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At least 1,189 records · Page 66

Metaloxide--ZrO2 catalysts for the esterification and transesterification of free fatty acids and triglycerides to obtain bio-diesel

Mixed metal oxide catalysts (ZnO, CeO, La2O3, NiO, Al203, SiO2, TiO2, Nd2O3, Yb2O3, or any combination of these) supported on zirconia (ZrO2) or hydrous zirconia are provided. These mixed metal oxide catalysts can be prepared via coprecipitation, impregnation, or sol-gel methods from metal salt precursors with/without a Zirconium salt precursor. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalyzes both esterification and transesterification of oil containing free fatty acids in one batch or in single stage. In particular, these mixed metal oxides supported or added on zirconium oxide exhibit good activity and selectivity for esterification and transesterification. The low acid strength of this catalyst can avoid undesirable side reaction such as alcohol dehydration or cracking of fatty acids. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalysts are not sensitive to any water generated from esterification. Thus, esterification does not require a water free condition or the presence of excess methanol to occur when using the mixed metal oxide catalyst. The FAME yield obtained with metal oxides/ZrO2 is higher than that obtained with homogeneous sulfuric acid catalyst. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalasts can be prepared as strong pellets and in various shapes for use directly in a flow reactor. Furthermore, the pellet has a strong resistance toward dissolution to aqueous or oil phases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Catalyst mixtures

Catalysts that include at least one catalytically active element and one helper catalyst can be used to increase the rate or lower the overpotential of chemical reactions. The helper catalyst can simultaneously act as a director molecule, suppressing undesired reactions and thus increasing selectivity toward the desired reaction. These catalysts can be useful for a variety of chemical reactions including, in particular, the electrochemical conversion of CO.sub.2 or formic acid. The catalysts can also suppress H.sub.2 evolution, permitting electrochemical cell operation at potentials below RHE. Chemical processes and devices using the catalysts are also disclosed, including processes to produce CO, OH.sup.-, HCO.sup.-, H.sub.2CO, (HCO.sub.2).sup.-, H.sub.2CO.sub.2, CH.sub.3OH, CH.sub.4, C.sub.2H.sub.4, CH.sub.3CH.sub.2OH, CH.sub.3COO.sup.-, CH.sub.3COOH, C.sub.2H.sub.6, O.sub.2, H.sub.2, (COOH).sub.2, or (COO.sup.-).sub.2, and a specific device, namely, a CO.sub.2 sensor.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Method and composition for reducing nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine in water using a homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex

A method for reducing nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine in water using a homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex. The method includes dissolving a copper(II) tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand pre-catalyst complex in water having an excess amount of nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine therein. The dissolved copper(II) tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand pre-catalyst complex in the water is subjected to electrochemical reduction to form a homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex. The homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex reduces the nitrates, nitrites, and/or hydroxylamine in the water to compounds with nitrogen in a lower oxidation state with the homogeneous reduced copper tetra-substituted fluorinated pinacolate ligand catalyst complex.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Feedstock and Catalyst Impact on Bio-Oil Production and FCC Co-Processing to Fuels

NREL’s thermochemical biomass conversion research is focused on ex-situ upgrading of biomass fast-pyrolysis (FP) vapors as an efficient and economical route to completely biogenic pyrolysis-based fuel precursors, potential fuels, and value-added chemicals depending on catalyst choice and process conditions. In this approach, biomass vapors are generated via fast pyrolysis with destabilizing vapor components (char, inorganics, tar aerosols) removed by hot gas filtration to produce conditioned vapors more responsive to catalytic upgrading. A Davison Circulating Riser (DCR), a petroleum industry standard for fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst evaluation, was coupled with a custom pyrolyzer system designed to produce consistent composition pyrolysis vapors as feed to the DCR. The coupled system is shown below (Figure 1). Pyrolysis vapors, derived from pure hardwood and softwood, were upgraded using commercially available and laboratory modified zeolite-based catalysts. Upgraded oils were analyzed via 31P and 13C NMR spectroscopy, GCxGC-TOF/MS, carbonyl and ultimate analysis (CHNO), and micro distillation to assess both oil chemistry and distillation behavior as they relate to catalyst and feedstock type for producing fungible hydrocarbon product liquids. Measured process parameters identified from technoeconomic process analysis included achieving oil oxygenate contents of 20% or less, carbon-conversion efficiencies of 30% or more, and catalyst coking rates of 10% or less. A proprietary modified zeolite catalyst from Johnson Matthey produced oils that met these requirements. Using the DCR equipped with a proprietary nozzle system, a second approach focused on reducing the carbon intensity of petroleum-derived hydrocarbon fuels by FCC co-processing these CFP oils with petroleum vacuum gas oil (VGO) to produce biogenic carbon containing fuels. The vapor-phase upgrading results demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of producing refinery-compatible hydrocarbon fuel intermediates entirely from biomass-derived fast-pyrolysis vapors using an industry-accepted DCR system for catalytic upgrading. The co-processing results demonstrated the feasibility of using CFP oils with VGO feeds in FCC refinery operations to produce biogenic carbon containing fuels.

