Boosting Furfural Hydrogenation Performance of Confined Co-Based Composites Derived From ZIF-67 via a Surfactant-Assisted Pyrolysis Strategy

Developing chromium-free and non-noble metal catalysts with high performance for furfural hydrogenation to high-value product furfural alcohol is desirable but challenging. Herein we develop and prepare nitrogen-doping carbon confining cobalt-based catalysts (Co-N-C composites) by a simple pyrolysis process of well-defined ZIF-67 MOFs modified with different surfactants (i.e., polyethylene-polypropylene glycol (F127), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in this work). The in situ formed carbon shell from F127 surfactants inhibits Co agglomeration during pyrolysis of ZIF-67 at 800 °C, thus affording abundant active CoN_x species and metallic Co clusters, which is confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The rich mesopore structures in [email protected] benefit mass transfer of reactants. [email protected] catalyst exhibits superior catalytic performance of a 97.2% furfural conversion with a 92.5% selectivity toward furfural alcohol and good durability during the chemoselective furfural hydrogenation, which is mainly attributed to the unique confinement of the in situ generated carbon shell. The surfactant-assisted pyrolysis strategy provides an efficient and facile way to prepare efficient non-noble metal catalysts to replace chromium-based catalysts for furfural hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol in the future.