Enabling heterogeneous catalysis to achieve carbon neutrality: Directional catalytic conversion of CO_(2) into carboxylic acids

The increase in anthropogenic carbon dioxide(CO_(2))emissions has exacerbated the deterioration of the global environment,which should be controlled to achieve carbon neutrality.Central to the core goal of achieving carbon neutrality is the utilization of CO_(2) under economic and sustainable conditions.Recently,the strong need for carbon neutrality has led to a proliferation of studies on the direct conversion of CO_(2) into carboxylic acids,which can effectively alleviate CO_(2) emissions and create high-value chemicals.The purpose of this review is to present the application prospects of carboxylic acids and the basic principles of CO_(2) conversion into carboxylic acids through photo-,electric-,and thermal catalysis.Special attention is focused on the regulation strategy of the activity of abundant catalysts at the molecular level,inspiring the preparation of high-performance catalysts.In addition,theoretical calculations,advanced technologies,and numerous typical examples are introduced to elaborate on the corresponding process and influencing factors of catalytic activity.Finally,challenges and prospects are provided for the future development of this field.It is hoped that this review will contribute to a deeper understanding of the conversion of CO_(2) into carboxylic acids and inspire more innovative breakthroughs.

Strategies to achieve effective nitrogen activation

Ammonia serves as a crucial chemical raw material and hydrogen energy carrier.Aqueous electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR),powered by renewable energy,has attracted tremendous interest during the past few years.Although some achievements have been revealed in aqueous NRR,significant challenges have also been identified.The activity and selectivity are fundamentally limited by nitrogen activation and competitive hydrogen evolution.This review focuses on the hurdles of nitrogen activation and delves into complementary strategies,including materials design and system optimization(reactor,electrolyte,and mediator).Then,it introduces advanced interdisciplinary technologies that have recently emerged for nitrogen activation using high-energy physics such as plasma and triboelectrification.With a better understanding of the corresponding reaction mechanisms in the coming years,these technologies have the potential to be extended in further applications.This review provides further insight into the reaction mechanisms of selectivity and stability of different reaction systems.We then recommend a rigorous and detailed protocol for investigating NRR performance and also highlight several potential research directions in this exciting field,coupling with advanced interdisciplinary applications,in situ/operando characterizations,and theoretical calculations.

Ultrahigh Density of Atomic CoFe-Electron Synergy in Noncontinuous Carbon Matrix for Highly Efficient Magnetic Wave Adsorption

Improving the atom utilization of metals and clarifying the M–M’interaction is both greatly significant in assembling high-performance ultra-light electromagnetic wave-absorbing materials.Herein,a high-temperature explosion strategy has been successfully applied to assemble the hierarchical porous carbon sponge with Co–Fe decoration via the pyrolysis of the energetic metal organic framework.The as-constructed hybrid displays a superior reflection loss(RL)value of-57.7 d B and a specific RL value of-192 d B mg-1 mm-1 at 12.08 GHz with a layer thickness of 2.0 mm(loading of 15 wt%).The off-axis electron hologram characterizes the highly distributed numerous polarized nanodomain variable capacitors,demonstrating the dipole and interfacial polarization along the edges of the nanopores.More importantly,the X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis verifies the mutual interaction between the metal cluster and carbon matrix and the electronic coupling responsible for the greatly improved electromagnetic wave absorption.

Engineering the Coordination Sphere of Isolated Active Sites to Explore the Intrinsic Activity in Single-Atom Catalysts

Reducing the dimensions of metallic nanoparticles to isolated,single atom has attracted considerable attention in heterogeneous catalysis,because it significantly improves atomic utilization and often leads to distinct catalytic performance.Through extensive research,it has been recognized that the local coordination environment of single atoms has an important influence on their electronic structures and catalytic behaviors.In this review,we summarize a series of representative systems of single-atom catalysts,discussing their preparation,characterization,and structure-property relationship,with an emphasis on the correlation between the coordination spheres of isolated reactive centers and their intrinsic catalytic activities.We also share our perspectives on the current challenges and future research promises in the development of single-atom catalysis.With this article,we aim to highlight the possibility of finely tuning the catalytic performances by engineering the coordination spheres of single-atom sites and provide new insights into the further development for this emerging research field.

