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by Keyword: Electrocatalyst

Sans, J, Arnau, M, Sanz, V, Turon, P, Alemán, C, (2022). Hydroxyapatite-based biphasic catalysts with plasticity properties and its potential in carbon dioxide fixation Chemical Engineering Journal 433, 133512

The design of catalysts with controlled selectivity at will, also known as catalytic plasticity, is a very attractive approach for the recycling of carbon dioxide (CO2). In this work, we study how catalytically active hydroxyapatite (HAp) and brushite (Bru) interact synergistically, allowing the production of formic acid or acetic acid depending on the HAp/Bru ratio in the catalyst. Raman, wide angle X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies, combined with an exhaustive revision of the crystalline structure of the catalyst at the atomic level, allowed to discern how the Bru phase can be generated and stabilized at high temperatures. Results clearly indicate that the presence of OH– groups to maintain the crystalline structural integrity in conjunction with Ca2+ ions less bonded to the lattice fixate carbon into C1, C2 and C3 molecules from CO2 and allow the evolution from formic to acetic acid and acetone. In this way, the plasticity of the HAp-Bru system is demonstrated, representing a promising green alternative to the conventional metal-based electrocatalysts used for CO2 fixation. Thus, the fact that no electric voltage is necessary for the CO2 reduction has a very favorable impact in the final energetic net balance of the carbon fixation reaction. © 2021

JTD Keywords:

ethanol production & nbsp, brushite, co2 reduction, conversion, electrocatalytic reduction, electrode, formate, heterogeneous catalysis & nbsp, hydrogen evolution, insights, monetite, polarized hydroxyapatite,

, Acetic acid, Acetone, Biphasic catalyst, Brushite, Calcium phosphate, Carbon dioxide, Carbon dioxide fixation, Catalysis, Catalyst selectivity, Co 2 reduction, Co2 reduction, Electrocatalysts, Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Electrochemical reduction, Electrochemical-impedance spectroscopies, Ethanol production, Formic acid, Heterogeneous catalysis, Hydroxyapatite, Ph, Polarized hydroxyapatite, Property, Reduction, Scanning electron microscopy, Temperature programmed desorption, Wide angle x-ray scattering, X ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X ray scattering, ]+ catalyst


Sans, J, Arnau, M, Estrany, F, Turon, P, Aleman, C, (2021). Regulating the Superficial Vacancies and OH− Orientations on Polarized Hydroxyapatite Electrocatalysts Advanced Materials Interfaces 8, 2100163

Smart designs of hydroxyapatite (HAp) materials with customized electrical properties are drawing increasing attention for their wide range of potential applications. Such enhanced electrical properties directly arise from the number and orientation of OH groups in the HAp lattice. Although different polarization treatments have been proposed to enhance the final conductivity by generating vacancies at high temperatures and imposing specific OH orientations through electric voltages, no direct measurement showing the evolution that OH groups undergo has been described yet. In this article, the first direct empirical observation that allows the characterization of both the generation of vacancies and the polarization of OH groups is reported. The mechanisms behind the electrical enhancement are elucidated allowing to distinguish between charge accumulation at the crystal grains, which is due to the formed vacancies, and charge accumulation in the boundaries of particles. In addition, a linear dependence between the number of vacancies and the superficial charge is observed. Therefore, it is demonstrated that the charge accumulation at the micrometric grain boundaries has a great impact on the catalytic properties of the thermally stimulated polarized HAp. These results will be used for further optimization of the catalyst properties. − − − −

JTD Keywords: electrocatalysts, hydroxyl orientation, thermally stimulated polarization, vacancies, Charge delocalization, Electrocatalysts, Hydroxyl orientation, Thermally stimulated polarization, Vacancies


Sans, J., Armelin, E., Sanz, V., Puiggalí, J., Turon, P., Alemán, C., (2020). Breaking-down the catalyst used for the electrophotosynthesis of amino acids by nitrogen and carbon fixation Journal of Catalysis 389, 646-656

The electrophotocatalytic synthesis of Glycine and Alanine from a simple gas mixture containing N2, CO2, CH4 and H2O under mild reaction conditions (95 °C and 6 bar) was recently developed using a catalyst formed by permanently polarized hydroxyapatite, which is achieved using a thermally stimulated polarization process, coated with two layers of aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid) (ATMP) separated by an intermediate layer of zirconyl chloride (ZC). This work reports the optimization of the ATMP- and ZC-coating content by examining the influence of their concentration of each component in each layer on the structural and electrochemical properties of the catalyst. After exhaustive analyses, such properties have been related with the efficiency of the catalysts prepared using different ATMP- and ZC-concentrations to yield Gly and Ala amino acids by fixing nitrogen from N2 and carbon from CO2 and CH4. Results show that, although the concentrations of ATMP and ZC in the first and the intermediate layers are important, the third layer plays a predominant role as is responsible of the apparition of supramolecular structures on the surface and the capacitive behavior of the coating

JTD Keywords: Carbon dioxide fixation, Electrocatalyst, Heterogeneous catalysis, Phosphonic acid, Photocatalyst, Polarized hydroxyapatite, Surface chemistry, Zirconyl chloride