Deformable Catalytic Material Derived from Mechanical Flexibility for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

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

Emerging catalytic materials for practical lithium-sulfur batteries

High-energy lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)have experienced relentless development over the past decade with discernible improvements in electrochemical performance.However,a scrutinization of the cell operation conditions reveals a huge gap between the demands for practical batteries and those in the literature.Low sulfur loading,a high electrolyte/sulfur(E/S)ratio and excess anodes for lab-scale LSBs significantly offset their high-energy merit.To approach practical LSBs,high loading and lean electrolyte parameters are needed,which involve budding challenges of slow charge transfer,polysulfide precipitation and severe shuttle effects.To track these obstacles,the exploration of electrocatalysts to immobilize polysulfides and accelerate Li-S redox kinetics has been widely reported.Herein,this review aims to survey state-of-the-art catalytic materials for practical LSBs with emphasis on elucidating the correlation among catalyst design strategies,material structures and electrochemical performance.We also statistically evaluate the state-of-the-art catalyst-modified LSBs to identify the remaining discrepancy between the current advancements and the real-world requirements.In closing,we put forward our proposal for a catalytic material study to help realize practical LSBs.

Progress on the application of graphene-based composites toward energetic materials:A review

Carbon material is an important additive in energetic materials.Graphene is a monolayer carbon material in which carbon atoms are arranged in two-dimensional honeycomb structure,who has special optical,electrical,and mechanical properties.Recently,the application of graphene-based composites in energetic materials has received extensive attention.This review mainly summarizes the applications of graphene and graphene-based nanomaterials in energetic materials.The effects of these materials on the thermal stability,sensitivity,mechanical property,ignition and combustion of energetic materials were discussed.Furthermore,the progress of functionalized modification of graphene has been summarized,including covalent bonding modification and doping modification.These studies show that graphenebased materials exhibit excellent performances and might emerge as promising candidate for energetic materials.

Electrochemical synthesis of catalytic materials for energy catalysis

Electrocatalysis is a process dealing with electrochemical reactions in the interconversion of chemical energy and electrical energy.Precise synthesis of catalytically active nanostructures is one of the key challenges that hinder the practical application of many important energy‐related electrocatalytic reactions.Compared with conventional wet‐chemical,solid‐state and vapor deposition synthesis,electrochemical synthesis is a simple,fast,cost‐effective and precisely controllable method for the preparation of highly efficient catalytic materials.In this review,we summarize recent progress in the electrochemical synthesis of catalytic materials such as single atoms,spherical and shaped nanoparticles,nanosheets,nanowires,core‐shell nanostructures,layered nanomaterials,dendritic nanostructures,hierarchically porous nanostructures as well as composite nanostructures.Fundamental aspects of electrochemical synthesis and several main electrochemical synthesis methods are discussed.Structure‐performance correlations between electrochemically synthesized catalysts and their unique electrocatalytic properties are exemplified using selected examples.We offer the reader with a basic guide to the synthesis of highly efficient catalysts using electrochemical methods,and we propose some research challenges and future opportunities in this field.

Titanium-Containing Mesoporous Materials: Synthesis and Application in Selective Catalytic Oxidation

Titanium-containing mesoporous molecular sieves are of great significance in selective catalytic oxidation processes with bulky molecules. Recent researches and developments on the designing and synthesis of Ti-containing mesoporous materials have been reviewed. Various strategies for the preparation of Ti-containing mesoporous materials, such as direct synthesis and post-synthesis, are described. Modifications of Ti-containing mesoporous materials by surface-grafting and atom-planting are also discussed. All approaches aimed mainly at the improving of the stability, the hydrophobicity, and mostly the catalytic activity. Structural and mechanistic features of various synthetic systems are discussed. Ticontaining mesoporous materials in liquid phase catalytic oxidation of organic compounds with H2O2 as an oxidant is briefly summarized, showing their broad utilities for green synthesis of fine chemicals by catalytic oxidative reactions.

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.

