Harun Tüysüz

Mesoporous Co3O4 as an electrocatalyst for water oxidation

AbstractMesoporous Co3O4 has been prepared using porous silica as a hard template via a nanocasting route and its electrocatalytic properties were investigated as an oxygen evolution catalyst for the electrolysis of water. The ordered mesostructured Co3O4 shows dramatically increased catalytic activity compared to that of bulk Co3O4. Enhanced catalytic activity was achieved with high porosity and surface area, and the water oxidation overpotential (η) of the ordered mesoporous Co3O4 decreases significantly as the surface area increases. The mesoporous Co3O4 also shows excellent structural stability in alkaline media. After 100 min under 0.8 V (versus Ag/AgCl) applied bias, the sample maintains the ordered mesoporous structure with little deactivation of the catalytic properties.

Direct imaging of surface topology and pore system of ordered mesoporous silica (MCM-41, SBA-15, and KIT-6) and nanocast metal oxides by high resolution scanning electron microscopy

We report here a detailed study on the surface topology of well-known ordered mesoporous silica (SBA-15, MCM-41, and KIT-6) and a series of nanocast Co 3O 4, Co 3O 4/CoFe 2O 4 composites by high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). Images of the MCM-41 structure were obtained at a resolution of the pore size, as well as a real space image of the gyroid silica surface of KIT-6 for two different aging temperatures, clearly revealing the differences of the aging procedures. By using the low voltage HR-SEM technique with extremely high resolution, we could very clearly show the influence of the template properties on the structure of the nanocast metal oxides.

Ordered mesoporous Co3O4 as highly active catalyst for low temperature CO-oxidation

Cubic ordered mesoporous Co3O4, prepared via the nanocasting pathway using KIT-6 as hard template, was found to be an excellent catalyst for low temperature CO oxidation, with the activity clearly depending on surface area and pore systems of the catalysts.

Pseudomorphic Transformation of Highly Ordered Mesoporous Co3O4 to CoO via Reduction with Glycerol

In this report, we describe the exploration of possibilities for a pseudomorphic reduction of ordered mesoporous metal oxides by high temperature treatment with glycerol, which was most thoroughly studied as an example of the reaction of Co3O4 to CoO. It was found that the glycerol process is a gentle reduction procedure, which maintains the framework topology on the mesoscale while changing the oxidation state and the structure at the atomic scale.

A crystal structure analysis and magnetic investigation on highly ordered mesoporous Cr2O3

A series of highly ordered mesoporous Cr(2)O(3) were prepared through the nanocasting pathway from decomposition of chromium(VI) oxide using KIT-6 as a hard template. The effects of the calcination temperature on the crystal structure, textural parameters and magnetic properties of the material were investigated. It was found that with increasing calcination temperature, surface area and pore volume of the mesoporous Cr(2)O(3) decreased slightly. Unpredictably, increasing calcination temperature also influences the lattice parameters of the Cr(2)O(3) crystal, and this rearrangement in the lattice parameter leads to changes in the value of the Néel temperature. A spin-flop transition has been observed at a magnetic field smaller than that of bulk material.

Nanocatalysts for Solar Water Splitting and a Perspective on Hydrogen Economy

In this review article, nanocatalysts for solar hydrogen production are the focus of discussion as they can contribute to the development of sustainable hydrogen production in order to meet future energy demands. Achieving this task is subject of scientific aspirations in the field of photo- and photoelectrocatalysis for solar water splitting where systems of single catalysts or tandem configurations are being investigated. In search of a suitable catalyst, a number of crucial parameters are laid out which need to be considered for material design, in particular for nanostructured materials that provide exceptional physical and chemical properties in comparison to their bulk counterparts. Apart from synthetic approaches for nanocatalysts, key parameters and properties of nanostructured photocatalysts such as light absorption, charge carrier generation, charge transport, separation and recombination, and other events that affect nanoscale catalysts are discussed. To provide a deeper understanding of these key parameters and properties, their contribution towards existing catalyst systems is evaluated for photo- and photoelectrocatalytic solar hydrogen evolution. Finally, an insight into hydrogen production processes is given, stressing the current development of sustainable hydrogen sources and presenting a perspective towards a hydrogen-based economy.

Morphology‐Controlled Synthesis of Organometal Halide Perovskite Inverse Opals

The booming development of organometal halide perovskites in recent years has prompted the exploration of morphology-control strategies to improve their performance in photovoltaic, photonic, and optoelectronic applications. However, the preparation of organometal halide perovskites with high hierarchical architecture is still highly challenging and a general morphology-control method for various organometal halide perovskites has not been achieved. A mild and scalable method to prepare organometal halide perovskites in inverse opal morphology is presented that uses a polystyrene-based artificial opal as hard template. Our method is flexible and compatible with different halides and organic ammonium compositions. Thus, the perovskite inverse opal maintains the advantage of straightforward structure and band gap engineering. Furthermore, optoelectronic investigations reveal that morphology exerted influence on the conducting nature of organometal halide perovskites.

A Strategy for the Synthesis of Mesostructured Metal Oxides with Lower Oxidation States

A detailed study on the pseudomorphic conversion of ordered mesoporous Co(3)O(4) and ferrihydrite into CoO and Fe(3)O(4), respectively, by using alcohol/water vapor as a gentle reducing agent is described. The reduction conditions for the transformation were optimized. In addition, the first one-pot synthesis of mesostructured CoO by using nanocasting with cubic ordered silica as a hard template is demonstrated.

Decoupling of magnetic core and shell contributions in antiferromagnetic Co3O4 nanostructures

The magnetic behavior of antiferromagnetic nanostructures is usually dominated by a core-shell structure. Here we report on a magnetometry study on antiferromagnetic Co3 O4 nanostructures showing a magnetic decoupling of the core and its surface contribution below a critical structure size. Systems with sizes larger than 8 nm yield a common coupled magnetometric behavior of core and shell. However, for smaller structure sizes the core and shell contributions show independent magnetization signatures indicating a decoupling scenario.

Ordered Mesoporous Materials as Catalysts

Abstract After their discovery in the early 1990s, ordered mesoporous materials have become one of the most widely investigated classes of materials, and applications have been considered in many areas, in particular in catalysis. They have attracted attention because of their unique properties such as high surface areas, controllable compositions, crystallinity, thermal and chemical stability, tailored porosities, narrow pore size distributions, concave surface curvatures, surface functionalities, as well as the opportunities they offer for incorporation of catalytically active and selective species. This chapter is focused on the properties of ordered mesoporous solids that distinguish them from more conventional porous catalytic materials. Emphasis is placed on history, development, and methods of synthesis of ordered mesoporous materials.