Metal-free carbon catalysts with excellent catalytic performance have drawn much research attention recently. Herein, polymer-derived N,S co-doped carbon catalysts (PDNSC-X) with a hierarchically porous structure were facilely prepared by a cost-effective and convenient strategy via carbonization of a N- and S atom-containing polymer precursor and were subsequently used as efficient metal-free catalysts. The catalytic activity of the as-fabricated PDNSC-800 was greater than those of other reported heteroatom-doped carbon catalysts in catalytic reduction of various nitroarenes. The high catalytic activity of PDNSC-800 was related to the synergistic effects of a high surface area, a hierarchically porous structure, abundant N- and S-containing active sites, and defect formation. In addition, the close relationship between the N species (especially pyrrolic N) and high selectivity in metal-free catalytic synthesis was investigated in the reduction of nitroarenes and selective oxidation of ethylbenzene. This study may provide a new strategy to fabricate specific heteroatom-doped metal-free carbon catalysts for environmentally friendly efficient organic transformation.

Herein, a non-stacked γ-Fe₂O₃/C@TiO₂ double-layer hollow nano photocatalyst has been developed with ultrathin nanosheets-assembled double shells for photodegradation phenol. High catalytic performance was found that the phenol could be completely degraded in 135 min under visible light, due to the moderate band edge position (VB at 0.59 eV and CB at −0.66 eV) of the non-stacked γ-Fe₂O₃/C@TiO₂, which can expand the excitation wavelength range into the visible light region and produce a high concentration of free radicals (such as ·OH, ·O²⁻, holes). Furthermore, the interior of the hollow composite γ-Fe₂O₃ is responsible for charge generation, and the carbon matrix facilitates charge transfer to the external TiO₂ shell. This overlap improved the selection/utilization efficiency, while the unique non-stacked double-layered structure inhibited initial charge recombination over the photocatalysts. This work provides new approaches for photocatalytic applications with γ-Fe₂O₃/C-based materials.

To improve the yield of propylene in fluidized catalytic cracking, a series of different Au/ZSM-5-TOS catalysts were prepared by modifying ZSM-5, using an external surface modification method and Au nanoparticles. The modified catalyst maintained the MFI structure of ZSM-5, whereas the pore-opening size of the zeolite relatively decreased, without affecting its internal structure. The acidity of ZSM-5, especially the Brønsted acidity, reduced. Among the studied catalysts, the 0.2 wt% Au/ZSM-5-1%TOS catalyst exhibited the best feedstock conversion and propylene selectivity, along with a significant increase in propylene selectivity and a slight decrease in the conversion of light diesel oil, even after water vapor treatment at 800 °C for 4 h. Its catalytic activity at 360 °C exceeded that of ZSM-5 at 460 °C, showing great application potential in petrochemical processes.

V-doped ZrO₂ support materials were synthesized through a hydrothermal method, followed by a deposition–precipitation process to load Au clusters using an H₄AuClO₄ precursor. This study investigated the impact of vanadium doping on propylene epoxidation over the corresponding Au-supported catalysts. Vanadium incorporation significantly enhanced propylene conversion and promoted acrolein production, leading to reduced propylene oxide selectivity. Propylene epoxidation at higher temperatures accelerated the decomposition of oxygenates into CO₂. Vanadium addition to ZrO₂ altered the interactions between Au and V-doped ZrO₂, thereby modifying the chemical states of Zr, Au, and V and forming surface oxygen vacancies and active oxygen species. These changes defined the catalytic performance of the materials.