Jennifer Newton, Publishing Editor – Catalysis Science & Technology Blog

Author Archive

Improving conversion efficiency with Ga in solar cells

08 Mar 2013

Shigeru Ikeda and colleagues from Osaka University, Japan, have evidenced the ease and effectiveness of using spray pyrolysis to make CuInS₂-based solar cells in this HOT Catalysis Science & Technology paper. The effect of Ga-doping on structural properties related to photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical properties were investigated. Download the manuscript today to find out more…

Fabrication of CuInS₂ and Cu(In,Ga)S₂ thin films by a facile spray pyrolysis and their photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical properties
Shigeru Ikeda, Midori Nonogaki, Wilman Septina, Gunawan Gunawan, Takashi Harada and Michio Matsumura
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2013
DOI: 10.1039/C3CY00020F

This article is part of a themed issue on photocatalysis that is due to be published later this year.

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Olefin epoxidation – which catalyst to choose?

07 Dec 2012

Simone Hauser, Mirza Cokoja and Fritz Kühn explore recent developments in homogeneous epoxidation catalysts in this hot Catalysis Science & Technology Perspective. They look at the different catalysts used for different olefins as well as thinking about the context in which the catalysts would be used.

The manuscript is currently free so download it now, it might help you decide which catalyst to use….

Epoxidation of olefins with homogeneous catalysts – quo vadis?
Simone A. Hauser, Mirza Cokoja and Fritz E. Kühn
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2013
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20595E

Other Catalysis Science & Technology articles by the same author are:

Xylyltrioxorhenium – the first arylrhenium(VII) oxide applicable as an olefin epoxidation catalyst
Stefan Huber, Mirza Cokoja, Markus Drees, János Mínk and Fritz E. Kühn
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2013
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20371E, Paper

PtO₂ as a “self-dosing” hydrosilylation catalyst
Sophie Putzien, Eckhart Louis, Oskar Nuyken and Fritz E. Kühn
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 725-729
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00367H

Methyltrioxorhenium-catalysed oxidation of pseudocumene in the presence of amphiphiles for the synthesis of vitamin E
Mónica Carril, Philipp Altmann, Werner Bonrath, Thomas Netscher, Jan Schütz and Fritz E. Kühn
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 722-724
DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00313E

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Taking in situ catalysis to a new level

20 Sep 2012

Raimund Horn and colleagues have combined the measurement of kinetic and spectroscopy reactor profiles to establish catalyst structure–function relationships in this HOT Catalysis Science & Technology paper.

Their research focuses on the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene using a MoO₃ based catalyst supported on γ-alumina spheres. We are shown how measuring spatially resolved kinetic and spectroscopic profiles along the centreline of a fixed bed tubular reactor can be used to resolve the dynamics of a catalyst under working conditions.

For more details, download the article now…

Resolving kinetics and dynamics of a catalytic reaction inside a fixed bed reactor by combined kinetic and spectroscopic profiling
Michael Geske, Oliver Korup and Raimund Horn
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20489D

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Cheaper catalyst for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

07 Sep 2012

K-promoted Mo carbide catalyst could replace expensive Pt in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

This HOT paper reports the promotional effect of potassium addition to an alumina-supported molybdenum carbide catalyst in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis of higher hydrocarbons like olefins and paraffins. Such a catalyst could replace expensive expensive platinum catalysts for liquid fuel production.

Download the manuscript to find out more…

A potassium-promoted Mo carbide catalyst system for hydrocarbon synthesis
Dai-Viet N. Vo and Adesoji A. Adesina
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20385E, Paper

You might also find the following articles interesting…

Low temperature hydrogenolysis of waxes to diesel range gasoline and light alkanes: Comparison of catalytic properties of group 4, 5 and 6 metal hydrides supported on silica–alumina
Sebastien Norsic, Cherif Larabi, Marco Delgado, Anthony Garron, Aimery de Mallmann, Catherine Santini, Kai C. Szeto, Jean-Marie Basset and Mostafa Taoufik
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 215-219
DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00256B

Fischer–Tropsch reaction–diffusion in a cobalt catalyst particle: aspects of activity and selectivity for a variable chain growth probability
David Vervloet, Freek Kapteijn, John Nijenhuis and J. Ruud van Ommen
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 1221-1233
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20060K

A highly selective Raney Fe@HZSM-5 Fischer–Tropsch synthesis catalyst for gasoline production: one-pot synthesis and unexpected effect of zeolites
Bo Sun, Guobin Yu, Jun Lin, Ke Xu, Yan Pei, Shirun Yan, Minghua Qiao, Kangnian Fan, Xiaoxin Zhang and Baoning Zong
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 1625-1629
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20155K

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Half-titanocene pre-catalysts for olefin polymerisation

17 Jul 2012

The complexes helped produce polymers with narrow polydispersity and high molecular weights.

Synthetic polymers are everywhere in modern life and offer multiple opportunities for future materials with a wide range of applications. Using transition metal complex catalysts to precisely control olefin polymerisation is of current interest as they allow the synthesis of polyolefins with set microstructures. Carl Redshaw, Wen-Hua Sun and colleagues have synthesised and fully characterised a series of half-titanocene dichloride 2-aryliminoquinolin-8-olates and tested them with modified methylaluminoxane co-catalysts in ethylene polymerisations and co-polymerisations.

