MOF-derived Composites Research Articles

Co-ZIF-derived dual Co and Co3S4 nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon matrix for efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction

In this study, a novel N-doped carbon-coated dual Co and Co3S4 nanoparticles composite (Co-Co3S4@NC) has been developed by pyrolysis of an ideal flower-like Co-ZIF precursor followed via subsequent hydrothermal sulfidation. Under visible-light irradiation, the Co-Co3S4@NC exhibits outstanding performances for CO2 reduction with H2O vapor into CO (23.14 μmol g−1 h−1) and CH4 (0.62 μmol g−1 h−1) in a continuous flow system, significantly outperforming the single Co@NC photocatalyst. The experimental results demonstrate that the energy band structure in Co-Co3S4@NC can provide a more favorable reduction potential for the effective reduction of CO2. Moreover, the presence of Co3S4 is beneficial for the rapid separation and transfer of charges, thereby enhancing the utilization of photogenerated charge carriers. Thanks to its unique composition, Co-Co3S4@NC possesses abundant active sites for chemisorption and activation of CO2, which facilitates CO2 photoreduction. The reaction mechanism is revealed in detail by analyzing the key intermediate species obtained through in situ DRIFTS. The current work offers a facile route for the construction of MOF-derived composites for promising photocatalytic reactions.

Bimetallic MOF derived mesoporous structure of Ru doped SnO2 enable high-sensitivity gas sensors for triethylamine in high humidity

Mesoporous metal oxides have been reported as promising semiconductor gas sensing materials, showing great potential in detecting volatile organic compound (VOC) pollutants in the air. Here, we present the use of mesoporous Ru doped SnO2 oxide semiconductor, derived from a bimetallic organic framework (MOF), as a composite material for high-performance TEA gas sensing. Mesoporous structure of bimetallic MOF-derived composites synthesised using a one-step method, has a high porosity and large specific surface area (69.48 m2 g−1), which can enhance the number of sensing reaction sites and improve its capturing ability for the target gas. Moreover, the in-situ substitution of Ru3+ ions for Sn4+ ions can adjust the carrier concentration. Therefore, the synthesized mesoporous 0.4 mol% Ru-SnMOF@SnO2 exhibits high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, fast response kinetics, and good long-term stability for TEA sensing at 250 °C. Exceptionally, there is still an impressive response (S = 125.5–100 ppm) to triethylamine at 80 % RH. The relative humidity was set at 25 °C.

Phytic acid-assisted hybrid engineering of MOF-derived composites for tunable electromagnetic wave absorption

Hybrid engineering is gradually deemed as a powerful approach to solving the bottleneck problem of metal-organic framework (MOF) derived absorbers for practical application. Herein, a new type of semiconductor/carbon-based hybrid material was successfully prepared by phytic acid (PA) modification and carbonization of MOF/bacterial cellulose (BC) precursors, which remedied the drawbacks of structural instability, lethal byproducts and complicated steps reported previously. Specifically, the obtained Fe(PO3)2@C/phosphorus-doped carbon foam (Fe(PO3)2@C/PCF) had a 3D hybrid micro-nanostructure that integrated spatial microcurrent network, multi-level pores, heterogeneous interfaces and lattice defects, showing its unique advantages of low filler content (15 wt.%), moderate surface reflectivity, multi-band microwave absorption and radar stealth. The experimental analysis and CST simulation further revealed that PA dosage can precisely adjust the hybrid phase content, pore texture and electromagnetic parameters of the final product to achieve synergistic enhancement of multiple dielectric response, impedance matching and attenuation capacity. As a result, an effective bandwidth (EAB) of 6 GHz and a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −57.0 dB were obtained in the Ku- and C-bands, respectively. These encouraging results may advance the development of novel MOF-derived absorbents based on the hybridization principle.

Large Microsphere Structure of a Co/C Composite Derived from Co-MOF with Excellent Wideband Electromagnetic Microwave Absorption Performance.

