Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Material Characterization and Heterogeneous Catalysis

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2024) | Viewed by 4429

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Karolina Kiełbasa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
Interests: sorption; adsorbents; catalysts; carbon materials; carbon dioxide; methane; biomass; modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Joanna Sreńscek-Nazzal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Catalytic and Sorbent Materials Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Piastów Ave. 42, 71-065 Szczecin, Poland
Interests: heterogenous catalysis; biomass; carbon dioxide; adsorption; absorption; sorbents

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Catalysis is a fundamentally efficient process that can be used to derive a wide spectrum of chemicals. Therefore, catalytic processes play a key role in the sustainable development of the industry. There is plenty of space in the existing literature for more studies on the design, preparation, development, testing and modeling of robust heterogeneous catalysts. Topics of interest include for this Special Issue include the production and modification methods of such catalysts, their characterization via various techniques, as well as the modeling and investigation of their reactivity.

We invite submissions on a wide range of subjects concerning heterogeneous catalysis, including but not limited to sustainable processes, novel catalysts’ preparation, their characterization, as well as their global impact on the energy cycle and the environment.

Dr. Karolina Kiełbasa
Prof. Dr. Joanna Sreńscek-Nazzal
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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

heterogenous catalysts
surface reactivity
catalysts preparation
promotion and poisoning
energy
sustainable technologies

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

28 pages, 6017 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption Equilibrium of CO₂ on Microporous Activated Carbon Produced from Avocado Stone Using H₂SO₄ as an Activating Agent

by Joanna Siemak and Beata Michalkiewicz

Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16881; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416881 - 15 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 819

Abstract

In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into activated carbons derived from avocado stones produced through chemical activation using sulfuric acid. The analysis encompassed X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, FTIR, SEM and essential textural parameters, namely specific surface area, total pore volume, and micropore volume. Moreover, we scrutinized carbon dioxide adsorption isotherms and subjected the experimental data to fit with both two-parameter and four-parameter equilibrium isotherm models. To achieve the most accurate parameter estimation, five error functions were employed. Furthermore, we calculated the isosteric heat of adsorption for the most promising CO₂ sorbent, providing valuable insights into the thermodynamic aspects of the adsorption process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Characterization and Heterogeneous Catalysis)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 9011 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Basic Properties of Y_1−xYb_xVO₄ Obtained by High-Energy Ball Milling and High-Temperature Treatment

by Mateusz Piz, Elżbieta Filipek, Daniel Klukowski and Paweł Kochmański

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14606; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914606 - 9 Oct 2023

Viewed by 703

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to experimentally confirm that a continuous, substitutional solid solution of a general formula Y_1−xYb_xVO₄ is formed in the pseudo-binary system YVO₄–YbVO₄, and to investigate its basic unknown properties as a function of composition for 0.00 < x < 1.00. To date, such a solid solution has been obtained and characterized to a limited extent, but only for a few selected compositions. This solution was obtained by a high temperature and, for the first time, using mechanochemical methods. For the solution obtained by the high-energy ball-milling method, unknown physicochemical properties were established over its entire range of homogeneity. The solution was synthesized from mixtures of yttrium orthovanadate (V) with ytterbium (III) orthovanadate (V) of different compositions and investigated by XRD, IR, SEM, and UV-Vis(DRS) methods. It was found that Y_1−xYb_xVO₄ crystallizes in a tetragonal system. The results confirmed that the solid solution Y_1−xYb_xVO₄ has a structure of YVO₄ and YbVO₄, and its structure is composed of YbO₆ and YO₆ octahedrons and VO₄ tetrahedrons. Moreover, if the parameter (x) in the solid solution Y_1−xYb_xVO₄ increases, its crystalline lattice contracts and the value of the energy gap decreases. This solid solution is stable in the air atmosphere at least up to ~1500 °C. The estimated band gap for this solid solution indicates that it belongs to the semiconductors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Characterization and Heterogeneous Catalysis)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 5710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Application of Clinoptilolite as the Green Catalyst in the Solvent-Free Oxidation of α-Pinene with Oxygen

by Jadwiga Grzeszczak, Agnieszka Wróblewska, Karolina Kiełbasa, Zvi C. Koren and Beata Michalkiewicz

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10381; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310381 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1019

Abstract

In this work, we present the catalytic application of the naturally occurring zeolite, clinoptilolite, in the oxidation of α-pinene, a natural terpene compound. Clinoptilolites with different average particle sizes, designated as (in μm) clin_1 (20), clin_2 (50), clin_3 (200), and clin_4 (500–1000), were used as the green catalysts in the solvent-free oxidation of α-pinene with oxygen. Prior to their application in catalytic tests, the catalysts were characterized by the following methods: nitrogen sorption at 77 K, EDXRF, XRD, SEM, UV-Vis, and FTIR. The effects of the temperature, amount of the catalyst, and reaction time on the product’s selectivity and α-pinene conversion were determined. At the optimal conditions (a temperature of 100 °C, catalyst content (clin_4) in the reaction mixture of 0.05 wt%, and 210 min reaction time), the following compounds were obtained as the main products: α-pinene oxide (selectivity 29 mol%), verbenol (selectivity 17 mol%), and verbenone (selectivity 13 mol%). The conversion of α-pinene under these conditions amounted to 35 mol%. Additionally, the kinetic modeling of α-pinene oxidation over the most active catalyst (clin_4) was performed. The proposed method of oxidation is environmentally safe because it does not require the separation of products from the solvent. In addition, this method allows for managing the biomass in the form of turpentine, which is the main source of α-pinene. The catalytic application of clinoptilolite in the oxidation of α-pinene has not yet been reported in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Characterization and Heterogeneous Catalysis)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 7037 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon-Supported Nickel Catalysts—Comparison in Alpha-Pinene Oxidation Activity

by Adrianna Kamińska, Joanna Sreńscek-Nazzal, Karolina Kiełbasa, Jadwiga Grzeszczak, Jarosław Serafin and Agnieszka Wróblewska

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5317; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065317 - 16 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1316

Abstract

In this work, carbon-supported nickel catalysts with different Ni content (1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 wt%) were tested in the oxidation of alpha-pinene in solvent-free reaction conditions. The process of catalyst preparation consisted of two stages. In the first stage, the activated carbon from spent coffee grounds was obtained. In the second stage, the active phase in the form of nickel compounds was applied using two methods: (1) the impregnation of the material with the nickel salt solution, and next reduction in H₂, and (2) the hydrothermal method in the autoclave using the reductor and the reaction stabilizer. The obtained catalysts were subjected to the following instrumental studies: FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and N₂ adsorption at −196 °C. The performed catalytic tests showed that the catalysts containing 5 wt% of Ni (porous material obtained by the impregnation method) and 1 wt% of Ni (porous material obtained by the hydrothermal method) were the most active in the oxidation of alpha-pinene, and the main oxidation products were alpha-pinene oxide, verbenol, and verbenone. Ultimately, the hydrothermal method of catalyst preparation turned out to be more advantageous because it allows one to obtain higher selectivities of the epoxide compound, probably due to the greater stability of this organic compound in pores. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Characterization and Heterogeneous Catalysis)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Material Characterization and Heterogeneous Catalysis

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (4 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI