Alberto Villa & Nikolaos Dimitratos 
Metal-free Functionalized Carbons in Catalysis 
Synthesis, Characterization and Applications

Metal-free carbons have recently shown great efficiency in several catalytic processes, including oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of ethylbenzene and alkenes, hydrogen evolution, liquid Brønsted and Lewis acid catalysis and electrochemical reactions. The catalytic activities of carbon materials are intimately related to their defects, structures, and surface chemistry. In particular, nitrogen functionalized carbons present different surface functional groups, and they can be used as multifunctional catalysts, either through their electronic or nucleophilic properties, or their ability to form additional H bonds with substrates.

This book provides an overview of the preparation, characterization and application of metal-free functionalized carbons, including carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon nitride and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). It is ideal for researchers and industrialists working in catalysis, gas sensing and carbon dioxide storage.

Table of Content

Covalent Methods for Functional Carbons’ Synthesis; Non-covalent Methodologies for the Preparation of Metal-free Nanocarbons for Catalysis; Carbon Nitrides (g-C3N4) and Covalent Triazine Frameworks (CTFs); Raman, IR and INS Characterization of Functionalized Carbon Materials; XPS Characterization of Metal-free Functionalized Carbons; Metal-free Functionalized Carbon in Liquid Phase Reactions; Carbon-based Metal-free Catalysts for Dehydrogenation of Hydrocarbons; Electrochemistry Reactions Catalyzed by Metal-free Functionalized Carbons; Metal-free Functionalised Carbons in Photocatalysis; Metal-free Doped Carbons for Electroanalytical Sensors