The preparation and properties of N-doped carbon materials and their use for sodium storage

Defect engineering by heteroatom doping gives carbon materials some new characteristics such as a different electronic structure and a high electrochemical activity,making them suitable for high-performance applications.N-doping has been widely investigated because of its similar atom radius to carbon,high electronegativity as well as many different configurations.We summarize the preparation methods and properties of N-doped carbon materials,and discuss their possible use in sodium ion storage.The relationships between N content/configuration and crystallinity,electronic conductivity,wettability,chemical reactivity as well as sodium ion storage performance are discussed.

Formation of mesophase microbeads from bulk mesophase pitch induced by fullerene

A transformation of naphthalene-based coalescenced mesophase pitch(NMP)to mesophase microbeads was achieved by heating a mixture of NMP and fullerene(C_(60)).This is different from the conventional process of the liquid-phase carbonization of isotropic pitch to the emergence of carbon microbeads in the matrix and finally their growth to form a 100%anisotropic bulk meso-phase,but rather a reverse transformation.The effects of C_(60) loading and reaction temperature on the morphological transformation of mesophase were investigated by polarizing optical and scanning electron microscopies.The physical changes in the NMP induced by C_(60) were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray diffractometry and Raman spectroscopy.The results show that the coalesced NMP can be converted to a spherical type at 300-320℃ with the addition of 5%C_(60),and the size of the mesophase microbeads increases with increasing temperature.Furthermore,a model is established to ex-plain the unique induction effect of C_(60) in the transformation process.This work makes the morphological transformation of MP con-trollable,and provides a new idea for the understanding and research of mesophase pitch.

对二氯苄-聚乙烯咪唑型聚合离子液体的制备及对煤焦油中苯酚的吸附性能

以1-乙烯咪唑和1,4-对二氯苄为原料,通过自由基聚合和季铵化交联反应,制得了一种新型聚合离子液体吸附剂---聚乙烯基苄基咪唑氯（ P[ VBnim] Cl）,并用元素分析、凝胶渗透色谱、红外光谱、扫描电子显微镜、物理吸附分析仪及热重分析等方法对其组成、结构、颗粒形貌、比表面积、孔结构及热稳定性进行了表征.结果表明, P[ VBnim] Cl结构中对二氯苄与乙烯咪唑的摩尔比约为1：3；产物为米黄色蓬松粉末,易吸水,其初始颗粒直径为50~80 nm,比表面积为13.86 m2/g,平均孔径9.94 nm,属于介孔结构材料,初始热分解温度为274℃,具有较好的热稳定性.同时, P[ VBnim] Cl对中低温煤焦油模型油中的苯酚具有优异的吸附性能,其吸附能力是活性炭的2~10倍,该吸附剂用乙酸乙酯再生后,吸附效果仍然较好,可以循环使用.

Hydrogenation of 2‐ethylanthraquinone with bimetallic monolithic catalysts: An experimental and DFT study

We studied the hydrogenation of 2‐ethylanthraquinone（eAQ） over Pd/SiO2/COR（COR = cordierite） monometallic and Pd‐M/SiO2/COR（M = Ni, Fe, Mn, and Cu） bimetallic monolithic catalysts, which were prepared by the co‐impregnation method. Detailed investigations showed that the particle sizes and structures of the Pd‐M（M = Ni, Fe, Mn, and Cu） bimetallic monolithic catalysts were great‐ly affected by the second metal M and the mass ratio of Pd to the second metal M. By virtue of the small particle size and the strong interaction between Pd and Ni of Pd‐Ni alloy, Pd‐Ni bimetallic monolithic catalysts with the mass ratio of Pd/Ni = 2 achieved the highest H2O2 yield（7.5 g/L） and selectivity（95.3%）. Moreover, density functional theory calculations were performed for eAQ ad‐sorption to gain a better mechanistic understanding of the molecule‐surface interactions between eAQ and the Pd（1 1 1） or PdM（1 1 1）（M = Ni, Fe, Mn, and Cu） surfaces. It was found that the high activity of the bimetallic Pd‐Ni catalyst was a result of strong chemisorption between Pd3Ni1（1 1 1） and the carbonyl group of eAQ.

