Catalytic Materials: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives in Spain

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalytic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 6588

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Departamento de Química Orgánica, Instituto de Química Fina y Nanoquímica, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario CeiA3. Edificio Marie Curie, E 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; green chemistry; biorefinery; renewable raw materials biotechnology; transesterification; biodiesel; biodiesel-like biofuels; eco diesel; lipases; additives; oxygenated additives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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IMDEA-Energy, Advanced Porous Materials Unit, Avda. Ramón de la Sagra 3, 28935 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
Interests: catalysis; optical sensors; metal-organic frameworks; molecularly imprinted polymers; CO2 conversion

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Guest Editor
Institute of Molecular Science, University of Valencia, Catedratico José Beltrán Martinez Street nº2, Paterna, 46980 Valencia, Spain
Interests: photocatalysis; visible light; photodegradation of pollutants; photophysics; fluorescence; laser flash photolysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is a pleasure to invite you to submit your manuscripts to this Special Issue entitled Catalytic Materials: State of the Art and Perspectives in Spain. When addressing the current challenges of society related to the increase in concern about the environment, indcustrial emissions, and the use of chemicals, new emerging technologies are needed. The solutions to such great challenges pursue sustainability and should mainly be based on zero waste, decarbonization, and cyclic economy. In this sense, catalysis is essential, as it is well known that it can boost and/or improve processes, e.g., by reducing their reaction times, related waste or costs. Furthermore, catalysis-based research may provide deep molecular insight into a process, broadening the understanding of the mechanisms of chemical reactions. This Special Issue will try to collect the latest research developed in Spain related to catalysis, paying special attention to environmental, energy, and chemical applications.

Accordingly, submitted manuscripts could cover, but do not have to be exclusively limited to, one or more of the following topics: catalysts preparation and characterization, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, environmental catalysis, catalysis and energy, bio(mimetic)catalysis, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, multifunctional catalysts, and CO2 conversion; they must contain a topic related to these concerns or represent a significant benefit to contemporary society.

Reviews are also welcome, but we mainly encourage reviews that exclusively cover recent publications within the period 2016-2022 in order to offer a contemporary overview of the state of the art in Spain.

Prof. Dr. Diego Luna
Dr. Sergio Carrasco
Dr. Rebeca Martínez-Haya
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • heterogeneous catalysis
  • green chemistry
  • electrocatalysis
  • photocatalysis
  • bioremediation
  • CO2 conversion
  • environmental contamination
  • energy storage

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3261 KiB  
Article
NO Oxidation on Lanthanum-Doped Ceria Nanoparticles with Controlled Morphology
by Susana Fernández-García, Miguel Tinoco, Ana Belén Hungría, Xiaowei Chen, José Juan Calvino, Juan Carlos Martínez-Munuera, Javier Giménez-Mañogil and Avelina García-García
Catalysts 2023, 13(5), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13050894 - 15 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1332
Abstract
The present work aims to assess the impact of morphology and reducibility on lanthanum-doped ceria nanocatalysts with controlled morphology on the NO oxidation reaction. Specifically, samples were prepared using a hydrothermal method incorporating lanthanum at varying molar concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 15 [...] Read more.
The present work aims to assess the impact of morphology and reducibility on lanthanum-doped ceria nanocatalysts with controlled morphology on the NO oxidation reaction. Specifically, samples were prepared using a hydrothermal method incorporating lanthanum at varying molar concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 15 mol.%) into ceria with a controlled morphology (nanocubes and nanorods). The structural, compositional, and redox characterization of these catalysts has been performed via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (X-EDS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and oxygen storage capacity (OSC). NO oxidation catalytic tests were conducted, and the results were compared with estimated curves (obtained by considering the proportions of the corresponding components), which revealed the presence of a synergistic effect between lanthanum and ceria. The degree of enhancement was found to depend on both the morphology and the amount of lanthanum incorporated into CeO2. These findings may facilitate the optimization of features concerning ceria-based nanocatalysts for the removal of NOx emissions from exhaust gases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Materials: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives in Spain)
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16 pages, 1474 KiB  
Article
Synergy of Ion Exchange and Covalent Reaction: Immobilization of Penicillin G Acylase on Heterofunctional Amino-Vinyl Sulfone Agarose
by Thays N. da Rocha, Roberto Morellon-Sterling, Luciana R. B. Gonçalves, Juan M. Bolivar, Andrés R. Alcántara, Javier Rocha-Martin and Roberto Fernández-Lafuente
Catalysts 2023, 13(1), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13010151 - 09 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1423
Abstract
Agarose-vinyl sulfone (VS) beads have proven to be a good support to immobilize several enzymes. However, some enzymes are hardly immobilized on it. This is the case of penicillin G acylase (PGA) from Escherichia coli, which is immobilized very slowly on this [...] Read more.
Agarose-vinyl sulfone (VS) beads have proven to be a good support to immobilize several enzymes. However, some enzymes are hardly immobilized on it. This is the case of penicillin G acylase (PGA) from Escherichia coli, which is immobilized very slowly on this support (less than 10% in 24 h). This enzyme is also not significantly adsorbed in aminated MANAE-agarose beads, an anionic exchanger. In this study, MANAE-agarose beads were modified with divinyl sulfone (DVS) to produce MANAE-vinyl sulfone (VS) agarose beads. When PGA was immobilized on this support, the enzyme was fully immobilized in less than 1.5 h. PGA cannot be released from the support by incubation at high ionic strength, suggesting that the enzyme was rapidly immobilized in a covalent fashion. Considering that the amount of reactive VS groups was only marginally increased, the results indicated some cooperative effect between the anion exchange on the amine groups of the support, probably as the first step of the process, and the covalent attachment of the previously adsorbed PGA molecules. The covalent reaction of the previously adsorbed enzyme molecules proceeds much more efficiently than that of the free enzyme, due to the proximity of the reactive groups of the support and the enzyme. Finally, the steps of immobilization, incubation, and blocking with different agents were studied to determine the effects on final activity/stability. The stability of PGA immobilized on this new catalyst was improved with respect to the VS-agarose prepared at low ionic strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Materials: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives in Spain)
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15 pages, 2514 KiB  
Article
A Novel Method for Dynamic Molecular Weight Distribution Determination in Organometallic Catalyzed Olefin Polymerizations
by Masoud Shiri, Mahmoud Parvazinia, Ali Akbar Yousefi, Naeimeh Bahri-Laleh and Albert Poater
Catalysts 2022, 12(10), 1130; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101130 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1598
Abstract
In this study, a mathematical model for the time evolution of molecular weight distribution (MWD) was developed. This temporal model is based on the well-known Ziegler–Natta polymerization mechanism and reaction kinetics by the parametric solving of related differential equations. However, due to the [...] Read more.
In this study, a mathematical model for the time evolution of molecular weight distribution (MWD) was developed. This temporal model is based on the well-known Ziegler–Natta polymerization mechanism and reaction kinetics by the parametric solving of related differential equations. However, due to the generality of the reactions involved, the model can be extended to the other type of catalysts, such as metallocenes, Phillips, etc. The superiority of this model lies in providing the possibility of a more precise prediction over the active sites and kinetic parameters using a simple mathematical equation, which leads to improved reactor design in large-scale production. The model uses a function to develop a methodology for MWD calculations. In this way, the transient response is limited to the first few minutes of the reaction; however, it is important as it demonstrates the establishment of the final MWD. According to the results, almost for practical conditions with negligible transfer resistances, the time dependency of the MWD has a transient interval, depending on the kinetic constants of polymerization reactions. Increasing the time to infinity results in an increase in MW and a widening in MWD, which confirms the experimental plots well. In short, the main advantage of our proposed model over the previous ones is its ability to predict the MWD even before the completion of the polymerization reaction. The results of the present model match well with those of the well-known Schulz–Flory distribution, which only predicts the final molecular weight distribution, thus confirming that the model is reliable and generalizable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Materials: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives in Spain)
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Review

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14 pages, 1902 KiB  
Review
Main Routes of Production of High-Value-Added 2,5-Furandincarboxylic Acid Using Heterogeneous Catalytic Systems
by Ane Bueno, Asier Barredo, Nerea Viar and Jesus Requies
Catalysts 2023, 13(5), 880; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13050880 - 13 May 2023
Viewed by 1692
Abstract
The production of polymers from lignocellulosic biomass is currently one of the challenges to minimizing dependence on fossil fuels such as oil. The cellulosic fraction of this feedstock can be transformed into simple sugars such as glucose or fructose. These sugars can be [...] Read more.
The production of polymers from lignocellulosic biomass is currently one of the challenges to minimizing dependence on fossil fuels such as oil. The cellulosic fraction of this feedstock can be transformed into simple sugars such as glucose or fructose. These sugars can be further converted into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a precursor of polyethylene furanoate (PEF). The dehydration of sugars to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a platform molecule to obtain products of interest, has been extensively studied. In addition, the oxidation of this platform molecule to FDCA has been widely investigated. However, a study of the direct or one-step production of FDCA from sugars is needed. This review provides a general overview of the recent research on the catalytic systems for the direct production of FDCA from sugars. Ideally, a single-stage system should be employed. The investigations carried out in a one-step process are first detailed. Different strategies have been tested, such as the physical separation of two phases, where dehydration and oxidation took place separately. In this case, an efficient transfer of HMF is needed. To avoid HMF transfer limitations, other authors focused on the investigation of the one-pot transformation of HMF without physical separation. The major requirement of these processes is to achieve catalytic systems functional for both dehydration and oxidation reactions. Therefore, other investigations focused on the study of two-step integrated systems are also analyzed in this review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Materials: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives in Spain)
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