Uncovering catalytic activity of Cu species on boron/nitrogen co–doped carbon nanotubes for efficient hydrogenation of nitroaromatics: beyond the size of metal active center

Jie Zhang, Xiaoxin Zhang, Hui Sun, Lei Shi, Juntao Wei, Deliang Xu, Shu Zhang, Jinqiang Zhang, Shaobin Wang, Hongqi Sun

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Promising catalysts with high efficiency, easy preparation, and good stability have huge potentials in hydrogenation reactions. In this work, earth–abundant Cu anchored on boron and nitrogen co–doped carbon catalysts (Cu@BNC) were constructed via a simple one–pot calcination approach. The size of resulting Cu species ranging from single atoms, clusters to nanoparticles can be easily controlled through varying the calcination temperature. As–synthesized Cu@BNC catalysts possessed several merits, e.g., preferable nanotubular morphology with large specific area, highly dispersed Cu active sites, and tunable interfacial properties. Taking hydrogenation reduction of nitroaromatics as paradigm, the catalytic performance of Cu@BNC catalysts was dependent not only on the size of Cu species, but also on BNC support effect like suitable surface charge, as well as critical Cuδ+–Nx structures at the metal–support interface. In this regard, the constructed Cu@BNC–900 catalyst with both Cu single atoms and a small amount of clusters exhibited an exceptional rate constant of 0.378 min−1 with the turnover frequency of 0.80 min−1 (even superior to its counterpart containing most single atoms) in 4–nitrophenol reduction, and an excellent recyclability and stability. This work sheds light for rational design of efficient catalysts with application–oriented active sites/species.

Original languageEnglish
Article number112112
JournalComposites Part B: Engineering
Volume293
Early online date9 Jan 2025
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 9 Jan 2025

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