Carbon-Based Catalyst

A special issue of C (ISSN 2311-5629).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2018) | Viewed by 36554

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: carbon materials; catalysis; environment and energy; chemical reaction engineering; functional materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon materials present several advantages when used in catalysis, either as supports or as catalysts on their own. In addition to their high stability in acid and alkaline media, their versatility and easy tailoring of their properties (textural and surface chemistry) to specific needs make them promising materials to fit different catalytic applications, from fine chemicals synthesis to environmental and energy processes. More recently, the generalized access to new forms of carbons like carbon xerogels, carbon nanotubes and graphene and the fine tuning of the surface chemistry, with hetero-atoms doping (e.g., N, S, B, P), opened up new horizons for their use in catalysis, namely for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells and biomass conversion. 

In this Special Issue of C—Journal of Carbon Research, we invite authors to submit original communications, articles, and reviews on the application of carbon materials (in all its forms, from activated carbon to graphene) in catalysis.

Prof. Dr. Manuel Fernando Ribeiro Pereira
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. C is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon catalyst
  • carbon supported catalyst
  • carbocatalysis
  • carbon-based
  • metal-free catalysis
  • catalysis
  • heterogeneous catalysis
  • electrocatalysis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 19809 KiB  
Article
Catalytic Performances of Au–Pt Nanoparticles on Phosphorous Functionalized Carbon Nanofibers towards HMF Oxidation
by Sebastiano Campisi, Sofia Capelli, Davide Motta, Felipe J Sanchez Trujillo, Thomas E. Davies, Laura Prati, Nikolaos Dimitratos and Alberto Villa
C 2018, 4(3), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/c4030048 - 28 Aug 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4397
Abstract
Herein, we reported the utilization of pre-formed Au–Pt nanoparticles deposited on phosphorus functionalized carbons as effective catalysts for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Au–Pt nanoparticles have been prepared by a two-step methodology using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as protective agent [...] Read more.
Herein, we reported the utilization of pre-formed Au–Pt nanoparticles deposited on phosphorus functionalized carbons as effective catalysts for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Au–Pt nanoparticles have been prepared by a two-step methodology using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as protective agent and a combination of NaBH4 and H2 as reducing agents. Three carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with different graphitization degrees have been functionalized through treatment with an H3PO4–HNO3 mixture at 150 °C, in order to incorporate P groups on carbon surface. Surface and structural properties of the synthesized functionalized materials have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. The structural and surface properties of carbon nanofibers determine the amount of P-functionalities, which is a key parameter affecting the catalytic performances of Au–Pt. Indeed, the highest activity and stability has been achieved for Au–Pt deposited on the sample, which showed the largest amount of P-groups on the surface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Catalyst)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 4131 KiB  
Article
Operando DRIFTS-MS Study of WGS and rWGS Reaction on Biochar-Based Pt Catalysts: The Promotional Effect of Na
by José L. Santos, Luis F. Bobadilla, Miguel A. Centeno and José A. Odriozola
C 2018, 4(3), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/c4030047 - 21 Aug 2018
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6162
Abstract
Biochar-based Pt catalysts, unpromoted and Na-promoted, were prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation method and characterised by Inductively coupled plasma mass spoectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption and transmission, and scanning electron microscopy. It was demonstrated that a sodium promoter modifies [...] Read more.
Biochar-based Pt catalysts, unpromoted and Na-promoted, were prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation method and characterised by Inductively coupled plasma mass spoectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption and transmission, and scanning electron microscopy. It was demonstrated that a sodium promoter modifies the acid-base properties of the support, altering the Pt-support interaction. An operando Diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform spectroscopy-mass spectrometry (DRIFTS-MS) study was performed to gain insights into the reaction pathways and the mechanism of the Water-Gass-Shift (WGS) and the Reverse Water-Gass-Shift (rWGS) reactions. It was demonstrated that the addition of Na enhances the catalytic performance due to the changes induced by the alkali in the electronic structure of the Pt active sites. This effect favours the activation of H2O molecules during the WGS reaction and the dissociation of CO2 during the rWGS reaction, although it may also favour the consecutive CO methanation pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Catalyst)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 3966 KiB  
Article
Photoelectrochemical Response of WO3/Nanoporous Carbon Anodes for Photocatalytic Water Oxidation
by Alicia Gomis-Berenguer, Jesús Iniesta, David J. Fermín and Conchi O. Ania
C 2018, 4(3), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/c4030045 - 10 Aug 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5103
Abstract
This work demonstrates the ability of nanoporous carbons to boost the photoelectrochemical activity of hexagonal and monoclinic WO3 towards water oxidation under irradiation. The impact of the carbonaceous phase was strongly dependent on the crystalline structure and morphology of the semiconductor, substantially [...] Read more.
This work demonstrates the ability of nanoporous carbons to boost the photoelectrochemical activity of hexagonal and monoclinic WO3 towards water oxidation under irradiation. The impact of the carbonaceous phase was strongly dependent on the crystalline structure and morphology of the semiconductor, substantially increasing the activity of WO3 rods with hexagonal phase. The incorporation of increasing amounts of a nanoporous carbon of low functionalization to the WO3 electrodes improved the quantum yield of the reaction and also affected the dynamics of the charge transport, creating a percolation path for the majority carriers. The nanoporous carbon promotes the delocalization of the charge carriers through the graphitic layers. We discuss the incorporation of nanoporous carbons as an interesting strategy for improving the photoelectrochemical performance of nanostructured semiconductor photoelectrodes featuring hindered carrier transport. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Catalyst)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 4486 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon/Nitrogen/Iron Based Nanoparticles by Laser Pyrolysis as Non-Noble Metal Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction
by Henri Perez, Virginie Jorda, Pierre Bonville, Jackie Vigneron, Mathieu Frégnaux, Arnaud Etcheberry, Axelle Quinsac, Aurélie Habert and Yann Leconte
C 2018, 4(3), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/c4030043 - 30 Jul 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5571
Abstract
This paper reports original results on the synthesis of Carbon/Nitrogen/Iron-based Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts by CO2 laser pyrolysis. Precursors consisted of two different liquid mixtures containing FeOOH nanoparticles or iron III acetylacetonate as iron precursors, being fed to the reactor as [...] Read more.
This paper reports original results on the synthesis of Carbon/Nitrogen/Iron-based Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts by CO2 laser pyrolysis. Precursors consisted of two different liquid mixtures containing FeOOH nanoparticles or iron III acetylacetonate as iron precursors, being fed to the reactor as an aerosol of liquid droplets. Carbon and nitrogen were brought by pyridine or a mixture of pyridine and ethanol depending on the iron precursor involved. The use of ammonia as laser energy transfer agent also provided a potential nitrogen source. For each liquid precursor mixture, several syntheses were conducted through the step-by-step modification of NH3 flow volume fraction, so-called R parameter. We found that various feature such as the synthesis production yield or the nanomaterial iron and carbon content, showed identical trends as a function of R for each liquid precursor mixture. The obtained nanomaterials consisted in composite nanostructures in which iron based nanoparticles are, to varying degrees, encapsulated by a presumably nitrogen doped carbon shell. Combining X-ray diffraction and Mossbauer spectroscopy with acid leaching treatment and extensive XPS surface analysis allowed the difficult question of the nature of the formed iron phases to be addressed. Besides metal and carbide iron phases, data suggest the formation of iron nitride phase at high R values. Interestingly, electrochemical measurements reveal that the higher R the higher the onset potential for the ORR, what suggests the need of iron-nitride phase existence for the formation of active sites towards the ORR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Catalyst)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 4856 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Catalytic Performance of Pd/CNFs for Hydrogen Evolution from Additive-Free Formic Acid Decomposition
by Felipe Sanchez, Davide Motta, Ludovica Bocelli, Stefania Albonetti, Alberto Roldan, Ceri Hammond, Alberto Villa and Nikolaos Dimitratos
C 2018, 4(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/c4020026 - 1 May 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5766
Abstract
In recent years, research efforts have focused on the development of safe and efficient H2 generation/storage materials toward a fuel-cell-based H2 economy as a long-term solution in the near future. Herein, we report the development of Pd nanoparticles supported on carbon [...] Read more.
In recent years, research efforts have focused on the development of safe and efficient H2 generation/storage materials toward a fuel-cell-based H2 economy as a long-term solution in the near future. Herein, we report the development of Pd nanoparticles supported on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) via sol-immobilisation and impregnation techniques. Thorough characterisation has been carried out by means of XRD, XPS, SEM-EDX, TEM, and BET. The catalysts have been evaluated for the catalytic decomposition of formic acid (HCOOH), which has been identified as a safe and convenient H2 carrier under mild conditions. The influence of preparation method was investigated and catalysts prepared by the sol-immobilisation method showed higher catalytic performance (PdSI/CNF) than their analogues prepared by the impregnation method (PdIMP/CNF). A high turnover frequency (TOF) of 979 h−1 for PdSI/CNF and high selectivity (>99.99%) was obtained at 30 °C for the additive-free formic acid decomposition. Comparison with a Pd/AC (activated charcoal) catalyst synthesised with sol-immobilisation method using as a support activated charcoal (AC) showed an increase of catalytic activity by a factor of four, demonstrating the improved performance by choosing CNFs as the preferred choice of support for the deposition of preformed colloidal Pd nanoparticles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Catalyst)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