Role of Catalytic Materials on Conversion of Sulfur Species for Room Temperature Sodium–Sulfur Battery

Room temperature sodium–sulfur(RT Na-S)battery with high theoretical energy density and low cost has spurred tremendous interest,which is recognized as an ideal candidate for large-scale energy storage applications.However,serious sodium polysulfide shutting and sluggish reaction kinetics lead to rapid capacity decay and poor Coulombic efficiency.Recently,catalytic materials capable of adsorbing and catalyzing the conversion of polysulfides are profiled as a promising method to improve electrochemical performance.In this review,the research progress is summarized that the application of catalytic materials in RT Na-S battery.For the role of catalyst on the conversion of sulfur species,specific attention is focused on the influence factors of reaction rate during different redox processes.Various catalytic materials based on lightweight and high conductive carbon materials,including heteroatom-doped carbon,metals and metal compounds,single-atom and heterostructure,promote the reaction kinetic via lowered energy barrier and accelerated charge transfer.Additionally,the adsorption capacity of the catalytic materials is the key to the catalytic effect.Particular attention to the interaction between polysulfides and sulfur host materials is necessary for the exploration of catalytic mechanism.Lastly,the challenges and outlooks toward the desired design of efficient catalytic materials for RT Na-S battery are discussed.

Application of New Heavy Metals Resistant Porous Binder Material Used in Fluid Catalytic Cracking Reaction

A novel porous binder was obtained from acid-treated kaolin. This new binder possessed abundant meso/macropores, good hydrothermal stability and heavy metal resistance. The prepared catalyst using new binder featured low attrition index and large pore volume. The catalysts were contaminated with Ni, V, and tested in a fixed-fluidized bed reactor unit. In comparison with the reference sample, the oil conversion achieved by the above-mentioned catalyst increased by 3.50 percentage points, and heavy oil yield decreased by 2.86 percentage points, while the total liquid yield and light oil yield increased by 2.82 percentage points and 0.79 percentage points, respectively. The perfect pore structure, good hydrothermal stability and heavy metal resistant performance of new binder were the possible causes leading to its outstanding performance.

Remarkable carbon dioxide catalytic capture (CDCC) leading to solid-form carbon material via a new CVD integrated process (CVD-IP): An alternative route for CO_2 sequestration

Through our newly-developed ＂chemical vapor deposition integrated process （ISVD-IP）＇＂ using carbon OlOXlae （t..u2） as me raw matenal and only carbon source introduced, CO2 could be catalytically activated and converted to a new solid-form product, i.e., carbon nanotubes （CO2-derived） at a quite high yield （the single-pass carbon yield in the solid-form carbon-product produced from CO2 catalytic capture and conversion was more than 30% at a single-pass carbon-base）. For comparison, when only pure carbon dioxide was introduced using the conventional CVD method without integrated process, no solid-form carbon-material product could be formed. In the addition of saturated steam at room temperature in the feed for CVD, there were much more end-opening carbon nano-tubes produced, at a slightly higher carbon yield. These inspiring works opened a remarkable and alternative new approach for carbon dioxide catalytic capture to solid-form product, comparing with that of CO2 sequestration （CCS） or CO2 mineralization （solidification）, etc. As a result, there was much less body volume and almost no greenhouse effect for this solid-form carbon-material than those of primitive carbon dioxide.

Performance optimization of chalcogenide catalytic materials in lithium-sulfur batteries:Structural and electronic engineering

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)boasting remarkable energy density have garnered significant attention within academic and industrial spheres.Nevertheless,the progression of LSBs remains constrained by the languid redox kinetics intrinsic to sulfur and the pronounced shuttle effect induced by lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),which seriously affecting the energy density,cycling life and rate capacity.The conceptualization and implementation of catalytic materials stand acknowledged as a propitious stratagem for orchestrating kinetic modulation,particularly in excavating the conversion of LiPSs and has evolved into a focal point for disposing.Among them,chalcogenide catalytic materials(CCMs)have shown satisfactory catalytic effects ascribe to the unique physicochemical properties,and have been extensively developed in recent years.Considering the lack of systematic summary regarding the development of CCMs and corresponding performance optimization strategies,herein,we initiate a comprehensive review regarding the recent progress of CCMs for effective collaborative immobilization and accelerated transformation kinetics of Li PSs.Following that,the modulation strategies to improve the catalytic activity of CCMs are summarized,including structural engineering(morphology engineering,surface/interface engineering,crystal engineering)and electronic engineering(doping and vacancy,etc.).Finally,the application prospect of CCMs in LSBs is clarified,and some enlightenment is provided for the reasonable design of CCMs serving practical LSBs.

