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A New Approach Towards Acid Catalysts with High Reactivity Based on Graphene Nanosheets
Author(s) -
Wei Zuojun,
Yang Yao,
Hou Yaxin,
Liu Yingxin,
He Xiaodong,
Deng Shuguang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201402100
Subject(s) - graphene , catalysis , oxide , reactivity (psychology) , acid strength , hydrolysis , materials science , chemistry , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , medicine , alternative medicine , zeolite , pathology , engineering
Solid acid catalysts of graphene oxide and sulfonated graphene oxide nanosheets have been prepared by using the modified Hummers and sulfonation methods. Physical characterization indicated that a number of functional groups such as COOH, OH, O, and SO 3 H were introduced onto the surfaces of the as‐synthesized nanosheets. The catalytic performance of the synthesized catalysts was evaluated in the hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond and Fischer esterification. The experimental results indicated that the catalytic activity of the sulfonated graphene oxide was superior to that of other solid acid catalysts with the same or higher acid strength and has also exceeded that of H 2 SO 4 with 9.1 times of acid strength than that of the sulfonated graphene oxide. The high reactivity can be ascribed to the formation of hydrophobic cavities through the combination of graphene sheet and the oxygen‐containing groups on its surface, which may facilitate the catalyst to anchor with reactants and promote the attack of protons.