanotubes formed in situ,respectively.In addition,this paper proposes that the desorption ability of the catalyst toward the products(H_(2)and O_(2)),rather than the adsorption ability toward the reactants(H^(+)or OH^(−)),is more important to the sustainable and stable electrochemical water splitting progress at high current density,which is a kinetic rather than thermodynamic dominating process.The findings provide alternative insights to design and employ high performance catalysts to fuel hydrogen production as a clean energy source to tackle the global energy crisis.

Electrochemical removal of ammonium nitrogen in high efficiency and N_(2) selectivity using non-noble single-atomic iron catalyst

Ammonia nitrogen (NH_(4)^(+)-N) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant,especially in offshore aquaculture systems.Electrochemical oxidation is very promising to remove NH_(4)^(+)-N,but suffers from the use of precious metals anodes.In this work,a robust and cheap electrocatalyst,iron single-atoms distributed in nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-SAs/N-C),was developed for electrochemical removal of NH_(4)^(+)-N from in wastewater containing chloride.The FeSAs/N-C catalyst exhibited superior activity than that of iron nanoparticles loaded carbon(Fe-NPs/N-C),unmodified carbon and conventional Ti/IrO_(2)-TiO_(2)-RuO_(2)electrodes.And high removal efficiency (>99%) could be achieved as well as high N_(2)selectivity (99.5%) at low current density.Further experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated the indispensable role of single-atom iron in the promoted generation of chloride derived species for efficient removal of NH_(4)^(+)-N.This study provides promising inexpensive catalysts for NH_(4)^(+)-N removal in aquaculture wastewater.

Density functional theory calculations on single atomic catalysis:Ti-decorated Ti3C2O2 monolayer(MXene)for HCHO oxidation

Formaldehyde(HCHO) is a common indoor pollutant, long-term exposure to HCHO may harm human health. Its efficient removal at mild conditions is still challenging. The catalytic oxidation of HCHO molecules on a single atomic catalyst, Ti-decorated Ti3C2O2(Ti/Ti3C2O2) monolayer, is investigated by performing the first principles calculations in this work. It demonstrates that Ti atoms can be easily well dispersed at the form of single atom on Ti3C2O2 monolayer without aggregation. For HCHO catalytic oxidation, both Langmuir-Hinshelwood(LH) and Eley-Rideal(ER) mechanisms are considered. The results show that the step of HCHO dissociative adsorption on Ti/Ti3C2O2 with activated O2 can release high energy of 4.05 e V based on the ER mechanism, which can help to overcome the energy barrier(1.04 e V) of the subsequent reaction steps. The charge transfer from *OH group to CO molecule(dissociated from HCHO) not only promotes *OH group activation but also plays an important role in the H2 O generation along the ER mechanism. Therefore, HCHO can be oxidized easily on Ti/Ti3C2O2 monolayer, this work could provide significant guidance to develop effective non-noble metal catalysts for HCHO oxidation and broaden the applications of MXene-based materials.

Test factors affecting the performance of zinc–air battery

Zinc-air batteries provide a great potential for future large-scale energy storage.We assess the test factors that mainly affect the measured power density of the zinc-air battery.By fitting the polarization curves of the zinc-air batteries,we reveal the effect of testing parameters(electrode distance,electrolyte concentration,and oxygen flux)and preparation of catalysts ink on the activation,ohm,and concentration polarizations of the zinc-air battery.Finally,recommendations on evaluating the potentials of non-noblemetal electrocatalysts for applications in zinc-air batteries were given.

Correlative Mn-Co catalyst excels Pt in oxygen reduction reaction of quasi-solid-state zinc-air batteries

Zn-air batteries(ZABs)as a class of promising energy storage setups are generally powered by efficient and robust catalysts at the oxygen-involving cathode.Although the existing non-noble catalysts have outperformed noble Pt benchmark in the alkaline liquid-state ZABs,to the best of our knowledge few have excelled Pt in quasi-solid-state(QSS)ZABs.Herein,we found that an integrated Mn-Co cathode derived from the bimetallic Mn/Co metal organic frameworks generates a 1.4-fold greater power density in the QSS ZABs than a Pt cathode while its power density in liquid-state ZABs is only 0.8-fold of the latter.Moreover,such Mn-Co catalyst delivers high-rate oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)capability with half-wave potential of 0.84 V.The in-depth characterizations and analyses have demonstrated that the Co and Mn species show the specific affinity towards H_(2)O and O_(2),respectively,synergizing the ORR process in the water-deficient environment of QSS ZABs.This work has enlightened the rational design of non-noble metal catalysts to improve the power density of QSS ZABs.

