Revisiting the influence of metals on resorcinol-formaldehyde carbon gels: Physicochemical properties, transformations and synergism between phases

• Published in: Inorganica Chimica Acta 2022-05, Vol.535, p.120850, Article 120850
• Main Authors: Pastrana-Martínez, L.M., Regadera-Macías, A.M., Morales-Torres, S., Maldonado-Hódar, F.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbon gel; Carbon – metal oxide composites; Catalysts; Doped or supported catalysts; Fitting active phases; Gels; Metal-doped carbon gels; Optimization; Parameters; Sol-gel processes
• ISSN: 0020-1693; 1873-3255
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ica.2022.120850

[Display omitted] •Carbon gels with developed and hierarchical porosity are obtained from Resorcinol-Formaldehyde polymers.•Doping with transition metals on the starting step of the synthesis allows obtain directly active catalysts.•Transition metals are catalytically active on the R-F polymerization, carbonization and activation processes.•Metal nanoparticles with different morphology and reduction degree are formed during carbonization.•Partial graphitization of the carbon phase occurs in the presence of some metals. One of the major keys in the design of new high-performance catalysts is the optimization of the synthesis procedure to tailor the physicochemical properties. In this context, the preparation of catalysts based on porous carbon gels is summarized. The influence of the different synthesis parameters along the preparation of supported or metal-doped carbon gels is presented. The development of materials with different porosity ranges, surface chemistry and active phases can be fitted by a careful control of the synthesis parameters using a simple sol–gel procedure.