Microwave-Assisted Preparation and Hydrazine Decomposition Properties of Nanostructured Tungsten Carbides on Carbon Nanotubes

Transition metal silicides: fundamentals, preparation and catalytic applications

Transition metal silicides as low-cost and earth-abundant inorganic materials are becoming indispensable constituents in catalytic systems for a variety of applications and exhibit excellent properties for sustainable industrial process.

Hollow tungsten carbide/carbon sphere promoted Pt electrocatalyst for efficient methanol oxidation

The surface carbon thickness and particle size of tungsten carbide (WC) are critical to its synergistic effect on noble metal based electrocatalysts.

Carbon-supported molybdenum carbide catalysts for the conversion of vegetable oils

Ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC)-supported molybdenum carbide catalysts were successfully prepared in one pot using a solvent-evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy accompanied by a carbothermal hydrogen reduction reaction. Characterization with nitrogen sorption, small-angle XRD, and TEM confirmed that the obtained materials had high surface areas, large pore volumes, ordered mesoporous structures, narrow pore size distributions, and uniform dispersions of molybdenum carbide particles. With nitrogen replaced by hydrogen in the carbothermal reduction reaction, the formation temperature of molybdenum carbide could be reduced by more than 100 °C. By changing the amount of molybdenum precursor added from less than 2 % to more than 5 %, molybdenum carbide structures could be easily regulated from Mo(2) C to MoC. The catalytic performance of OMC-supported molybdenum carbide catalysts was evaluated by hydrodeoxygenation of vegetable oils. Compared with Mo(2)C, MoC exhibited high product selectivity and excellent resistance to leaching in the conversion of vegetable oils into diesel-like hydrocarbons.

Structural rearrangements of Ru nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes under microwave irradiation

The structure evolution of twinned Ru nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes rearranging into Ru single nanocrystals under the microwave irradiation and the exposed surface of Ru single crystals were observed, which provided new insights into synthesis and application of metal nanoparticle catalysts.

Alternative catalytic materials: carbides, nitrides, phosphides and amorphous boron alloys

Catalysts generated by the addition of carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus to transition metals have interesting properties and potential applications. The addition of carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus can lead to substantial modification of the catalytic efficacy of the parent metal and some carbides and nitrides are claimed to be comparable to noble metals in their behaviour. Amorphous boron transition metal alloys are also a class of interesting catalyst, although their structures and phase composition are more difficult to define. In this critical review, the preparation of these catalysts is described and brief details of their application given. To date, attention has largely centred upon the application of these materials as alternatives for existing catalysts. However, novel approaches towards their utilisation can be envisaged. For example, the extent to which it is possible to utilise the "activated" carbon and nitrogen species within the host lattices of carbides and nitrides, respectively, as a reactant remains largely unexplored (195 references).