Speakers

The design and development of high-performance catalysts is a critical and challenging issue for achieving sustainable chemical and energy production. Metal oxide-based catalysts possess redox and/or acid–base active sites that enable diverse chemical reactions, since their physicochemical properties can be tuned through variations in crystal structure, morphology, composition, defects, and doping. Although their unique structures and electronic states have been extensively investigated in condensed matter science, they are usually synthesized by conventional solid-state methods, which restrict their catalytic applications and limit the overall performance of bulk materials.​ Here, we report the synthesis of nanostructured metal oxides and phosphates primarily based on earth-abundant metals, and their thermocatalytic applications in selective oxidation and acid–base reactions. We propose a simple and versatile methodology for tailoring nanostructures of crystalline complex oxides and phosphates with diverse compositions and architectures as an alternative approach to catalyst design. Nanomaterials derived from perovskite oxides, manganese oxides, and metal phosphates demonstrate high activity as heterogeneous catalysts for selective aerobic oxidation, biomass conversion, direct methane conversion, one-pot synthesis, acid–base catalysis, and water electrolysis. Furthermore, structure–activity relationships are elucidated through combined experimental and computational studies, highlighting the roles of oxygen vacancy formation, concerted molecular activation, and the redox/acid–base properties of the outermost surface.​​​​​