Two-dimensional porous carbon derived from pollen with enlarged interlayer distance enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of n-valeraldehyde to octane

• Published in: Nano research Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 3455 - 3461
• Main Authors: Qin, Meichun, Liu, Chaolong, Xu, Shouhen, Tang, Jianguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Tsinghua University Press 01.05.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Carbon; Catalysts; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Contamination; Control methods; Current efficiency; Electrocatalysts; Interlayers; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Oxidation; Pollen; Pollution control; Research Article; Specific surface; Surface area; X-ray diffraction; lattice expansion; biomass derived carbon; upgrade of; high specific surface area; valeraldehyde
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-023-6340-4

Electrocatalytic n -valeraldehyde oxidation reaction was an inexpensive and eco-friendly method to control n -valeraldehyde contamination and produce high value-added octane. However, low-cost and readily available electrocatalysts with high current efficiency were urgently needed. Herein, two-dimensional porous carbon derived from pollen with enlarged interlayer distance was built by alkali activation method, applying in electrocatalytic n -valeraldehyde oxidation reaction. The enlarged interlayer distance was verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscope (HAADF-STEM). Electrocatalytic experiments consequences showed activated biomass derived carbon possessed a higher electrocatalytic activity and octane selectivity than unactivated catalyst. Systematic tests and in situ infrared experiments demonstrated that enlarged interlayer distance was positively correlated with specific surface area of catalysts, large specific surface area provided abundant absorption sites, facilitated the adsorption for n -valeraldehyde, and further promoted the transformation of n -valeraldehyde to octane. This work also provides a new avenue for creating high-performance electrocatalysts in terms of lattice engineering.