Mixed Metal Oxides Research Articles

A new insight on surface chemistry and redox species of transition metal (Fe, Mn) doped CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 nanocomposites for automobile emission control

The ceria-tin/alumina mixed metal oxides (Ce/Sn =1) with different proportions of Fe & Mn dopants were synthesized and investigated in detailed approach for diesel emission reduction. The dopants created structural defects enhancing the oxygen ion mobility for exhaust treatment. The existence of surface-active oxygen sites and oxygen ion vacancy sites generated for charge compensation due to reduction of Ce4+, Sn4+ and dopants incorporation evidenced from XPS analysis. The Mn doped sample holds better physicochemical properties than Fe doped sample. The Mn doped sample with higher surface area of about 101.32 m2 g−1 exhibits greater active sites for better catalytic activity. The redox couples in the Mn-doped sample Ce4+/Ce3+, Sn4+/Sn2+, and Mn3+/Mn2+ helps in oxygen regeneration to contribute to exhaust treatment by oxygen ion conduction from bulk to the surface. This sample exhibited the 92 % of NOx reduction and proved to be a dynamic candidate for diesel emission reduction.

Solar powered electrocatalytic treatment of actual human urine coupled with hydrogen production using Ti/MMO for the removal of nitrogen-based compounds

This study addresses a significant micropollutant removal from actual human urine (AHU) through photovoltaic driven electrochemical treatment. This study showed significant reductions of 69.09 % urea, 67.95 % creatinine, and 95.180 % uric acid under optimal continuous recirculation conditions. Analysis revealed that the degradation of pollutants were facilitated by in-situ generation of reactive oxygen and chlorine species during treatment. Further, the procedure employed with molecular hydrogen generation during anodic oxidation as useful byproduct. Thus, the findings suggest that novel mixed metal oxide exhibits high efficacy for AHU treatment, offering a prominent concept for onsite treatment of complex mixed wastewater in real-life applications.

Synthesis of Ag−Cu−MnO Triple‐Metal Composite And Evaluation of its Antimicrobial Activity and Dye Removal Efficacy

AbstractThe synthesis of triple metal oxide nanocomposites has revolutionized materials science due to their unique properties resulting from the interaction of multiple oxide components. This study aimed to synthesize mixed metal oxide nanocomposites using a co‐precipitation method with copper sulfate, silver nitrate, and potassium permanganate as precursor salts and sodium hydroxide as the precipitating agent. The resulting Ag−Cu−MnO triple metal composite was extensively characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR). The composite exhibited effective bactericidal efficacy against various bacterial strains, including Enterobacter bugandensis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, the composite demonstrated notable photocatalytic activity, degrading 87.26 % of 50 ppm Eosin Yellow within 140 minutes under sunlight irradiation, as monitored by a UV‐vis spectrophotometer. This study highlights the dual functionality of the synthesized composite as both a photocatalyst and an antibacterial agent. These findings underscore its potential for diverse applications in environmental remediation and healthcare, marking a significant advancement in materials science.

Oriented growth of NiCo metal–organic framework nanosheets on electrode materials for ternary mixed metal oxide supercapacitors

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous structures that possess high specific surface areas, making them promising cathode materials for energy storage devices. However, solving the problems of random growth and easy aggregation of MOF nanosheets remains a challenge. In this study, hydrothermal and calcination methods were used to successfully create nickel cobalt molybdenum metal oxide (NCMO) nanoflowers, followed by the directional growth of NiCo–MOF on its surface. The oriented growth of NiCo–MOF nanosheets on NCMO nanospheres effectively prevented agglomeration, forming NCMO@NiCo–MOF with enhanced electrochemical sensitivity and a large quantity of active sites. When used as an electrode, NCMO@NiCo–MOF forms a large contact area with the electrolyte, demonstrating a high specific capacitance of 1724 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. Furthermore, at a power density of 824.8 W kg−1, an asymmetric supercapacitor constructed from NCMO@NiCo–MOF and activated carbon exhibited a high energy density of 44.5 Wh kg−1. This study presents a facile method for the assembly of MOF nanosheets for three-dimensional supercapacitors.

