Papers by Siglinda Perathoner
ChemSusChem, 2015
Water oxidation [20b, 56-65] and CO 2 activation [66-72] have been widely studied. Water splittin... more Water oxidation [20b, 56-65] and CO 2 activation [66-72] have been widely studied. Water splitting by photosynthetic molecules or
Catalysis Today, 2013
(2020). We provide a mathematical analysis and a numerical demonstration of our algorithm.
Gels
The use of peptides to template inorganic nanoparticle formation has attracted great interest as ... more The use of peptides to template inorganic nanoparticle formation has attracted great interest as a green route to advance structures with innovative physicochemical properties for a variety of applications that range from biomedicine and sensing, to catalysis. In particular, short-peptide gelators offer the advantage of providing dynamic supramolecular environments for the templating effect on the formation of inorganic nanoparticles directly in the resulting gels, and ideally without using further reductants or chemical reagents. This mini-review describes the recent progress in the field to outline future research directions towards dynamic functional materials that exploit the synergy between supramolecular chemistry, nanoscience, and the interface between organic and inorganic components for advanced performance.
Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2016
Abstract A novel catalyst preparation procedure is proposed in order to enhance the noble metal d... more Abstract A novel catalyst preparation procedure is proposed in order to enhance the noble metal distribution at low loadings, while controlling the hierarchical porosity of the support material. Thus, a silica-supported platinum catalyst with hierarchical porosity was prepared using a combination of three processes performed in aqueous medium: emulsion polymerisation, sonochemistry and sol-gel synthesis. First, a polystyrene latex template of ca. 130 nm was synthesised by emulsion polymerisation and subsequently decorated with Pt nanoparticles of ca. 2.1 nm by sonochemical reduction of sodium tetrachloroplatinate. Then, the mesoporous silica support was prepared by a two-step acid-base catalysed sol-gel synthesis around the Pt-loaded latex spheres. Materials with specific surface areas and total pore volumes as high as 615 m 2 g −1 and 0.74 cm 3 g −1 , respectively, were obtained.
Catalysts, 2015
The one-pot catalytic reductive etherification of furfural to 2-methoxymethylfuran (furfuryl meth... more The one-pot catalytic reductive etherification of furfural to 2-methoxymethylfuran (furfuryl methyl ether, FME), a valuable bio-based chemical or fuel, is reported. A large number of commercially available hydrogenation heterogeneous catalysts based on nickel, copper, cobalt, iridium, palladium and platinum catalysts on various support were evaluated by a high-throughput screening approach. The reaction was carried out in liquid phase with a 10% w/w furfural in methanol solution at 50 bar of hydrogen. Among all the samples tested, carbon-supported noble metal catalysts were found to be the most promising in terms of productivity and selectivity. In particular, palladium on charcoal catalysts show high selectivity (up to 77%) to FME. Significant amounts of furfuryl alcohol (FA) and 2-methylfuran (2-MF) are observed as the major by-products.
Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 2015
ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates an effective method of monitoring glucose in fermentation proces... more ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates an effective method of monitoring glucose in fermentation processes based on the development of enzyme-free glucose electrochemical sensors. The sensing electrodes were manufactured by preparing size-controlled Au nanoparticles (NPs), in the form of colloidal solutions, which were dispersed on TiO2 substrates, and then deposited on commercial carbon screen printed electrodes. The as-synthesized samples were fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to obtain information about their morphological, structural, and electronic properties. Particularly, the ability to control the size of Au NPs in the colloidal solution by using different reducing agents and stabilizers is presented here. The Au/TiO2-based modified sensors were assembled and tested for glucose monitoring in an alkaline solution. Results of cyclic voltammetry showed the high electrocatalytic activity of these sensors toward glucose oxidation, whereas no response was detected toward ethanol. This suggests the possibility of using this type of sensor for glucose monitoring in the fermentation processes without ethanol interference. The efficient sensing properties of Au NP-embedded TiO2 composites may be ascribed to the higher electrocatalytic activity of smaller Au NPs stabilized on TiO2.
Journal of Catalysis, 2005
A series of new tubular catalytic membranes (TCMs) have been prepared and tested in the direct sy... more A series of new tubular catalytic membranes (TCMs) have been prepared and tested in the direct synthesis of H 2 O 2. Such TCMs are carbon-coated asymmetric α-alumina mesoporous membranes supported on macroporous α-alumina. Pd was introduced by depositionprecipitation to obtain an even Pd particle distribution inside the membrane pore network. This type of membrane was active in the direct synthesis of H 2 O 2. Catalytic tests were carried out in a semi-batch recirculating reactor under very mild conditions. Concentrations as high as 250-300 ppm H 2 O 2 were commonly achieved after 6-7 h on stream, with a particularly high decomposition rate in the presence of H 2. Important features are optimization of the metal deposition procedure and preactivation. To slow down the decomposition and favor the synthesis of H 2 O 2 , a smooth metal particle surface is needed.