bio-oil↗

Metal alloy/oxide composite catalyst for ammonia decomposition

The present invention discloses a series of ammonia decomposition catalysts, the method of making such catalysts and the use of such catalysts. The said catalysts are made of composite metal or metal alloys supported on composite oxides or nitrides as the catalyst supports. The catalysts are useful in ammonia decomposition at various temperatures and pressures, including temperatures below 500° C. and pressures up to 30 atm.

Wu, Gang↗

Dilute alloy catalysts for electrochemical CO 2 reduction

A product includes a dilute alloy catalyst for carbon dioxide reduction. The catalyst has a majority component and at least one minority component. The majority component is present in a concentration of greater than 90 atomic percent of the catalyst. The majority component is copper, and each minority component is selected from the group consisting of: a transition metal, a main group metal, a lanthanide, and a semimetal. A method includes forming a product on a cathode. The product includes a dilute alloy catalyst for carbon dioxide reduction. The catalyst has a majority component and at least one minority component. The majority component is present in a concentration of greater than 90 atomic percent of the catalyst. The majority component is copper, and each minority component is selected from the group consisting of: a transition metal, a main group metal, a lanthanide, and a semimetal.

Biener, Juergen↗

Fabrication and Characterization of Iron-Based Catalysts for the Dehydrogenation of Fossil Fuels

For a prosperous and sustainable future, hydrogen is an encouraging solution due to its simple transition for industrial decarbonization and synergy for economic development. Paradoxically, current hydrogen production pathways release substantial amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere contributing to climate change. To keep up with increasing demand, hydrogen could be produced through microwave-assisted thermocatalytic dehydrogenation of fossil fuels without emitting carbon dioxide. This requires specified catalysts to meet the requirements of hydrogen yield and selectivity. The objective of the present research is to fabricate, characterize, and compare iron-based alumina (FeAlxOy) catalysts produced via solution combustion synthesis and iron-based catalysts on silicon carbide support (Fe/SiC) produced via incipient wetness impregnation. Heat mode, fuel type, and oxidizer mole ratio were varied for FeAlxOy catalysts, and metal loading was varied for Fe/SiC catalysts. Each resultant product was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction particle size analysis, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Characterization suggests that fabrication of iron-based alumina nanocomposites through solution combustion synthesis in a muffle furnace using citric acid as the fuel yields the most promising catalyst.

Reyes, Victoria Isabel↗

Hydrogen Recombiner Catalyst Evaluations for Waste Storage

Radiolysis of water in nuclear waste storage generates hydrogen gas that can accumulate within sludge style waste and be rapidly released during agitation events, creating a significant flammability hazard. Engineering controls are therefore required to limit hydrogen concentrations during both quiescent storage and transient disturbances. Catalytic recombination of hydrogen in waste storage offgas is a proven mitigation strategy, maintaining hydrogen levels below flammability limits and managing sudden concentration spikes. Conventional recombiners rely on platinum and/or palladium catalysts, with development efforts focused on extending service life, increasing active surface area, and ensuring safe deployment in radioactive environments. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is evaluating a newly developed hydrogen recombiner catalyst from Canadian Nuclear Laboratories as a cost-effective and durable alternative for nuclear waste applications. Testing was conducted in SRNL’s Shielded Cells facility, which enables reduced-scale experimental modeling under radiation fields and near-use-case conditions relevant to radioactive waste storage. Catalyst performance was evaluated using a custom offgas characterization system designed for near-zero flow conditions. The experimental apparatus consisted of a gas-tight 2.7 L PTFE vessel equipped with temperature monitoring, gas flow controls, and a variable-speed mixer to simulate sludge agitation. Offgas composition was monitored using a dedicated gas chromatograph with argon carrier gas and a krypton internal standard. Measurements were obtained for an empty vessel, the vessel containing a well characterized radioactive tank waste sample, and the same configuration with the candidate catalyst installed. Results demonstrate that the new catalyst effectively reduced hydrogen concentrations in the offgas within the constraints of the experimental design. In addition to confirming catalytic activity, the testing provided valuable insights into experimental optimization and considerations for future performance evaluations. These findings support the potential scalability of the technology and highlight its applicability to broader nuclear waste management operations, offering improved safety and reduced operational costs through enhanced catalyst durability and lower replacement frequency.

Tener, Zachary P. [Savannah River National Laborat↗

Reconstructing Oxygen-Deficient Zirconia with Ruthenium Catalyst on Atomic-Scale Interfaces toward Hydrogen Production

Downsizing a catalyst nanoparticle (NP) to a single atom (SA) has proven to be highly effective in increasing catalytic activity and decreasing the amount of catalyst required for various electrochemical reactions. However, insufficient stability of the single-atom site catalysts (SACs) is still a significant challenge for their practical application. Here, SACs firmly bound to stable metal oxide NPs are proposed to dramatically increase the electrochemical activity and stability of SA-based catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Starting from a Ru-infiltrated, Zr-based metal-organic framework (MOF), the tetragonal zirconium oxide (ZrO 2-x ) NPs-embedded carbon matrix is fabricated as support through facile pyrolysis. Simultaneously, Ru SAs as active sites are well dispersed on the surface of ZrO 2-x NPs due to the generation of oxygen vacancies in the tetragonal ZrO 2-x . Finally, the Ru-ZrO 2-x SAC exhibits a 4–5 times higher mass activity than commercial Pt and Ru catalysts and superior durability due to strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between Ru atoms and ZrO 2-x substrate.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Iron Single Atoms on Graphene as Nonprecious Metal Catalysts for High‐Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract Iron single atom catalysts (Fe SACs) are the best‐known nonprecious metal (NPM) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), but their practical application has been constrained by the low Fe SACs loading (<2 wt%). Here, a one‐pot pyrolysis method is reported for the synthesis of iron single atoms on graphene (FeSA‐G) with a high Fe SAC loading of ≈7.7 ± 1.3 wt%. The as‐synthesized FeSA‐G shows an onset potential of 0.950 V and a half‐wave potential of 0.804 V in acid electrolyte for the ORR, similar to that of Pt/C catalysts but with a much higher stability and higher phosphate anion tolerance. High temperature SiO 2 nanoparticle‐doped phosphoric acid/polybenzimidazole (PA/PBI/SiO 2 ) composite membrane cells utilizing a FeSA‐G cathode with Fe SAC loading of 0.3 mg cm −2 delivers a peak power density of 325 mW cm −2 at 230 °C, better than 313 mW cm −2 obtained on the cell with a Pt/C cathode at a Pt loading of 1 mg cm −2 . The cell with FeSA‐G cathode exhibits superior stability at 230 °C, as compared to that with Pt/C cathode. Our results provide a new approach to developing practical NPM catalysts to replace Pt‐based catalysts for fuel cells.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Effect of Antagonistic Binder–Catalyst Interactions on Catalytic Activity in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are a promising next-generation energy storage solution, as they can reduce reliance on critical transition metals while offering high energy densities. However, their deployment is hindered by low sulfur utilization and the formation/diffusion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). While transition-metal catalysts and polymeric binders have been independently developed to enhance redox kinetics and LiPS adsorption, their mutual compatibility has remained largely unexplored. We show here that binder-catalyst interactions can significantly impact catalytic performance. Employing TiO 2 as a generic catalyst, the electrochemical performance is shown to depend strongly on the binder environment. TiO 2 paired with lithiated polyacrylic acid (LiPAA) shows benign interactions, resulting in enhanced cycle life. In contrast, pairing TiO 2 with protonated PAA produces antagonistic interactions that hinder Li 2 S growth. A mechanistic analysis unveils that the carboxylic H atom in PAA promotes COO − coordination to Ti sites, occupying catalytic centers and suppressing LiPS adsorption, increasing charge transfer and diffusion resistances. This phenomenon is observed across multiple catalysts, indicating that COOH-functionalized binders may broadly hinder catalytic activity. Overall, this study underscores the need for holistic cathode design and identifies binder-catalyst compatibility as an important parameter for high-performance Li-S batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Enhancing NO Reduction by CO Over NiO/CeO 2 Catalyst by Optimizing the Metal Oxide–Support Interaction