In the field of electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption, carbon matrix materials based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have drawn more interest as a result of their outstanding advantages, such as porous structure, lightweight, controlled morphology, etc. However, how to broaden the effective absorption bandwidth [EAB; reflection loss (RL) ≤ -10 dB] is still a challenge. In this paper, large microsphere structures of a Co/C composite composed of small particle clusters were successfully prepared by the solvothermal method and annealing treatment. At a filling ratio of 40 wt %, the Co/C composite shows attractive microwave absorption (MA) performance after being annealed at 600 °C in an atmosphere of argon. With an EAB of 6.32 GHz (9.92-16.24 GHz) and a thickness of just 2.57 mm, the minimum RL can be attained at -54.55 dB. Most importantly, the EAB can attain 7.12 GHz (10.88-18.0 GHz) when the thickness is 2.38 mm, which is larger than that of the majority of MOF-derived composites. The superior MA performance is strongly related to excellent impedance matching and a higher attenuation constant. This study provides a simple strategy for synthesizing a MOF-derived Co/C composite with a wide EAB.

Bimetallic MOFs/MXene derived CoNi@C@Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 nanocomposites for high-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption

Constructing intricately designed multiple heterogeneous interfaces offers an effective strategy for exploring lightweight and efficient microwave absorbing materials (MAMs). Herein, the CoNi@C@Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 (CNCTT) nanocomposites with multiple heterogeneous interfaces were synthesized using the straightforward solvothermal method, electrostatic self-assembly, and subsequent heat treatment process, utilizing bimetallic CoNi-MOF-74@few-layered Ti3C2Tx MXene as the precursor. The modulation of composition, microstructure, and electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) properties of the CNCTT nanocomposites was comprehensively investigated by simply controlling the ratio of magnetic metal sources. Hierarchical porous structure simultaneously promotes interfacial polarization by quaternary CoNi/C/MXene/TiO2 interfaces, enhances magnetic loss by the CoNi nanoparticles coupling network, enlarges conduction loss by the graphite carbon layer/MXene/TiO2 triple-network, and optimizes impedance matching with the synergistic effect of dielectric loss and magnetic loss. Significantly, it is observed that the C3N3CTT nanocomposite, with the molar ratio of Co:Ni is 3:3 and a filler loading of 30 wt%, demonstrates an impressive minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −70.26 dB at 15.92 GHz and an effective absorbing bandwidth (EAB, RL < −10 dB) of 4.19 GHz with an absorption layer thickness of 1.7 mm. Furthermore, the RLmin remains notable −40.50 dB with an expanded EAB of 5.17 GHz at a thickness of 1.8 mm. This endeavor can provide significant insights into the potential applications of MOF-derived composites in the realm of efficient electromagnetic wave absorption.

Well-Designed morphology regulated ZIF-67 derived 0D/1D Co3O4@TiO2 NWs integrated with in-situ grown Ni/Co-Active metals for Low-Temperature driven CO2 methanation

Well-designed morphology regulated MOF-templated Co3O4 over titanium dioxide nanowires (TiO2 NWs) boasting intimate interfacial contact for highly efficient CO2 methanation was synthesized via a facile in-situ grown approach. The synergistic effect of 0D Co3O4 with reducible 1D TiO2 NWs and the role of Ni/Co-active metals were systematically investigated for CO2 methanation. The performance comparison of the Ni dispersed in-situ grown Co3O4 on TiO2 NWs (Insitu-10N7CT) and its mechanically assembled counterpart (M−10N7CT) was further explored. The in-situ grown ZIF-67 acts as a sacrificial template to produce Co3O4 with high dispersion of Ni active sites to enhance CH4 production. By regulating the morphology, 0D Co3O4 promoted a superior methanation performance for Insitu-10N7CT (XCO2 = 97.42 %, SCH4 = 99.29 %) compared to M−10N7CT (XCO2 = 91.45 %, SCH4 = 98.42) due to intimate interfacial contact between the Ni, Co, and Ti species. Comparatively, the MOF-derived composites displayed much higher CH4 yield than uncalcined MOF nanocomposites. This is because the high reaction temperature caused a rapid collapse of the ZIF-67 dodecahedral structure, leading to a lower methanation performance. Insitu-10N7CT exhibited higher reducibility, generating low valence oxidation/metallic states of Ni-Co-Ti, leading to the high density of oxygen vacancies (Ov). An optimal reaction temperature of 350 °C and gas hourly space velocity of 9,400 mL gcat-1h−1 was revealed, suggesting an efficient reactant contact and CO2 conversion into CH4. The Insitu-10N7CT composite exhibited durability up to 100-hour time-on-stream due to the gradual reduction of Co3O4. Thus, the novel MOF-templated ternary nanocomposite revealed a facile method for regulating the structure of MOF derivatives while boosting strong interfacial interactions for efficient renewable fuel production.

Enhancing Effect of Boron-Doping on the Activity of Nife-MOF-74 Towards Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline

Water splitting has drawn significant attention due to the capability of mass-producing hydrogen, which is considered a promising alternative to fossil fuels in the future.[1] The development of electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies, such as water electrolyzers, metal-air batteries, and regenerative fuel cells, is of great importance to support the transition to clean and renewable energy.[2] Based on the merits of high surface area, 3D periodic porous structure, large porosities, diverse composition and well-defined metal centers, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives have been widely exploited as OER electrocatalysts.[3]However, MOFs have some limitation to be used as a OER catalysts, considering their poor stabilities (in water, especially basic/acidic conditions) and low electrical conductivities. Incorporation of boron atoms into an aromatic carbon framework offers a wide variety of functionalities. [4] In this work, the flower-like bimetallic NiFe-MOF-74 dopped with boron were fabricated, and they exhibit superior catalytic activity with a very low overpotential of 318 mV for OER at a laboratory grade current density of 10 to 100 mA/cm2 and fast reaction kinetics with a small Tafel slope of 89 mV dec-1 in 1.0 M KOH using a catalyst fabrication process that is scalable to commercial levels. Additional work is required to demonstrate current densities at commercial levels. Reference [1] L. Fan, Z. Kang, M. Li, D. Sun, Recent progress in pristine MOF-based catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction, Dalton Trans. 50 (2021) 5732–5753. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1DT00302J.[2] Bimetallic metal–organic frameworks and MOF-derived composites: Recent progress on electro- and photoelectrocatalytic applications - ScienceDirect, (n.d.). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010854521005385 (accessed April 27, 2022).[3] J. Du, F. Li, L. Sun, Metal–organic frameworks and their derivatives as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction, Chem. Soc. Rev. 50 (2021) 2663–2695. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CS01191F.[4] Y. Xie, Z. Meng, T. Cai, W.-Q. Han, Effect of Boron-Doping on the Graphene Aerogel Used as Cathode for the Lithium–Sulfur Battery, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 7 (2015) 25202–25210. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5b08129.

Metal–Organic Framework (MOF)-Derived Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) Applications in Fuel Cell Systems: A Review of Current Advancements and Perspectives

High-porosity, crystalline, and surface-area-rich metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) may be employed in electrochemical energy applications for active catalysis. MOFs have recently been modified using secondary building blocks, open metal sites with large pore diameters, and functional ligands for electronic conductivity. They have the potential for excellent performance in fuel cell applications, and they have several possibilities to enhance the fundamental characteristics of mass and electron transportation. MOFs may be combined with other materials, such as solitary metal nanoparticles and carbon and nitrogen composites, to increase their catalytic efficacy, especially in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). As a result, this study focuses on MOF derivatives for ORR applications, including porous carbon MOF, single metal MOF-derived composites, metal oxides, and metal phosphides. An efficient MOF electrocatalyst platform for ORR applications is presented, along with its prospects. These initiatives promote promising MOF electrocatalysts for enhancing fuel cell efficiency and pique curiosity for possible growth in subsequent research.

