Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hexin Jiang, Guanming Yuan, Zhengwei Cui, Zhepeng Zhao, Zhijun Dong, Jiang Zhang, Ye Cong, Xuanke Li
Summary: This study investigated the influence of different catalyst supports on nitrobenzene hydrogenation and found that the 10 wt % Ni/CB catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity and selectivity. It had a higher turnover frequency and lower apparent activation energy compared to other catalysts, and it also demonstrated good recyclability and structural stability. This study demonstrates the superiority of porous carbon materials as catalyst supports over Al2O3 in nitrobenzene hydrogenation.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Francois-Marie Allioux, Salma Merhebi, Jianbo Tang, Chengchen Zhang, Andrea Merenda, Shengxiang Cai, Mohammad B. Ghasemian, Md Arifur Rahim, Maxime Maghe, Sean Lim, Jin Zhang, Lachlan Hyde, Mohannad Mayyas, Benjamin Cunning, Rodney S. Ruoff, Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
Summary: Liquid gallium and its alloys are used as reaction media for the carbonization of low thermal stability polymeric precursors, resulting in the formation of carbonaceous films. Graphitic-like properties can be obtained through alloying with high melting point graphitization catalysts. This method has potential for large-scale carbonization of polymeric precursors using other metallic elements within gallium-based alloys.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Zhao Li, Rui Wu, Lei Zhao, Pingbo Li, Xinxin Wei, Junjie Wang, Jun Song Chen, Tierui Zhang
Summary: The review highlights the advantages and roles of noble metal nanomaterials as catalysts for CO2RR, focusing on different support materials interacting with noble metals and discussing the significant impact of strong metal-support interaction on CO2RR performance.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Malik Waqar Arshad, Young-Woo You, Young Jin Kim, Iljeong Heo, Seok Ki Kim
Summary: In this study, aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and titanium dioxide (TiO2)-supported iridium-ruthenium (IrRu) catalysts were synthesized and their catalytic performance in CO-assisted NO reduction was investigated. The results showed that IrRu bimetallic particles were well-alloyed on both supports, with TiO2 exhibiting a smaller size due to strong interactions with the metal. Interestingly, despite its larger particle size, IrRu/Al2O3 showed more efficient selective conversion of NOx to N2 compared to IrRu/TiO2. Mechanistic analysis suggested that the defect-free flat surface structure of the IrRu alloy contributed to its superior performance. The metal-support interfaces were found to be inactive regardless of their interaction strength.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yi Wei, Wei Chen, Chuanfu Liu, Huihui Wang
Summary: This study involved the preparation of two Cr(VI) adsorbents using hemicelluloses, with the HTC-NH2 showing higher adsorption capacity. The results suggest that the green hydrothermal treatment with ammonia solution offers a simple and feasible method for preparing Cr(VI) adsorbents.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Gaoxin Lin, Qiangjian Ju, Yan Jin, Xiaohuan Qi, Weijing Liu, Fuqiang Huang, Jiacheng Wang
Summary: In this study, the dissolution of Pt nanoparticles was successfully suppressed by adjusting the electronic structure of surface Pt atoms, leading to enhanced catalytic stability. The specially designed graphitic-N-doped carbon nanosheets effectively reduced the rate of Pt dissolution by anchoring Pt nanoparticles.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Xiaoru Gao, Yuxiu Yu, Qian He, Haojie Li, Yaodong Liu
Summary: The research suggests that the addition of transition metal chlorides can enhance carbon yields and structures in ionic liquids, and the catalyzing effects of transition metal chlorides are correlated to their cation size.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Liwei Fang, Shiyang Niu, Shengsen Wang, Yiqing Lu, Yuanhui Cheng
Summary: In this study, PtNi alloy on nitrogen-doped carbon and SnO2 dual-support was designed to modulate the metal-support interaction, resulting in improved catalytic activity and stability for oxygen reduction reaction. The SnO2/PtNi/NC catalyst exhibited a strongly coupled interface, enhanced electron transfer, and higher half-wave potential compared to PtNi/NC and commercial Pt/C.
APPLIED CATALYSIS A-GENERAL
(2024)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Wen-Jun Xie, Olga M. Mulina, Alexander O. Terent'ev, Liang-Nian He
Summary: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are used for catalysis due to their high surface area and porous structure. They show potential for selective electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (ECO2RR) into formic acid (HCOOH). This review discusses the preparation methods of MOFs as electrocatalysts and their advantages. Various MOFs and their derivatives, including metal nanomaterials, carbon-based nanocomposites, single-atom catalysts, and bimetallic nanocomposites, are highlighted. The diversity and controllable modulation of catalytic performance of MOF-based catalysts are dependent on the building units and reaction conditions. Challenges and future research directions of MOF-based catalysts are proposed.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Leonhard Karger, Kevin Synnatschke, Simon Settele, Yvonne J. Hofstetter, Tim Nowack, Jana Zaumseil, Yana Vaynzof, Claudia Backes
Summary: The degradation kinetics of WS2 nanosheet ensembles in the liquid phase were investigated, revealing that thermal degradation is slower and requires higher activation energy than photoinduced degradation. It was observed that using SC as a surfactant can sufficiently suppress photoinduced degradation, while chemical passivation achieved through the addition of cysteine can prevent degradation by coordinating to defects on the nanosheets and stabilizing oxides on the surface.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Electrochemistry
Wenjuan Shi, Ah-Hyeon Park, Zhengyang Li, Shiyu Xu, Ji Man Kim, Pil J. Yoo, Young-Uk Kwon
Summary: The study shows that the TiO2 coating on carbon material can enhance the activity and durability of Pt/TiO2/C catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction. The significantly improved performance is attributed to the strong metal-support interactions (SMSI) effect between TiO2 coating and Pt NPs, as well as the bifunctional mechanism from the TiO2 surface around Pt NPs.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Guozuan Xu, Rutie Liu, Qiumin Yang, Chenghui Yang, Longhui Zhang, Xiang Xiong
Summary: Nano WC and WC-0.67wt.%Cr3C2 powders were prepared via a one-step reduction-carbonization method from WO3 and WO3-0.72wt.%Cr3C2 powders. The presence of Cr3C2 effectively hindered the reduction and growth of W, resulting in the formation of nano W phases and smaller WC grains. Additionally, Cr3C2 promoted the carbonation reaction and led to the formation of nano WC-0.67wt.%Cr3C2 powder with a narrow grain size distribution and high specific surface area.
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Saburo Hosokawa, Yudai Oshino, Toyokazu Tanabe, Hiroaki Koga, Kosuke Beppu, Hiroyuki Asakura, Kentaro Teramura, Teruki Motohashi, Mitsutaka Okumura, Tsunehiro Tanaka
Summary: The strong metal-support interaction can lead to negative outcomes such as decreased catalytic activity for platinum group metal nanoparticles; however, in this study, the Mn-doped CaO(111) plane exhibited excellent catalytic activity for NO reduction despite the absence of a Pd metal surface, providing a new design guideline for environmental catalysts.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liwei Fang, Shengsen Wang, Yiqing Lu, Chengwei Deng, Liping Sun, Yuanhui Cheng
Summary: In this study, a stable PtNi/SnO2 interface structure was designed and achieved, exhibiting high catalytic activity and durability for oxygen reduction reaction. The use of Sb-doped SnO2 supports with good corrosion resistance and conductivity helps to confine PtNi alloy and strengthen the coupling between Pt and SnO2, enabling enhanced electron transfer. The accelerated degradation testing further demonstrates the inhibition of support corrosion and agglomeration of Pt-based active nanoparticles in PtNi/Sb0.11SnO2.
CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guanyu Liu, Quang Thang Trinh, Haojing Wang, Shuyang Wu, Juan Manuel Arce-Ramos, Michael B. Sullivan, Markus Kraft, Joel W. W. Ager, Jia Zhang, Rong Xu
Summary: The electroreduction of CO2 to fuels is a viable method for renewable energy sources. This study investigates various catalyst design strategies, such as electronic metal-support interaction, to improve catalytic selectivity. A solvent-free synthesis method is used to prepare a copper-based metal-organic framework (MOF) that undergoes in situ decomposition/redeposition processes upon CO2 reduction, forming interfaces between Cu nanoparticles and amorphous carbon supports. This Cu/C catalyst shows high selectivity and stability in producing CH4, with a Faradaic efficiency of approximately 55% at -1.4 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) for 12.5 h. Density functional theory calculation demonstrates the importance of interfacial sites between Cu and amorphous carbon support in stabilizing key intermediates for CO2 reduction to CH4. Adsorption of COOH* and CHO* at the Cu/C interface is significantly stronger than on Cu(111), promoting CH4 formation. Therefore, regulating electronic metal-support interaction can improve the selectivity and stability of catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jingya Sun, Kun Liu, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Heyun Fu, Shourong Zheng, Daqiang Yin, Xiaolei Qu
Summary: In this study, TiO2-supported Pd catalysts were used to selectively hydrogenate the C--C bonds in the Adda moiety of MC-LR, achieving rapid detoxification in water. Catalytic hydrogenation significantly decreased the toxicity of MC-LR by 90.8% within 30 minutes, demonstrating effective detoxification. Surface adsorption and cationic Pd played crucial roles in the reaction kinetics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Han Gao, Shuxue Yang, Danjun Mao, Mingce Long, Xiaolei Qu
Summary: Commercial lithopone pigment rapidly released a significant amount of Zn2+ under solar exposure, generating nanoparticles and posing environmental risks. The photochemical processes played a crucial role in the photodissolution kinetics and Zn2+ release of the pigment, which were greatly influenced by the water chemistry properties.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Eva Gil, Xiaochuan Huang, Kuichang Zuo, Jun Kim, Susana Rincon, Jose Maria Rivera, Kiarash Ranjbari, Francois Perreault, Pedro Alvarez, Alejandro Zepeda, Qilin Li
Summary: In this study, a modified ultrafiltration membrane using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) showed significantly improved water permeability and resistance to natural organic matter (NOM) fouling without sacrificing membrane selectivity. The modification involved incorporating a water-stable nanocrystalline MOF-Co into the membrane. This research highlights the potential of MOFs as excellent additives for enhancing membrane performance.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Yan Wei, Jie Miao, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Mingce Long
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hoang Tran Bui, Hyeon Yeong Park, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Jaesang Lee, Wooyul Kim, Eun-Ju Kim
Summary: In this study, the photoactivity of humic acid/TiO2 complexes (HA/TiO2) under visible light was investigated. The complexes exhibited photoactivity through ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT), resulting in the generation of H2O2 in the conduction band. The presence of phenolic groups in the complexes was found to play a key role in visible-light absorption and H2O2 photogeneration. The photochemical formation of H2O2 in river waters spiked with TiO2 was significantly elevated due to the LMCT contribution. These findings provide chemical insights into the photocatalytic activity and potential ecotoxicity of TiO2 in environmental and engineered systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Ling Jin, Amy Pruden, Alexandria B. Boehm, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Lutgarde Raskin, Tamar Kohn, Xiangdong Li
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lingyue Liu, Chengliang Mao, Heyun Fu, Xiaolei Qu, Shourong Zheng
Summary: In this study, a ZnO nanorod anchored with a single-atom Pt catalyst (Pt1/ZnO) was developed as a gas sensor for detecting triethylamine (TEA). The Pt1/ZnO sensor exhibited high selectivity and response to TEA gas, with a response value 92 times higher than pure ZnO. The enhanced sensing performance was attributed to the activation of adsorbed oxygen on Pt1/ZnO and the effective adsorption and activation of TEA by Pt single atoms. This work highlights the crucial role of Pt single-atom in improving the sensing performance and opens up possibilities for advanced gas sensors.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jie Miao, Jian Song, Junyu Lang, Yuan Zhu, Jie Dai, Yan Wei, Mingce Long, Zongping Shao, Baoxue Zhou, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Lizhi Zhang