Robust photocatalytic benzene degradation using mesoporous disk-like N-TiO2 derived from MIL-125(Ti)

N-doped anatase-rutile titanium dioxide(N-TiO2)is a classical semiconductor widely used in environmental remediation.Its photocatalytic performance is typically affected by its morphology,porous structure,and phase composition.Herein,disk-like mesoporous N-TiO2 was prepared by calcining MIL-125(Ti)and melamine matrix at different temperatures in air.The photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared mesoporous N-TiO2 for the photo-oxidation of gaseous benzene under visible-light irradiation was studied.With respect to light absorption and mass transfer,as-prepared N-TiO2 annealed at 500℃(MM-500)showed the best photocatalytic activity with corresponding photodegradation and mineralization efficiencies of 99.1%and 72.0%,respectively.In addition.MM-500 exhibited excellent reusability and stability in cyclic experiments,in which 84.8%of gaseous benzene could still be photodegraded after 10 experimental cycles.Furthermore,electron spin resonance analysis indicated that·OH and·O2-radicals were the dominating reactive oxygen species during the photo-oxidation process.Their excellent performance suggests that the as-prepared N-TiO2 photocatalysts can be used to eliminate volatile organic compounds.

Zn-Zr-Al oxides derived from hydrotalcite precursors for ethanol conversion to diethyl carbonate

Ethanol conversion to high-value-added products has attracted considerable attention in both academic research and industrial fields.In this study,we synthesized a series of tunable acid–base bifunctional Zn-Zr-Al metal oxides(represented as Zn2ZrxAl-MMO)in light of the structural topotactic transformation of Zn2ZrxAl-hydrotalcite precursors(Zn2ZrxAl-LDH).The resulting Zn2ZrxAl-MMO catalysts were employed in the conversion of ethanol to diethyl carbonate.The Zr^4+ ion content of the LDH precursor plays a key role in modulating the acid-base properties and determining catalytic performance:the Zn2Zr0.1Al-MMO sample exhibits the optimal catalytic behavior with a diethyl carbonate(DEC)yield of 42.1%,which is the highest reported for metal oxide catalysts.Structure-property correlation investigations revealed that the synergic catalysis between medium-strong basic sites and weak acid sites plays a predominant role in the catalytic behavior.Furthermore,in situ Fourier transform infrared measurements showed that the weak acidic site promotes activation adsorption of the reactant(urea)and the intermediate product(ethyl carbamate),while the medium-strong basic site accelerates ethanol activation.Moreover,the Zn2Zr0.1Al-MMO catalyst has the advantages of cost effectiveness,good stability,and reusability.Therefore,the acid-base bifunctional catalysts developed in this work can be employed as promising candidates in acid-base catalytic reactions such as ethanol conversion.

New development in Fe/Co catalysts:Structure modulation and performance optimization for syngas conversion

C1 chemistry is the essence of coal chemistry and natural gas chemistry. Catalytic methods to efficiently convert C1 molecules into fuels and chemicals have been extensively studied. Syngas（CO ＋H_2） conversion is the most important industrial reaction system in C1 chemistry, and Fe and Co catalysts, two major industrial catalysts, have been the focus of fundamental research and industrial application. In the last decade, considerable research efforts have been devoted to discoveries concerning catalyst structure and increasing market demands for olefins and oxygenates. Since the development of efficient catalysts would strongly benefit from catalyst design and the establishment of a new reaction system, this review comprehensively overviews syngas conversion in three main reactions, highlights the advances recently made and the challenges that remain open, and will stimulate future research activities. The first part of the review summarizes the breakthroughs in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis regarding the optimization of activity and stability, determination of the active phase, and mechanistic studies. The second part overviews the modulation of catalytic structure and product selectivity for Fischer-Tropsch to olefins（FTO）. Catalysts designed to produce higher alcohols, as well as to tune product selectivity in C1 chemistry, are described in the third section. Finally, present challenges in syngas conversion are proposed, and the solutions and prospects are discussed from the viewpoint of fundamental research and practical application. This review summarizes the latest advances in the design, preparation, and application of Fe/Co-based catalysts toward syngas conversion and presents the challenges and future directions in producing value-added fuels.

Fabrication of Pd-based metal-acid-alkali multifunctional catalysts for one-pot synthesis of MIBK

The one-pot synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone（MIBK） from acetone using multifunctional catalysts is an important sustainable organic synthesis method with high atom and energy efficiency.Herein. we report a series of Pd supported on mixed metal oxide（MMO） catalysts with controllable acidic/basic/metallic sites on the surface. We study the relationship between the nature, synergy,and proximity of active sites and the catalytic performance of the multifunctional catalyst in the tandem reaction, in detail. In the existence of Lewis acid and base sites, the catalysts with medium-strength acidic/basic sites show preferred activity and/or MIBK selectivity. For multifunctional catalysts, the catalytic properties are more than just a collection of active sites, and the Pd/Mg_3Al-MMO catalyst possessing 0.1% Pd loading and ~0.4 acid/base molar ratio exhibits the optimal 42.1% acetone conversion and 37.2% MIBK yield, which is among the best reported so far for this tandem reaction under similar conditions. Moreover, the proximity test indicates that the intimate distance between acidic/basic/metallic sites can greatly shorten the diffusion time of the intermediate species from each active site, leading to an enhancement in the catalytic performance.

Geometric effect promoted hydrotalcites catalysts towards aldol condensation reaction

In solid basic catalysis field,how to achieve optimized activity and desired stability through elaborate control over basic site properties remains a challenge.In this work,taking advantage of the structure memory effect of layered double hydroxides(LDHs),rehydrated Ca4 Al1-x Gax-LDHs and Ca4 Al1-x Inx-LDHs catalysts were prepared and applied in aldol condensation reaction that isobutyraldehyde(IBD)reacts with formaldehyde(FA)to obtain hydroxypivalaldehyde(HPA).Notably,the resulting re-Ca4 Al0.90Ga0.10-LDHs exhibits an extraordinarily-high catalytic activity(HPA yield:72%),which is to our best knowledge the highest level in this reaction.The weak Br?nsted basic site,7-coordinated Ca-OH group,which serves as an active site,catalyzes the condensation process and promotes the product desorption.Studies on structure-property correlations demonstrate that Ga as a structural promoter induces a moderate expansion of the laminate lattice,which results in a significant increase in the concentration of weak basic sites in re-Ca4Al0.90Ga0.10-LDHs,accounting for its high catalytic activity.This work illuminates that geometric structure of basic active sites can be tuned via introducing catalyst additive,which leads to a largely improved performance of hydrotalcite solid basic catalysts towards aldol condensation reaction.

Selective catalytic reduction of NO_x by H_2 over Pd/TiO_2 catalyst

Pd/TiO2 catalysts prepared by three different methods(impregnation,deposition-precipitation,and polyethylene glycol reduction)were investigated in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by H2(H2-SCR).It was found that the preparation method exerted a significant effect on the activity of the Pd/TiO2 catalyst,and that the catalyst prepared by the polyethylene glycol reduction method exhibited the highest activity in the reduction of NOx.Characterization of the catalyst showed that,in the Pd/TiO2 catalyst prepared by the polyethylene glycol reduction method,the existing Pd species was Pd0,which is the desirable species for the H2-SCR of NOx.In situ DRIFTS studies demonstrated that over this catalyst,more chelating nitrite and monodentate nitrite species formed,both of which are reactive intermediates in the H2-SCR of NOx.All of these factors account for the high activity of Pd/TiO2 prepared by the polyethylene glycol reduction method.

Acid-activated and WO_x-loaded montmorillonite catalysts and their catalytic behaviors in glycerol dehydration

The use of H2SO4‐,HCl‐,H3PO4‐,and CH3COOH‐activated montmorillonite(Mt)and WOx/H3PO4‐activated Mt as catalysts for the gas‐phase dehydration of glycerol was investigated.The WOx/H3PO4‐activated Mt catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method using H3PO4‐activated Mt(Mt‐P)as the support.The catalysts were characterized using powder X‐ray diffraction,Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy,N2adsorption‐desorption,diffuse reflectance ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy,temperature‐programmed desorption of NH3,and thermogravimetric analysis.The acid activation of Mt and WOx loaded on Mt‐P affected the strength and number of acid sites arising from H+exchange,the leaching of octahedral Al3+cations from Mt octahedral sheets,and the types of WOx(2.7≤x≤3)species(i.e.,isolated WO4/WO6‐containing clusters,two‐dimensional[WO6]polytungstates,or three‐dimensional WO3crystals).The strong acid sites were weakened,and the weak and medium acid sites were strengthened when the W loading on Mt‐P was12wt%(12%W/Mt‐P).The12%W/Mt‐P catalyst showed the highest catalytic activity.It gave a glycerol conversion of89.6%and an acrolein selectivity of81.8%at320°C.Coke deposition on the surface of the catalyst led to deactivation.