Photophysics and electrochemistry relevant to photocatalytic water splitting involved at solid–electrolyte interfaces

Direct photon to chemical energy conversion using semiconductor–electrocatalyst–electrolyte interfaces has been extensively investigated for more than a half century. Many studies have focused on screening materials for efficient photocatalysis. Photocatalytic efficiency has been improved during this period but is not sufficient for industrial commercialization. Detailed elucidation on the photocatalytic water splitting process leads to consecutive six reaction steps with the fundamental parameters involved: The photocatalysis is initiated involving photophysics derived from various semiconductor properties(1: photon absorption, 2: exciton separation). The generated charge carriers need to be transferred to surfaces effectively utilizing the interfaces(3: carrier diffusion, 4: carrier transport). Consequently, electrocatalysis finishes the process by producing products on the surface(5: catalytic efficiency, 6: mass transfer of reactants and products). Successful photocatalytic water splitting requires the enhancement of efficiency at each stage. Most critically, a fundamental understanding of the interfacial phenomena is highly desired for establishing 'photocatalysis by design' concepts, where the kinetic bottleneck within a process is identified by further improving the specific properties of photocatalytic materials as opposed to blind material screening. Theoretical modeling using the identified quantitative parameters can effectively predict the theoretically attainable photon-conversion yields. This article provides an overview of the state-of-the-art theoretical understanding of interfacial problems mainly developed in our laboratory.Photocatalytic water splitting(especially hydrogen evolution on metal surfaces) was selected as a topic,and the photophysical and electrochemical processes that occur at semiconductor–metal, semiconductor–electrolyte and metal–electrolyte interfaces are discussed.

Growth behavior and electronic properties of Ge_(n+1) and AsGe_n(n = 1–20) clusters: a DFT study

We present a systematic computational study based on the density functional theory(DFT) aiming to high light the possible effects of one As doping atom on the structural, energetic, and electronic properties of different isomers of Ge_(n+1) clusters with n = 1–20 atoms. By considering a large number of structures for each cluster size, the lowest-energy isomers are determined. The lowest-energy isomers reveal three-dimensional structures starting from n = 5. Their relative stability versus atomic size is examined based on the calculated binding energy, fragmentation energy, and second-order difference of energy. Doping Ge_(n+1) clusters with one As atom does not improve their stability. The electronic properties as a function of the atomic size are also discussed from the calculated HOMO–LUMO energy gap, vertical ionization potential, vertical electron affinity, and chemical hardness. The obtained results are significantly affected by the inclusion of one As atom into a Gen cluster.

Tuning the electronic structure of the earth-abundant electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)to achieve efficient alkaline water splitting-A review

Tuning the electronic structure of the electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is a promising way to achieve efficient alkaline water splitting for clean energy production(H2).At first,this paper introduces the significance of the tuning of electronic structure,where modifying the electronic structure of the electrocatalysts could generate active sites having optimal adsorption energy with OER intermediates,and that could diminish the energy barrier for OER,and that could improve the activity for OER.Later,this paper reviews the tuning of electronic structure along with catalytic performances,synthetic methodologies,chemical properties,and DFT calculations on various nanostructured earth-abundant electrocatalysts for OER in alkaline environment.Further,this review discusses the tuning of the electronic structure of the several nanostructured earth-abundant electrocatalysts including oxide,(oxy)hydroxide,layered double hydroxide,alloy,metal phosphide/phosphate,nitride,sulfide,selenide,carbon containing materials,MOF,core-shell/hetero/hollow structured materials,and materials with vacancies/defects for OER in alkaline environment(including activity:overpotential(η)of ≤200 mV at10 m A cm^(-2);stability:≥100 h;durability:≥5000 cycles).Then,this review discusses the robust stability of the electrocatalysts for OER towards practical application.Moreover,this review discusses the in situ formation of thin layer on the catalyst surface during OER.In addition,this review discusses the influence of the adsorption energy of the OER intermediates on OER performance of the catalysts.Finally,this review summarizes the various promising strategies for tuning the electronic structure of the electrocatalysts to achieve enhanced performance for OER in alkaline environment.

A techno-economic and life cycle assessment for the production of green methanol from CO_(2): catalyst and process bottlenecks

The success of catalytic schemes for the large-scale valorization of CO_(2) does not only depend on the development of active,selective and stable catalytic materials but also on the overall process design.Here we present a multidisciplinary study(from catalyst to plant and techno-economic/lifecycle analysis)for the production of green methanol from renewable H2 and CO_(2).We combine an in-depth kinetic analysis of one of the most promising recently reported methanol-synthesis catalysts(InCo)with a thorough process simulation and techno-economic assessment.We then perform a life cycle assessment of the simulated process to gauge the real environmental impact of green methanol production from CO_(2).Our results indicate that up to 1.75 ton of CO_(2) can be abated per ton of produced methanol only if renewable energy is used to run the process,while the sensitivity analysis suggest that either rock-bottom H2 prices(1.5$kg1)or severe CO_(2) taxation(300$per ton)are needed for a profitable methanol plant.Besides,we herein highlight and analyze some critical bottlenecks of the process.Especial attention has been paid to the contribution of H2 to the overall plant costs,CH4 trace formation,and purity and costs of raw gases.In addition to providing important information for policy makers and industrialists,directions for catalyst(and therefore process)improvements are outlined.

