Issue 17, 2021

Anisotropic nanoporous morphology of ZnO-supported Co that enhances catalytic activity

Abstract

A novel conversion reaction synthesis (CRS) method is used to synthesize ZnO-supported Co nanoporous metal hybrid structures from a co-precipitated nanocomposite precursor of ZnO and Co3O4. After removal of Li2O with water, the resulting material consists of ZnO-supported Co nanoparticles that are interconnected to form anisotropic micro-particles. Additionally, individual ZnO nanoparticles have an anisotropic morphology, as revealed by synchrotron XRD analysis. Microscopy and surface area studies show these materials have an average pore size of 10–30 nm and specific surface areas up to 28 m2 g−1. The hybrid structure also has increased heat resistance compared to that of pure nanoporous metals; the Co phase within the ZnO–Co hybrid exhibits much less coarsening than the analogous nanoporous metal without ZnO at temperatures of 400 °C and above. These ZnO–Co hybrid materials were tested as heterogeneous catalysts for the steam reformation of ethanol at 400 °C. The nanoporous ZnO–Co hybrid material exhibits complete conversion of ethanol and high hydrogen selectivity, producing H2 with a molar yield of approximately 70%.

Graphical abstract: Anisotropic nanoporous morphology of ZnO-supported Co that enhances catalytic activity

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 dec 2020
Accepted
17 apr 2021
First published
19 apr 2021

Nanoscale, 2021,13, 8242-8253

Author version available

Anisotropic nanoporous morphology of ZnO-supported Co that enhances catalytic activity

C. M. Coaty, A. A. Corrao, V. Petrova, T. Kim, D. P. Fenning, P. G. Khalifah and P. Liu, Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 8242 DOI: 10.1039/D0NR08998B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements