CO2 conversion covers a wide range of possible application areas from fuels to bulk and commodity chemicals and even to specialty products with biological activity such as pharmaceuticals. In the present review, we discuss selected examples in these areas in a combined analysis of the state-of-the-art of synthetic methodologies and processes with their life cycle assessment. Thereby, we attempted to assess the potential to reduce the environmental footprint in these application fields relative to the current petrochemical value chain. This analysis and discussion differs significantly from a viewpoint on CO2 utilization as a measure for global CO2 mitigation. Whereas the latter focuses on reducing the end-of-pipe problem “CO2 emissions” from todays’ industries, the approach taken here tries to identify opportunities by exploiting a novel feedstock that avoids the utilization of fossil resource in transition toward more sustainable future production. Thus, the motivation to develop CO2-based chemistry does...

Sustainable Conversion of Carbon Dioxide: An Integrated Review of Catalysis and Life Cycle Assessment

The recent developments and trends in combustion science towards the synthesis of nanomaterials are discussed. Different modifications made to conventional combustion approaches for preparation of nanomaterials are critically analyzed. Special attention is paid to various applications of combustion synthesized nanosized products.

/pdf/combustion-synthesis-and-nanomaterials-5cotkw7r6f.pdf

Combustion synthesis and nanomaterials

Solution combustion is an exciting phenomenon, which involves propagation of self-sustained exothermic reactions along an aqueous or sol–gel media. This process allows for the synthesis of a variety of nanoscale materials, including oxides, metals, alloys, and sulfides. This Review focuses on the analysis of new approaches and results in the field of solution combustion synthesis (SCS) obtained during recent years. Thermodynamics and kinetics of reactive solutions used in different chemical routes are considered, and the role of process parameters is discussed, emphasizing the chemical mechanisms that are responsible for rapid self-sustained combustion reactions. The basic principles for controlling the composition, structure, and nanostructure of SCS products, and routes to regulate the size and morphology of the nanoscale materials are also reviewed. Recently developed systems that lead to the formation of novel materials and unique structures (e.g., thin films and two-dimensional crystals) with unusual...

Solution Combustion Synthesis of Nanoscale Materials

Selective catalytic reduction with NH3 (NH3-SCR) is the most efficient technology to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from coal-fired industries, diesel engines, etc. Although V2O5-WO3(MoO3)/TiO2 and CHA structured zeolite catalysts have been utilized in commercial applications, the increasing requirements for broad working temperature window, strong SO2/alkali/heavy metal-resistance, and high hydrothermal stability have stimulated the development of new-type NH3-SCR catalysts. This review summarizes the latest SCR reaction mechanisms and emerging poison-resistant mechanisms in the beginning and subsequently gives a comprehensive overview of newly developed SCR catalysts, including metal oxide catalysts ranging from VOx, MnOx, CeO2, and Fe2O3 to CuO based catalysts; acidic compound catalysts containing vanadate, phosphate and sulfate catalysts; ion exchanged zeolite catalysts such as Fe, Cu, Mn, etc. exchanged zeolite catalysts; monolith catalysts including extruded, washcoated, and metal-mesh/foam-based monolith catalysts. The challenges and opportunities for each type of catalysts are proposed while the effective strategies are summarized for enhancing the acidity/redox circle and poison-resistance through modification, creating novel nanostructures, exposing specific crystalline planes, constructing protective/sacrificial sites, etc. Some suggestions are given about future research directions that efforts should be made in. Hopefully, this review can bridge the gap between newly developed catalysts and practical requirements to realize their commercial applications in the near future.

Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx with NH3 by Using Novel Catalysts: State of the Art and Future Prospects.

Trends in NOx abatement: A review

Synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones via multicomponent reaction route over acid functionalized Metal-Organic framework catalysts.

The direct conversion of solid, carbonaceous fuels to electrical energy using electrochemical methods could revolutionize power generation, since it would increase efficiency and allow for easy CO2 capture. Here, we demonstrate the generation of electricity at high power densities, >300 mW/cm at 973 K, from a solid fuel (sugar char) in a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) using a molten Sb anode. These power densities are comparable to state-of-the-art, H2-fuelled SOFCs. The anode design is simple and capable of operating continuously on a wide range of carbonaceous fuels, including sugar, rice starch, carbon black, and graphite. The approach of using molten metals as anodes for Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFC) is very promising. The SbSb2O3 system is of particular interest since the melting temperatures of Sb and Sb2O3 are 903 and 929 K, respectively. Since the materials within the anode are molten, contact with the solid fuel can occur in a separate chamber from the anode compartment. The anode reactions for a DCFC based on Sb are given by Reactions (A) and (B).

http://ma.ecsdl.org/content/MA2011-02/10/474.full.pdf

Power Generation from Solid Fuels in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with a Molten Antimony Anode

$$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 being a wide band gap semiconducting material cannot use the solar insolation for photocatalysis. An interesting strategy is to dope $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 with upconverting rare earth materials, which upon infrared (IR) or visible light irradiation can emit ultraviolet light to generate excitons in $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 for further catalytic reactions. This manuscript reports the incorporation of $$\hbox {Er}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}/\hbox {Yb}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$
 into $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 via two synthetic methodologies. One of which yields the co-presence of rare earth oxides and $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 on the surface, while the other synthetic route yields the rare earth oxides in the core of the $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 shell. The detailed structural, morphological and optical properties of the laboratory synthesized materials were studied by powder XRD, FE-SEM, STEM, HR-TEM, BET, UV-DRS and PL. The surfaces of the materials did show some difference in their properties depending on their synthesis route, however, the two photon excitation was similar to both the set of materials. The synthesized materials were studied for degradation of rhodamine B dye, and the results suggested that the presence of $$\hbox {Er}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}/\hbox {Yb}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$
 on the $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 surface was detrimental for catalytic application, while $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$
 exposed on the surface with $$\hbox {Er}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}/\hbox {Yb}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$
 in the core can be a choice of materials for photocatalytic application.

/pdf/role-of-synthesis-of-upconversion-nanoparticles-towards-31u4aomst8.pdf

Role of synthesis of upconversion nanoparticles towards surface modification and photocatalysis

Oxygen evolution reaction over oxide vacancy induced spinel Co3O4 is a topic of tremendous scientific attention owing to the favourable adsorption of water, as also shown here through DFT calculations....

Sounak Roy

Papers

Synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones via multicomponent reaction route over acid functionalized Metal-Organic framework catalysts.

Power Generation from Solid Fuels in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with a Molten Antimony Anode

Role of synthesis of upconversion nanoparticles towards surface modification and photocatalysis

The role of synthesis vis-à-vis oxygen vacancies of Co3O4 in oxygen evolution reaction

Probing the Surface Active Sites of Ce1-Xnixo2-Δ for Catalytic Reduction of No