Potassium is used extensively as a promoter with iron catalysts in Fisher–Tropsch synthesis, water–gas shift reactions, steam reforming, and alcohol synthesis. In this paper, the identification of potassium chemical states on the surface of iron catalysts is studied to improve our understanding of the catalytic system. Herein, potassium-doped iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanomaterials are synthesized under variable calcination temperatures (400–800 °C) using an incipient wetness impregnation method. The synthesis also varies the content of potassium nitrate deposited on superfine iron oxide with a diameter of 3 nm (Nanocat®) to reach atomic ratios of 100 Fe:x K (x = 0–5). The structure, composition, and properties of the synthesized materials are investigated by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared, Raman spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as transmission electron microscopy, with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction. The hematite phase of iron oxide retains its structure up to 700 °C without forming any new mixed phase. For compositions as high as 100 Fe:5 K, potassium nitrate remains stable up to 400 °C, but at 500 °C, it starts to decompose into nitrites and, at only 800 °C, it completely decomposes to potassium oxide (K2O) and a mixed phase, K2Fe22O34. The doping of potassium nitrate on the surface of α-Fe2O3 provides a new material with potential applications in Fisher–Tropsch catalysis, photocatalysis, and photoelectrochemical processes.
more »
« less
Characterization and Evaluation of Natural Bearing and Iron-Enriched Montmorillonitic Clay as Catalysts for Wet Oxidation of Dye-Containing Wastewaters
Natural bearing (raw and calcined at 500 °C) and iron-enriched (impregnation and pillaring) montmorillonitic clay samples were prepared. The obtained samples were characterized (X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) and evaluated as catalysts in catalytic wet oxidation of Brilliant Green and Crystal Violet. Experiments were conducted in the same conditions (0.5 g catalysts, 300 mL air/min or 0.5 mL H2O2, 25 mL of dye solution, 25 °C, initial solution pH = 6.0, for 3 h) in thermostated batch reaction tubes. Process evolution was followed using UV-Vis spectrometry (200–1100 cm−1) and total organic carbon. Dye removal efficiencies (decolorization) between 98 and 99% were determined, while total organic carbon removal efficiencies were calculated to be in the 53–98% range. Iron leakage investigation showed that iron is lost in higher amounts for the catalysts prepared using the impregnation method by comparison with the pillared sample.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1827176
- PAR ID:
- 10380399
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Catalysts
- Volume:
- 12
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 2073-4344
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 652
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
null (Ed.)Carbon-based catalysts have been attracting extensive attention as viable candidates to replace platinum towards oxygen reduction reaction, a critical process at fuel cell cathode. An advancement has been the development of carbon-supported iron carbide (Fe3C/C) catalysts derived from the pyrolysis of metal organic frameworks (MOFs). In the present study, a series of Fe3C/C nanocomposites were prepared by controlled pyrolysis of FeMOF-NH2 with a systemic variation of the iron and zinc compositions in the MOF precursor. Scanning/transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements were carried out to examine the morphologies, structures, and elemental composition of the nanocomposites, while nitrogen adsorption/desorption and Raman studies were used to characterize the surface area and porosity. It was found that an optimal zinc to iron feeding ratio was required to produce a catalyst with a preferential pore size distribution. Electrochemical measurements revealed that the sample derived from 20% zinc replacement in the FeMOF-NH2 precursor exhibited the best electrocatalytic activity in alkaline media among the series, with the most positive onset potential and highest limiting current, which coincided with the highest surface area and porosity. The results suggest that deliberate structural engineering is critical in manipulating and optimizing the electrocatalytic activity of metal,nitrogen-codoped carbon nanocomposites.more » « less
-
Abstract Propylene epoxidation in the presence of oxygen and hydrogen were measured for a series of Au/TS‐1 catalysts prepared by a modified incipient wetness impregnation (mIWI) method. This method enables precise control of the Au : Ti ratio in the Au/TS‐1 catalysts. The optimized Au/TS‐1 catalyst exhibited 12 % propylene conversion, 87 % PO selectivity, and 25 % hydrogen efficiency. The particle size of gold nanoparticles prepared by the modified IWI was between 2 and 3 nm, as demonstrated by XRD patterns, STEM images, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the Au L3edge. XPS spectra showed that the surface species on the catalysts were similar. UV‐Vis spectra suggested that in the modified IWI method, the chlorine ligands in Au(Cl)4−were replaced by hydroxyl groups, which contributes to form small gold nanoparticles. Kinetic studies showed that the active sites of Au(mIWI)/TS‐1 are similar to the Au(DP)/TS‐1 prepared by deposition precipitation.more » « less
-
Abstract Single‐atom catalysts have demonstrated interesting activity in a variety of applications. In this study, we prepared single Co2+sites on graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4), which was doped with carbon for enhanced activity in visible‐light CO2reduction. The synthesized materials were characterized with a variety of techniques, including microscopy, X‐ray powder diffraction, UV‐vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. Doping C3N4with carbon was found to have profound effect on the photocatalytic activity of the single Co2+sites. At relatively low levels, carbon doping enhanced the photoresponse of C3N4in the visible region and improved charge separation upon photoactivation, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic activity. High levels of carbon doping were found to be detrimental to the photocatalytic activity of the single Co2+sites by altering the structure of C3N4and generating defect sites responsible for charge recombination.more » « less
-
Selective removal of oxygen from biomass-derived polyols is critical toward bridging the gap between biomass feedstocks and the production of commodity chemicals. In this work, we show that earth-abundant molybdenum oxide based heterogeneous catalysts are active, selective, and stable for the cleavage of vicinal C–O bonds in biomass-derived polyols. Catalyst characterization (Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS)) shows that partially reduced MoOx centers are responsible for C–O bond cleavage and are generated in situ by hydrogen dissociated atoms over palladium (Pd) nanoparticles. We find that the support, TiO2, facilitates communication between the hydrogen dissociating metal and dispersed MoOx sites through hydrogen spillover. Reactivity studies using a biomass-derived model substrate (1,4-anhydroerythritol) show the effective removal of vicinal hydroxyls over MoOx-Pd/TiO2 producing tetrahydrofuran with >98% selectivity at 29% conversion. Catalyst stability is demonstrated upon cycling. These studies are critical toward the development of low-cost heterogeneous catalysts for sustainable hydrodeoxygenation of biobased polyols to platform chemicals.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

