Clay nanotube-metal core/shell catalysts for hydroprocesses

Catalytic hydroprocesses play a significant role in oil refining and petrochemistry. The tailored design of new metal nanosystems and optimization of their support, composition, and structure is a prospective strategy for enhancing the efficiency of catalysts. Mesoporous support impacts the active component by binding it to the surface, which leads to the formation of tiny highly dispersed catalytic particles stabilized from aggregation and with minimized leaching. The structural and acidic properties of the support are crucial and determine the size and dispersion of the active metal phase. Currently, research efforts are shifted toward the design of nanoscale porous materials, where homogeneous catalysts are displaced by heterogeneous. Ceramic materials, such as 50 nm diameter natural halloysite nanotubes, are of special interest for this. Much attention to halloysite clay is due to its tubular structure with a hollow 10-15 nm diameter internal cavity, textural characteristics, and different chemical compositions of the outer/inner surfaces, allowing selective nanotube modification. Loading halloysite with metal particles or placing them outside the tubes provides stable and efficient mesocatalysts. The low cost of this abundant nanoclay makes it a good choice for the scaled-up architectural design of core-shell catalysts, containing active metal sites (Au, Ag, Pt, Ru, Co, Mo, Fe₂O₃, CdS, CdZnS, Cu-Ni) located inside or outside the tubular template. These alumosilicate nanotubes are environment-friendly and are available in thousands of tons. Herein, we summarized the advances of halloysite-based composite materials for hydroprocesses, focusing on the selective binding of metal particles. We analyze the tubes' morphology adjustments and size selection, the physicochemical properties of pristine and modified halloysite (e.g., acid-etched or silanized), the methods of metal clusters formation, and their localization. We indicate prospective routes for the architectural design of stable and efficient nanocatalysts based on this safe and natural clay material.

Magnetically separable and reusable rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites for the selective liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexene to 1,2-cyclohexane diol

A series of magnetically separable rGO/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites with various amounts of graphene oxide were successfully prepared by a simple ultrasonication assisted precipitation combined with a solvothermal method and their catalytic activity was evaluated for the selective liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexene using hydrogen peroxide as a green oxidant. The prepared materials were characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, TEM, HRTEM, BET/BJH, XPS and VSM analysis. The presence of well crystallized Fe₃O₄ as the active iron species was seen in the crystal studies of the nanocomposites. The electron microscopy analysis indicated the fine surface dispersion of spherical Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles on the thin surface layers of partially-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets. The decoration of Fe₃O₄ nanospheres on thin rGO layers was clearly observable in all of the nanocomposites. The XPS analysis was performed to evaluate the chemical states of the elements present in the samples. The surface area of the nanocomposites was increased significantly by increasing the amount of GO and the pore structures were effectively tuned by the amount of rGO in the nanocomposites. The magnetic saturation values of the nanocomposites were found to be sufficient for their efficient magnetic separation. The catalytic activity results show that the cyclohexene conversion reached 75.3% with a highest 1,2-cyclohexane diol selectivity of 81% over 5% rGO incorporated nanocomposite using H₂O₂ as the oxidant and acetonitrile as the solvent at 70 °C for 6 h. The reaction conditions were further optimized by changing the variables and a possible reaction mechanism was proposed. The enhanced catalytic activity of the nanocomposites for cyclohexene oxidation could be attributed to the fast accomplishment of the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox cycle in the composites due the sacrificial role of rGO and its synergistic effect with Fe₃O₄, originating from the conjugated network of π-electrons in its surface structure. The rapid and easy separation of the magnetic nanocomposites from the reaction mixture using an external magnet makes the present catalysts highly efficient for the reaction. Moreover, the catalyst retained its activity for five repeated runs without any drastic drop in the reactant conversion and product selectivity.

A series of magnetically-separable and reusable rGO/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites were successfully synthesized for the selective liquid-phase oxidation of cyclohexene to 1,2-cyclohexane-diol.

Nanoparticles Formed onto/into Halloysite Clay Tubules: Architectural Synthesis and Applications

Nanoparticles, being objects with high surface area are prone to agglomeration. Immobilization onto solid supports is a promising method to increase their stability and it allows for scalable industrial applications, such as metal nanoparticles adsorbed to mesoporous ceramic carriers. Tubular nanoclay - halloysite - can be an efficient solid support, enabling the fast and practical architectural (inside / outside) synthesis of stable metal nanoparticles. The obtained halloysite-nanoparticle composites can be employed as advanced catalysts, ion-conducting membrane modifiers, inorganic pigments, and optical markers for biomedical studies. Here, we discuss the possibilities to synthesize halloysite decorated with metal, metal chalcogenide, and carbon nanoparticles, and to use these materials in various fields, especially in catalysis and petroleum refinery.

Nano-sized Mn oxides on halloysite or high surface area montmorillonite as efficient catalysts for water oxidation with cerium(iv) ammonium nitrate: support from natural sources

We used halloysite, a nano-sized natural mineral and high surface area montmorillonite as supports for nano-sized Mn oxides to synthesize efficient water-oxidising catalysts.