35 pages, 19506 KiB  
Review
A Metal-Free Carbon-Based Catalyst: An Overview and Directions for Future Research
by Pitchaimani Veerakumar, Pounraj Thanasekaran, Thiruvengadam Subburaj and King-Chuen Lin
C 2018, 4(4), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/c4040054 - 27 Sep 2018
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 8372
Abstract
Metal-free carbon porous materials (CPMs) have gained the intensive attention of scientists and technologists because of their potential applications, ranging from catalysis to energy storage. Various simple and facile strategies are proposed for the preparation of CPMs with well-controlled sizes, shapes, and modifications [...] Read more.
Metal-free carbon porous materials (CPMs) have gained the intensive attention of scientists and technologists because of their potential applications, ranging from catalysis to energy storage. Various simple and facile strategies are proposed for the preparation of CPMs with well-controlled sizes, shapes, and modifications on the surface. The extraordinary tenability of the pore structure, the environmental acceptability, the unique surface and the corrosion resistance properties allow them to be suitable materials for a large panel of catalysis applications. This review briefly outlines the different signs of progresses made towards synthesizing CPMs, and their properties, including catalytic efficiency, stability, and recyclability. Finally, we make a comparison of their catalytic performances with other nanocomposites, and we provide an outlook on the expected developments in the relevant research works. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Catalyst)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop