Catalyst For Reduction Research Articles

Mn-Based Catalysts in the Selective Reduction of NOx with CO: Current Status, Existing Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Mn-Based Catalysts in the Selective Reduction of NOx with CO: Current Status, Existing Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Bioenergy generation and wastewater treatment with nickel pyrophosphate as a novel cathode catalyst in single-chamber microbial fuel cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer an attractive solution for wastewater treatment integrated with sustainable energy generation. This study assesses nickel pyrophosphate (Ni2P2O7) as a novel cathode catalyst for oxygen reduction in single-chamber MFCs. Ni2P2O7 was synthesized via hydrothermal methods and thermally treated, with its structure and morphology confirmed by XRD, SEM, FTIR, and TGA analyses. The Ni2P2O7-based MFCs achieved a peak power density of 499 mW/m³ and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 60 %. These findings, combined with the low cost of Ni2P2O7, suggest its potential as an effective and economical alternative to noble metal catalysts, encouraging further optimization for industrial applications.

Effect of Mn or Fe on CrMoOx /TiO2 selective catalytic reduction catalyst

Developing a high-efficiency catalyst with both superior low-temperature activity and good sulfur and water resistance is still challenging for the NH3 selective catalytic reduction (SCR). Herein, a series of Mn- and Fe-doped CrMoOx/TiO2 catalysts were elaborately designed and the Cr3Mo6Mn2/TiO2 catalyst exhibits the best NOx conversion rate, reaching 81. 8 % at 90 ℃ and closing to 100 % at 150 ℃, and the NOx conversion reach ∼71 % at 150 ℃ for 30 h in presence of H2O+SO2. A series of characterization studies revealed that the abundance of Lewis acidic sites on the catalysts and the protective effect of Mo are conducive to the enhancement of SO2+H2O resistance. cr3Mo6Mn2/TiO2 dominates the SCR reaction through the Eley-Rideal (E-R) pathway between adsorbed NH4+/NH3 and gaseous NOx, generating N2 and H2O. This work provides a new strategy for improving the tolerance of chromium-based oxide catalysts to sulfur dioxide and water at low temperatures.

Magnetic yolk-shell structured periodic mesoporous organosilica supported palladium as a powerful and highly recoverable nanocatalyst for the reduction of nitrobenzenes

A novel palladium-loaded yolk-shell structured nanomaterial with magnetite core and phenylene-based periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) shell (Fe3O4@YS-Ph-PMO/Pd) nanocatalyst was synthesized for the reduction of nitrobenzenes. The Fe3O4@YS-Ph-PMO/Pd was prepared through cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) directed condensation of 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene (BTEB) around Fe3O4@silica nanoparticles followed by treatment with palladium acetate. This nanocatalyst was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), low-angle and wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analyses. These analyses showed a magnetic nanomaterial with high chemical and thermal stability for the designed composite. The Fe3O4@YS-Ph-PMO/Pd nanocomposite was employed as a powerful and highly recoverable catalyst in the green reduction of nitroarenes in H2O at room temperature. A variety of nitroarene derivatives were applied as substrate in the presence of 0.9 mol% of Fe3O4@YS-Ph-PMO/Pd catalyst. All nitroarenes were selectively converted to their corresponding amines with high to excellent yields (92–96%) within short reaction times (10–18 min). This catalyst was recovered and reused at least 11 times without significant decrease in efficiency and stability.

Selective scission of glucose molecule by a Pd-modulated Co-based catalyst for efficient CO2 reduction under mild conditions

Combining terrestrial biomass as the reductant with submarine-type hydrothermal environments for CO2 reduction represents a possible approach for novel energy production systems that sustainably circulate carbon. However, increasing the reductive power of biomass is the main limitation of this potential method. Herein, we demonstrate that Co-doped with small amounts of Pd enhances the reduction of CO2 by selectively producing an active intermediate from carbohydrates. This catalytic reaction utilized glucose as a reductant to achieve high formate production efficiency (458.6 g kg−1) with nearly 100% selectivity with 7.5 wt% Pd1Co20/γ–Al2O3 at a moderate temperature of 225 °C. The regulation of the electronic structure of the catalytic Co surface by the dopant Pd plays a key role in promoting the C–C bond cleavage of glucose and hydrogen transfer for CO2 reduction. The findings presented here indicate that biomass can serve as the hydrogen source for CO2 reduction and provide insight into the potential utilization of CO2 in sustainable industrial applications.