Noble metal catalysts are widely used in three-way catalysts (TWCs) due to their high efficiency, but their scarcity and high cost drive the need for effective, low-cost alternatives. Here, in this work, a series of NiO/CeO 2 catalysts were engineered by modulating the OH content and crystallite size of the CeO 2 support. This approach yielded Ni species ranging from isolated single atoms to small clusters and larger aggregates, with varied NiO/CeO 2 interaction strengths. Evaluation of their performance in NO reduction by CO, CO oxidation, and the water–gas shift reaction revealed that the NiO/CeO 2 -300 catalyst, featuring small CeO 2 crystallites and highly dispersed NiO clusters, delivered superior activity for NO reduction and CO oxidation. It was demonstrated that small NiO clusters, due to their efficient CO adsorption and activation, were more active than Ni single atoms. Furthermore, the presence of water was found to influence the catalyst stability, with NiO clusters less stable than single atoms likely due to the hydroxylation effect leading to the formation of Ni(OH) 2 . Oxygen storage capacity measurements revealed that performance was governed by a combination of CeO 2 crystallite size and the abundance of NiO/CeO 2 interfaces. These findings demonstrated that the catalytic performance of Ni/CeO 2 systems could be maximized by optimizing the Ni nanostructure and its interaction with CeO 2 support, positioning them as a promising, multifunctional nonprecious alternative for three-way catalysis application.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Genesis of Active Pt/CeO 2 Catalyst for Dry Reforming of Methane by Reduction and Aggregation of Isolated Platinum Atoms into Clusters

Atomically dispersed metal catalysts offer the advantages of efficient metal utilization and high selectivities for reactions of technological importance. Such catalysts have been suggested to be strong candidates for dry reforming of methane (DRM), offering prospects of high selectivity for synthesis gas without coke formation, which requires ensembles of metal sites and is a challenge to overcome in DRM catalysis. However, investigations of the structures of isolated metal sites on metal oxide supports under DRM conditions are lacking, and the catalytically active sites remain undetermined. Data characterizing the DRM reaction-driven structural evolution of a cerium oxide- supported catalyst, initially incorporating atomically dispersed platinum, and the corresponding changes in catalyst performance are reported. X-ray absorption and infrared spectra show that the reduction and agglomeration of isolated cationic platinum atoms to form small platinum clusters/nanoparticles are necessary for DRM activity. Density functional theory calculations of the energy barriers for methane dissociation on atomically dispersed platinum and on platinum clusters support these observations. Here the results emphasize the need for in-operando experiments to assess the active sites in such catalysts. The inferences about the catalytically active species are suggested to pertain to a broad class of catalytic conversions involving the rate-limiting dissociation of light alkanes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Layer structured bifunctional monolith catalysts for energy-efficient conversion of CO 2 to dimethyl ether

A monolith supported bifunctional catalyst for the direct conversion of CO 2 to dimethyl ether was developed and evaluated. The catalyst consists of a layer structured configuration, in which a CuO/ZnO/ZrO 2 component for methanol synthesis using CO 2 as feedstock and a Ferrierite zeolite component for the subsequent dehydration reaction are washcoated onto the channel surfaces of a metallic monolith substrate as two consecutive layers. The metal substrate provides heat conduction to regulate the catalyst bed temperature. The layered configuration significantly improves the synergistic effects of the two components, resulting in a 20% increase in the productivity for dimethyl ether at 240 °C as compared with the conventional catalysts with the two components being blended in various levels of proximity. Furthermore, the layer structured design minimizes the undesirable interaction between the two components and drastically improves the on-stream durability of the catalyst. No activity decline was observed in a 146-h performance test.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Ceria-based nanoflake arrays integrated on 3D cordierite honeycombs for efficient low-temperature diesel oxidation catalyst

A new, surfactant-free hydrothermal method has been developed for the growth of CeO 2 -based nanoflake arrays onto three-dimensional-channeled cordierite honeycomb substrates. Herein, a leaching-crystallization mechanism was proposed where the hydrothermal reaction, only involving cerium nitrate and water, leached the cordierite surface slightly and induced the formation of CeO 2 nanoparticles subsequently. Further continued reaction reincorporated Al and Si atoms leached from cordierite into CeO 2 , finally recrystallizing Ce-Al-Si composite nanoflake structures. Here, by using atomic layer deposition process, well-dispersed, size-controlled Pt nanoparticles were uniformly decorated on the CeO 2 -based nanoflakes to form the Pt/ CeO 2 nano-array-based monolithic catalyst. Despite 5-50 times reduction in the active material usage compared with the traditional wash-coated catalyst, the Pt/CeO 2 nano-array monolithic catalyst exhibited good catalytic oxidation activities over various individual gases, such as propylene, propane, CO, and NO oxidation, with 90% conversion efficiencies at temperatures below 200 °C. Under the simulated exhaust condition of low-temperature diesel combustion (LTC-D) developed by US DRIVE, the monolithic catalyst with low Pt loading (˜1 g/l) exhibits 90% conversion of catalytic oxidation over CO and hydrocarbonsat temperatures as low as ˜180 °C, much superior to the performance of traditional washcoated catalysts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Propane Dehydrogenation on Single-Site [PtZn4] Intermetallic Catalysts

