Catalytic Enhancement of Inductively Heated Fe3 O4 Nanoparticles by Removal of Surface Ligands

Zeolite Supported Pt for Depolymerization of Polyethylene by Induction Heating

We demonstrate that for polyethylene depolymerization with induction heating (IH), using a bifunctional (Pt- or Pt-Sn-containing zeolite) hydrocracking catalyst, we can obtain high hydrocarbon product yields (up to 95 wt % in 2 h) at a relatively low surface temperature (375 °C) and with a tunable product distribution ranging from light gas products to gasoline- to diesel-range hydrocarbons. Four zeolite types [MFI, LTL, CHA(SSZ-13), and TON] were chosen as the supports due to their varying pore sizes and structures. These depolymerization results are obtained at atmospheric pressure and without the use of H₂ and result in an alkane/alkene mixture with virtually no methane, aromatics, or coke formation. We also demonstrate how IH helps overcome diffusional resistances associated with conventional thermal heating and thereby shortens reaction times.

Cobalt ferrite as an electromagnetically boosted metal oxide hetero-Fenton catalyst for water treatment

The cobalt ferrite Fenton catalysts were obtained by the flow co-precipitation method. FTIR, XRD, and Mössbauer spectroscopy confirmed the spinel structure. The crystallite size of the as-synthesized sample is 12 nm, while the samples annealed at 400 and 600 °C have crystallite sizes of 16 and 18 nm, respectively. The as-synthesized sample has a grain size of 0.1-5.0 μm in size, while the annealed samples have grain sizes of 0.5 μm-15 μm. The degree of structure inversion ranges from 0.87 to 0.97. The catalytic activity of cobalt ferrites has been tested in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and the oxidation of caffeine. The annealing of the CoFe₂O₄ increases its catalytic activity in both model reactions, with the optimal annealing temperature being 400 °C. The reaction order has been found to increase with increasing H₂O₂ concentration. Electromagnetic heating accelerates the catalytic reaction more than 2 times. As a result, the degree of caffeine decomposition increases from 40% to 85%. The used catalysts have insignificant changes in crystallite size and distribution of cations. Thus, the electromagnetically heated cobalt ferrite can be a controlled catalyst in water purification technology.

l-Lysine Stabilized FeNi Nanoparticles for the Catalytic Reduction of Biomass-Derived Substrates in Water Using Magnetic Induction

The reduction of biomass-derived compounds gives access to valuable chemicals from renewable sources, circumventing the use of fossil feedstocks. Herein, we describe the use of iron-nickel magnetic nanoparticles for the reduction of biomass model compounds in aqueous media under magnetic induction. Nanoparticles with a hydrophobic ligand (FeNi₃ -PA, PA=palmitic acid) have been employed successfully, and their catalytic performance is intended to improve by ligand exchange with lysine (FeNi₃ -Lys and FeNi₃ @Ni-Lys NPs) to enhance water dispersibility. All three catalysts have been used to hydrogenate 5-hydroxymethylfurfural into 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan with complete selectivity and almost quantitative yields, using 3 bar of H₂ and a magnetic field of 65 mT in water. These catalysts have been recycled up to 10 times maintaining high conversions. Under the same conditions, levulinic acid has been hydrogenated to γ-valerolactone, and 4'-hydroxyacetophenone hydrodeoxygenated to 4-ethylphenol, with conversions up to 70 % using FeNi₃ -Lys, and selectivities above 85 % in both cases. This promising catalytic system improves biomass reduction sustainability by avoiding noble metals and expensive ligands, increasing energy efficiency via magnetic induction heating, using low H₂ pressure, and proving good reusability while working in an aqueous medium.

Induction Heating of Magnetically Susceptible Nanoparticles for Enhanced Hydrogenation of Oleic Acid

Radio frequency (RF) induction heating was compared to conventional thermal heating for the hydrogenation of oleic acid to stearic acid. The RF reaction demonstrated decreased coke accumulation and increased product selectivity at comparable temperatures over mesoporous Fe₃O₄ catalysts composed of 28-32 nm diameter nanoparticles. The Fe₃O₄ supports were decorated with Pd and Pt active sites and served as the local heat generators when subjected to an alternating magnetic field. For hydrogenation over Pd/Fe₃O₄, both heating methods gave similar liquid product selectivities, but thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry measurements showed no coke accumulation for the RF-heated catalyst versus 6.5 wt % for the conventionally heated catalyst. A different trend emerged when hydrogenation over Pt/Fe₃O₄ was performed. Compared to conventional heating, the RF increased the selectivity to stearic acid by an additional 15%. Based on these results, RF heating acting upon a magnetically susceptible nanoparticle catalyst would also be expected to positively impact systems with high coking rates, for example, nonoxidative dehydrogenations.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Anisotropy, and Applications

Anisotropy is an important and widely present characteristic of materials that provides desired direction-dependent properties. In particular, the introduction of anisotropy into magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has become an effective method to obtain new characteristics and functions that are critical for many applications. In this review, we first discuss anisotropy-dependent ferromagnetic properties, ranging from intrinsic magnetocrystalline anisotropy to extrinsic shape and surface anisotropy, and their effects on the magnetic properties. We further summarize the syntheses of monodisperse MNPs with the desired control over the NP dimensions, shapes, compositions, and structures. These controlled syntheses of MNPs allow their magnetism to be finely tuned for many applications. We discuss the potential applications of these MNPs in biomedicine, magnetic recording, magnetotransport, permanent magnets, and catalysis.