Organic Semiconductor-BiVO4 Tandem Devices for Solar-Driven H2O and CO2 Splitting.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices offer a promising platform toward direct solar light harvesting and chemical storage through artificial photosynthesis. However, most prototypes employ wide bandgap semiconductors, moisture-sensitive inorganic light absorbers, or corrosive electrolytes. Here, the design and assembly of PEC devices based on an organic donor-acceptor bulk heterojunction (BHJ) using a carbon-based encapsulant are introduced, which demonstrate long-term H2 evolution and CO2 reduction in benign aqueous media. Accordingly, PCE10:EH-IDTBR photocathodes display long-term H2 production for 300 h in a near-neutral pH solution, whereas photocathodes with a molecular CO2 reduction catalyst attain a CO:H2 selectivity of 5.41±0.53 under 0.1 sun irradiation. Their early onset potential enables the construction of tandem PCE10:EH-IDTBR - BiVO4 artificial leaves, which couple unassisted syngas production with O2 evolution in a reactor completely powered by sunlight, sustaining a 1:1 ratio of CO to H2 over 96 h of operation.

Selective and stable CO2 electroreduction at high rates via control of local H2O/CO2 ratio

Controlling the concentrations of H2O and CO2 at the reaction interface is crucial for achieving efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction. However, precise control of these variables during catalysis remains challenging, and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, guided by a multi-physics model, we demonstrate that tuning the local H2O/CO2 concentrations is achievable by thin polymer coatings on the catalyst surface. Beyond the often-explored hydrophobicity, polymer properties of gas permeability and water-uptake ability are even more critical for this purpose. With these insights, we achieve CO2 reduction on copper with Faradaic efficiency exceeding 87% towards multi-carbon products at a high current density of −2 A cm−2. Encouraging cathodic energy efficiency (>50%) is also observed at this high current density due to the substantially reduced cathodic potential. Additionally, we demonstrate stable CO2 reduction for over 150 h at practically relevant current densities owning to the robust reaction interface. Moreover, this strategy has been extended to membrane electrode assemblies and other catalysts for CO2 reduction. Our findings underscore the significance of fine-tuning the local H2O/CO2 balance for future CO2 reduction applications.

Silicon photocathode functionalized with osmium complex catalyst for selective catalytic conversion of CO2 to methane

Solar-driven CO2 reduction to yield high-value chemicals presents an appealing avenue for combating climate change, yet achieving selective production of specific products remains a significant challenge. We showcase two osmium complexes, przpOs, and trzpOs, as CO2 reduction catalysts for selective CO2-to-methane conversion. Kinetically, the przpOs and trzpOs exhibit high CO2 reduction catalytic rate constants of 0.544 and 6.41 s−1, respectively. Under AM1.5 G irradiation, the optimal Si/TiO2/trzpOs have CH4 as the main product and >90% Faradaic efficiency, reaching −14.11 mA cm−2 photocurrent density at 0.0 VRHE. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the N atoms on the bipyrazole and triazole ligands effectively stabilize the CO2-adduct intermediates, which tend to be further hydrogenated to produce CH4, leading to their ultrahigh CO2-to-CH4 selectivity. These results are comparable to cutting-edge Si-based photocathodes for CO2 reduction, revealing a vast research potential in employing molecular catalysts for the photoelectrochemical conversion of CO2 to methane.

Three-layered nanoplates and amorphous/crystalline interface synergism boost CO2 photoreduction on bismuth oxychloride nanospheres.

Structural features like 3D nano-size, ultrathin thickness and amorphous/crystalline interfaces play crucial roles in regulating charge separation and active sites of photocatalysts. However, their co-occurrence in a single catalyst and exploitation in photocatalytic CO2 reduction (PCR) remains challenging. Herein, nano-sized bismuth oxychloride spheres (BiOCl-NS) confining three-layered nanoplates (∼2.2 nm ultrathin) and an amorphous/crystalline interface are exclusively developed via intrinsic engineering for an enhanced sacrificial-reagent-free PCR system. The results uncover a unique synergism wherein the three-layered nanoplates accelerate electron-hole separation, and the amorphous/crystalline interface exposes electron-localized active sites (Bi-Ovac-Bi). Consequently, BiOCl-NS exhibit efficient CO2 adsorption and activation with the lowering of rate-determining-step energy barriers, leading to remarkable CO production (102.72 μmol g-1 h-1) with high selectivity (>99%), stability (>30 h), and apparent quantum efficiency (0.51%), outperforming conventional counterparts. Our work provides a facile structural engineering approach for boosting PCR and offers distinct synergism for advancing diverse materials.

