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The majority of industrial chemical processes—from production of organic and inorganic compounds to air and water treatment—rely on heterogeneous catalysts. The performance of these catalysts has improved over the past several decades; in parallel, many innovations have been presented in publications, demonstrating increasingly higher efficiency and selectivity. One common challenge to adopting novel materials in real-world applications is the need to develop robust and cost-effective synthetic procedures for their formation at scale. Herein, we focus on the scalable production of a promising new class of materials—raspberry-colloid-templated (RCT) catalysts—that have demonstrated exceptional thermal stability and high catalytic activity. The unique synthetic approach used for the fabrication of RCT catalysts enables great compositional flexibility, making these materials relevant to a wide range of applications. Through a series of studies, we identified stable formulations of RCT materials that can be utilized in the common industrial technique of spray drying. Using this approach, we demonstrate the production of highly porous Pt/Al2O3 microparticles with high catalytic activity toward complete oxidation of toluene as a model reaction.
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MXene‐Based Nanozymes: Current Challenges and Future Prospects
Abstract MXene‐based nanozymes (recently called MXenzymes) have emerged as promising candidates for environmental remediation, biomedical, (bio‐)catalytic, and sensing technologies due to their surface tunability, tailored electronic properties, remarkable electrical conductivity, and high surface area. These materials offer significant advantages over traditional enzymes, such as enhanced stability, tunable catalytic activity, and multifunctionality. However, despite the increasing number of studies in this field, critical challenges remain, including the long‐term stability, the lack of studies on structure–activity relationships to better understand the catalytic mechanisms, and the scalability required for real‐world applications. This mini‐review provides a comprehensive overview of the most recent advancements in MXenzymes, focusing on the type of MXenes used, the reported enzyme‐like activity, and the role of the photothermal effects in enhancing their catalytic performance. Moreover, key limitations, such as oxidation susceptibility, biocompatibility concerns, and the scarce in‐depth mechanistic studies, are critically examined. Last, the necessary steps to transition from proof‐of‐concept studies to real‐world applications are discussed. By addressing the listed fundamental challenges, MXenzymes could represent a valuable and effective alternative to natural enzymes used in catalysis, medicine, and environmental science.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2318105
- PAR ID:
- 10642331
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ChemCatChem
- Volume:
- 17
- Issue:
- 15
- ISSN:
- 1867-3880
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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