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A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 30461

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Dr. Oh Wen Da

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Guest Editor

School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
Interests: environmental catalysis; waste-to-resources; advanced oxidation processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yueping Bao

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Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
Interests: advanced oxidation processes; water treatment; environmental catalysis; green catalysts
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Dr. Chong Wang

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Guest Editor

College of Resource and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
Interests: advanced oxidation processes; electrochemical oxidation; electro-Fenton process; water treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Catalysts is launching a new Special Issue entitled “Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis”. Over the past few decades, advanced functional materials, including metal, metallic oxides, conducting polymers, and carbon nanomaterials, have aroused tremendous interest in energy conversion and storage, environmental remediation, and catalytic fields because of their striking properties. Though the use of various functional materials in energy and environmental fields has been reported, there are still many challenges that need to be taken into account to develop advanced functional materials with high sensitivity, efficiency, and selectivity. The key consideration when designing an efficient functional material is sustainability.

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to submit your manuscript to the Special Issue “Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis” to share research on fundamental and application of environmental catalysis related to the innovative methodologies, characterization, and mechanism studies. The topics covered in this Special Issue include (but are not limited to):

Advanced oxidation processes, (e.g., photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, electro-Fenton and Persulfate/peroxymonosulfate oxidation);
Catalytic elimination of environmental pollutants;
Advanced water and wastewater treatment processes;
Nanotechnology;
Batteries and supercapacitors;
Hydrogen generation and storage;
Catalysis for recycling/reuse (e.g., microbial fuel cell techniques).

We welcome authors to submit original contributions in the form of research articles, perspective articles, review articles, and short communications to our Special Issue.

Dr. Wen Da Oh
Dr. Yueping Bao
Dr. Chong Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Advanced oxidation processes (e.g., photocatalysis, electrocatalysis , electro-Fenton and persul-fate/peroxymonosulfate oxidation)
Environmental catalysis
Catalytic elimination of environmental pollutants
Batteries and supercapacitors
Hydrogen generation and storage
Catalysis for recycle/reuse (e.g., microbial fuel cell techniques).

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3110 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nickel Catalysts on Carbon-Mineral Sapropel-Based Supports for Liquid-Phase Hydrogenation of Nitrobenzene

by Elena N. Terekhova, Olga B. Belskaya, Rinat R. Izmaylov, Mikhail V. Trenikhin and Vladimir A. Likholobov

Catalysts 2023, 13(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13010082 - 31 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1633

Abstract

Nickel catalysts with carbon-mineral supports derived from sapropel were synthesized; the effect exerted by the nature of the support (type of the initial sapropel) and active component precursor on the activity of the catalysts in the model reaction of liquid-phase nitrobenzene hydrogenation was studied. The catalysts, synthesized using the support with a smaller fraction of carbon, were more active irrespective of the precursor nature. The highest activity was observed for the catalysts synthesized from nickel nitrate and formate; nitrobenzene conversion was 65% and 51%, respectively, after 1 h of reaction. The catalysts retained high activity after six reaction cycles at 100% aniline selectivity. The presence of sulfur in the nickel precursor deteriorated the catalytic activity (convection less than 3%) due to formation of the sulfide phase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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9 pages, 3238 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Valorization of Recycled Honeycombs from Exhausted TWCs by Means of Their Use as a Support of MnO_x Catalysts for Acetone Combustion

by Carolina De los Santos, José Manuel Gatica, Jorge Castiglioni and Hilario Vidal

Catalysts 2022, 12(12), 1514; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12121514 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1245

