Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation
Abstract The gas-phase direct epoxidation of propylene (DEP) using molecular oxygen, which has been deemed the ‘dream reaction’ for propylene oxide (PO) production due to its efficiency and environmental benefits, remains highly regarded by researchers. In this contribution, we engineer a series of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63059-0 |
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| author | Yueming Qiu Yichen Zhang Ronghui Zhang Meng Huang Kok Bing Tan Guowu Zhan Gang Fu Qingbiao Li Jiale Huang |
| author_facet | Yueming Qiu Yichen Zhang Ronghui Zhang Meng Huang Kok Bing Tan Guowu Zhan Gang Fu Qingbiao Li Jiale Huang |
| author_sort | Yueming Qiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The gas-phase direct epoxidation of propylene (DEP) using molecular oxygen, which has been deemed the ‘dream reaction’ for propylene oxide (PO) production due to its efficiency and environmental benefits, remains highly regarded by researchers. In this contribution, we engineer a series of Cu2O nanocatalysts by employing the ligand-protection/selective facet-etching technique. Among these, the internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes, featuring increased specific surface area and a prevalence of {110} sites, achieve a triple-win in activity, selectivity, and stability, with an optimal PO formation rate of 0.18 mmol gcat -1 h-1 and a selectivity of 83.8% at 175 °C. In addition, long-term tests confirm that these internally hollow nanoframes maintain high activity and selectivity for over 300 minutes. Further characterizations, combined with density functional theory calculations, confirm that the unique atomic arrangement of copper and oxygen on the Cu2O {110} facet facilitate the formation of chemically adsorbed oxygen species and propylene oxide as well. We anticipate that the ligand-protection/selective facet-etching approach may serve as a versatile method for fabricating well-defined catalyst architectures. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-787e547b52334432b0e4b04a28f8b4d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-787e547b52334432b0e4b04a28f8b4d62025-08-24T11:36:49ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-63059-0Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidationYueming Qiu0Yichen Zhang1Ronghui Zhang2Meng Huang3Kok Bing Tan4Guowu Zhan5Gang Fu6Qingbiao Li7Jiale Huang8Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenCollege of Chemical Engineering, Integrated Nanocatalysts Institute (INCI), Huaqiao UniversityDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenDepartment of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, XiamenAbstract The gas-phase direct epoxidation of propylene (DEP) using molecular oxygen, which has been deemed the ‘dream reaction’ for propylene oxide (PO) production due to its efficiency and environmental benefits, remains highly regarded by researchers. In this contribution, we engineer a series of Cu2O nanocatalysts by employing the ligand-protection/selective facet-etching technique. Among these, the internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes, featuring increased specific surface area and a prevalence of {110} sites, achieve a triple-win in activity, selectivity, and stability, with an optimal PO formation rate of 0.18 mmol gcat -1 h-1 and a selectivity of 83.8% at 175 °C. In addition, long-term tests confirm that these internally hollow nanoframes maintain high activity and selectivity for over 300 minutes. Further characterizations, combined with density functional theory calculations, confirm that the unique atomic arrangement of copper and oxygen on the Cu2O {110} facet facilitate the formation of chemically adsorbed oxygen species and propylene oxide as well. We anticipate that the ligand-protection/selective facet-etching approach may serve as a versatile method for fabricating well-defined catalyst architectures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63059-0 |
| spellingShingle | Yueming Qiu Yichen Zhang Ronghui Zhang Meng Huang Kok Bing Tan Guowu Zhan Gang Fu Qingbiao Li Jiale Huang Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation Nature Communications |
| title | Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation |
| title_full | Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation |
| title_fullStr | Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation |
| title_short | Internally hollow Cu2O nanoframes with the abundance of {110} facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation |
| title_sort | internally hollow cu2o nanoframes with the abundance of 110 facets enhance direct propylene epoxidation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63059-0 |
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