Pt-confinement catalyst with dendritic hierarchical pores on excellent sulfur-resistance for hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene

Metal confinement catalyst Mo S_(2)/Pt@TD-6%Ti(TD,TS-1/Dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles composite) in dendritic hierarchical pore structures was synthesized and showed excellent sulfur-resistance performance and stabilities in catalytic hydrodesulfurization reactions of probe sulfide molecules.The Mo S_(2)/Pt@TD-6%Ti catalyst combines the concepts of Pt-confinement effect and hydrogen spillover of Pt noble metal.The modified micropores of Mo/Pt@TD-6%Ti only allow the migration and dissociation of small H_(2) molecules(0.289 nm),and effectively keep the sulfur-containing compounds(e.g.H_(2)S,0.362 nm) outside.Thus,the Mo S_(2)/Pt@TD-6%Ti catalyst exhibits higher DBT and 4,6-DMDBT HDS activities because of the synergistic effect of the strong H_(2) dissociation ability of Pt and desulfurization ability of Mo S_(2) with a lower catalyst cost.This new concept combining H2dissociation performance of noble metal catalyst with the desulfurization ability of transition metal sulfide Mo S_(2) can protect the noble metal catalyst avoiding deactivation and poison,and finally guarantee the higher activities for DBT and 4,6-DMDBT HDS.

Drug delivery with Mn-doped MoO_(2) for photothermalenhanced chemotherapy in fighting cancers

Although chemotherapy has been intensively applied in cancer treatments,its inadequate therapeutic efficacy and severe side effects are still under constant concerns.Nanoplatforms used as anti-tumor drug delivery system(DDS)have attracted tremendous attentions owing to their various intriguing properties.Herein,Mn-doped MoO_(2)nanoparticles coated with ZrO_(2)and capped with Bi_(2)O_(3)have been designed as a DDS,namely MMZB.MMZB possesses good magnetic properties,great photothermal conversion ability,sensitive tumor microenvironment(TME)responsiveness,and good biocompatibility in hemocompatibility in vitro.Thus,MMZB has been utilized to load the chemotherapeutic agent daunomycin(DNM)(MMZB@DNM)for chemo-photothermal combined therapy.MMZB@DNM demonstrates a more impressive anti-cancer effect than the individual photothermal or chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo.Furthermore,the analysis of tumor specimen sections and serum levels after the treatment indicates negligible side effects for MMZB@DNM in vivo.This contribution provides a valuable concept in designing therapeutic agents for achieving significantly enhanced tumor treatments,which benefits from the synergistic combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in one single nanoagent.

Combinations of electron and proton donors in transition-metal complex mediated nitrogen reduction reactions

Nitrogen fixation is a complex process involving the transfer of six electrons and protons.Diverging from the conventional Haber-Bosch process,which relies on hydrogen(H_(2))to provide both electrons and protons to reduce nitrogen(N_(2)),homogeneous transition metal complex-catalyzed N_(2)reduction reactions(NRR)employ an array of electron and proton donors or even electron donors combined with silanes.As the synthesis of diverse catalytic progress,the categories of donors have seen rapid expansion.However,existing literature only provides summaries regarding the metal,ligands,and mechanism.Despite the significance of electron and proton donor combinations in nitrogen reduction reactions,no literature has thoroughly reviewed this aspect.Therefore,we hereby compiled a comprehensive list of commonly used reagents in N_(2)reduction and classified them according to their specific donor combinations.This review presents clear and organized information about these combinations,along with a summary of their general performance trend in NRR with related catalysts.Finally,we conclude the discussion by highlighting key points for researchers to consider when selecting catalysts and donor combinations,with the ultimate goal of advancing the field of nitrogen fixation.

