On the Capabilities of Transition Metal Carbides for Carbon Capture and Utilization Technologies.

The search for cheap and active materials for the capture and activation of CO has led to many efforts aimed at developing new catalysts. In this context, earth-abundant transition metal carbides (TMCs) have emerged as promising candidates, garnering increased attention in recent decades due to their exceptional refractory properties and resistance to sintering, coking, and sulfur poisoning. In this work, we assess the use of Group 5 TMCs (VC, NbC, and TaC) as potential materials for carbon capture and sequestration/utilization technologies by combining experimental characterization techniques, first-principles-based multiscale modeling, vibrational analysis, and catalytic experiments.

MoC Heterostructures as Efficient Cocatalysts in Robust MoC/g-CN Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic H Production from Ethanol.

In this work, we studied new materials free of noble metals that are active in photocatalytic H generation from ethanol aqueous solutions (EtOH), which can be obtained from biomass. MoC/g-CN photocatalysts containing hexagonal (hcp) MoC and/or cubic (fcc) MoC nanoparticles on g-CN nanosheets were prepared, characterized, and evaluated for photocatalytic hydrogen production from EtOH (25% v/v). Tailored MoC/g-CN nanocomposites with MoC crystallite sizes in the 4-37 nm range were prepared by treatment with ultrasound of dispersions containing MoC and g-CN nanosheets, formerly synthesized.

Supported Nanostructured MoC Materials for the Catalytic Reduction of CO through the Reverse Water Gas Shift Reaction.

MoC-based catalysts supported on γ-AlO, SiO and TiO were prepared, characterized and studied in the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) at 548-673 K and atmospheric pressure, using CO:H = 1:1 and CO:H = 1:3 mol/mol reactant mixtures. The support used determined the crystalline MoC phases obtained and the behavior of the supported nanostructured MoC catalysts in the RWGS. All catalysts were active in the RWGS reaction under the experimental conditions used; CO productivity per mol of Mo was always higher than that of unsupported MoC prepared using a similar method in the absence of support.