A family of silica-supported, magnetite nanoparticle catalysts was synthesised and investigated for continuous-flow acetic acid ketonisation as a model pyrolysis bio-oil upgrading reaction. The physico-chemical properties of Fe3O4/SiO2 catalysts were characterised by using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy, diffuse...

The synthesis of bulk amounts of high quality single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is accomplished by optimizing the chemical compositions and textural properties of the catalyst material used in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of methane. A series of catalysts are derived by systematically varying the catalytic metal compounds and support materials. The optimized catalysts consist of Fe/...

Mesoporous silica has been used as a heterogeneous support for catalysts; however, asymmetric induction by the helicity of inorganic mesoporous silica itself has not yet been achieved. P- and M-helical mesoporous silica was found to act as a chiral inorganic trigger for asymmetric autocatalysis to afford (S) and (R)-pyrimidyl alkanol with >99.5% ee, respectively.

An efficient method for the synthesis of heterogeneous gold catalysts has been developed. These catalysts were easily assembled from readily available silica materials and gold complexes. The heterogeneous catalysts exhibited superior reactivity in various reactions where protodeauration is the rate-limiting step. Dramatic enhancement in regio- and enantioselectivity was observed when compared ...

The physical and chemical properties of tungsten oxide supported on SBA-15 mesoporous silica prepared by a controlled grafting process through atomic layer deposition (ALD) were studied using complementary characterization methods. X-ray diffraction, optical absorption, and transmission electron microscopy showed that tungsten oxide species are highly dispersed on SBA-15 surfaces, even at 30 wt...

Hybrid inorganic-organic materials comprising organic functional groups tethered from silica surfaces are versatile, heterogeneous catalysts. Recent advances have led to the preparation of silica materials containing multiple, different functional groups that can show cooperative catalysis; that is, these functional groups can act together to provide catalytic activity and selectivity superior ...