Interfacial engineering of Ag/C catalysts for practical electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO.

Electrochemical CO2 reduction to value-added chemicals by renewable energy sources is a promising way to implement the artificial carbon cycle. During the reaction, especially at high current densities for practical applications, the complex interaction between the key intermediates and the active sites would affect the selectivity, while the reconfiguration of electrocatalysts could restrict the stability. This paper describes the fabrication of Ag/C catalysts with a well-engineered interfacial structure, in which Ag nanoparticles are partially encapsulated by C supports. The obtained electrocatalyst exhibits CO Faradaic efficiencies (FEs) of over 90% at current densities even as high as 1.1 A/cm2. The strong interfacial interaction between Ag and C leads to highly localized electron density that promotes the rate-determining electron transfer step by enhancing the adsorption and the stabilization of the key *COO‒ intermediate. In addition, the partially encapsulated structure prevents the reconfiguration of Ag during the reaction. Stable performance for over 600 h at 500 mA/cm2 is achieved with CO FE maintaining over 95%, which is among the best stability with such a high selectivity and current density. This work provides a novel catalyst design showing the potential for the practical application of electrochemical reduction of CO2.

Magnetic PdNi@CN as a versatile catalyst for Suzuki reaction and 4-nitrophenol reduction

Palladium-based non-homogeneous catalysts have attracted considerable attention due to their high catalytic efficiency and adaptability. However, they still face the challenges of long reaction routes and poor cycling stability. An economical, efficient, stable and environmentally friendly catalyst PdNi@CN was prepared by loading nickel-palladium nanoparticles onto nitrogen-doped carbon functionalized carrier material. The catalyst was thoroughly characterized using XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, VSM, and ICP. PdNi@CN could efficiently catalyze the Suzuki coupling reaction (Iodobenzene and phenylboronic acid, 97 % yield, TON (Turnover Number)=1.62 × 102, TOF (Turnover Frequency)=2.43 × 102 h-1). Furthermore, PdNi@CN exhibited high activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP, Kapp=8.01 × 10–2 s-1). After five cycles of catalysis, the conversion of 4-NP still reached 95 %, demonstrating the excellent structural stability and high catalytic performance of PdNi@CN.

Boosting electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia of single Fe active sites via coordination engineering: From theory to experiments

Atomically dispersed iron–nitrogen-carbon (Fe–N4–C) catalysts show great promises for the electrocatalytic nitrate (NO3−) reduction to ammonia (NH3). Nevertheless, the microenvironmental engineering of the single Fe active sites for further optimizing the catalytic performance remains a challenge. Herein, we proposed to regulate the coordination environment of single Fe active sites to boost its intrinsic electrocatalytic activity for NO3− –to–NH3 conversion by the incorporation of new heteroatoms, including B, C, O, Si, P, and S. Our results revealed that most of the candidates possess low formation energies, showing great potential for experimental synthesis. Moreover, incorporating heteroatoms effectively modulates the charge redistribution and the d–band center of single Fe active sites, enabling the regulation of the binding strength of nitrogenous intermediates. As a result, the N and C coordinated Fe active site (Fe–N3C) exhibits superior catalytic performance for NO3− electroreduction with a relatively low limiting potential (–0.13 V) due to its optimal adsorption strength with nitrogenous intermediates induced by its moderate charge and d–band center. Importantly, our experimental measures confirmed such theoretical prediction: a maximum NH3 yield rate of 21.07 mg h−1 mgcat.−1 and 95.74 % Faradaic efficiency were achieved for NO3− electroreduction on Fe–N3C catalyst. These findings not only suggest a highly efficient catalyst for nitrate reduction but also provide insight into how to design and prepare electrocatalysts with enhanced catalytic performance.

