{"title":"P123-CoMgAl composite for sustainable and high-conversion epoxide ring-opening polymerization","authors":"Xiaoyan Cao, Xiao Xu, Gongming Wu, Zhenggui Gu","doi":"10.1007/s11051-025-06316-z","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The ring-opening polymerization lays the foundation for synthesizing polypropylene glycol. Nevertheless, homogeneous alkali catalysts usually require complex post-treatments, hindering green synthesis and environmental sustainability. Here, we studied a heterogeneous epoxide polymerization method based on a P123-modified nanocomposite layered double oxide (CoMgAl-LDO(P123)). Thereafter, the composition, crystal structure, morphology, and thermal stability of the catalyst were characterized through SEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, BET, and TG-DTG techniques. The results indicated that due to the designable and self-assembled P123 micelles, CoMgAl-LDO(P123) generated consistent mesoporous channels and a larger specific surface area. The introduction of cobalt enriched the alkaline sites on the CoMgAl-LDO(P123) surface. In the synthesis of small molecular weight poly(propylene glycol) (i.e., number average molecular weight less than 500), the catalytic performance of CoMgAl-LDO(P123) for the conversion of propylene oxide reached 96.3% under the optimal reaction conditions, which was superior to that of other catalysts. Our strategy addresses the trade-off issue that alkali catalysts faced in terms of sustainability and operational complexity, holding great promise in green chemistry.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"27 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11051-025-06316-z","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The ring-opening polymerization lays the foundation for synthesizing polypropylene glycol. Nevertheless, homogeneous alkali catalysts usually require complex post-treatments, hindering green synthesis and environmental sustainability. Here, we studied a heterogeneous epoxide polymerization method based on a P123-modified nanocomposite layered double oxide (CoMgAl-LDO(P123)). Thereafter, the composition, crystal structure, morphology, and thermal stability of the catalyst were characterized through SEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, BET, and TG-DTG techniques. The results indicated that due to the designable and self-assembled P123 micelles, CoMgAl-LDO(P123) generated consistent mesoporous channels and a larger specific surface area. The introduction of cobalt enriched the alkaline sites on the CoMgAl-LDO(P123) surface. In the synthesis of small molecular weight poly(propylene glycol) (i.e., number average molecular weight less than 500), the catalytic performance of CoMgAl-LDO(P123) for the conversion of propylene oxide reached 96.3% under the optimal reaction conditions, which was superior to that of other catalysts. Our strategy addresses the trade-off issue that alkali catalysts faced in terms of sustainability and operational complexity, holding great promise in green chemistry.
期刊介绍:
The objective of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research is to disseminate knowledge of the physical, chemical and biological phenomena and processes in structures that have at least one lengthscale ranging from molecular to approximately 100 nm (or submicron in some situations), and exhibit improved and novel properties that are a direct result of their small size.
Nanoparticle research is a key component of nanoscience, nanoengineering and nanotechnology.
The focus of the Journal is on the specific concepts, properties, phenomena, and processes related to particles, tubes, layers, macromolecules, clusters and other finite structures of the nanoscale size range. Synthesis, assembly, transport, reactivity, and stability of such structures are considered. Development of in-situ and ex-situ instrumentation for characterization of nanoparticles and their interfaces should be based on new principles for probing properties and phenomena not well understood at the nanometer scale. Modeling and simulation may include atom-based quantum mechanics; molecular dynamics; single-particle, multi-body and continuum based models; fractals; other methods suitable for modeling particle synthesis, assembling and interaction processes. Realization and application of systems, structures and devices with novel functions obtained via precursor nanoparticles is emphasized. Approaches may include gas-, liquid-, solid-, and vacuum-based processes, size reduction, chemical- and bio-self assembly. Contributions include utilization of nanoparticle systems for enhancing a phenomenon or process and particle assembling into hierarchical structures, as well as formulation and the administration of drugs. Synergistic approaches originating from different disciplines and technologies, and interaction between the research providers and users in this field, are encouraged.