Bimetallic MOF-derived composites with broad electromagnetic wave absorption and strong corrosion resistance

With widespread requirements of electromagnetic wave absorption in 5G era, the advanced wave-absorbing materials with corrosion resistance are urgently required. Herein we have synthesized a bimetallic NiZn-MOF-derived composite with broad electromagnetic wave absorption and strong excellent corrosion resistance using a facile hydrothermal method. Based on the composition modulation of the produced Ni/Ni3ZnC0.7 particles, dense and continuous carbon shell can be formed and eventually encapsulate the particles. The resulting composite has an optimum reflection loss of −56.8 dB at 2.40 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.9 GHz at 2.34 mm. Besides, it remains stable after 6-month immersion in the corrosive mediums, suggesting its long-term corrosion resistance. This work provides a way to prepare MOF-derived wave absorbing materials with anti-corrosion function.

Composites Filled with Metal Organic Frameworks and Their Derivatives: Recent Developments in Flame Retardants

Polymer matrix is vulnerable to fire hazards and needs to add flame retardants to enhance its performance and make its application scenarios more extensive. At this stage, it is more necessary to add multiple flame-retardant elements and build a multi-component synergistic system. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have been studied for nearly three decades since their introduction. MOFs are known for their structural advantages but have only been applied to flame-retardant polymers for a relatively short period of time. In this paper, we review the development of MOFs utilized as flame retardants and analyze the flame-retardant mechanisms in the gas phase and condensed phase from the original MOF materials, modified MOF composites, and MOF-derived composites as flame retardants, respectively. The effects of carbon-based materials, phosphorus-based materials, nitrogen-based materials, and biomass on the flame-retardant properties of polymers are discussed in the context of MOFs. The construction of MOF multi-structured flame retardants is also introduced, and a variety of MOF-based flame retardants with different morphologies are shown to broaden the ideas for subsequent research.

Metal organic framework-derived MnO@carbon composites for highly durable Li-ion batteries and hybrid electrochemical cells

Exploring structurally stable and high-capacity metal oxides with carbon-based composite have attracted great attention in energy storage devices. Herein, we demonstrate gram scale synthesis of manganese oxide encapsulated carbon (MnO@C) nanofoil composite using the simple thermolysis of manganese metal organic framework (Mn-MOF) under inert atmosphere. The encapsulated MnO nanoparticles on carbon nanofoils enable higher electrochemical conductivity and extended durability as an electrode material for Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors (SCs). Specifically, the prepared MnO@C nanofoil composite delivers a reversible capacity of 1083 mAh g−1 for MnO@C, which is higher than the pristine Mn2O3 (889 mAh g−1) at a current density of 500 mA g−1 after 100 cycles. The MnO@C nanofoil composite also exhibits much better specific capacity of 771 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 2000 mA g−1 with the retention rate of 89% after 800 cycles. Furthermore, as a battery-type electrode for hybrid SCs, the MnO@C nanofoil composite shows higher capacitance and energy/power densities of 46.7 F g−1 and 15.9 Wh kg−1/4356.3 W kg−1 with excellent cycling durability. The cost-effectively synthesized MOF-derived composites could be utilized as promising materials in the development of long-term energy storage devices.

Metal-organic framework-derived Co/C composite with high magnetization as broadband electromagnetic wave absorber

Metal-organic framework (MOF) derived composite is one of the most promising lightweight electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbers. However, it is still a significant challenge to raise its effective absorbing bandwidth (EAB) for enhancing the EMW absorbing performance. Herein, a novel Co/C composite derived from Co-MOF with a large saturation magnetization was fabricated via a solvothermal reaction and a subsequent annealing process. The resultant Co/C composite shows prominent EMW absorbing performance. The EAB of the Co/C composite obtained at 700 °C reaches an ultra-wide bandwidth of 6.9 GHz at 2.5 mm which is much higher than that of most other MOF-derived composites. The excellent EMW absorbing performance is mainly attributed to the perfect impedance matching, caused by the synergetic effect of dielectric loss and magnetic loss. Hence, this work provides a simple method for the synthesis of MOF-derived Co/C composites with prominent EMW absorbing ability.

Achieving high selectivity towards electro-conversion of CO2 using In-doped Bi derived from metal-organic frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives have shown great potential as electrocatalysts, in virtue of their ease of functionalization and abundance of active sites. Here, we report a series of indium-doped bismuth MOF-derived composites (BiInX-Y@C) for the direct conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) to hydrocarbon derivatives. Amongst the catalysts studied, BiIn5-500@C demonstrated high selectivity for the production of formate and intrinsic activity in a wide potential window, ranging from − 1.16 to − 0.76 V vs. RHE (VRHE). At − 0.86 VRHE, the Faradaic efficiency and total current density were determined as 97.5% and − 13.5 mA cm−2, respectively. In addition, a 15-h stability test shows no obvious signs of deactivation. Complementary density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the In-doped Bi2O3 are the predominant active centers for HCOOH production in the reduction of CO2 under the action of the BiInX-Y@C catalyst. This work provides new detailed insights into reaction mechanism, and selectivity for reduction of CO2via MOFs, which are expected to inspire and guide the design of novel, selective and efficient catalysts.

Facile fabrication of metal–organic framework derived Fe/Fe3O4/FeN/N-doped carbon composites coated with PPy for superior microwave absorption

At present, the magnetic metal/carbon composites have been widely explored for microwave absorption (MA), which effectively integrate the characteristics of magnetic and dielectric materials. As a typical material, metal–organic framework (MOF) shows tremendous potential as a precursor or template. However, its development is limited by the inferior impedance matching. Herein, a novel rod-like Fe/Fe3O4/FeN/N-doped carbon (FON/NC) composite was synthesized via dual-ligand strategy and following calcination. The outer polypyrrole (PPy) shell, obtained by a facile polymerization method, effectively optimized the impedance matching and observably enhanced the MA capacity. Both the multi-component loss mechanism and unique porous core–shell structures of MOF-derived composites were beneficial for microwave attenuation. The effects of filler loadings (20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt% and 35 wt%) on electromagnetic (EM) properties of FON/NC@PPy composites were discussed. Remarkably, as-obtained composites exhibited a minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −60.08 dB at the layer thickness of merely 1.44 mm and the widest effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL ≤ −10 dB) of 5.06 GHz at 1.64 mm with 30 wt% filler loading. This work provides a great reference for designing MOF-derived absorbers with high MA performance.

ZIF-67-derived micron-sized cobalt-doped porous carbon-based microwave absorbers with g-C3N4 as template

Porous carbon-based materials have been widely used in microwave absorption due to their light weight and special structure. In this work, a newly Co-doped porous micron-sized carbon-based microwave absorber was successfully prepared via a template method, in which g-C3N4 was used as a template to gather ZIF-67 on its surface. As-synthesized MOF-derived composites retained the aggregation state of MOF in the precursor, and possessed porous structure originating from the carbonization and decomposition of ZIF-67. With the increased addition of g-C3N4, MOF-derived composites exhibited decreased permittivity and raised permeability resulting in an improved impedance match. For CN/CCo-500 sample, the optimal reflection loss was −37.21 dB at 12.22 GHz with a given thickness of 2.6 mm, while the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth covered the range from 10.25 GHz to 16.7 GHz. As-prepared porous composite with light density and broadband microwave absorption performance could be a promising candidate in electromagnetic wave absorption application.

Structural and Morphological Conversion between Two Co-Based MOFs for Enhanced Water Oxidation.

The rapid development of suitable and cheap water oxidation catalysts is of great significance in energy conversion and storage. In this context, herein we have synthesized two different types of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, denoted as BMM-11 and BMM-12) constructed from the same metal salts (cobalt nitrate) and organic linkers (H4BPTC) at the similar solvothermal conditions. Interestingly, we learned that both crystalline materials can be conveniently converted into each other by a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation method at their corresponding synthetic conditions. Meanwhile, we applied them directly as electrocatalysts into OER application where the pure BMM-11 and BMM-12 can achieve a stable current density of 10 mA cm-2 with an overpotential of 0.362 and 0.393 V, respectively, during which MOF degradation unexpectedly occurs. After electrolysis, the following microscopic, spectroscopic, as well as electrochemical measurements confirm that these initial MOF precursors are rapidly transformed into the mixed phases of CoOxHy species consisting of CoOOH and Co(OH)2, which are essentially active components for OER performance. Finally, we have also considered other strategies to improve MOF-derived composites in oxygen evolution activity, including bimetallic doping and physical grinding strategy. The approach described here can further be extended to other cobalt-based MOFs-derived electrocatalysts for water splitting.