Continuous flow mechanochemical synthesis of Zr-MOF as effective catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are a group of organic chemicals containing one or more nitro functional groups attached to an aromatic ring. These compounds are considered emerging pollutants (EPs) in wastewater due to their potential environmental and human health impacts. These NACs can enter wastewater through various sources, including the production and use of explosives, dyes, pesticides, or pharmaceuticals. 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) is considered a priority pollutant due to its toxicity and potential environmental and health hazards. Thus, its removal is crucial. For that purpose, a novel strategy to carry out Zr-MOFs syntheses has been developed employing I-CHEM technology (Impact Continuous flow Heated Mechanochemistry), an improved wet-milling process. The resulting materials have demonstrated efficacy as catalysts in the reduction of 4-NP towards 4-aminophenol (4-AP), a precursor to paracetamol.Notably, the most promising outcomes were achieved with Zr-MOF prepared through continuous flow mechanochemical processes utilizing Zr-methacrylate clusters as precursor (Zr-MOF/2@RL). 4-NP removal was successfully carried out at room temperature, with an outstanding optimal time of removal of 14 min, 30% faster than with synthesized by conventional methodologies. These findings underscore the innovation brought about by the I-CHEM synthetic approach, where more effective collisions are reached, as well as opening avenues for broader applications of MOFs. The wet-mechanochemical procedure not only demonstrates its novelty, but also presents the potential for scalability under continuous flow conditions, further enhancing the feasibility of large-scale production.

Sb-loaded MnOx/TiO2/CNTs catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NOx: insight to the SO2 and H2O tolerance

PurposeThis paper aims to synthesize and test Mn-Sb/TiO2-CNT catalysts with different Sb/Mn molar ratios to be used in NH3-SCR reaction.Design/methodology/approachA series of Sb-loaded carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based Mn/TiO2 catalysts were prepared by the incipient wetness co-impregnation method and tested for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3.FindingsThe Sb-loaded Mn/TiO2-CNTs catalyst outperformed other catalysts and presented the highest activity in the temperature regime of 100–400°C. The catalyst loaded with Sb also showed good SO2 and H2O resistance and exhibited better thermal stability. A stepwise study of SO2 addition evidenced that Mn-Sb/TiO2-CNTs catalyst exhibited better SO2 resistance than the base catalyst Mn/TiO2, where the Sb doping greatly inhibited the sulphating of active phase of the catalyst.Originality/valueIn Sb-loaded catalysts, the formed SOx species fused with SbOx instead of MnOx. This favoured interaction of SO2 with SbOx successfully prevents the MnOx from being sulphated by SO2 which substantially improves the SO2 tolerance of Sb-loaded catalysts.

Rational design of precious tetrametallic single-cluster catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction

Single cluster catalysts (SCCs) with high metal loading can exhibit extraordinary catalytic activity in electrocatalytic reactions, but the rational design of active sites remains a challenge. Herein, we proposed a series of SCCs with pyramid-shaped precious tetrametallic clusters anchored on g-CN monolayer (M4/g-CN) as efficient catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia (NO3RR). By means of first-principle computations, the stability, catalytic mechanism and activity, as well as selectivity of these SCCs are systematically investigated. The calculation results show that most SCCs (Ru4/g-CN, Rh4/g-CN, Pd4/g-CN, Os4/g-CN, Ir4/g-CN, Pt4/g-CN) are thermodynamically stable due to the strong binding energy and significant charge transfer behavior between tetrametallic clusters and g-CN support. More important, the volcano curve between limiting potentials and adsorption free energy of NO3‾ can be established, in which Ir4/g-CN can exhibit optimal NO3RR activity due to its location of volcano top. Further analysis of electronic structures reveals that the special pyramid configuration can significantly promote the enrichment of charge on active site and elevate its d-band center, and thus facilitates the NO3RR. This finding pours new vigor into the development of the SCCs family.

Time-Resolved Mechanistic Depiction of Photoinduced CO2 Reduction Catalysis on a Urea-Modified Iron Porphyrin.

The development of functional artificial photosynthetic devices relies on the understanding of mechanistic aspects involved in specialized photocatalysts. Modified iron porphyrins have long been explored as efficient catalysts for the light-induced reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) towards solar fuels. In spite of the advancements in homogeneous catalysis, the development of the next generation of catalysts requires a complete understanding of the fundamental photoinduced processes taking place prior to and after activation of the substrate by the catalyst. In this work, we employ a state-of-the-art nanosecond optical transient absorption spectroscopic setup with a double excitation capability to induce charge accumulation and trigger the reduction of CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO). Our biomimetic system is composed of a urea-modified iron(III) tetraphenylporphyrin (UrFeIII) catalyst, the prototypical [Ru(bpy)3]2+ (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine) used as a photosensitizer, and sodium ascorbate as an electron donor. Under inert atmosphere, we show that two electrons can be successively accumulated on the catalyst as the fates of the photogenerated UrFeII and UrFeI reduced species are tracked. In the presence of CO2, the catalytic cycle is kick-started providing further evidence on CO2 activation by the UrFe catalyst in its formal FeI oxidation state.

