Evolution of nitrogen functionalities in carbonaceous materials during pyrolysis

Electronic structure intrinsically controls the light absorbance, redox potential, charge-carrier mobility, and consequently, photoreactivity of semiconductor photocatalysts. The conventional approach of modifying the electronic structure of a semiconductor photocatalyst for a wider absorption range by anion doping operates at the cost of reduced redox potentials and/or charge-carrier mobility, so that its photoreactivity is usually limited and some important reactions may not occur at all. Here, we report sulfur-doped graphitic C(3)N(4) (C(3)N(4-x)S(x)) with a unique electronic structure that displays an increased valence bandwidth in combination with an elevated conduction band minimum and a slightly reduced absorbance. The C(3)N(4-x)S(x) shows a photoreactivity of H(2) evolution 7.2 and 8.0 times higher than C(3)N(4) under lambda > 300 and 420 nm, respectively. More strikingly, the complete oxidation process of phenol under lambda > 400 nm can occur for sulfur-doped C(3)N(4), which is impossible for C(3)N(4) even under lambda > 300 nm. The homogeneous substitution of sulfur for lattice nitrogen and a concomitant quantum confinement effect are identified as the cause of this unique electronic structure and, consequently, the excellent photoreactivity of C(3)N(4-x)S(x). The results acquired may shed light on general doping strategies for designing potentially efficient photocatalysts.

Unique Electronic Structure Induced High Photoreactivity of Sulfur-Doped Graphitic C3N4

Microporous activated carbon originating from coconut shell, as received or oxidized with nitric acid, is treated with melamine and urea and heated to 950 °C in an inert atmosphere to modify the carbon surface with nitrogen- and oxygen-containing groups for a systematic investigation of their combined effect on electrochemical performance in 1 M H2SO4 supercapacitors. The chemistry of the samples is characterized using elemental analysis, Boehm titration, potentiometric titration, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Sorption of nitrogen and carbon dioxide is used to determine the textural properties. The results show that the surface chemistry is affected by the type of nitrogen precursor and the specific groups present on the surface before the treatment leading to the incorporation of nitrogen. Analysis of the electrochemical behavior of urea- and melamine-treated samples reveal pseudocapacitance from both the oxygen and the nitrogen containing functional groups located in the pores larger than 10 A. On the other hand, pores between 5 A and 6 A are most effective in a double-layer formation, which correlates well with the size of hydrated ions. Although the quaternary and pyridinic-N-oxides nitrogen groups have enhancing effects on capacitance due to the positive charge, and thus an improved electron transfer at high current loads, the most important functional groups affecting energy storage performance are pyrrolic and pyridinic nitrogen along with quinone oxygen. (C)2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Combined Effect of Nitrogen- and Oxygen-Containing Functional Groups of Microporous Activated Carbon on its Electrochemical Performance in Supercapacitors

The characterization of activated carbons with oxygen and nitrogen surface groups

Roles of water for chemical reactions in high-temperature water

A combination of solid-state 13C NMR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and sulfur X-ray absorption near edge structure (S-XANES) techniques are used to characterize organic oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur species and carbon chemical/structural features in kerogens. The kerogens studied represent a wide range of organic matter types and maturities. A van Krevelen plot based on elemental H/C data and XPS derived O/C data shows the well established pattern for type I, type II, and type III kerogens. The anticipated relationship between the Rock−Eval hydrogen index and H/C is independent of organic matter type. Carbon structural and lattice parameters are derived from solid-state 13C NMR analysis. As expected, the amount of aromatic carbon, measured by both 13C NMR and XPS, increases with decreasing H/C. The correlation between aromatic carbon and Rock−Eval Tmax, an indicator of maturity, is linear for types II and IIIC kerogens, but each organic matter type follows a different relationship. The average al...

Direct characterization of kerogen by x-ray and solid-state **13c nuclear magnetic resonance methods

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to identify and quantify the organically bound nitrogen forms present in fresh Argonne Premium coals. XPS spectra obtained on a wide variety of model compounds were used to establish a curve resolution methodology. Pyrrolic nitrogen is the moat abundant form of organically bound nitrogen, followed by pyridinic types. Quaternary nitrogen species were also identified. An analysis of the sensitivity of XPS for primary amines indicates that these species are not detected at concentrations above 5 mol %. A trend of decreasing level of quaternary nitrogen forms along with increasing levels of pyridinic nitrogen was observed with increasing coal rank. The formation and reactivity of quaternary nitrogen forms in several coals were examined

Quantification of nitrogen forms in Argonne Premium coals

Direct determination and quantification of sulphur forms in heavy petroleum and coals: 1. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) approach

The utility of sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy for the determination and quantification of sulfur forms in petroleum asphaltenes has been investigated. Both X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra were obtained for a selected group of model compounds and for several petroleum asphaltene samples. For the model compounds the sulfur XANES was found to vary widely from compound to compound and to provide a fingerprint for the form of sulfur involved. The use of third derivatives of the spectra enabled discrimination of mixtures of sulfidic and thiophenic model compounds and allowed approximate quantification of the amount of each component in the mixtures and in the asphaltene samples. These results represent the first demonstration that nonvolatile sulfur forms can be distinguished and approximately quantified by direct measurement.

Sulfur K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy of petroleum asphaltenes and model compounds

A slurry hydroprocessing process (SHP) where a hydrocarbon feedstock is treated at slurry hydrotreating conditions, in the presence of a hydrogen containing treat gas and in the presence of a supported metallic catalyst which is a supported sulfide of a metal selected from the group of non-noble Group VIII metals, Group VIB metals and mixtures thereof where the support is an inorganic oxide and where the catalyst has an average diameter of about 0.5 to about 100 microns to obtain a first product stream comprising the catalyst and a hydroprocessed feedstream; separating the first product into a catalyst-free product stream and a catalyst-containing stream and recycling at least a portion of the catalyst-containing stream back to the hydroprocessing step.

Martin L. Gorbaty

Papers

Direct characterization of kerogen by x-ray and solid-state **13c nuclear magnetic resonance methods

Quantification of nitrogen forms in Argonne Premium coals

Direct determination and quantification of sulphur forms in heavy petroleum and coals: 1. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) approach

Sulfur K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy of petroleum asphaltenes and model compounds

Slurry hydroprocessing for heavy oil upgrading using supported slurry catalysts