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Free keywords:
metal-free catalysis; carbon; carbon nitride; selectivity; sustainable chemistry
Carbon
Abstract:
The science and technology of catalysis are being challenged by the facts that fossil energy and other natural resources (among them water) are exhausting and the climate changes rapidly with global warming and frequent nature catastrophes as results. The current established catalysis processes are in many cases energy-consuming and not selective enough wasting resources and producing greenhouse gases. Furthermore these processes often rely on precious and scarce metals, which considering the shortage of natural resources cannot be regarded as sustainable solution. Metal-free heterogeneous catalysis using carbon or carbon nitride replacing metal/metal oxides seems to be a true alternative for some current industrialized chemical processes. Carbon and carbon nitride are environmentally friendly, and allow a favorable management of energy over a good thermal conductor. With the obtained lower reaction temperature and high selectivity, they are candidates for a green chemistry with low emission and an efficient use of the chemical feedstock. This minireview highlights some recent promising activities and developments in heterogeneous catalysis using only carbon and carbon nitride as catalysts. The state-of-the-art and future challenges for metal-free heterogeneous catalysis are discussed.
