A recent trend: application of graphene in catalysis

Abstract

Graphene, an allotrope of carbon in 2D structure, has revolutionised research, development and application in various disciplines since its successful isolation 16 years ago. The single layer of sp 2 -hybridised carbon atoms brings with it a string of unrivalled characteristics at a fraction of the price of its competitors, including platinum, gold and silver. More recently, there has been a growing trend in the application of graphene in catalysis, either as metal-free catalysts, composite catalysts or as catalyst supports. The unique and extraordinary properties of graphene have rendered it useful in increasing the reactivity and selectivity of some reactions. Owing to its large surface area, outstanding adsorptivity and high compatibility with various functional groups, graphene is able to provide a whole new level of possibilities and flexibilities to design and synthesise fit-for-purpose graphene-based catalysts for specific applications. This review is focussed on the progress, mechanisms and challenges of graphene application in four main reactions, i.e., oxygen reduction reaction, water splitting, water treatment and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This review also summarises the advantages and drawbacks of graphene over other commonly used catalysts. Given the inherent nature of graphene, coupled with its recent accelerated advancement in the synthesis and modification processes, it is anticipated that the application of graphene in catalysis will grow exponentially from its current stage of infancy.

Crystal Growth of the Quasi-2D Quarternary Compound AgCrP2S6 by Chemical Vapor Transport

“…Thus, M 2 P 2 S 6 allows to investigate fundamental aspects of low dimensional magnetism and several members may be promising for future applications, e.g., complementing non-magnetic (quasi-)2D materials in heterostructures or in spintronic devices [6,7]. Furthermore, future applications in the field of catalysis are conceivable due to the structural similarity to the non-magnetic 2D materials such as graphene or the transition metal dichalcogenide compounds for which such applications are already discussed [8][9][10].…”

Review on benefits, toxicity, challenges, and future of graphene-based face masks in the prevention of COVID-19 pandemic

“…Recently, interest in graphene-derived 2D nanomaterials such as nanoporous graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (RGO), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and other graphene-derived materials has increased significantly (Catania et al, 2021;Jiang et al, 2021;Saleh & Fadillah, 2019;Yan et al, 2021a;Yan et al, 2021b). These materials are particularly well suited for various ionic sieves, molecular separation, desalination, gas-phase separation, dialysis, hemofiltration, ultra-filtration, water sterilization, sensors, protein separation, viral extraction, and other biomedical applications (Ali et al, 2020;Ali et al, 2019;Thebo et al, 2018).…”

Synthesis of graphene: Potential carbon precursors and approaches

“…Apart from energy storage, the high specific surface area is also advantageous in catalysis [28], adsorption [29], and water purification [30]. While most catalysts are metallic compounds, they are frequently expensive, toxic, polluting, and run the risk of severe aggregation due to high surface energy, thus reducing their catalytic activity [31]. Graphene aerogels were found to be effective in the adsorption of oils, dyes and organic solvents from an aqueous medium [32].…”