We report the results from the first 5D tomographic diffraction imaging experiment of a complex Ni–Pd/CeO2–ZrO2/Al2O3 catalyst used for methane reforming. This five-dimensional (three spatial, one scattering and one dimension to denote time/imposed state) approach enabled us to track the chemical evolution of many particles across the catalyst bed and relate these changes to the gas environment that the particles experience. Rietveld analysis of some 2 × 106 diffraction patterns allowed us to extract heterogeneities in the catalyst from the Å to the nm and to the μm scale (3D maps corresponding to unit cell lattice parameters, crystallite sizes and phase distribution maps respectively) under different chemical environments. We are able to capture the evolution of the Ni-containing species and gain a more complete insight into the multiple roles of the CeO2-ZrO2 promoters and the reasons behind the partial deactivation of the catalyst during partial oxidation of methane.

We report the results from an operando XRD-CT study of a working catalytic membrane reactor for the oxidative coupling of methane. These results reveal the importance of the evolving solid state chemistry during catalytic reaction, particularly the chemical interaction between the catalyst and the oxygen transport membrane.

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Glucose, a readily available biomass precursor is used for the production of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) via a fast, efficient, and environmentally benign continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) process using supercritical water, an approach that can readily be scaled-up for industrialization, producing materials with enhanced properties. The water soluble CQDs exhibit an average particle size of 2.3 ± 0.5 nm, with optimum emission intensity at 446 nm on excitation at 360 nm. The as-synthesized CQDs with no extra modification show promising sensitivity and good selectivity for the highly toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic chromium (VI) ion (limit of detection of 3.62 ppm) and for the essential bioactive transition metal, iron (II) ion (limit of detection of 1.83 ppm). The life-cycle assessment confirms that in comparison to conventional batch synthetic method, continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis process is significantly a more efficient and greener route for the synthesis of carbon quantum dots from the glucose biomass precursor.

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