Production of cycloalkane-rich fuel by vacuum pyrolysis of mixed waste plastics using combined titanium and aluminum oxide: a preliminary investigation

The mitigation of plastic pollution constitutes one of the major challenges worldwide. Innovative research approaches have been solicited to improve the properties of fuel derived from plastic pyrolysis. The present study looks at the effect on the chemical composition of pyrolysis oil of the application in situ of a mixed metal oxide of titanium and aluminum in vacuum pyrolysis of mixed waste polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. The experiment was performed at process parameters of 250 °C temperature, 79.9 Kpa vacuum pressure, and 1:10 catalyst-to-feedstock ratio, first without the mixed metal oxide (parent reaction) and then with the mixed metal oxide (modified reaction). The results showed that the presence of combined titanium and aluminum oxides in the reaction medium accounted for the presence of alkyl-substituted cycloalkanes at an area% of 33.97% in the liquid product, and a calorific value of 11,950 cal/gm was reported for the modified reaction. The parent reaction produced higher liquid and gaseous yields of 28.3% and 43.1% respectively while the modified reaction produced a greater percentage of char (23.8%) and residual wax(36.0%). The fuel properties of the liquid products obtained were equally determined.

Adsorption of ciprofloxacin from aqueous solutions using cellulose-based adsorbents prepared by sol-gel method

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is one of the most widely used antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Consequently, there is concern that it may contaminate water resources due to its high usage level. It is therefore necessary to monitor, trace, and reduce exposure to these antibiotic residues. In the current study, the extraction of CIP from water was performed using a green adsorbent material based on cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) decorated with mixed metal oxides (MMO). This cellulose/MMO/PVA adsorbent was synthesized using a simple sol-gel method. The prepared adsorbent materials were then characterized using a range of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, gas adsorption analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transform infrared. The impact of pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, and CIP concentration on ciprofloxacin extraction were examined. The equilibrium and kinetic adsorption data were well described using the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.965). The optimum conditions for CIP adsorption were: pH = 4.5; adsorbent dosage = 0.55 g·L−1; contact time = 83 min; and initial CIP concentration = 2 mg·L−1. The adsorption capacity of the cellulose/MMO/PVA adsorbent for CIP removal was ∼19 mg·g−1 (CIP removal = 86.48 %). This study shows that cellulose/MMO/PVA adsorbents have potential for removing contaminants from aqueous environments.

Hollow dodecahedral Zn0.3Cd0.7S@NiCo-mixed metal oxide p-n heterojunction with high-efficiency photocatalytic hydrogen production activity

The growing demand for clean and sustainable energy has driven extensive research into efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen production. However, many semiconductor photocatalysts in this field still face the challenges such as wide band gap, limited visible light absorption, and inefficient separation and transport of photoinduced charges. In this study, nickel–cobalt layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) was synthesized using an “etch-and-grow” method with zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) as a sacrificial template, followed by high-temperature calcination to produce nickel–cobalt mixed metal oxide (NiCo-MMO). Zn0.3Cd0.7S quantum dots were used to modify NiCo-MMO resulting in a hollow dodecahedral Zn0.3Cd0.7S@NiCo-MMO composite photocatalyst. In hydrogen production performance test, the optimized Zn0.3Cd0.7S@NiCo-MMO exhibited excellent performance (8177.5 μmol·g−1·h−1) and demonstrated good cycling stability. The hollow dodecahedral structure of the Zn0.3Cd0.7S@NiCo-MMO enhanced the light trapping ability and provided large surface area. The p-n heterojunction formed within Zn0.3Cd0.7S@NiCo-MMO accelerated carrier separation and transfer, effectively inhibited the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, and significantly improved the hydrogen production activity.

Optimizing symmetric supercapacitor performance through rational design of Zr/Cu/Fe Oxide-Modified Poly(vinyl alcohol) hybrid nanofibers

Present work, ZrO2/CuO/PVA (ZC-PVA), ZrO2/Fe2O3/PVA (ZF-PVA) and ZrO2/CuO/Fe2O3/PVA (ZCF-PVA) nanofibers were synthesized by cost effective electrospinning method. The ZCF-PVA nanofiber prepared in this study were subjected to analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, individually. XRD was employed to ascertain both the structure and crystallite size of the synthesized materials. SEM and FT-IR analysis were used to identify the morphology and functional groups present in the prepared ZC-PVA, ZF-PVA and ZCF-PVA nanofibers. XPS confirmed the surface elemental composition and oxidation states of Zr4+, Cu2+, and Fe3+ in ZCF-PVA nanofiber comprising ZrO2, CuO, and α-Fe2O3. In three electrode configuration ZCF-PVA nanofiber shows significantly higher specific capacitance of 824F/g at 1 A/g current density under 1 M KOH. The generation of synergic effect between multi valence oxidation states of mixed metal oxides and polymer (ZCF-PVA) enhances the capacitive behavior. The ZCF-PVA symmetric device exhibits 184F/g at 0.5 A/g current density with 91 % capacitance retention and 94 % of coulombic efficiency even after 5000 cycles at 3 A/g of current density.

Corrosion evaluation of austenitic stainless steels in Li2CO3-K2CO3 eutectic salt for thermal energy storage

Molten carbonate salt is one of the promising candidates for high-temperature thermal energy storage tailored towards advanced pumped-thermal energy storage and next generation concentrated solar power technologies. However, severe corrosion of structural materials exposed to molten carbonate salts poses one of the most pivotal threats in terms of limiting their large-scale application at ever-escalating temperatures. Here, we elaborate the compatibility of three commercial austenitic stainless steels specifically SS310, SS316L and Incoloy 625 with Li2CO3-K2CO3 (28–72 wt%) eutectic salt. The corrosion behavior and corrosion mechanism of Fe-Cr (SS316L), Fe-Cr-Ni (SS310) and nickel-based (In625) alloys at 600 °C in air were also investigated. It revealed that SS310 exhibited better corrosion resistance compared to SS316 and In625, with weight loss of 23.8 mg/cm2 and corrosion rate of 522 μm/year after 500 h of exposure at 600 °C. This implies that higher Ni content of the alloy may not necessarily improve the corrosion resistance, it is associated with the basicity of the molten and the solubility of Ni salt in the melt. ICP analysis indicated that the salts exposed to SS310 and In625 at the same exposure time both had nearly 11 times more Ni than that exposed to SS316. Precisely, it is related to the behavior of the Cr-enriched zones formed in the corrosion layers of different alloys. The corrosion mechanism of SS310 specimens in molten carbonate can be generally divided into the following steps: (i) selective oxidation of the metal elements and lithiation reactions of the metal oxides to generate a passivation scale, (ii) an ever-growing middle transition scale consisted of mixed metal oxides and lithium-containing compounds, (iii) cracking and peeling off of the corrosion scale.

Assessment of Ti, Ir, Ta and Ru influence on mixed metal oxide electrodes for photoelectrochemical generation of persulfate: Impact on sulfamethoxazole degradation

The presence of persulfate (S2O82−) in decontamination processes favors the oxidation of organic pollutants due to its strong oxidation power. In this research we study the photoelectrochemical generation of persulfate using five mixed metal oxides electrodes (MMO) with different compositions and its effect on the degradation of sulfamethoxazole antibiotic (SMX) by photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) and electro-oxidation (EO).By PEC, all anodes generated a higher concentration of S2O82− than those not exposed to light. The high S2O82−concentration obtained by PEC was 0.150 mM using MMO[Ti/Ir/Ta] in a solution with Na2SO4 100 mM applying a current density of 2 mA/cm2. On the other hand, the maximum concentration obtained was 0.250 mM at 30 min of electrolysis for MMO[Ti/Ir/Ta] using Na2SO4 50 mM and applying current density of 5 mA/cm2. S2O82−production by EO was between 0.005 and 0.089 mM. It is observed that MMO based in Ta2O5 showed the best S2O82− production.The effect of S2O82− electro-generation (using the anode with the highest and the anode with the lowest S2O82− production) on the degradation of sulfamethoxazole by PEC and EO was studied using the experimental conditions with the best production of this oxidant. MMO[Ti/Ir/Ta] and MMO[Ti/Ru] were used as anodes, and it was observed that by PEC, 100% of SMX was degraded after 30 min of electrolysis using MMO[Ti/Ir/Ta] and 60 min using MMO[Ti/Ru]. By EO, the degradation of SMX was partial, demonstrating that the electrophotocatalytic effect favors the generation of S2O82−, enhancing the degradation of SMX at short electrolysis times.

