Catalysts 2.0: a New Technology at the Forefront of Processes at the Heart of Renewable Energy Technology

With their unique physical and chemical properties, carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) represent nowadays one of the most valuable tools in heterogeneous catalysis. Beyond their application as simple supports for metal nanoparticles, CNMs as such or in the form of light-heterodoped systems have shown excellent properties as metal-free heterogeneous catalysts in a series of key transformations. The real nature of the active sites responsible of their ultimate catalytic activity is far from being definitively unveiled, as well as their final mechanism of action. However, it is commonly accepted that surface topological defects and electronic redistributions driven by the presence of functional groups play a crucial role on the (electro)catalytic performance of these materials. For this reason, the last decade has shown a real boost towards the development of carbon nanomaterials, particularly in their doped form with light elements (mainly N, B) as metal-free promoters for a number of key industrial processes. The development of cheap, highly efficient and selective catalytic materials (catalysts 2.0) for the sustainable development of devices and processes at the heart of renewable energy technology passes through the accomplishment of the following points: 1) the tailored bottom-up synthesis of complex nanostructures with at least one dimension at the nanometer scale; 2) the intensive research effort in reducing or replacing critical raw materials (e.g. PGMs) from catalysts; 3) the in-depth comprehension of the underpinning mechanisms which drive and control the activation and (electro)chemical conversion of challenging small molecules for their valorization as renewable energy sources. Our recent outcomes in the field move from a rational bottom-up design and synthesis of a series of metal-free 1D-3D carbon-based materials decorated ad hoc with chemically tethered surface functionalities and applied as heterogeneous (electro)catalysts to promote a variety of key industrial transformations [IMMAGINE_01]: from the challenging activation and electro-reduction of small molecules (i.e. O2 and CO2)[1,2] to the rethinking of the current alkanes dehydrogenation technology[3], one of the most energy demanding transformation at the core of polymer industry. The tailored nature and composition of the catalytic materials offer unique clues to debate on the structure/activity relationship of these systems in catalysis.