Boosting Stability and Efficiency: Defect-Rich Pd/NC Catalysts for Nitric Acid Reduction to Methyl Nitrite

Boosting Stability and Efficiency: Defect-Rich Pd/NC Catalysts for Nitric Acid Reduction to Methyl Nitrite

Oxygen vacancy-induced modulation of the built-in electric field of TiO2-α/WO3-δ for enhanced CO2 photoreduction

Inefficient light absorption and rapid charge recombination pose significant challenges in limiting the efficacy of CO2 photoreduction. In this work, we developed TiO2-α/WO3-δ heterojunctions with precisely tunable oxygen vacancies (OVs) as a catalyst for photocatalytic CO2 reduction to CO. The TiO2-α/WO3-δ heterojunction demonstrated remarkable performance, yielding 28.11 μmol g−1 h−1 of CH4 and 22.19 μmol g−1 h−1 of CO, representing 18.6-fold and 3.9-fold increases, respectively, compared to unreduced samples. The introduction of OVs creates a new defect energy level in the photocatalyst, inducing localized electron enrichment. This modulates the bandgap and enhances the built-in electric field (BEF) intensity. The optimized bandgap expands the light absorption range, while the enhanced BEF effectively suppresses carrier recombination, collectively improving the photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity.

Insights into the Acidic Site in Manganese Oxide in Terms of the Sulfur and Water Tolerance of Low-Temperature NH3 Selective Catalytic Reduction.

A critical constraint impeding the utilization of Mn-based oxide catalysts in NH3 selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) is their inadequate resistance to water and sulfur. This vulnerability primarily arises from the propensity of SO2 to bind to the acidic site in manganese oxide, resulting in the formation of metal sulfate and leading to the irreversible deactivation of the catalyst. Therefore, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the detrimental impact of SO2 on the acidic sites and elucidating the underlying mechanism of this toxicity are of paramount importance for the effective application of Mn-based catalysts in NH3-SCR. Herein, we strategically modulate the acidity of the manganese oxide catalyst surface through the incorporation of Ce and Nb. Comprehensive analyses, including thermogravimetry, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption, in situ diffused reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations, reveal that SO2 exhibits a propensity for adsorption at strongly acidic sites. This mechanistic understanding underscores the pivotal role of surface acidity in governing the sulfur resistance of manganese oxide.

Efficient photocatalytic H2O2 production and photodegradation of RhB over K-doped g-C3N4/ZnO S-scheme heterojunction

Designing efficient dual-functional catalysts for photocatalytic oxygen reduction to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and photodegradation of dye pollutants is challenging. In this work, we designed and fabricated an S-scheme heterojunction (g-C3N4/ZnO composite photocatalyst) via one-pot calcination of a mixture of ZIF-8 and melamine in the KCl/LiCl molten salt medium. The KCN/ZnO composite produced 4.72 mM of H2O2 within 90 min under illumination (with AM 1.5 filter), which is almost 1.3 and 7.8 times than that produced over KCN and ZnO, respectively. Simultaneously, the KCN/ZnO also showed excellent photodegradation performance for the dye pollutants (Rhodamine B, RhB), with a removal rate of 92 % within 2 h. The apparent degradation rate constant of RhB over KCN/ZnO was approximately 5–8 times that of KCN and ZnO. In the photocatalytic process, photo-generated holes and superoxide radicals are the main active species. Oxygen (O2) was mainly reduced to produce H2O2 via a two-electron (2e−) pathway with superoxide radicals as intermediates and the 2e− oxygen reduction reaction selectivity of KCN/ZnO was close to 69.82 %. Photo-generated holes are mainly responsible for the degradation of RhB. Compared with pure KCN and ZnO, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the KCN/ZnO composite is mainly attributed to the following aspects: 1) larger specific surface area and pore volume is beneficial to expose more active sites; 2) stronger light harvesting ability and red-shifted absorption edge bestow the compound a stronger light utilization efficiency; 3) the construction of S-scheme heterostructure between KCN and ZnO improve the photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation ability and bestow photogenerated carriers a higher redox potential.