Optical encoding of luminescent carbon nanodots in confined spaces.

Stable emissive carbon nanodots were generated in zeolite crystals using near infrared photon irradiation gradually converting the occluded organic template, originally used to synthesize the zeolite crystals, into discrete luminescent species consisting of nano-sized carbogenic fluorophores, as ascertained using Raman microscopy, and steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. Photoactivation in a confocal laser fluorescence microscope allows 3D resolved writing of luminescent carbon nanodot patterns inside zeolites providing a cost-effective and non-toxic alternative to previously reported metal-based nanoclusters confined in zeolites, and opens up opportunities in bio-labelling and sensing applications.

The Chemical Route to a Carbon Dioxide Neutral World.

Excessive CO emissions in the atmosphere from anthropogenic activity can be divided into point sources and diffuse sources. The capture of CO from flue gases of large industrial installations and its conversion into fuels and chemicals with fast catalytic processes seems technically possible. Some emerging technologies are already being demonstrated on an industrial scale.

GREEN CHEMISTRY. Shape-selective zeolite catalysis for bioplastics production.

Biodegradable and renewable polymers, such as polylactic acid, are benign alternatives for petrochemical-based plastics. Current production of polylactic acid via its key building block lactide, the cyclic dimer of lactic acid, is inefficient in terms of energy, time, and feedstock use. We present a direct zeolite-based catalytic process, which converts lactic acid into lactide.

Ternary Ag/MgO-SiO2 catalysts for the conversion of ethanol into butadiene.

Ternary Ag/Magnesia-silica catalysts were tested in the direct synthesis of 1,3-butadiene from ethanol. The influence of the silver content and the type of silica source on catalytic performance has been studied. Prepared catalysts were characterized by (29) Si NMR, N2 sorption, small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, XRD, environmental scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (ESEM/EDX), FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine and CO2 , temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 and UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

Review of old chemistry and new catalytic advances in the on-purpose synthesis of butadiene.

Increasing demand for renewable feedstock-based chemicals is driving the interest of both academic and industrial research to substitute petrochemicals with renewable chemicals from biomass-derived resources. The search towards novel platform chemicals is challenging and rewarding, but the main research activities are concentrated on finding efficient pathways to produce familiar drop-in chemicals and polymer building blocks. A diversity of industrially important monomers like alkenes, conjugated dienes, unsaturated carboxylic acids and aromatic compounds are thus targeted from renewable feedstock.

Gallium oxide nanorods: novel, template-free synthesis and high catalytic activity in epoxidation reactions.

Gallium oxide nanorods with unprecedented small dimensions (20-80 nm length and 3-5 nm width) were prepared using a novel, template-free synthesis method. This nanomaterial is an excellent heterogeneous catalyst for the sustainable epoxidation of alkenes with H2 O2 , rivaling the industrial benchmark microporous titanosilicate TS-1 with linear alkenes and being much superior with bulkier substrates. A thorough characterization study elucidated the correlation between the physicochemical properties of the gallium oxide nanorods and their catalytic performance, and underlined the importance of the nanorod morphology for generating a material with high specific surface area and a high number of accessible acid sites.

Conversion of (ligno)cellulose feeds to isosorbide with heteropoly acids and Ru on carbon.

The catalytic valorization of cellulose is currently subject of intense research. Isosorbide is among the most interesting products that can be formed from cellulose as it is a potential platform molecule and can be used for the synthesis of a wide range of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and polymers. A promising direct route from cellulose to isosorbide is presented in this work.

Tuning the acid/metal balance of carbon nanofiber-supported nickel catalysts for hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose.

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are a class of graphitic support materials with considerable potential for catalytic conversion of biomass. Earlier, we demonstrated the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose over reshaped nickel particles attached at the tip of CNFs. The aim of this follow-up study was to find a relationship between the acid/metal balance of the Ni/CNFs and their performance in the catalytic conversion of cellulose.

Fast and selective sugar conversion to alkyl lactate and lactic acid with bifunctional carbon-silica catalysts.

A novel catalyst design for the conversion of mono- and disaccharides to lactic acid and its alkyl esters was developed. The design uses a mesoporous silica, here represented by MCM-41, which is filled with a polyaromatic to graphite-like carbon network. The particular structure of the carbon-silica composite allows the accommodation of a broad variety of catalytically active functions, useful to attain cascade reactions, in a readily tunable pore texture.

Transition-metal-free catalysts for the sustainable epoxidation of alkenes: from discovery to optimisation by means of high throughput experimentation.