The DDA-II Process for Manufacture of Diesel Fuel Meeting the Euro-IV or even Higher Emission Standard

The DDA-Ⅱ process aimed at manufacture of diesel fuel meeting the Euro-Ⅳ emission standard from inferior diesel feedstock has been developed and tested in pilot scale. This technology adopts non-noble metal catalysts and a highly integrated two-stage process scheme featuring low investment and operating cost and convenience in operation. Under an appropriate process regime the DDA-Ⅱ technology can process FCC LCO, a blend of straight-run diesel and FCC LCO, or the SR diesel to yield the diesel product streams meeting the Euro-Ⅳ or even higher emission standards.

Highly efficient and active Co-N-C catalysts for oxygen reduction and Zn-air batteries

In this study,the Lewis doping approach of polyaniline(PANI)was employed to fabricate cobait-nitrogen-carbon(Co-N-C)oxygen electrocatalysts for Zn-air batteries,aiming to enhance the active spots of Co-N-C.This resulting Co-N-C catalysts exhibited welldefined nanofiber networks,and the Brunauer-EmmettTeller(BET)analysis confirmed their substantial specific surface area.Electrochemical experiments demonstrated that the Co-N-C catalysts achieved the half-wave potential(vs.RHE)of 0.85 V in alkaline medium,overcoming Pt/C and iron-nitrogen-carbon(Fe-N-C)counterparts in extended cycle testing with only a 25 mV change in a half-wave potential after 5000 cycles.Remarkably,the highest power density measured in the zinc(Zn)-air battery reached 227 mW/cm^(2),a significant improvement over the performance of 101 mW/cm^(2) of the platinum on activated carbon(Pt/C)catalyst.These findings highlight the advantageous stability enhancement associated with the utilization of Co in the Co-N-C catalysts.

Hydro-pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass over alumina supported Platinum, Mo2C and WC catalysts

In-line hydro-treatment of bio-oil vapor from fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass （hydro-pyrolysis of biomass） is studied as a method of upgrading the liquefied bio-oil for a possible precursor to green fuels. The nobel metal （Pt） and non-noble metal catalysts （Mo2C and WC） were compared at 500 ℃ and atmospheric pressure which are same as the reaction conditions for fast pyrolysis of biomass. Results indicated that under the pyrolysis conditions, the major components, such as acids and carbonyls, of the fast pyrolysis bio-oil can be completely and partially hydrogenated to form hydrocarbons, an ideal fossil fuel blend, in the hydro-treated bio-oil. The carbide catalysts perform equally well as the Pt catalyst regarding to the aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon formation （ca. 60%）, showing the feasibility of using the cheap non-noble catalysts for hydro-pyrolysis of biomass.

Ethylenediamine promoted the hydrogenative coupling of nitroarenes over Ni/C catalyst

Azobenzene and its derivatives are key raw materials and it is an environmentally friendly method for the preparation of azobenzene by hydrogenative coupling of nitrobenzene. The development of nickel based catalyst for organic transformations is of importance because of its relatively low cost and toxicity. In this work, we found that ethylenediamine can enrich the electron state of Ni and make the azobenzene easily desorb from the surface of the catalyst, which inhibits the hydrogenation of azobenzene to aniline. The selectivity of azobenzene is greatly improved. When the ratio of Ni and ethylenediamine is 1:10, the yield of the azobenzene can reach 95.5%.

Recent advances in bifunctional catalysts for zinc-air batteries:Synthesis and potential mechanisms

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs) are considered promising candidates for next-generation clean and sustainable energy storage devices because of their low cost, safety, environment-friendliness, and high specific energy density. However, owing to its poor chargedischarge capacity and low efficiency, its practical application remains challenging. The main obstacles are the intrinsic slow reaction kinetics on the air cathode, including the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) during discharging and oxygen evolution reaction(OER) during recharging. Therefore, a reasonable design of bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysts with high activity and stability is the key to the development of ZABs. In this review, the recent advances in bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysts as air cathodes in ZABs are discussed from three perspectives: metal-organic framework-based catalysts, metal-free carbon catalysts, and metal-based catalysts. In particular, the synthesis, electrocatalytic activity, and potential mechanism of bifunctional catalysts in ZABs are discussed. In recent years, research on bifunctional catalysts has intensified, and the performance of these catalysts has significantly improved. However, most of the experimental products have complex preparation processes and high costs;therefore, the industrialization of these experimental products remains difficult. This review offers prospects for the optimal design of high-activity rechargeable ZAB bifunctional air cathodes.