MOF-derived yolk-shell Ni@C@ZnO Schottky contact structure for enhanced microwave absorption

Metal–organic frameworks (MOF) derivative used as microwave absorber has been attracting extensive interest due to the diversity of host-guest coordination and unique structure at micro/nano-meters level. However, the accurate adjustment of metal-semiconductor interfaces construct remains a great challenge. Here, a novel hierarchical multi-interfacial Ni@C@ZnO microsphere with special Schottky contact structure was successfully fabricated after annealed the bimetallic Ni-Zn-MOF precursor. The unique yolk-shell microsphere was assembled together by the core-shell Ni@C micro-units and ZnO flakes. The uniformly dispersed ZnO flakes were anchored inside the hierarchical conductive carbon matrix. The yolk-shell Ni@C@ZnO materials displayed high-performance microwave absorption after the micro-nano structure and interfacial design were optimized. In particular, with a low mass additive amount of only 25%, the maximum reflection loss (RL) reached −55.8 dB at 2.5 mm, and the effective absorption bandwidth (RL ≤ −10 dB) covered as wide as 4.1 GHz. The excellent microwave absorption performance could be attributed to the polarized interfaces of Ni-C-ZnO, which contributes a metallic/semiconductor barrier. Thus, both magnetic-dielectric synergetic effect and interfacial polarization might lead to an evident absorption. This novel lightweight magnetic MOF-derived composites promise great potential in the practical microwave absorption fields.

Hydrophobic metal-organic frameworks: Potential toward emerging applications

Metal-organic frameworks, popularly known as MOFs, have come of age—thanks to custom-built design principles enabling them to serve a myriad of task-specific applications. In an era where &amp;gt;6000 new MOFs are annually published, driven by academic research, a new generation of MOFs that can find use in niche markets is on the rise. One of the foremost challenges that plague the translation of MOFs into materials suited for commercialization is their water-influenced degradation, largely accountable to hydrolytic instability and the ubiquity of water. Hydrophobic MOFs offer one of the most promising solutions which can enable these porous materials to leverage their functionalization guided properties even under extreme humid conditions, a criterion that application-ready materials should necessarily serve. In this contribution, our discussion focuses on the state-of-the-art hydrophobic MOFs and MOF-derived composites. Outlining a brief overview of the structure-property correlation aspects in each of these promising hydrophobic MOFs with little or no influence exhibited to water and/or humidity, a future outlook is put forward to enable potentially better design strategies leading to futuristic MOFs tolerant to water/moisture. Concise premise of this review allows us to limit our discussion to the design principles in action behind the most hydrophobic MOFs/derived composites reported thus far and to discuss their prime applications viz., oil/water separation inclusive of self-cleaning, hydrocarbon separation, and tackling marine oil spillage. When synergized, such improved porous material design approaches lean toward a greener environment of tomorrow.

Bimetallic MOF-derived porous CoNi/C nanocomposites with ultra-wide band microwave absorption properties

The CoNi bimetallic MOF-derived composites were synthesized in this work. The target product is composed of fine particles with uniformly distributed elements of Ni, Co, C. The CoNi/C-650 sample displays good microwave absorbing properties.

Synthesis of MOF-derived Co@C composites and application for efficient hydrolysis of sodium borohydride

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have gained significant attention as precursors for the fabrication of porous hybrid materials. However, a systematic investigation into the preparation of MOF-derived composites with high catalytic performance for hydrolysis of NaBH4 is very limited. In this work, we report the fabrication of Co@C composites using Co-MOF as the starting precursor. Physicochemical properties of the as-prepared Co@C catalysts are well characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, XPS, and HRTEM. The results of catalytic performance tests show that the Co@C-700 catalyst exhibits optimal activity among the Co@C catalysts prepared at different carbonization temperatures and retains 93.1% of its initial catalytic activity after five cycles. The cobalt nanoparticles are found to be highly dispersed and encapsulated in porous carbon, which might be responsible to the good stability of Co@C catalyst.