Tuning the reactivity of carbon surfaces with oxygen-containing functional groups

Abstract Oxygen-containing carbons are promising supports and metal-free catalysts for many reactions. However, distinguishing the role of various oxygen functional groups and quantifying and tuning each functionality is still difficult. Here we investigate the role of Brønsted acidic oxygen-containing functional groups by synthesizing a diverse library of materials. By combining acid-catalyzed elimination probe chemistry, comprehensive surface characterizations, 15 N isotopically labeled acetonitrile adsorption coupled with magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, machine learning, and density-functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that phenolic is the main acid site in gas-phase chemistries…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: P30 GM110758, 1428149, GM110758, FWP 47319, DE-AC05-76RL01830, 76RL01830, DE-SC0012704
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: 76RL01830, AC05-76RL01830, No. DE-AC05-76RL01830, 47319, DE-AC05-76RL01830, FWP 47319, SC0012704, DE-AC05, DE-SC0001004
• UO
  University of Delaware

  Award: DE-SC0001004
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: P30 GM110758, GM110758, DE-AC05-76RL01830
• OO
  Office of Science

  Awards: SC0001004, FWP 47319, DE-AC05-76RL01830, SC0012704, DE-SC0001004, DE-SC0012704
• NI
  National Institute of General Medical Sciences

  Award: P30 GM110758
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Awards: DE-AC05-76RL01830, DE-SC0012704, 47319, SC0012704, DE-SC0001004, FWP 47319, SC0001004
• BA
  Biological and Environmental Research

  Awards: DE-SC0012704, AC05-76RL01830, 76RL01830, DE-AC05-76RL01830
• BN
  Brookhaven National Laboratory

  Award: SC0012704