Photoelectrocatalysis for high‐value‐added chemicals production

Photoelectrocatalysis(PEC)is a promising approach that can convert renewable solar energy into chemical energy,while most concern is concentrated on PEC water splitting to obtain high‐value‐added fuel—hydrogen.In practice,more economic benefits can be produced based on PEC technique,such as H_(2)O oxidative H_(2)O_(2) synthesis,organic selective oxidation,organic pollutants degradation and CO_(2) reduction.Although there are plenty of excellent reviews focusing on the PEC water splitting system,the production of various high‐value‐added chemicals in PEC systems has not been discussed synthetically.This Account will focus on the production process of various high‐value‐added chemicals through PEC technology.The photoelectrode design,reaction environment and working mechanisms of PEC systems are also discussed in detail.We believe that this comprehensive Account of the expanded application of photoelectrocatalysis can add an inestimable impetus to the follow‐up development of this technology.

Preparation of MIL-88B(Fe_(x),Co_(1‒x))catalysts and their application in one-step liquid-phase methanol oxidation to methyl formate using H_(2)O_(2)

The selective oxidation of methanol to methyl formate is one of the most attractive processes to obtain value-added methanol-downstream products.The development of highly efficient and stable catalysts is critical for this transformation.In this study,a series of MIL-88B(Fe_(x),Co_(1‒x))bimetallic catalysts with different Fe/Co molar ratios were prepared through a one-pot hydrothermal method.X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,high-resolution transmission electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectroscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,N2 adsorption-desorption,and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry characterization were performed to elucidate the structure of the catalysts.The activity of the catalysts were assessed in the one-step oxidation of methanol to methyl formate with H_(2)O_(2)in a liquid-phase batch reactor.The results show that the MIL-88B(Fe_(x),Co_(1‒x))catalysts exhibit uniform needle-like morphologies with an average length and width of 400-600 nm and 100-150 nm,respectively.Co^(2+)is incorporated into the framework by partially replacing Fe^(3+)in MIL-88B.Moreover,the catalyst efficiently promoted the conversion of methanol to methyl formate.When MIL-88B(Fe_(0.7),Co_(0.3))catalyst was used with a molar ratio of H_(2)O_(2)to methanol of 0.5 at 80℃for 60 min,34.8%methanol conversion was achieved,and the selectivity toward methyl formate was 67.6%.The catalysts also showed great stability with a steady conversion and selectivity even after four cycles.The preliminary oxidation mechanism was also studied.It was determined that H_(2)O_(2)is first adsorbed on the Fe^(3+)sites and subsequently activates these sites.Methanol is adsorbed by the O atoms of the framework through hydrogen bonding and is gradually oxidized to formic acid.Subsequently,formic acid reacts with the residual methanol at the Fe^(3+)and Co^(2+)Lewis acid sites to form methyl formate.

Toward modular construction of cell‐free multienzyme systems

The implementation of multiple enzymes for chemical production in a cell‐free scenario is an emerging field in biomanufacturing.It enables the redesign and reconstitution of new enzymatic routes for producing chemicals that may be hard to obtain from natural pathways.Although the construction of a cell‐free multienzyme system is highly flexible and adaptable,it is challenging to make all enzymatic reactions act in concert.Recently,modular construction has been conceptual‐ized as an effective way to harmonize diverse enzymatic reactions.In this review,we introduce the concept of a multienzyme module and exemplify representative modules found in Nature.We then categorize recent developments of synthetic multienzyme modules into main‐reaction modules and auxiliary modules according to their roles in reaction routes.We highlight four main‐reaction mod‐ules that can perform carbon metabolism,carbon assimilation,protein glycosylation and nonribo‐somal peptide synthesis,and exemplify auxiliary modules used for energy supply,protection and reinforcement for main reactions.The reactor‐level modularization of multienzyme catalysis is also discussed.