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26 records · Page 2

Ru Single Atoms on One-Dimensional CF@g-C 3 N 4 Hierarchy as Highly Stable Catalysts for Aqueous Levulinic Acid Hydrogenation

Herein, we report a stable catalyst with Ru single atoms anchored on a one-dimensional carbon fiber@graphitic carbon nitride hierarchy, by assembling wet wipes composed of fiber-derived carbon fiber (CF), melamine-derived graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and RuCl3 before NaBH4 reduction. The atomically dispersed Ru species (3.0 wt%) are tightly attached via N-coordination provided by exterior g-C3N4 nanosheets, and further stabilized by the interior mesoporous CF. The obtained CF@g-C3N4–Ru SAs catalyst can be cycled six times without notable leaching of Ru or loss of GVL yield in the acidic media. This catalyst is more stable than Ru nanoparticles supported on CF@g-C3N4, as well as Ru single atoms anchored on CF and g-C3N4, and proves to be one of the most efficient metal catalysts for aqueous LA hydrogenation to γ-valerolactone (GVL). The isolated Ru atoms by strong N-coordination, and their enhanced electron/mass transfer afforded by the one-dimensional hierarchy, can be responsible for the excellent durability of CF@g-C3N4–Ru SAs under harsh reaction conditions.

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Understanding the Origin of Negative Temperature Dependence and Activity of N-Coordinated Cobalt Sites During Ethylene Dimerization

The on-demand production of short-chain linear alpha olefins (LAOs; C4-C8) via C2H4 dimerization and oligomerization is industrially attractive, prompting extensive research on designing active, selective, and stable catalysts for industrial use. Cobalt supported on ammoniated carbon (Co(NH3)x/C) catalysts have shown remarkable activity and selectivity in this process. However, critical aspects such as the active phase, active site structure, the role of the catalyst support, cobalt loading effects, and the inverse correlation of the reaction rate with temperature remain inadequately understood. This study systematically explores these factors using a combination of steady-state differential catalytic tests, in situ molecular characterization including diffuse reflectance UV-Vis (DR-UV-Vis), Infrared, and Raman spectroscopies, and ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high annular aberration-corrected dark field transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). Various supports (SiO2, Al2O3, NH4-ZSM-5, g-C3N4, and C) and cobalt loadings (1.0-3.0 Co nm-2) were studied to determine the optimal catalyst composition and identify the active phase and sites. Carbon-supported catalysts uniquely produce C4-8 LAOs during C2H4 dimerization, with site-time-yield remaining constant (~10-3 s-1) for 1.0-4.0 Co nm-2 at prolonged reaction times (24-48?h time-on-stream). At higher loadings of 6.0 Co nm-2, the formation of crystalline CoO and Co3O4 phases reduces catalytic activity and LAO selectivity. Our findings show that active catalysts lack crystalline cobalt oxides and instead feature dispersed Co2+ sites, tetra-coordinated to a mix of N/NH3 and O/H2O ligands, which catalyze C2H4 dimerization via the Cossee-Arlman mechanism, exhibiting 1st order dependence on C2H4 concentration. The observed inverse rate-temperature correlation is attributed to compensation effects (i.e., presence of Cremer-Constable relationship) linked to changes in adsorption enthalpic and entropic factors.

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The presence of Ru metal modifies the behavior of deuterium bound to pyridinic nitrogen in doped graphene-like materials

We used a combination of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and density functional theory (DFT) to investigate how the presence of a ruthenium (Ru) metal substrate modifies the N-D bond strength of the pyridinic nitrogen species in nitrogen (N)-doped graphene (Gr) on Ru(0001) compared to metal-free highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate. The N-dopants were introduced through low-energy N+/N2+ irradiation. N is embedded in the carbon materials in two predominant configurations: as graphitic N (GN: N substituted in the hexagonal C lattice) and pyridinic N (PN: substitutional N adjacent to a C vacancy). XPS data showed that upon atomic deuterium (D) exposure at 220 K, the PN peak shifted to a higher binding energy by +1.2 eV for HOPG and +1.0 eV for N-doped graphene on Ru(0001), while the GN peak remained unchanged, indicating that the D atoms bound solely to pyridinic N. 85% of PN sites on HOPG can be saturated with D atoms, whereas only ~30% of pyridinic N sites are able to bind D atoms in N-doped Gr/Ru(0001). Our DFT analysis shows that this difference is due to the coordination of PN to Ru atoms, which necessitates bond cleavage of the N-Ru interaction prior to D atom adsorption. D begins desorbing from N-HOPG at ~573 K and is fully desorbed by ~973 K, whereas desorption from N-doped graphene on Ru(0001) begins at ~290 K, with complete desorption observed at ~700 K, indicating that the Ru metal weakens the N-D bond strength. We also studied a high-surface-area, layered, and porous N-doped carbon material, internally labeled NC900, which was synthesized by pyrolysis of glucose and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) at 1173 K. D exposure caused a +1.1 eV PN peak shift in NC900, with no change in the GN peak. Moreover, the NC900 exhibited the same desorption behavior as HOPG, demonstrating that well-defined model systems can effectively capture the behavior of more complex N-doped carbon materials.

Alupothe Gedara, Buddhika S.↗

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Quantum Dots (g‐C 3 N 4 QDs): From Chemistry to Applications

Since their emergence in 2014, graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (g-C 3 N 4 QDs) have attracted much interest from the scientific community due to their distinctive physicochemical features, including structural, morphological, electrochemical, and optoelectronic properties. Owing to their desirable characteristics, such as non-zero band gap, ability to be chemically functionalized or doped, possessing tunable properties, outstanding dispersibility in different media, and biocompatibility, g-C 3 N 4 QDs have shown promise for photocatalysis, energy devices, sensing, bioimaging, solar cells, optoelectronics, among other applications. As these fields are rapidly evolving, it is very strenuous to pinpoint the emerging challenges of the g-C 3 N 4 QDs development and application during the last decade, mainly due to the lack of critical reviews of the innovations in the g-C 3 N 4 QDs synthesis pathways and domains of application. Herein, an extensive survey is conducted on the g-C 3 N 4 QDs synthesis, characterization, and applications. Scenarios for the future development of g-C 3 N 4 QDs and their potential applications are highlighted and discussed in detail. In conclusion, the provided critical section suggests a myriad of opportunities for g-C 3 N 4 QDs, especially for their synthesis and functionalization, where a combination of eco-friendly/single step synthesis and chemical modification may be used to prepare g-C 3 N 4 QDs with, for example, enhanced photoluminescence and production yields.

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