Applied Sciences
Nanostructured titania (TiO2) is the most widely applied semiconducting oxide for a variety of pu... more Nanostructured titania (TiO2) is the most widely applied semiconducting oxide for a variety of purposes, and it is found in many commercial products. The vast majority of uses rely on its photo-activity, which, upon light irradiation, results in excited states that can be used for diverse applications. These range from catalysis, especially for energy or environmental remediation, to medicine—in particular, to attain antimicrobial surfaces and coatings for titanium implants. Clearly, the properties of titania are enhanced when working at the nanoscale, thanks to the increasingly active surface area. Nanomorphology plays a key role in the determination of the materials’ final properties. In particular, the nucleation and growth of nanosized titania onto carbon nanostructures as a support is a hot topic of investigation, as the nanocarbons not only provide structural stability but also display the ability of electronic communication with the titania, leading to enhanced photoelectroni...
Applied Sciences
The family of carbon nanostructures comprises several members, such as fullerenes, nano-onions, n... more The family of carbon nanostructures comprises several members, such as fullerenes, nano-onions, nanodots, nanodiamonds, nanohorns, nanotubes, and graphene-based materials. Their unique electronic properties have attracted great interest for their highly innovative potential in nanomedicine. However, their hydrophobic nature often requires organic solvents for their dispersibility and processing. In this review, we describe the green approaches that have been developed to produce and functionalize carbon nanomaterials for biomedical applications, with a special focus on the very latest reports.
Environmental Catalysis
ABSTRACT
Molecular mechanisms for N2 fixation (solar NH3) and CO2 conversion to C2+ products in enzymatic ... more Molecular mechanisms for N2 fixation (solar NH3) and CO2 conversion to C2+ products in enzymatic conversion (Nitrogenase), electrocatalysis, metal-complexes and plasma-catalysis are analysed and compared. It is evidenced that differently from what present in thermal and plasma-catalysis, the electrocatalysis path requires not only the direct coordination and hydrogenation of undissociated N2 molecule, but to realize a series of features present in the Nitrogenase mechanism. There is the need of i) a multi-electron and -proton simultaneous transfer, not as sequential steps, ii) forming bridging metal hydride species, iii) generate intermediates stabilized by bridging multiple metal atoms, iv) have the capability of the same sites to be effective both in N2 fixation and in COx reduction to C2+ products. Only iron oxide/hydroxide stabilized at defective sites of nanocarbons was found to have these features. This comparison of the molecular mechanisms in solar NH3 production and relatio...
Journal of Energy Chemistry
Gas-phase electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide using electrolytic cell based on phosphori... more Gas-phase electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide using electrolytic cell based on phosphoric acid-doped polybenzimidazole membrane
Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), Jan 22, 2018
2D oxide nanomaterials constitute a broad range of materials, with a wide array of current and po... more 2D oxide nanomaterials constitute a broad range of materials, with a wide array of current and potential applications, particularly in the fields of energy storage and catalysis for sustainable energy production. Despite the many similarities in structure, composition, and synthetic methods and uses, the current literature on layered oxides is diverse and disconnected. A number of reviews can be found in the literature, but they are mostly focused on one of the particular subclasses of 2D oxides. This review attempts to bridge the knowledge gap between individual layered oxide types by summarizing recent developments in all important 2D oxide systems including supported ultrathin oxide films, layered clays and double hydroxides, layered perovskites, and novel 2D-zeolite-based materials. Particular attention is paid to the underlying similarities and differences between the various materials, and the subsequent challenges faced by each research community. The potential of layered oxi...
The Journal of Physical Chemistry
The luminescence properties of solid [TbCbpybpybpy]",[LaCbpybpybpy13+, and [Nacbpybp... more The luminescence properties of solid [TbCbpybpybpy]",[LaCbpybpybpy13+, and [Nacbpybpybpy]'are reported for temperatures down to 4.2 K. The 2, 2'-bipyridine phosphorescence in the case of the La3+ and Na+ cryptate is quenched by energy ...
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Papers by Siglinda Perathoner