Quantum Chemical Modeling of the Full Catalytic Cycle for Selective Oxidation of Propane to Propene on the M1 Phase of Mo–Te–Nb–O Mixed-Metal Oxide Catalysts

Quantum Chemical Modeling of the Full Catalytic Cycle for Selective Oxidation of Propane to Propene on the M1 Phase of Mo–Te–Nb–O Mixed-Metal Oxide Catalysts

Efficient and low-cost Ni-NiO/Al2O3 catalysts with dual-active-sites for selective catalytic conversion of phthalic anhydride to phthalide

A efficient and low-cost nickel-based catalyst with abundant Ni/NiO heterojunctions was constructed and applied in the hydrodeoxygenation of phthalic anhydride to phthalide. The Ni/NiO heterojunction catalysts were prepared by treating mixed metal oxides derived from NiAl-LDH with different ratio in hydrogen at 400 °C, as confirmed by the XRD, H2-TPR, TEM and XPS characterization results. The developed Ni-NiO/Al2O3(3) sample with maximal Ni/NiO heterojunction possessed significant activity in phthalic anhydride hydrogenation with 99.7 % conversion and 90.6 % selectivity of phthalide at 170 °C and 4 MPa H2, as a result the amazing activity of 15.8 mmol·g−1·s−1 was achieved. Besides, Ni-NiO/Al2O3(3) catalyst exhibited good stability in this reaction, which indicated the Ni-NiO/Al2O3(3) catalyst haswideapplicationprospect in the hydrodeoxygenation of phthalic anhydride to phthalide. The Ni/NiO heterojunction in the catalyst was the key to achieve the amazing activity. Based on the kinetic analysis and theoretical calculations, the cooperative catalytic mechanism was found inthis reaction. The design of synergetic catalyst with dual-active-sites can by achieved by partly reduced with metal oxides.

Nanostructured Cu/Zn/Al-based oxide as a new sensing material for NO2 detection

The gas sensing properties of a ternary mixed-metal oxide (CuO/ZnO/Al2O3, CZA) are here reported. The CZA-based powder was prepared by co-precipitation synthesis technique. Then, the sensing material was screen-printed onto alumina substrates with interdigitated platinum electrodes and calcined at 350 °C for 1 h. The sensors were first tested under 25 ppm NO2 at different temperatures, ranging between 24 up to 200 °C. The best compromise between the sensor response and the recovery times was achieved at 100 °C. Then, the investigated concentration range was varied from 250 ppb up to 25 ppm and a maximum response of about 95 % was measured under 25 ppm of the target gas. Response times were reasonably fast while, on the contrary, recovery times were quite long. In addition, the CZA sensor was also able to detect from 3 up to 300 ppm of NH3 at a working temperature of 200 °C. Interferences were also studied with NO2-humid air and in the presence of CO2-dried gas.

Using Atomic Layer Deposition to Create Mixed Metal Oxide Electrodes for H2O2 Generation through Water Oxidation

The electrochemical synthesis of H2O2 through water oxidation provides a means of producing a useful chemical and potential fuel without the input of fossil fuels. Highly stable metal oxides like TiO2 and SnO2 surfaces have shown activity as electrocatalysts for oxidative H2O2 generation, but often require high overpotentials that result in parasitic side reactions. Using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to introduce well-distributed layers of MnOx dopant one can lower the required overpotential of TiO2 and SnO2 surfaces for H2O2 production. Even a single sub-surface layer of MnOx can alter the redox behavior of a 5 nm thick oxide film. While the doped films maintained reversible Mn redox peaks and prevent the total dissolution of the deposited Mn, in-situ inductively coupled mass spectrometry did reveal loss of Mn from the film at applied potentials close to the expected onset potential of the 2e- water oxidation reaction. The depth of sub-surface MnOx was varied to determine the effect on both electrode activity, selectivity, and stability. In addition, the use of either inert and oxidizing annealing atmospheres was used to control both the distribution and the charge-state of the Mn species. This work provides some indication of how manganese-doped metal oxide electrodes degrade during operation and how controlling the surface can improve the activity and stability of the device. This study may also provide a framework of how other redox active species can be embedded within more stable oxide matrices using ALD methods to maximize stability and activity.

Design, Reactivity, and Active Site of Atomically Dispersed Pt Catalysts for Electrochemical Chlorine Evolution Reaction

The electrochemical chlorine evolution reaction (CER) is a key anodic reaction in the chlor−alkali process for Cl2 production, on-site generation of ClO–, and Cl2-mediated electrosynthesis.1−3 For more than a half-century precious metal-based mixed metal oxides (MMOs) have been mainstays as CER catalysts, however, they intrinsically suffer from the selectivity problem arising from a parasitic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). We have recently developed a new CER catalyst based on atomically dispersed Pt sites on a carbon nanotube (Pt1/CNT), which catalyzes the CER with excellent activity and selectivity.4 The Pt1/CNT catalyst shows superior CER activity to a commercial Ru/Ir-based MMO and a Pt nanoparticle-based catalyst. Importantly, Pt1/CNT exhibits very high CER selectivity near 100% even in low Cl− concentrations (0.1 M) and neutral media, under which the OER is favored over the CER. In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that the CER over Pt1/CNT augments with the direct adsorption of Cl− ion on Pt, which can break the scaling relationship between CER and OER. The Pt1/CNT catalyst also shows unusual potential-dependent switching behavior of CER kinetics and rate-determining step.5 Pt1/CNT shows a reaction order of ~1.8 in the low overpotential regime, where the Volmer step is the rate-determining step (RDS). Interestingly, in the high overpotential region, the CER over Pt1/CNT proceeds with a lower reaction order and the RDS switches to the Heyrovský step. We also show that the Pt1/CNT catalyst is comprised of multiple Pt sites with different coordination environments and identify a genuine active site in Pt1/CNT catalysts for the CER.6 K. B. Karlsson and A. Cornell, Selectivity between Oxygen and Chlorine Evolution in the Chlor-Alkali and Chlorate Processes. Chem. Rev. 116, 2982–3028 (2016).S. Exner, T. Lim, and S. H. Joo, Circumventing the OCl vs. OOH Scaling Relation in the Chlorine Evolution Reaction: Beyond Dimensionally Stable Anodes. Curr. Opin. Electrochem. 34, 100979 (2022).Trasatti, Electrocatalysis: Understanding the Success of DSA. Electrochim. Acta 45, 2377–2385 (2000).Lim, G. Y. Jung, J. H. Kim, S. O. Park, J. Park, Y.-T. Kim, S. J. Kang, H. Y. Jeong, S. K. Kwak, and S. H. Joo, Atomically Dispersed Pt−N4 Sites as Efficient and Selective Electrocatalysts for the Chlorine Evolution Reaction, Nat. Commun. 11, 412 (2020).Lim, J. H. Kim, J. Kim, D. S. Baek, T. J. Shin, H. Y. Jeong, K.-S. Lee, K. S. Exner, and S. H. Joo, General Efficacy of Atomically Dispersed Pt Catalysts for the Chlorine Evolution Reaction: Potential-Dependent Switching of the Kinetics and Mechanism, ACS Catal. 11, 12232−12246 (2021).Cho, T. Lim, H. Kim, L. Meng, J. Kim, J. H. Lee, G. Y. Jung, F. Viñes, F. Illas, K. S. Exner, S. H. Joo, and C. H. Choi, Importance of Broken Geometric Symmetry of Single-Atom Pt Sites for Efficient Electrocatalysis, Nat. Commun. 14, 3233 (2023).

Electrolytic recovery of metals from lithium battery cathodes in moisture-tolerant molten hydroxide salt

Lithium-ion battery recycling offers an opportunity to develop innovative technologies to close the loop on the battery materials cycle and increase the resilience of the battery supply chain. Here we demonstrate a two-step pyroelectrochemical method for producing mixed-metals from lithium-ion cathodes in a molten hydroxide salt. Mixed metal oxides in the form of insoluble lithium-ion cathode materials of LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC622) and spent lithium-ion battery materials (black mass) were electrochemically reduced to a soluble form and dissolved into a molten hydroxide salt bath. Electrochemical characterization of the process salt indicated accumulation of dissolved transition metals in the salt. A separate cathode was used to produce alloys of Ni, Mn, and Co electrochemically from the dissolved lithium-ion cathode materials. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy fitted with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer showed transition metals present in the cathode materials were recovered at the separate cathode. This approach represents a scalable, low temperature pyroelectrochemical process that can potentially reduce the cost and close the loop of battery cathode recycling.

Exploring Phase Transition and Structural Complexity in the Mixed Cation Uranium Oxide CaUNb2O8.

The structures and high-temperature phase transition of CaUNb2O8 were studied in situ using synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction. Rietveld refinements provided an accurate description of the crystal structures of both the monoclinic fergusonite-type I2/b structure observed at room temperature and the tetragonal scheelite-type I41/a structure found at high temperatures. Bond valence sum analysis showed Nb5+ to be octahedrally coordinated in the monoclinic fergusonite-type structure, akin to other ANbO4 materials. Rietveld analysis of the variable temperature data allowed for the determination of accurate unit cell parameters and atomic coordinates, as well as revealing a reversible phase transition around ∼750 °C. The Nb-O bond distances display anomalous behavior, with a discontinuity in the longer Nb-O(1') distance coinciding with the phase transition suggestive of a reconstructive phase transition. Mode analysis identified the Γ2+ mode as the primary mode that drives the phase transition; this is linearly coupled to the induced spontaneous strain within the monoclinic fergusonite-type structure. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the Nb(z) positional parameter, as well as of the ϵ1-ϵ2 and ϵ6 strain parameters, showed that the phase transition is not strictly second order, with the critical exponent β ≠ 1/2. This study demonstrates the complex structural features of mixed cation metal oxides at elevated temperatures.