Electrochemical characterization of MnO_2 as electrocatalytic energy material for fuel cell electrode

Development of inexpensive non Pt based high electrocatalytic energy materials is the need of the hour for fuel cell electrode to produce clean alternative green energy from synthesized bio alcohol using biomass. MnO 2,electro synthesized at different current density is found to be well performed electrocatalytic material,comparable to Pt,with higher current density,very lowovervoltage for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol. From EIS study,the polarization resistance of the coated MnO 2is found to be much lowand electrical double layer capacitance is high,the effect increases with increase in current density of electro deposition. XRD,EDX and AAS analysis confirm the M nO 2deposition. The morphology of SEM images exhibits an enhanced 3D effective substrate area,for electro oxidation of the fuel. A fewnano structured grains of the deposited M nO 2is also observed at higher current density. The fact supports that a high energetic inexpensive electro catalytic material has been found for fuel cell electrode to synthesis renewable energy from methanol fuel.

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.

Double perovskite oxides Sr_2Mg_(1-x)Fe_xMoO(6-δ) for catalytic oxidation of methane

The double perovskite oxides Sr2Mg1-xF exMoO6-δ were investigated as catalysts for the methane oxidation.The structural properties of catalysts were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.The catalytic property was strongly influenced by the Fe substitution.The relation between catalytic performance and the degree of Fe substitution was examined with regard to the structure and surface characteristics of the mixed oxides.The Fe-containing catalysts exhibited higher activity attributable to the possible（Fe2＋,Mo6＋） and （Fe3＋,Mo5＋）valency pairs,and the highest activity was observed for Sr2Mg0.2Fe0.8MoO6-δ.The enhancement of the catalytic activity may be correlated with the Fe-relating surface lattice oxygen species and was discussed in view of the presence of oxygen vacancies.

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous perovskite materials for environmental applications

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous(3DOM)perovskite materials have attracted the interest from researchers worldwide due to their unique macroporous structure,flexible composition,tailorable physicochemical property,high stability and biocompatibility.In particular,they were widely used in environmental field,such as photocatalysis,catalytic combustion,catalytic oxidation and sensors.In this review,the recent progresses in the synthesis of 3DOM perovskite materials and their environmental applications are summarized.The advantages and the promoting mechanisms of 3DOM perovskite materials for different applications are discussed in detail.Subsequently,the challenges and perspectives on the topic are proposed.

Catalytic effect of Ni@rGO on the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2

Uniform-uispersed Ni nanoparticics(NPs)anchored on reduced graphene oxide(Ni@rGO)catalyzed MgH2(MH-Ni@rGO)has been fabricated by mechanical milling.The effects of milling time and Ni loading amount on the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2 have been investigated.The initial hydrogen desorption temperature of MgH2 catalyzed by 10 wt.%Ni4@rGO6 for milling 5 h is significantly decreased from 251℃ to 190℃.The composite can absorb 5.0 wt.%hydrogen in 20 min at 100℃,while it can desorb 6.1 wt.%within 15 min at 300℃.Through the investigation of the phase transformation and dehydrogenation kinetics during hydrogen ab/desorption cycles,we found that the in-situ formed Mg2Ni/Mg2NiH4 exhibited better catalytic effect than Ni.When Ni loading amount is 45 wt.%,the rGO in Ni@rGO catalysts can prevent the reaction of Ni and Mg due to the strong interaction between rGO and Ni NPs.

One-pot synthesis of Sb-Fe-carbon-fiber composites with in situ catalytic growth of carbon fibers

A Sb-Fe-carbon-fiber （CF） composite was prepared by a chemical vapor deposition （CVD） method with in situ growth of CFs us- ing Sb203/Fe2O3 as the precursor and acetylene （C2H2） as the carbon source. The Sb-Fe-CF composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, field emission scanning electron microscopy （FESEM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, and its electrochemical per- formance was investigated by galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Sb-Fe-CF composite shows a better cycling stability than the Sb-amorphous-carbon composite prepared by the same CVD method but using Sb2O3 as the precur- sor. Improvements in cycling stability of the Sb-Fe-CF composite can be attributed to the formation of three-dimensional network structure by CFs, which can connect Sb particles firmly. In addition, the CF layer can buffer the volume change effectively.

Revealing the unexpected promotion effect of EuO_x on Pt/CeO_2 catalysts for catalytic combustion of toluene

Pt/Eu2O3-CeO2 materials with different Eu concentrations were prepared and applied to toluene destruction,and the remarkable promotion impact of EuOx on Pt/CeO2 can be observed.The characterization results reveal that the presence of EuOx significantly enhances the redox property,lattice O concentration,and Ce3+ ratio of the Pt/CeO2 material,which facilitates the dispersion and activity of Pt active sites and thus accelerates the decomposition process of toluene.Among all catalysts,a sample with an Eu content of 2.5 at.%(Pt/EC-2.5)possesses the best catalytic activity with 0.09 vol% of toluene completely destructed at 200 ℃ under a relatively high GHSV of 50000 h^-1.The possible reaction pathway and mechanism of toluene combustion over Pt/Eu2O3-CeO2 samples are presented according to in-situ DRIFTS,which confirms that the toluene oxidation process obeys the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism with aldehydes and ketones as primary organic intermediates.