Transition-metal-free oxides were studied as heterogeneous catalysts for the sustainable epoxidation of alkenes with aqueous H₂O₂ by means of high throughput experimentation (HTE) techniques. A full-factorial HTE approach was applied in the various stages of the development of the catalysts: the synthesis of the materials, their screening as heterogeneous catalysts in liquid-phase epoxidation and the optimisation of the reaction conditions. Initially, the chemical composition of transition-metal-free oxides was screened, leading to the discovery of gallium oxide as a novel, active and selective epoxidation catalyst.

Catalytic production of conjugated fatty acids and oils.

The reactive double bonds in conjugated vegetable oils are of high interest in industry. Traditionally, conjugated vegetable oils are added to paints, varnishes, and inks to improve their drying properties, while recently there is an increased interest in their use in the production of bioplastics. Besides the industrial applications, also food manufactures are interested in conjugated vegetable oils due to their various positive health effects.

Design of Ru-zeolites for hydrogen-free production of conjugated linoleic acids.

While conjugated vegetable oils are currently used as additives in the drying agents of oils and paints, they are also attractive molecules for making bio-plastics. Moreover, conjugated oils will soon be accepted as nutritional additives for "functional food" products. While current manufacture of conjugated vegetable oils or conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) uses a homogeneous base as isomerisation catalyst, a heterogeneous alternative is not available today.

Titanosilicate beads with hierarchical porosity: synthesis and application as epoxidation catalysts.

Porous titanosilicate beads with a diameter of 0.5-1.5 mm (TiSil-HPB-60) were synthesized from a preformed titanosilicate solution with a porous anion-exchange resin as template.

Mapping of the organization of p-nitroaniline in SAPO-5 by second-harmonic generation microscopy.

Second-harmonic generation microscopy (SHGM) has been employed to study crystals of zeolite-like material SAPO-5 filled with p-nitroaniline (PNA). The SHG and 2-photon fluorescence response of PNA in the one-dimensional channels readily reveals the pore accessibility; intergrown crystallites containing hexagonal pyramidal components and internal diffusion barriers are found next to seemingly perfect crystals. The sensitivity of second-harmonic generation to molecular orientation allowed for mapping of the domains of differently organized PNA.

Metal-organic frameworks as high-potential adsorbents for liquid-phase separations of olefins, alkylnaphthalenes and dichlorobenzenes.

Three metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with similar pore window diameters, [Cu(3)(BTC)(2)], MIL-47 and MIL-53(Al), are tested for adsorption of olefins, alkylnaphthalenes and dichlorobenzenes in the liquid phase. Selective adsorption of olefins is possible only on [Cu(3)(BTC)(2)] viapi-complexation on its open metal sites. This material shows a remarkable preference for cis-olefins over trans-olefins.

Characterization of fluorescence in heat-treated silver-exchanged zeolites.

Thermal treatment of Ag(+)-exchanged zeolites yields discrete highly photostable luminescent clusters without formation of metallic nanoparticles. Different types of emitters with characteristic luminescence colors are observed, depending on the nature of the cocation, the amount of exchanged silver, and the host topology. The dominant emission bands in LTA samples are situated around 550 and 690 nm for the samples with, respectively, low and high silver content, while in FAU-type materials only a broad band around 550 nm is observed, regardless of the degree of exchange.

Catalytic glycerol conversion into 1,2-propanediol in absence of added hydrogen.

Conversion of glycerol into high yields of 1,2-propanediol in absence of added hydrogen is possible with Pt impregnated NaY zeolite characterized by extra-zeolitic metal particles combined with zeolite Brønsted acidity.

Selective adsorption and separation of ortho-substituted alkylaromatics with the microporous aluminum terephthalate MIL-53.

The metal-organic framework MIL-53(Al) was tested for selective adsorption and separation of xylenes and ethylbenzene, ethyltoluenes, and cymenes using batch, pulse chromatographic, and breakthrough experiments. In all conditions tested, MIL-53 has the largest affinity for the ortho-isomer among each group of alkylaromatic compounds. Separations of the ortho-compounds from the other isomers can be realized using a column packed with MIL-53 crystallites.

Study of the adsorption of organic molecules on transition metal exchanged zeolites via solid state NMR. Part 2: adsorption of organic molecules on zeolite NaX, CaX, and CaCoX.

Literature [Denayer et al. Microporous Mesoporous Mater. 2007, 103, 1 and Denayer et al.

Study of the adsorption of organic molecules on transition metal exchanged zeolites via solid state NMR. Part 1: theoretical aspects.

A theoretical study is performed of the (1)H relaxation behavior of an organic molecule that is adsorbed in a zeolite exchanged with transition metal ions. An expression is derived for the spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation rate constant of a uniform proton ensemble, while the occurrence of molecular exchange is taken into account. The influence is analyzed of an approach of a uniform proton ensemble toward the nearest neighboring paramagnetic ion system.