Chemical Functionalization of Carbon Nanomaterials: Bridging the Gap between Simple Carriers and Smart (Metal-free) Catalysts

Authors

  • Giulia Tuci Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds ICCOM-CNR, Florence research area Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; Dipartimento di Chimica 'Ugo Schiff', Università di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
  • Lapo Luconi Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds ICCOM-CNR, Florence research area Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
  • Andrea Rossin Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds ICCOM-CNR, Florence research area Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
  • Giuliano Giambastiani Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds ICCOM-CNR, Florence research area Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; Kazan Federal University 420008 Kazan, Russian Federation. giuliano.giambastiani@iccom.cnr.it

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2017.568

Keywords:

C–c bond formation, Chemical functionalization, Co2 valorization, Metal-free heterogeneous catalysts, Orr

Abstract

The last few years have witnessed a wonderful technological renaissance that boosted the development of carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) doped with light heteroelements and featuring hierarchical porous architectures as valuable metal-free catalysts for a number of key industrial transformations. To date, several approaches to their synthesis have been developed, although many of them lack any real control of the final doping and composition. In contrast, chemical functionalization offers a unique and powerful tool to tailor CNMs' chemical and electronic surface properties as a function of their downstream application in catalysis. Different catalytic processes (hydrolysis/esterification/transesterification reactions, C–C bond forming reactions, CO2 derivatization into products of added value and electrochemical oxygen reduction reactions (ORR)) can be conveniently promoted by these materials. In addition, selected examples from this series offer a valuable platform for the in-depth comprehension of the underlying reaction mechanisms. This perspective article offers an overview on the main examples of ad hoc chemically decorated CNMs successfully exploited as metal-free catalysts, highlighting at the same time the importance of the surface chemistry control for the design of more active, metal-free and single-phase heterogeneous catalysts.

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Published

2017-09-27

Issue

Section

Scientific Articles

How to Cite

[1]
G. Tuci, L. Luconi, A. Rossin, G. Giambastiani, Chimia 2017, 71, 568, DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2017.568.