Summary: Five-nitrogen coordinated Mn (MnN5) sites effectively activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) by cleaving the O-O bond into high-valent Mn(IV)-oxo species, with nearly 100% selectivity. This finding highlights the importance of high coordination numbers in single-atom catalysts (SACs) for efficient PMS activation and informs the design of next-generation environmental catalysts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Shidong Bao, Tao Liu, Heyun Fu, Zhaoyi Xu, Xiaolei Qu, Shourong Zheng, Dongqiang Zhu
Summary: This study demonstrates that CO2 hydrogenation can be tuned from CH4 to CO by phosphating Ni-based catalysts due to the geometric effect. Nickel phosphide catalysts with different crystalline phases show different CO2 conversion, with Ni12P5 being more active. Confining small Ni12P5 nanoparticles in mesoporous SiO2 channels enhances the activity due to the confinement effect. The results suggest that Ni12P5@SBA-15 can achieve near-unity CO selectivity and enhanced activity for CO2 hydrogenation by combining the geometric effect and the confinement effect.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhe Zhao, Yi-Hao Luo, Tzu-Heng Wang, Shahnawaz Sinha, Li Ling, Bruce Rittmann, Pedro Alvarez, Francois Perreault, Paul Westerhoff
Summary: Biofilms lead to various issues, and UV-C irradiation can effectively inhibit biofilm formation. This study found that adequate UV-C irradiation can inhibit biofilm formation, while insufficient irradiation promotes biofilm formation. Analysis of biofilm samples revealed the mechanism through which UV-C irradiation affects biofilm formation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yixiao Tan, Pingfeng Yu, Dan Huang, Mengting Maggie Yuan, Zhuodong Yu, Huijie Lu, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Liang Zhu
Summary: This study investigated the adaptive strategies and ecological functions of phages in microbial aggregates. The results showed that phages exhibited high lysogenicity and had broad host ranges, interacting closely with habitat generalist species. Phage-carried auxiliary metabolic genes played a crucial role in bacterial survival and aggregate stability, with different patterns observed in different habitats.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Yiqi Yan, Zongsu Wei, Xiaoguang Duan, Mingce Long, Richard Spinney, Dionysios D. Dionysiou, Ruiyang Xiao, Pedro J. J. Alvarez
Summary: Urbanization and industrialization have negatively impacted water quality, leading to a demand for reliable and eco-friendly treatment technologies. Persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have shown promise in treating challenging industrial wastewaters and remediating contaminated groundwater. Comparisons of reaction rate constants for different pathways suggest that radical-based AOPs can achieve high removal efficiency with short contact times, while nonradical AOPs are advantageous for complex wastewater treatments with minimal interference. However, nonradical pathways require significantly higher energy requirements. These comparisons inform the prioritization of basic research and the understanding of system-specific application merits and limitations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sara B. Denison, Peixuan Jin, Priscilla Dias Da Silva, Chun Chu, Bhagavatula Moorthy, Thomas P. Senftle, Kyriacos Zygourakis, Pedro J. J. Alvarez
Summary: Transition metal catalysts can enhance the pyrolytic remediation of soils contaminated with polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by increasing the pyrene adsorption and promoting faster degradation at lower temperatures. However, higher pyrolysis temperatures may be required to mitigate residual toxicity.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zehui Deng, Qingling Xiao, Heyun Fu, Shourong Zheng, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Dongqiang Zhu, Zhaoyi Xu, Xiaolei Qu
Summary: This study develops a nanozyme-like colorimetric sensing strategy for biomolecule detection in solution and on paper strips based on persulfate activation on Co-based metal-organic frameworks. By switching from H2O2 activation on nanozymes to catalytic persulfate activation, this general strategy provides higher sensitivity, faster speed, and wider application ranges for detection.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
