Novel Carbon Nanomaterials for Metal Free Catalysis

Abstract

This thesis presents an investigation on synthesis of carbon nanoribbons by edged engineering and the roles of the carbon edges in several catalytic reactions, oxygen reduction reaction, aqueous organic remediation and ethanol selective oxidation. Using edge engineered nanocarbons as the model catalysts, the carbon edges are exclusively proven to be catalytically active. Further, edges significantly benefit the heteroatom incorporation into the carbon lattice, and exhibit superior catalytic activity to basal plane doped sites.