Carbon composite materials with ordered mesoporous structures from straw: hydrothermal preparation and application as...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Catalysis

Background:

• Ordered mesoporous carbon materials are crucial for catalysis.
• Developing efficient and recyclable catalysts is a key challenge in chemical synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize tunable, ordered mesoporous carbon-based composites doped with nickel nanoparticles.
• To investigate the catalytic performance of these materials in the hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol.
• To explore the magnetic recyclability of the synthesized catalysts.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal carbonization and soft-template methods using straw, nickel nitrate, and F127.
• Tuning mesoporous structures and nickel doping concentrations.
• Catalytic evaluation of p-nitrophenol hydrogenation and kinetic analysis.
• Magnetic separation and recycling experiments.

Main Results:

• Achieved tunable mesoporous structures (hexagonal to cubic) with increased mesoporosity (39.6% to 58.3%) and high surface area (339-963 m² g⁻¹).
• Synthesized nickel nanoparticles (<10 nm) embedded in carbon skeletons, existing as metallic Ni and nickel oxide.
• Demonstrated high catalytic activity for p-nitrophenol hydrogenation, achieving 98.79% conversion and 89.6% selectivity for p-aminophenol with Ni₂.₀/CSF₁.₅.
• Confirmed efficient magnetic separation and recyclability of the catalyst.

Conclusions:

• The developed nickel-doped mesoporous carbon composites exhibit controllable structures and excellent catalytic performance.
• The magnetic nature of the catalyst facilitates easy separation and reuse, offering a sustainable catalytic solution.
• These materials hold significant potential for applications in chemical synthesis and environmental remediation.