Carbon nanofibers modified with heteroatoms as metal-free catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane

In situ growth of N-doped carbon nanotubes from the products of graphitic carbon nitride etching by nickel nanoparticles

The in situ growth of N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N-MWCNTs) from the products of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) etching by Ni nanoparticles in a hydrogen atmosphere has been confirmed for the first time. During the etching process of g-C3N4, the building blocks, notably methane, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide, are formed. The formation of N-MWCNTs was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A sponge-like carbonaceous structure was obtained with a specific surface area of 384 m2 g-1 from initial g-C3N4 (32 m2 g-1).

Oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes to olefins on metal-free catalysts

Metal-free boron- and carbon-based catalysts have shown both great fundamental and practical value in oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes. In particular, boron-based catalysts show a superior selectivity toward olefins, excellent stability and atom-economy to valuable carbon-based products by minimizing CO2 emission, which are highly promising in future industrialization. The carbonaceous catalysts also exhibited impressive behavior in the ODH of light alkanes helped along by surface oxygen-containing functional groups. This review surveyed and compared the preparation methods of the boron- and carbon-based catalysts and their characterization, their performance in the ODH of light alkanes, and the mechanistic issues of the ODH including the identification of the possible active sites and the exploration of the underlying mechanisms. We discussed different boron-based materials and established versatile methodologies for the investigation of active sites and reaction mechanisms. We also elaborated on the similarities and differences in catalytic and kinetic behaviors, and reaction mechanisms between boron- and carbon-based metal-free materials. A perspective of the potential issues of metal-free ODH catalytic systems in terms of their rational design and their synergy with reactor engineering was sketched.

Current status and perspectives in oxidative, non-oxidative and CO2-mediated dehydrogenation of propane and isobutane over metal oxide catalysts

Conversion of propane or isobutane from natural/shale gas into propene or isobutene, which are indispensable for the synthesis of commodity chemicals, is an important environmentally friendly alternative to oil-based cracking processes.

Oxidative dehydrogenation reaction of short alkanes on nanostructured carbon catalysts: a computational account

We aim to provide an overview of the current status and recent achievements of computational studies of the ODH reaction on nanostructured carbon catalysts.

Phosphorus oxide clusters stabilized by carbon nanotubes for selective isomerization and dehydrogenation of β-isopentene

Phosphorus oxide clusters (POCs) exhibit more selective isomerization and dehydrogenation of β-isopentene than metal oxide clusters (MOCs).

Improving the catalytic efficiency of carbon-based active sites by trace oxide promoters for highly productive olefin synthesis

The catalytic ODH activation energy on CNTs significantly decreased by the introduction of metal oxides. The propane turn-over efficiency of each original carbon-based active site consequently increased exponentially.

Cumulative effect of transition metals on nitrogen and fluorine co-doped graphite nanofibers: an efficient and highly durable non-precious metal catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction

Nitrogen and fluorine co-doped graphite nanofibers (N/F-GNF) and their cumulative effect with Fe and Co have been developed as an alternative non-precious metal catalyst for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic media. The synergistic effect between the doped hetero atoms and the co-ordinated Fe and Co towards ORR activity and durability of the catalyst is deeply investigated. A high ORR onset potential comparable with commercial Pt/C catalyst is observed with the Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst, which indicates that this catalyst is a potential alternative to Pt/C. A fivefold increase in mass activity is achieved by the Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst compared to the simple N/F-GNF catalyst, which endorses the significant role of transition metal atoms in enhancing ORR activity. The advanced Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst also exhibits complete tolerance to CH3OH and CO. The Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst also exhibits excellent durability towards the ORR with only a 10 mV negative shift in its half wave potential after a 10 000 repeated potential cycling test, whereas in the case of a commercial Pt/C catalyst there was an ∼110 mV negative shift under similar environmental conditions. More stringent corrosive test cycles were also performed by maintaining the cell as high as 1.4 V with a later decrease to 0.6 V vs. RHE for 300 cycles, which showed the excellent durability of the Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst in comparison with the Pt/C catalyst. XPS analysis of the Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst presents the ORR active chemical states of N (pyridinic-N and graphitic-N) and F (semi-ionic-F) and the co-ordinated sites of Fe and Co species with the dopants. The excellent performance and durability of the Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst is due to the synergistic effect between the hetero atoms dopants (N and F) and strong co-ordinating bonds of M-N-C, which protect the graphene layers around the metallic species and greatly mitigates the leaching of Co and Fe during the long term cycling test. The high activity and long term durability of the Fe-Co/NF-GNF catalyst make it a promising ORR electrocatalyst for the fuel cell cathode reaction.

N-, P- and B-doped mesoporous carbons for direct dehydrogenation of propane

N-, P- and B-doped mesoporous carbons were used as metal-free catalysts in propane dehydrogenation, and their catalytic performances were influenced critically by the chemical structures and oxygen-containing groups in these carbons.

Rationale of the effects from dopants on C-H bond activation for sp(2) hybridized nanostructured carbon catalysts

Doping has become an effective way to tune the catalytic properties of nanostructured carbon catalysts. Taking C-H activation as an example, first-principles calculations propose that the relative energy level and the BEP rule might be applicable to explain the observed doping effects. Moreover, boron doping is proposed as an effective way to enhance the catalytic performance.

Increased active sites and their accessibility of a N-doped carbon nanotube carbocatalyst with remarkably enhanced catalytic performance in direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene

This work presents a facile, low-cost, but efficient strategy for synthesizing HN-CNTs with enlarged active sites and their accessibility to reactants for the direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene.