Preparation of Quasi-MIL-101(Cr) Loaded Ceria Catalysts for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx at Low Temperature

MOF-based catalysts: insights into the chemical transformation of greenhouse and toxic gases

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based catalysts are outstanding alternative materials for the chemical transformation of greenhouse and toxic gases into high-add-value products. MOF catalysts exhibit remarkable properties to host different active sites. The combination of catalytic properties of MOFs is mentioned in order to understand their application. Furthermore, the main catalytic reactions, which involve the chemical transformation of CH4, CO2, NOx, fluorinated gases, O3, CO, VOCs, and H2S, are highlighted. The main active centers and reaction conditions for these reactions are presented and discussed to understand the reaction mechanisms. Interestingly, implementing MOF materials as catalysts for toxic gas-phase reactions is a great opportunity to provide new alternatives to enhance the air quality of our planet.

Quasi-Cu-MOFs: highly improved water stability and electrocatalytic activity toward H2O2 reduction among pristine 3D MOFs

QHKUST-1 calcined at 250 °C for 1 h maintains the perfect octahedral morphology of HKUST-1 and exhibits superior moisture stability and enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared to the original water-sensitive HKUST-1.

Low-Dose Element-Doped CeCrM/TiO2 (M = La, Cu, Fe, LaCu, LaFe) Catalyst for Low-Temperature NH3-SCR Process: Synergistic Effect of LaCu/LaFe

A series of CeCrM/TiO₂ (M = La, Cu, Fe, LaCu, LaFe) catalysts were prepared via impregnation method and are employed as low-temperature NH₃-SCR catalysts. The present study investigates the low-dose element doping on the TiO₂-supported catalyst to improve the NH₃-SCR performance. And CeCrLaCu/TiO₂ exhibited the best catalytic performance (NO conversion approaching 100% at 260-420 °C). The characterization results show that the synergistic effect of LaCu and LaFe on the catalytic performance was more obvious than that of Cu, Fe, and La alone. The doping of LaCu/LaFe decreased the specific surface area of the catalyst but increased the dispersion, surface acidity, and reducibility of the catalyst. Moreover, LaCu/LaFe promoted the formation of valence state distribution and oxygen vacancy content on the surface of the catalyst. There were more Ce³⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Cu⁺, and oxygen adsorbed on the surface of the CeCrLaCu/TiO₂ catalyst. H₂-TPR analysis showed that the synergistic effect of LaCu was more likely to promote the reduction of Cr and Cu and increase the reduction degree of metal oxides. However, Fe is easier to coordinate with La, thus improving the redox performance of the catalyst. Compared with CeCrLaFe/TiO₂, the ammonia adsorption capacity of CeCrLaCu/TiO₂ is better. Therefore, the synergistic effect of LaCu can promote the reaction performance of NH₃-SCR better.

Quasi-HKUST Prepared via Postsynthetic Defect Engineering for Highly Improved Catalytic Conversion of 4-Nitrophenol

HKUST-1 [Cu₃(BTC)₂(H₂O)₃]_n·nH₂OMeOH was submitted to thermolysis under controlled conditions at temperatures between 100 and 300 °C. This treatment resulted in partial ligand decarboxylation, generating coordinatively unsaturated Cu²⁺ sites with extra porosity on the way to the transformation of the initial HKUST-1 framework to CuO. The obtained materials retaining in part the HKUST-1 original crystal structure (quasi-MOFs) were used to promote 4-nitrophenol conversion to 4-aminophenol. Because of the partial linker decomposition, the quasi-MOF treated at 240 °C contains coordinatively unsaturated Cu²⁺ ions distributed throughout the Q-HKUST lattice together with micro- and mesopores. These defects explain the excellent catalytic performance of QH-240 with an apparent rate constant of 1.02 × 10^-2 s^-1 in excess of NaBH₄ and an activity factor and half-life time of 51 s^-1g^-1 and 68 s, respectively, which is much better than that of the HKUST parent. Also, the induction period decreases from the order of minutes to seconds in the presence of the HKUST and QH-240 catalysts, respectively. Kinetic studies fit with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood theory in which both 4-nitrophenol and BH₄^- should be adsorbed onto the catalyst surface. The values of the true rate constant (k), the adsorption constants of 4-nitrophenol and BH₄^- (K_4-NP and K_BH4^-), as well as the activation energy are in agreement with a rate-determining step involving the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by the surface-bound hydrogen species.

Metal-Organic Framework-Based Hierarchically Porous Materials: Synthesis and Applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely recognized as one of the most fascinating classes of materials from science and engineering perspectives, benefiting from their high porosity and well-defined and tailored structures and components at the atomic level. Although their intrinsic micropores endow size-selective capability and high surface area, etc., the narrow pores limit their applications toward diffusion-control and large-size species involved processes. In recent years, the construction of hierarchically porous MOFs (HP-MOFs), MOF-based hierarchically porous composites, and MOF-based hierarchically porous derivatives has captured widespread interest to extend the applications of conventional MOF-based materials. In this Review, the recent advances in the design, synthesis, and functional applications of MOF-based hierarchically porous materials are summarized. Their structural characters toward various applications, including catalysis, gas storage and separation, air filtration, sewage treatment, sensing and energy storage, have been demonstrated with typical reports. The comparison of HP-MOFs with traditional porous materials (e.g., zeolite, porous silica, carbons, metal oxides, and polymers), subsisting challenges, as well as future directions in this research field, are also indicated.

Improvement of low-temperature NH3-SCR catalytic performance over nitrogen-doped MO x -Cr2O3-La2O3/TiO2-N (M = Cu, Fe, Ce) catalysts

A series of MO x -Cr2O3-La2O3/TiO2-N (M = Cu, Fe, Ce) catalysts with nitrogen doping were prepared via the impregnation method. Comparing the low-temperature NH3-SCR activity of the catalysts, CeCrLa/Ti-N (xCeO2-yCr2O3-zLa2O3/TiO2-N) exhibited the best catalytic performance (NO conversion approaching 100% at 220-460 °C). The physico-chemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, XPS, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and in situ DRIFTS. From the XRD and SEM results, N doping affects the crystalline growth of anatase TiO2 and MO x (M = Cu, Fe, Ce, Cr, La) which were well dispersed over the support. Moreover, the doping of N promotes the increase of the Cr6+/Cr ratio and Ce3+/Ce ratio, and the surface chemical adsorption oxygen content, which suggested the improvement of the redox properties of the catalyst. And the surface acid content of the catalyst increased with the doping of N, which is related to CeCrLa/TiO2-N having the best catalytic activity at high temperature. Therefore, the CeCrLa/TiO2-N catalyst exhibited the best NH3-SCR performance and the redox performance of the catalysts is the main factor affecting their activity. Furthermore, in situ DRIFTS analysis indicates that Lewis-acid sites are the main adsorption sites for ammonia onto CeCrLa/TiO2-N and the catalyst mainly follows the L-H mechanism.

Editorial: Special Issue on Photocatalytic Nanocomposite Materials (PNMs)

This Special Issue titled “Photocatalytic Nanocomposite Materials” (PNMs) is devoted to the research into new-generation PNMs, particularly for the processes of solar radiation energy conversion with its focus lying on the physicochemical principles of creating new materials with purposeful properties for their specific applications [...]