Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Novel carbon materials modified with
heteroatoms as metal-free catalyst and
metal catalyst support
Enrique Garc
´
a-Bordej
´
,*
a
Manuel Fernando R. Pereira,
b
Magnus R
¨
nning
c
and De Chen
c
DOI: 10.1039/9781782620037-00072
The discovery of novel carbon materials (carbon nanotubes, graphene) has extended the
window for the application of carbon materials as catalyst and catalyst support. The
electronic conductivity, ordered structure and absence of microporosity are some
favourable properties compared to disordered conventional carbon materials. The
ordered nature of these materials allows the precise functionalization with heteroatoms
which have shown good perspectives as metal free catalyst. Herein, the more recent
catalytic applications of heteroatom modified novel carbon materials both as catalyst and
catalyst support are reviewed.
1 Introduction
Conventional carbon materials such as activated carbons, graphite and
carbon black have been used as catalyst and catalyst support since long
time ago.
1,2
In the last 20 years, spurred by the discovery of new forms of
carbon, the use of carbon materials has grown remarkably either as
supports for active species or as metal-free catalysts. The application of
carbon benefits of its unique properties such as chemical and electro-
chemical inertness and easy surface functionalisation. The new realm of
carbon materials started with the successful laboratory synthesis of ful-
lerenes.
3
Soon afterwards, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were first observed
by Iijima in 1991
4
using high resolution electron microscopy. Since then,
carbon nanotubes have been the focus of material research mainly due to
their unique structural, electronic and mechanical properties. Triggered
by the report on the direct observation and characterization of mechan-
ically exfoliated graphene,
5
there has been an exponential growth on the
graphene research. The magnitude of CNT and graphene discoveries was
recognized by the award of Nobel Prize in chemistry (1996) and Physics
(2010), respectively, which has situated carbon materials in central pos-
ition for the advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
This review deals with carbon materials modified with heteroatoms (O,
N, S, P, B) and its application as metal-free catalyst or as catalyst support.
The focus is put on new forms of carbon materials (nanotubes, nanofibers,
