Carbon Materials for Catalysis

Carbon materials play a pivotal role in catalysis due to their unique properties and versatile applications. One of the most prominent carbon materials used in catalysis is carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These cylindrical nanostructures exhibit high surface area, excellent mechanical strength, and remarkable electrical conductivity, making them ideal candidates for catalytic applications. CNTs can be functionalized with various active sites, enabling tailored catalytic activity for specific reactions. Graphene possesses exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, along with a large surface area, making it a promising catalyst support material. Graphene-based catalysts have shown remarkable performance in various catalytic processes, including hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, and CO2 reduction.

Additionally, carbon-supported metal catalysts have gained significant attention in catalysis. Carbon materials serve as excellent supports for metal nanoparticles, providing a stable platform for catalytic reactions. These catalysts exhibit high activity, selectivity, and durability in processes such as hydrogenation, oxidation, and fuel cell reactions. Furthermore, carbon materials can be modified to enhance their catalytic properties. Surface functionalization, doping with heteroatoms, and morphology engineering are some of the strategies employed to tailor the catalytic activity of carbon materials. These modifications enable precise control over the active sites and electronic structure, resulting in improved catalytic performance.