Two-dimensional bifunctional electrocatalyst(Mo-NiFe-LDH)with multilevel structure for highly efficient overall water splitting

To effectively address energy challenges,it is crucial to explore efficient and stable bifunctional nonprecious metal catalysts.In this study,a Mo-doped nickeliron layered double hydroxide with flower-cluster architecture was successfully prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method,which demonstrated a good water splitting performance.After an appropriate amount of Mo doping,some lattice distortions in the material provided reactive sites for the adsorption and conversion of intermediates,thus optimising the charge distribution of the material.Moreover,the multidimensional void structures formed after doping had a larger specific surface area and accelerated the penetration of the electrolyte,which significantly improved the activity of the catalyst in alkaline media.At 10 mA·cm^(-2),the hydrogen and oxygen evolution overpotentials of Mo-doped nickel-iron double hydroxides(Mo-NiFe LDH/NF-0.2)were 167 and 220 mV,respectively,with an excellent durability up to 24 h.When the Mo-NiFe LDH/NF-0,2 catalyst was used as the cathode and anode of an electrolytic cell,the catalyst achieved a current density of 10 mA·cm^(-2)at an applied voltage of 1.643 V.This study provides a novel approach for designing excellent bifunctional electrocatalysts containing nonprecious metals.

Orientation controlled photogenerated carriers on selfsupporting CdS/Ni_(3)S_(2) paper toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and biomass upgrading

The appropriate regulation of band structure is an effective strategy in constructing efficient photocatalytic systems.Present photocatalytic system mainly employs powder photocatalysts,which makes their recovery reliant on expensive separation processes and severely limits their industrial application.Herein,we constructed a novel CdS/Ni_(3)S_(2)heterostructure using free-standing and flexible nickel fiber paper as the matrix.The regulated energy band structure achieves effective electron–hole separation.The as-synthesized flexible photocatalyst exhibits considerable photocatalytic activity toward the H_(2)evolution reaction under visible-light irradiation,with an H_(2)production rate of5.63μmol·cm^(-2)·h^(-1)(14.1 mmol·g^(-1)cat·h^(-1)according to the catalyst loading content).Additionally,the otherwisewasted excited holes simultaneously drive organic transformations to yield value-added organic products,thus markedly improving the photocatalytic H_(2)evolution rate.Such a photocatalytic system is scaled up further,where a self-supported 20 cm×25 cm sample achieves a champion H_(2)production rate of 60-80μmol·h^(-1)under practical sun irradiation.This newly developed self-supported photocatalyst produces opportunities for practical solar H2production with biomass upgrading.

Functional decoration on a regenerable bifunctional porous covalent organic framework probe for rapid detection and adsorption of copper ions

Developing fluorescence porous probe for detecting and eliminating Cu^(2+) contamination in water or biosystem is an essential research project that has attracted considerable attention.However,improving the fluorescence detecting efficiency while enhancing the adsorption capacity of the porous probe is of great challenge.Herein,a bifunctional two-dimensional imine-based porous covalent organic framework(TTP-COF)probe was designed and synthesized from 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene(TAPB)and 2,4,6-Triformylphloroglucinol(TP)ligand.TTP-COF displayed rapid detection of Cu^(2+)(limit of detection(LOD)=10 nmol·L^(−1) while achieving a high adsorption capacity of 214 mg·g^(−1)(pH=6)at room temperature with high reusability(>5 cycles).The key roles and contributions of highπ-conjugate and delocalized electrons in TABP and functional–OH groups in TP were proved.More importantly,the fluorescence quenching mechanism of TTP-COF was studied by density functional theory theoretical calculations,revealing the crucial role of intramolecular hydrogen bonds among C=N and–OH groups and the blocking of the excited state intramolecular proton transfer process in detecting process of Cu^(2+).

Merging Electrolysis and Nickel Catalysis in Redox Neutral Cross-Coupling Reactions:Experiment and Computation for Electrochemically Induced C–P and C–Se Bonds Formation

We have achieved a nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction via concerted paired electrolysis under mild reaction conditions.In this electrochemical transformation,the anodic oxidation of NiII to NiIII and cathodic reduction of NiI to Ni0 occurred simultaneously,resulting in an economical and sustainable cross-coupling protocol.Moreover,weperformed mechanistic investigations,achieved by experiments and density functional theory(DFT)calculations for different C–heteroatom bond formations to reveal the catalytic cycle in more detail.

Green and large-scale production of ammonia:Laser-driven pyrolysis of nitrogen-enriched biomass

As a vital chemical,ammonia(NH3)plays an irreplaceable role in many fields such as chemical synthesis and energy storage.Green renewable biomass can be converted into biofuels,but its nitrogen resources are underused throughout.Laser-driven pyrolysis is envisaged to debuts as a bridge to connect them to realize the direct conversion from nitrogen-rich biomass into ammonia.The pulsed laser-induced local-transient thermal effect recognized the biological nitrogen resources conversion,such as cheap and plentiful yeasts,to small gaseous molecules and achieved spectacular ammonia production rate up to 260.4 mg/h,an order of magnitude higher performance than thermochemical ammonia synthesis.Simultaneously,the tiny hot point generated by a low-energy laser(20W)guarantees the whole ammonia synthesis reaction systemis in amild environment of low temperature and normal pressure.Additionally,the remaining solid residue after laser-driven pyrolysis also can be further exploited as a highly active catalyst for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction(NIRR).

Polyoxometalate-Incorporated Host-Guest Framework Derived Layered Double Hydroxide Composites for High-Performance Hybrid Supercapacitor

Metal organic frameworks have been employed as high-performance layered double hydroxide(LDH)composite supercapacitor electrode materials but have shown unsatisfactory redox ability and stability.Herein,a host-guest CuMo-based polyoxomet-alate-based metal organic framework(POMOF)with copious electrochemically active sites and strong electrochemical redox activi-ties has been effectively coupled with POM-incorporated CoNi-LDH to develop a nanocomposite(NENU-5@CoNi-LDH)by a simple solvothermal method.The designed electrode shows a high specific capacity of 333.61 mAh·g^(-1) at 1 A·g^(-1).In addition,the novel hy-brid symmetric supercapacitor NENU-5@CoNi-LDH/active carbon(AC)demonstrated a high energy density of 80.8 Wh·kg^(-1) at a power density of 750.7 W·kg^(-1).Interestingly,the nanocomposite of NENU-5@CoNi-LDH exhibits an outstanding capacitance reten-tion of 79%after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at 10 A·g^(-1).This work provides a new strategy and will be the backbone for future energy storage research.

Si Doping-Induced Electronic Structure Regulation of Single-Atom Fe Sites for Boosted CO_(2) Electroreduction at Low Overpotentials

Transition metal-based single-atom catalysts(TM-SACs)are promising alternatives to Au-and Ag-based electrocatalysts for CO production through CO_(2)reduction reaction.However,developing TM-SACs with high activity and selectivity at low overpotentials is challenging.Herein,a novel Fe-based SAC with Si doping(Fe-N-C-Si)was prepared,which shows a record-high electrocatalytic performance toward the CO_(2)-to-CO conversion with exceptional current density(>350.0 mA cm^(−2))and~100%Faradaic efficiency(FE)at the overpotential of<400 mV,far superior to the reported Fe-based SACs.Further assembling Fe-N-C-Si as the cathode in a rechargeable Zn-CO_(2)battery delivers an outstanding performance with a maximal power density of 2.44 mW cm^(−2)at an output voltage of 0.30 V,as well as high cycling stability and FE(>90%)for CO production.Experimental combined with theoretical analysis unraveled that the nearby Si dopants in the form of Si-C/N bonds modulate the electronic structure of the atomic Fe sites in Fe-N-C-Si to markedly accelerate the key pathway involving^(*)CO intermediate desorption,inhibiting the poisoning of the Fe sites under high CO coverage and thus boosting the CO_(2)RR performance.This work provides an efficient strategy to tune the adsorption/desorption behaviors of intermediates on singleatom sites to improve their electrocatalytic performance.

Water-ultrastable perovskite CsPbBr_(3)nanocrystals for fluorescence-enhanced cellular imaging

Metal halide perovskites have attracted much attention in biomedicine because of their excellent fluorescence energy conversion properties;however,poor water-stability and cytotoxicity limit its applications as a biomedical tracer,especially in cellular imaging.Herein,water-ultrastable perovskites C sPbBr_(3):Cs_(4)PbBr_(6)nanocrystals(NCs)encapsulated in chitosan are fabricated successfully using a water-triggered method.The as-synthesized CsPbBr_(3):Cs_(4)PbBr_(6)@CS(chitosan,CS)nanoparticles in water display enhanced fluorescence emission for 35 days.Further,the viability of glioma cells(U87 cells)incubated with different concentrations of CsPbBr_(3):Cs_(4)PbBr_(6)@CS nanoparticles(0-20μg·ml^(-1))for24 h is found to be higher than 90%.In artificial body fluid,analyses using laser confocal microscopy,the standard Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)method,and flow cytometry demonstrated the good water ultrastability and high biocompatibility performance of CsPbBr_(3):Cs_(4)PbBr_(6)@CS nanoparticles in cellular imaging.Overall,the water-ultrastable halide perovskites support promising perspectives in biological cell tracing and intelligent medical technology.

三氨基环丙烯离子(TAC^(+))催化的光电协同邻位C–H键接力氧化

The development of general,straightforward,and practical methodologies to assemble complex structural skeletons under mild reaction conditions is a long-pursued goal in organic chemistry.Photocatalysis and electrocatalysis represent two of the most promising processes towards this objective,and in addition to their mild and scalable operating conditions.