Catalyseur "sans-métaux" Biosourcé à Base de Carbone Dopé à l'Azote pour des Applications en Energie et en Dépollution

We describe the effective synthesis of macroscopic and highly porous nitrogen-doped carbon-based composites with exceptionally high nitrogen content. An aqueous solution of food-processing raw materials, i.e. ammonium carbonate, glucose and citric acid, is used as an impregnating pre-catalytic phase where a variety of macroscopically shaped supports are soaked. Successive thermal treatments "dress" the supports with a foamy carbon layer featured by a high density of surface exposed N-sites. The as-prepared composites are employed as heterogeneous metal-free catalysts in gas- and liquid-phase processes, showing excellent catalytic performance compared to that of analogous classical metal/metal-oxide-based composites. Two industrially and technologically relevant catalytic transformations are scrutinized: 1) the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as a process at the heart of renewable energy technology, and 2) the partial H2S oxidation to elemental sulfur from refinery tail gas.