Surface polarization enhancement: high catalytic performance of Cu/CuOx/C nanocomposites derived from Cu-BTC for CO oxidation. Issue 21 (11th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Ruirui; Hu, Lin; Bao, Shouxin; Li, Ran; Gao, Lei; Li, Ren; Chen, Qianwang
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 4:Issue 21(2016)
• Page Start: 8412
• Page End: 8420
• Publication Date: 2016-05-11
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ta01199c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : Heterogeneous catalysts facilitate various chemical reactions through the changing of its surface charge density. Abstract : Heterogeneous catalysts facilitate various chemical reactions through the changing of its surface charge density. However, the easy agglomeration of nano-sized heterogeneous catalysts and either expensive techniques or a multistep method involved in the fabrication of such hybrid structures makes developing low-cost, agglomeration-free heterogeneous catalysts highly desirable. Copper and its oxides have long been studied as catalysts towards CO oxidation. Few reports have appeared concerning the catalytic activity of Cu/Cu2 O and Cu/CuO interface because the interfaces tend to form core–shell structures in oxygen atmospheres, making the interface buried inside the oxide layers. Herein, we designed Cu/Cu2 O nanojunctions wrapped and supported by porous carbon through the direct annealing of a Cu-based metal–organic framework (Cu-BTC) in N2, followed by testing its catalytic activity towards CO oxidation. In addition, CO oxidation reactions over Cu, Cu2 O, CuO and the interface of Cu/Cu2 O and Cu/CuO are studied via density functional theory (DFT) simulations. The catalyst shows a complete CO conversion temperature ( T 100 ) of 155 °C under both 1 vol% and 5 vol% CO. In addition, it maintains long-term durability even after 40 h under 1 vol% CO. Our DFT calculations demonstrate that the significant increase in electron density on the Cu/Cu2 O and Cu/CuO interface plays a pivotal role in the enhancement of CO oxidation. Moreover, this study provides a new strategy for synthesizing carbon supported metal/metal oxide hybrid catalysts.