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is a commercial propylene production technology that has received much attention, but high reaction temperature results in decrease of propylene selectivity and catalyst stability. This paper describes a single-site [PtZn 4 ] catalyst by assembling atomically ordered intermetallic alloy (IMA) as a selective and ultrastable PDH catalyst. The catalyst enables more than 95% propylene selectivity from 520 to 620 oC. No obvious deactivation is observed within 160-hours test, superior to PtSn/Al 2 O 3 and state-of-the-art Pt-based catalysts. Additionally, based on in situ X-ray absorption fine-structure, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations, we reveal that the surface [PtZn 4 ] ensembles in PtZn IMAs serve as the key active site structures, wherein the geometry-isolated and electron-rich Pt1 site in [PtZn 4 ] ensembles readily promotes the first and second C–H cleavage of propane, but inhibits further dehydrogenation of surface-bounded propylene. This significantly improves the selectivity and stability by prohibiting coke side reactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Quantitative Cu Counting Methodologies for Cu/SSZ-13 Selective Catalytic Reduction Catalysts by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Here, two Cu/SSZ-13 selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts with distinct Si/Al ratios and isolated Z2Cu and ZCuOH distributions are prepared for in situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies. These in situ studies include dehydration, titration of dehydrated samples with NO+O 2 and NH 3 , titration of NH 3 saturated samples with NO+O 2 , and finally steady-state standard NH 3 -SCR reaction. During dehydration, EPR active hydrated ZCuOH loses H 2 O ligands and becomes EPR silent due to a pseudo Jahn-Teller effect; a portion of ZCuOH also undergoes autoreduction to ZCu(I) species, a process that also induces EPR invisibility. During NO+O 2 treatment of dehydrated samples, ZCu(I) species are oxidized to Cu(II)-NO 3 - species, regaining EPR visibility. During NH3 titration, EPR silent dehydrated ZCuOH can also regain EPR visibility by coordinating with NH 3 ligands. During NO+O 2 titration of NH 3 -saturated samples, EPR active Cu contents first decrease due to Cu(II) reduction to Cu(I), and then increase due to Cu(II)-NO 3 - species formation. However, the Cu(II)-NO 3 - formation chemistry is substantially slower for the Si/Al = 36 catalyst. In steady-state SCR studies, the EPR active content decreases with increasing temperature in the kinetically controlled low-temperature regime and becomes largely invariant in mass-transfer limited regime. Importantly, Cu sites in the SCR more active Si/Al = 6 catalyst display substantially higher EPR visibility than the SCR less active Si/Al = 36 catalyst at any reaction temperatures tested. The higher Cu loading for the former catalyst is believed to be key for this difference.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Enhancing Cooperativity in Bifunctional Acid–Pd Catalysts with Carboxylic Acid-Functionalized Organic Monolayers

Here, cooperative catalysts containing a combination of noble metal hydrogenation sites and Bronsted acid sites are critical for many reactions, including the deoxygenation (DO) of biomass-derived oxygenates in the upgrading of pyrolysis oil. One route toward the design of cooperative catalysts is to tether two different catalytically active functions so that they are in close proximity while avoiding undesirable interactions that can block active sites. Here, we deposited carboxylic acid (CA)-functionalized organophosphonate monolayers onto Al 2 O 3 -supported Pd nanoparticle catalysts to prepare bifunctional catalysts containing both Bronsted acid and metal sites. Modification with phosphonic acids (PAs) improved activity and selectivity for gas-phase DO reactions, but the degree of improvement was highly sensitive to both the presence and positioning of the CA group, suggesting a significant contribution from both the PA and CA sites. Short spacer lengths of 1-2 methylene groups between the phosphonate head and CA tail were found to yield the best DO rates and selectivities, whereas longer chains performed similarly to self-assembled monolayers having alkyl tails. Results from a combination of density functional theory and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy suggested that the enhanced catalyst performance on the optimally positioned CAs was due to the generation of strong acid sites on the Al 2 O 3 support adjacent to the metal. Furthermore, the high activity of these sites was found to result from a hydrogen-bonded cyclic structure involving cooperativity between the phosphonate head group and CA tail function. More broadly, these results indicate that functional groups tethered to supports via organic ligands can influence catalytic chemistry on metal nanoparticles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