Abstract

Exhausted TWCs subjected to chemical/thermal treatments were used as a support of MnO_x catalysts for the total combustion of acetone. The so-prepared new devices were characterized by using adherence tests, elemental and thermal analyses, XRD, N₂ physisorption, and SEM-EDS. Incorporation of only 2.6 wt.% of the active phase (Mn₂O₃ and Mn₃O₄) to the recycled honeycomb considerably improved the catalytic response, achieving at 250 °C a 60% increase in acetone conversion with respect to the spent autocatalyst. The following procedure is proposed as a simple way to provide the TWC devoid of noble metals a second life in the VOCs’ oxidation field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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16 pages, 3167 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Treatment of Phenol-Containing Coal Chemical Biochemical Tailwater by Catalytic Ozonation Using Mn-Ce/γ-Al₂O₃

by Jun Zhou, Yongjun Sun, Wenquan Sun and Fei Hong

Catalysts 2022, 12(9), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12091019 - 8 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1665

Abstract

In this study, a Mn-Ce/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst with multiple active components was prepared through the doping–calcination method for advanced treatment of coal chemical biochemical treatment effluent and characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and BET analysis. In addition, preparation and catalytic ozonation conditions were optimized, and the mechanism of catalytic ozonation was discussed. The Mn-Ce/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst significantly enhanced COD and total phenol removal in reaction with ozone. The characterization results suggested that the pore structure of the optimized Mn-Ce/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst was significantly improved. After calcination, the metallic elements Mn and Ce existed in the form of the oxides MnO₂ and CeO₂. The best operating conditions in the study were as follows: (1) reaction time of 30 min, (2) initial pH of 9, (3) ozone dosage of 3.0 g/h, and (4) catalyst dosage of 30 g/L. The removal efficiency of COD and total phenol from coal chemical biochemical tail water was reduced with the addition of tert-butanol, which proves that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) played a leading role in the Mn-Ce/γ-Al₂O₃ catalytic ozonation treatment process of biochemical tailwater. Ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy analysis indicated that some conjugated structures and benzene ring structures of organics in coal chemical biochemical tail water were destroyed. This work proposes the utilization of the easily available Mn-Ce/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst and exhibits application prospects for the advanced treatment of coal chemical biochemical tailwater. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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18 pages, 3683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Catalysts Derived from Nickel-Containing Layered Double Hydroxides for Aqueous-Phase Furfural Hydrogenation

by Olga B. Belskaya, Roman M. Mironenko, Tatiana I. Gulyaeva, Mikhail V. Trenikhin, Ivan V. Muromtsev, Svetlana V. Trubina, Valentina V. Zvereva and Vladimir A. Likholobov

Catalysts 2022, 12(6), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12060598 - 30 May 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2290

Abstract

Changes in the structural and textural properties of NiAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) (with 2–4 molar ratios of metals) and state of nickel that occur in different steps of the synthesis of nickel catalysts were studied using XRD, thermal analysis, TPR, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, XANES, EXAFS, and electron microscopy methods. Relations between nickel content, catalyst reduction conditions, state of nickel, and its catalytic properties were revealed. It was shown that the use of NiAl LDH as the catalyst precursor even at a high content of active metal allows for the obtaining of the dispersed particles of supported nickel that are active in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of furfural. The catalyst activity and conversion of furfural were found to increase with elevation of the catalyst reduction temperature and the corresponding growth of the fraction of reduced nickel. However, a lower reduction temperature (500 °C) makes it possible to form smaller nickel particles with the size of 4–6 nm, and a high Ni content (Ni:Al = 4) can be used to obtain the active Ni@NiAlO_x catalyst. Under mild reaction conditions (90 °C, 2.0 MPa), the furfural conversion reached 93%, and furfuryl alcohol was formed with the selectivity of 70%. Under more severe reaction conditions (150 °C, 3.0 MPa), complete conversion of furfural was achieved, and cyclopentanol and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol were the main hydrogenation products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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15 pages, 6186 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol to Cyclohexanol over Bimetallic NiMo-MOF-Derived Catalysts

by Minghao Zhou, Fei Ge, Jing Li, Haihong Xia, Junli Liu, Jianchun Jiang, Changzhou Chen, Jun Zhao and Xiaohui Yang

Catalysts 2022, 12(4), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12040371 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3510

