Atomically dispersed iron sites from eco-friendly microbial mycelium as highly efficient hydrogenation catalyst

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Iron is essential for metabolism and catalysis, driving demand for high-performance, low-toxicity iron-based catalysts.
• Precise control over atomic coordination in iron catalysts is crucial for enhancing hydrogenation activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel in-situ coating method for creating advanced Fe-based heterogeneous catalysts.
• To precisely tailor the atomic coordination structure of iron catalysts for improved hydrogenation performance.

Main Methods:

• An in-situ coating technique was employed to apply zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) onto fungal hyphae.
• The asymmetric Fe1-N3P1 coordination structure was achieved using fungal phosphorus and ZIF nitrogen sources.
• Characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were utilized to analyze catalyst properties.

Main Results:

• The incorporation of ZIFs increased catalyst surface area and facilitated the dispersion of Fe2P nanoparticles.
• The tailored Fe1-N3P1 center exhibited the lowest reaction energy barrier for nitrobenzene hydrogenation.
• The developed catalyst outperformed Fe2P nanoparticles and clusters in hydrogenation tests.

Conclusions:

• This research presents a new strategy for designing asymmetric monoatomic catalysts by combining natural microorganisms and porous coordination polymers.
• The method offers a sustainable approach to developing high-performance catalysts for green chemistry applications.