Cryo-Assisted Nitrogen Treatment for the Fabrication of Nanoengineered, Mixed Transition Metal Oxide Anode from Inorganic Domestic Waste, for Lithium-Ion Batteries

A novel method for the fabrication of nanoengineered, mixed transition metal oxide anode active material is proposed based on implementing liquid nitrogen treatment during the chemical precipitation process, for the first time in open literature. Such interference in the precipitation is believed to change the surface energy of the nuclei leading to differentiation in the growth process. To exemplify this hypothesis with an environmentally friendly approach, kitchen scourer pads, an existing waste, are used as a starting material instead of using a mixture of primary quality metals’ salts. Therefore, in this study, firstly, an optimization is realized to leach the scouring pad with 100% efficiency. Then, by applying a conventional chemical precipitation to this leachate at pH 5.5, Sample 1-P is produced. Herein, innovatively liquid nitrogen treatment is carried out during the chemical precipitation to produce Sample 2-P. Lastly, these precipitates (Samples 1-P, 2-P) are calcinated in the air to form mixed transition metal oxide powders: Samples 1 and 2, respectively. Structural, chemical, and morphological characterizations are carried out to examine the effect of liquid nitrogen treatment on the powders’ properties. To discuss the effect of nitrogen treatment on the electrochemical performances of the anode active materials (Sample 1 and Sample 2), galvanostatic tests are realized. The results show that Sample 2 demonstrates a higher 1st discharge capacity (1352 mAh/g) and retains 62% of its performance after 200 cycles when 50 mA/g current load is applied. Moreover, this electrode delivers around 500 mAh/g at 1 A/g current load. The remarkable cycle performance of Sample 2 is believed to be related to the superior chemical, structural, and physical properties of the electrode active material.Graphical

Designing Heterogeneous Catalysts for Microwave Assisted Selective Oxygenation

AbstractMicrowave dielectric heating is an emerging technology in heterogeneous catalysis. However, catalyst design in this field is not as well developed as when conventional heating is used. In this study the selective oxidation of propene to acrolein has been used as a model reaction to understand the how the properties of bismuth mixed metal oxide catalysts can be tuned for use in microwave assisted catalysis. The role of the dielectric properties, that are crucial to enable the catalyst to be heated in the microwave electric field, were determined using cavity perturbation methods. Catalysts with a very high loss tangent reached high temperatures leading to combustion products, whereas materials with a low loss tangent could not be heated and were inactive. Bi2MoO6 and BiVO4 both showed promising performance during an initial screening and were investigated further. For Bi2MoO6, a partial substitution of molybdenum with vanadium resulted in the formation of Bi1−X/3V1−xMoxO4, with a decrease in particle size and dielectric loss tangent, and the highest rate of acrolein production was found when x=0.6 at 15 W microwave power. Higher microwave power resulted in thermal runaway which decreased the activity of the catalyst.

Strong water-resistant Co-Mn solid solution derived from bimetallic metal–organic frameworks for catalytic destruction of toluene

The construction of Co-Mn mixed metal oxides catalysts derived from bimetallic MOFs has great significance for catalytic destruction of toluene. Hence, a series of CoaMnbOx-MOFs with different physicochemical properties were successfully synthesized via pyrolysis of Co-Mn bimetallic MOFs. Attributing to the higher specific surface area, more active sites (Co3+ and Mn3+), stronger reducibility and abundant defect sites, the as-prepared Co1Mn1Ox-MOFs dispalyed an optimal catalytic performance, especially the excellent water vapor resistance. The result of the In Situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy demonstrated that toluene can be degraded at relatively low temperatures (＜100 °C). Benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid and maleic anhydride were the main intermediate products in toluene degradation process. This work reveals the value of bimetallic MOFs derived Co-Mn oxides for toluene oxidation and presents a novel avenue for designing mixed metal oxide catalysts with potential applications in VOCs catalytic oxidation.