Perovskite Oxides in Catalytic Combustion of Volatile Organic Compounds:Recent Advances and Future Prospects

Volatile organic compounds are a kind of important indoor and outdoor air pollutants.In recent years,more and more attention has been paid to the ways of volatile organic compound elimination because of its potential long-term effects on human health.Among the various available methods for volatile organic compound elimination,the catalytic combustion is the most attractive method due to its high efficiency,low cost,simple operation,and easy scale-up.Perovskite oxides,as a large family of metal oxides with their A-site mainly of lanthanide element and/or alkaline earth metal element and B-site of transition metal element,have been extensively investigated as active and stable catalysts for volatile organic compound removal reactions due to their abundant compositional elements,high thermal/chemical stability,and compositional/structural flexibility.The catalytic performance of perovskite oxides is strongly depended on its material composition,morphology,and surface/bulk properties,while the doping,tailored synthesis route,and composite construction may have a significant effect on the bulk(oxygen vacancy concentration,lattice structure),surface(oxygen species,defect)properties,and particulate morphology,consequently the catalytic activity and stability for volatile organic compound removal.Herein,a comprehensive review about the recent advances in perovskite oxides for volatile organic compound elimination reactions based on catalytic combustion is presented from different aspects with a special emphasis on the material design strategies,such as compositional tuning,morphology control,nanostructure building,hybrid construction,and surface modification.At last,some perspectives are presented on the development and design of perovskite oxide-based catalysts for volatile organic compound removal applications by highlighgting the critical issues and challenges.

Application and mechanism of Fenton-like iron-based functional materials for arsenite removal

Between the two major arsenic-containing salts in natural water, arsenite(As(Ⅲ)) is far more harmful to human and the environment than arsenate(As(V)) due to its high toxicity and transportability. Therefore, preoxidation of As(Ⅲ) to As(V) is considered to be an effective means to reduce the toxicity of arsenic and to promote the removal efficiency of arsenic. Due to their high catalytic activity and arsenic affinity, iron-based functional materials can quickly oxidize As(Ⅲ) to As(V) in heterogeneous Fenton-like systems, and then remove As(V) from water through adsorption and surface coprecipitation. In this review, the effects of different iron-based functional materials such as zero-valent iron and iron(hydroxy) oxides on arsenic removal are compared, and the catalytic oxidation mechanism of As(Ⅲ) in heterogeneous Fenton process is further clarified. Finally, the main challenges and opportunities faced by iron-based As(Ⅲ) oxidation functional materials are prospected.

Effect of Metal Oxide Doping into Ce_(0.5)Zr_(0.5)O_2 on Catalytic Activity of MnO_x/γ-Al_2O_3/Ce_(0.45)Zr_(0.45)M_(0.1)O_x (M=Y, La, Mn) Honeycomb Catalysts

This article showed that the catalytic activity of MnOx/γ-Al2O3/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 monolithic catalyst toward the catalytic combustion of ethanol in a fixed bed reactor could be greatly improved by doping three metal oxides into Ce0.5Zr0.5O2. The catalytic activity of MnOx/γ-Al2O3/Ce0.45Zr0.45M0.1 Ox （M = Y, La, Mn） is better than that of MnOx/γ-Al2O3/Ce0.5 Zr0.5O2. The order of activity of the catalysts is as follows： MnOx/γ-Al2O3/Ce0.45Zr0.45Y0.1Ox 〉 MnOc/γ-Al2O3/Ce0.45 Zr0.45La0.1Ox 〉 MnOx/γT-Al2O3/Ce0.45Zr0.45Mn0.1Ox 〉 MnOx/y-Al2O3/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2. The influence of the loading amount of manganese oxide in enhancing the catalytic activity of MnOx/γ-Al2O3/Ce0.45Zr0.45Y0.1 Ox was investigated. The results showed that when MnO2 loading amount was 10% （mass fraction）, the MnOx/Al2O3/Ce0.45Zr0.45Y0.1Ox catalyst recorded the highest activity.