Abstract

Lignin is an attractive renewable source of aromatics with a low effective hydrogen to carbon ratio (H/C_eff). The catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignin-derived model compounds is a key strategy for lignin upgrading. In this work, the HDO of guaiacol, a typical lignin-derived compound, was carried out over metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived Ni-based catalysts. A monometallic Ni-MOF catalyst and different ratios of bimetallic NiMo-MOF catalysts were synthesized by a hydrothermal process, followed by a carbonization process. Among these catalysts, Ni3Mo1@C exhibited an excellent catalytic performance, affording a guaiacol conversion of 98.8% and a cyclohexanol selectivity of 66.8% at 240 °C and 2 MPa H₂ for 4 h. The addition of Mo decreased the particle size of the spherical structure and improved the dispersion of metal particles. The synergistic effect between Ni and Mo was confirmed by various means, including ICP, XRD, SEM, TEM, and NH₃-TPD analyses. In addition, the effect of the reaction temperature, time, and H₂ pressure during the HDO process is discussed in detail. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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15 pages, 4445 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Degradation of Ibuprofen by the Electro/Fe³⁺/Peroxydisulfate Process: Reactive Kinetics, Degradation Products and Mechanism

by Na Qiu, Chanchan Shen, Yongxia Liu, Xiuqing Li, Guangyin Jia, Jingping Qin and Xinglei Wang

Catalysts 2022, 12(3), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12030329 - 13 Mar 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2903

Abstract

Ibuprofen (IBU), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is one of the most widely used and frequently detected pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water bodies. This study examined the IBU degradation in aquatic solutions via ferric ion activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) coupled with electro-oxidation (EC/Fe [...] Read more.

{SO}_{4}^{• -}

generated from the activation of PDS by ferrous ions formed via cathodic reduction; (3)

{SO}_{4}^{• -}

generated from the electron transfer reaction. The radical scavenging experiments indicated that

{SO}_{4}^{• -}

and •OH dominated the oxidation process. The effects of the applied current density, PDS concentration, Fe³⁺ dosage, initial IBU concentration and initial pH as well as inorganic anions and humic acid on the degradation efficiency, were studied, and the degradation process of IBU followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. About 99.37% of IBU was removed in 60 min ((Fe³⁺ concentration) = 2.0 mM, (PDS concentration) = 12 mM, (initial IBU concentration) = 30 mg/L, current density = 15 mA/cm², initial pH = 3). Finally, seven intermediate compounds were identified and probable IBU degradation pathways in the EC/Fe³⁺/PDS system were speculated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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24 pages, 54170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Acidity and Stability of Brønsted Acid Sites in Green Clinoptilolite Catalysts and Catalytic Performance in the Etherification of Glycerol

by Do Trung Hieu, Hendrik Kosslick, Muhammad Riaz, Axel Schulz, Armin Springer, Marcus Frank, Christian Jaeger, Nguyen Thi Minh Thu and Le Thanh Son

Catalysts 2022, 12(3), 253; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12030253 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2698

Abstract

Natural zeolite clinoptilolite CLIN with a framework ratio of Si/Al ≥ 4 containing mainly potassium and calcium ions in its internal channel system was used as a starting material. The acidic HCLIN catalysts were prepared under soft conditions avoiding the use of environmental less-benign mineral acids. The starting material was ion exchanged using a 0.2 M aqueous ammonium nitrate solution at a temperature 80 °C for 2 h. The obtained NH₄CLIN was converted into the acid HCLIN catalyst by calcination at 300–600 °C. The obtained samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM/TEM, AAS, and EDX element mapping. The state of aluminium and silicon was studied by ²⁷Al- and ²⁹SiMAS NMR spectroscopy. The textural properties of the catalysts were investigated by nitrogen adsorption and desorption measurements. The Brønsted acidity of the HCLIN catalysts was studied by temperature-programmed decomposition of the exchanged ammonium ions releasing ammonia as well as ¹H MAS NMR, {¹H–²⁷Al} Trapdor, and {¹H–²⁷Al} Redor experiments. The strongly agglomerated samples were crystalline and thermally stable up to >500 °C. Although a part of the clinoptilolite framework is maintained up to 600 °C, a loss of crystallinity is already observed starting from 450 °C. The specific surface areas of the starting CLIN and ammonium exchanged NH₄CLIN are low with ca. 26 m²/g. The pores are nearly blocked by the exchangeable cations located in the zeolite pores. The thermal decomposition of the ammonium ions by calcination at 400 °C causes an opening of the pore entrances and a markable increase in the specific micropore area and micropore volume to ca. 163 m²/g and 0.07 cm³/g, respectively. It decreases with further rising calcination temperature indicating some structural loss. The catalysts show a broad distribution of Brønsted acid sites (BS) ranging from weak to strong sites as indicated the thermal decomposition of exchanged ammonium ions (TPDA). The ammonium ion decomposition leaving BS, i.e., H⁺ located at Al–O–Si framework bridges, starts at ≥250 °C. A part of the Brønsted sites is lost after calcination specifically at 500 °C. It is related to the formation of penta-coordinated aluminium at the expense of tetrahedral framework aluminium. The Brønsted sites are partially recreated after repeated ammonium ion exchange. The catalytic performance of the acidic HCLIN catalysts was tested in the etherification of glycerol as a green renewable resource with different C₁-C₄ alcohols. The catalysts are highly active in the etherification of glycerol, especially with alcohols containing the branched, tertiary alkyl groups. Highest activity is observed with the soft activated catalyst HCLIN300 (300 °C, temperature holding time: 1 min). A total of 78% conversion of glycerol to mono and di ether were achieved with tert-butanol at 140 °C after 4 h of reaction. The mono- and di-ether selectivity were 75% and 25%, respectively. The catalyst can be reused. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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14 pages, 1703 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Degradation of Nitrobenzene Wastewater: From Laboratory Experiments to Pilot-Scale Industrial Application

by Dunyi Liu, Zhangjiu Liao, Ziyi Hu and Enxiang Shang

Catalysts 2022, 12(2), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12020190 - 2 Feb 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2661

Abstract

In this study, the electrochemical degradation of nitrobenzene (NB) was conducted on the Ti/SnO₂-Sb/Ce-PbO₂ anode with excellent functional performance. The effect of applied current density, electrode distance, pH value and initial concentration on the reaction kinetics of NB was systematically studied. The total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate reached 91.5% after 60 min of electrolysis under optimal conditions. Eight aromatic intermediate products of NB were identified by using a gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer, and two aliphatic carboxylic acids were qualitatively analyzed using a high-performance liquid chromatograph. The electrochemical mineralization mechanism of NB was proposed based on the detected intermediates and the identified key active oxygen specie. It was supposed that the hydroxyl radical produced on an anode attacked NB to form hydroxylated NB derivatives, followed by the benzene ring opening reactions with the formation of aliphatic carboxylic acids, which mineralized to CO₂ and H₂O. In addition, NB was reduced to less stable aniline on the cathode surface, which resulted in actualized mineralization. The successful pilot-scale industrial application in combination with wastewater containing NB with the influent concentration of 80–120 mg L⁻¹ indicated that electrochemical oxidation has great potential to abate NB in practical wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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13 pages, 1639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advanced Treatment of Phosphorus Pesticide Wastewater Using an Integrated Process of Coagulation and Ozone Catalytic Oxidation

by Shengping Cao, Lei Chen, Minyan Zhao, Ankang Liu, Mingxiu Wang and Yongjun Sun

Catalysts 2022, 12(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12010103 - 17 Jan 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2506

Abstract

Conventional pretreatment and secondary biochemical treatment are ineffective methods for removing phosphorus from phosphorus-containing pesticide wastewater. In this study, coagulation-coupled ozone catalytic oxidation was used to treat secondary biochemical tailwater of phosphorus-containing pesticide wastewater thoroughly. The effects of the coagulant type, coagulant dosage, coagulant concentration, wastewater pH, stirring rate, and stirring time on the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), and chromaticity were investigated during coagulation. When the dosage of the coagulant PAFS was equal to 100 mg/L, the concentration of the coagulant, pH, stirring rate, and stirring time were 5 wt%, 8, 100 rpm, and 5 min, respectively, and the removal rates of COD, TP, and chroma in wastewater reached the maximum value of 17.6%, 86.8%, and 50.0%, respectively. Effluent after coagulation was treated via ozone catalytic oxidation. When the respective ozone dosage, H₂O₂ dosage, catalyst dosage, and reaction time were 120 mg/L, 0.1 vt‰, 10 wt%, and 90 min, residual COD and chromaticity of the final effluent were 10.3 mg/L and 8, respectively. The coagulation-coupled ozone catalytic oxidation process has good application prospects in the treatment of secondary biochemical tailwater from phosphorus-containing pesticide wastewater. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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Review

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19 pages, 5440 KiB

Open AccessReview

Photogenerated Carrier-Assisted Electrocatalysts for Efficient Water Splitting

by Xiang Li, Xueyan Zheng, Yanzhong Zhen and Yucang Liang

Catalysts 2023, 13(4), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13040712 - 8 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2219

Abstract

Electrocatalysts are the core component of electrocatalytic water splitting for improving its overall energy conversion efficiency and reducing the energy input. At present, the design of efficient electrocatalysts mainly focuses on optimizing their electronic structure and local reaction microenvironment to improve the adsorption of reaction intermediates. Although many effective strategies (such as heteroatom doping, vacancy, heterojunction construction, strain engineering, and phase transformation) have been developed, the improvement in catalytic activity has been very limited. Hence, the development of innovative strategies to enhance the optimization of photoelectroactivity is desirable. Inspired by the strategy of applying a potential field to reduce carrier radiation recombination in traditional photoelectrocatalysis, photogenerated carrier-assisted electrocatalysis, based on the synergy effect of light and electric energy, provides a new strategy to enhance the intrinsic activity of water splitting. The essence of the photo-assisted strategy can be attributed to the injection of hot carriers and photogenerated electron–hole pairs or the accelerated reaction kinetics caused by local temperature rises. The photogenerated carrier-assisted strategy has received wide attention due to its simplicity and efficiency. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in photogenerated carrier-assisted strategies (PCAS) for enhancing the performance of HER, OER, and overall water splitting. The possible mechanisms are addressed and the basic composition and latest progress in photo-assisted electrocatalysts using PCAS are summarized. Finally, the challenges and development prospects of PCAS will be detailed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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26 pages, 18867 KiB

Open AccessReview

Application of Biochar as Functional Material for Remediation of Organic Pollutants in Water: An Overview

by Mohamed Faisal Gasim, Zheng-Yi Choong, Pooi-Ling Koo, Siew-Chun Low, Mohamed-Hussein Abdurahman, Yeek-Chia Ho, Mardawani Mohamad, I Wayan Koko Suryawan, Jun-Wei Lim and Wen-Da Oh

Catalysts 2022, 12(2), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12020210 - 11 Feb 2022

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5647

Abstract

In recent years, numerous studies have focused on the use of biochar as a biological material for environmental remediation due to its low-cost precursor (waste), low toxicity, and diversity of active sites, along with their facile tailoring techniques. Due to its versatility, biochar has been employed as an adsorbent, catalyst (for activating hydrogen peroxide, ozone, persulfate), and photocatalyst. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview and compare the application of biochar in water remediation. First, the biochar active sites with their functions are presented. Secondly, an overview and summary of biochar performance in treating organic pollutants in different systems is depicted. Thereafter, an evaluation on performance, removal mechanism, active sites involvement, tolerance to different pH values, stability, and reusability, and an economic analysis of implementing biochar for organic pollutants decontamination in each application is presented. Finally, potential prospects to overcome the drawbacks of each application are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Environmental Catalysis)

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