Download the paper today to find out more, including how bulky substituents at the arylimino group of ligands modified the catalytic activities of the complexes:

Synthesis, characterization, and the ethylene (co-)polymerization behaviour of half-titanocene dichloride 2-aryliminoquinolin-8-olates
Wei Huang, Wenjuan Zhang, Wen-Hua Sun, Lin Wang and Carl Redshaw
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20240A, Paper

Why not take a look at some other recent work from the team that we have published in Catalysis Science & Technology:

Nickel bis{4,6-dibenzhydryl-2-[(arylimino)methyl]phenoxylate} complexes: Synthesis, structures, and catalytic behaviour towards ethylene and norbornene
Zihong Zhou, Xiang Hao, Carl Redshaw, Langqiu Chen and Wen-Hua Sun
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012,2, 1340-1345
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20028G, Paper

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You might also find the 2009 Dalton Transactions themed issue on Metal-Catalysed Polymerisation interesting.

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Oxidoreductases reduce bulk-bulky hydroxy-ketones to give optically active 1,2-diols

31 May 2012

Challenging enzymatic stereoselective reduction of sterically demanding substrates.

Dörte Rother and colleagues have identified alcohol dehydrogenases that can be used for the stereoselective reduction of some sterically demanding ketones, under mild conditions. The team initially screened eight enzymes, with alcohol dehydrogenase from Ralstonia sp. giving the best results. Compounds with two chiral centres have important ‘building block’ applications as synthons for catalysts, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals and this study demonstrates the high potential of biocatalysts in this area.

To find out more, download the article now for free now…

Stereoselective synthesis of bulky 1,2-diols with alcohol dehydrogenases
Justyna Kulig, Robert C. Simon, Christopher A. Rose, Syed Masood Husain, Matthias Häckh, Steffen Lüdeke, Kirsten Zeitler, Wolfgang Kroutil, Martina Pohl and Dörte Rother
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20120H

This article is due to be published in our upcoming themed issue focusing on biocatalysis along with the below perspective:

Exploiting duality in nature: industrial examples of enzymatic oxidation and reduction reactions
K. Robins and A. Osorio-Lozada
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20102J

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Biodegradation pathway for α,β-unsaturated haloesters

20 Apr 2012

Kurt Faber and colleagues from the Unviersity of Graz report the reductive dehalogenation of β-haloacrylic ester derivatives using members of the ‘Old Yellow Enzyme’ family of flavoproteins in this HOT Catalysis Science & Technology communication. They have combined the ‘reductive activity of ene-reductases with the spontaneous β-elimination of hydohalous acid from the unstable (saturated) intermediates’ in this biodegradation pathway. Such work is important for its application to the disposal of organic halogenated materials that have negative effects on the environment.

This is another fantastic article that is due to be included in our upcoming Biocatalysis themed issue. Download the communication today – it’s free…

Reductive dehalogenation of β-haloacrylic ester derivatives mediated by ene-reductases
Gábor Tasnádi, Christoph K. Winkler, Dorina Clay, Mélanie Hall and Kurt Faber
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20079A

You might also find the group’s previous Dalton Transactions paper interesting:

Bioreduction of α-methylcinnamaldehyde derivatives: chemo-enzymatic asymmetric synthesis of Lilial™ and Helional™
Clemens Stueckler, Nicole J. Mueller, Christoph K. Winkler, Silvia M. Glueck, Karl Gruber, Georg Steinkellner and Kurt Faber
Dalton Trans., 2010, 39, 8472-8476
DOI: 10.1039/C002971H
From themed issue Bridging the gap in catalysis via multidisciplinary approaches

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Understanding titania nanotubes for photocatalysis

20 Mar 2012

Titania nanotubes have promising photo-oxidative and photo-reductive activities.

Kimberly Gray and Kevin Schwartzenberg from Northwestern University present an overview on the synthesis, characterisation and applications of titania nanotubes from a photocatalytic angle in this Hot Perspective. A greater appreciation of the different properties of the inner and outer surfaces of titania nanotubes will aid the fundamental understanding of chemical, optical and electrical processes occurring in applications such as for solar fuel production.

Read the Perspective for free…

Nanostructured Titania: the current and future promise of Titania nanotubes
Kevin C. Schwartzenberg and Kimberly A. Gray
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00538G

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HOT Minireview: Graphene & catalysis

14 Nov 2011

Catalytic uses of graphene and its composities have shown promising results.

In this Catalysis Science & Technology HOT Minireview Bruno Machado and Philippe Serp give a broad overview of topics relating to graphene and its application in synthesis and catalysis. The outstanding physical, chemical and mechanical properties of graphene have attracted huge amounts of attention and Machaso and Serp attempt to distill out the properties and characterisation techniques of graphene that are pertinent to catalysis.

Read more for free until the 29th November 2011 at:

Graphene-based materials for catalysis
Bruno F. Machado and Philippe Serp
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00361E

Why not check-out some other articles published in Catalysis Science & Technology featuring graphene:

In situ green synthesis of Au nanostructures on graphene oxide and their application for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol
Yingwei Zhang, Sen Liu, Wenbo Lu, Lei Wang, Jingqi Tian and Xuping Sun
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, 1, 1142-1144
DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00205H

Microwave-assisted synthesis of ZnO–graphene composite for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)
Xinjuan Liu, Likun Pan, Tian Lv, Ting Lu, Guang Zhu, Zhuo Sun and Changqing Sun
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, 1, 1189-1193
DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00109D

Graphene support for enhanced electrocatalytic activity of Pd for alcohol oxidation
Ravindra Nath Singh and Rahul Awasthi
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, 1, 778-783
DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00021G

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Catalysis Science & Technology Blog