Cobalt Oxyhydroxide Nanosphere Catalyst for Longer Service Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cobalt-based catalysts face issues with active component loss and deactivation during use, leading to difficulties in product separation and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A cobalt catalyst is developed with a cobalt-based substrate material as the carrier, where the catalytically active substance, cobalt oxyhydroxide, is grown in hydrangea-like nanospheres on the surface of the carrier, enhancing binding force and service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cobalt-based catalysts are used as supported catalysts, then catalytic ability is improved, but active components are lost during use causing deactivation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the carrier and active substance by growing cobalt oxyhydroxide nanospheres directly on the cobalt-based carrier surface, creating an integrated structure where the active substance is firmly anchored to the carrier, preventing loss during catalytic reactions
Solution Approach 2:
The active substance is pre-grown on the carrier surface before catalytic use through a controlled preparation process involving sulfidation and electrochemical activation, ensuring the active components are already in place and securely bound before the catalyst is deployed
2Reliability
If cobalt-based catalysts are used as supported catalysts, then catalytic ability is improved, but separation and purification become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the active substance with the carrier into a single integrated catalyst structure, the patent eliminates the need for separate active component application steps and simplifies the overall manufacturing process, while the solid-supported nature maintains ease of separation
3Productivity
If conventional cobalt-based catalysts are used, then catalytic reactions can proceed, but service life is reduced due to deactivation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides prior cushioning by growing a sufficient amount of active cobalt oxyhydroxide substance on the carrier surface and optimizing its morphology, which cushions against deactivation over time and maintains catalytic activity throughout the service life
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying active substance to an inert carrier, the patent inverts the approach by using a cobalt-based carrier that can itself serve as the source of active substance through controlled transformation, ensuring long-term stability and activity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cobalt catalyst exhibits strong catalytic performance with reduced aggregation and loss of active components, facilitating easy separation and extending the catalyst's service life, while also offering cost-effectiveness and high production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
heating the carrier and a sulfur source in a protective gas atmosphere for conducting a reaction to obtain a precursor
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the precursor in an electrolyte for electrical activation to obtain the cobalt catalyst
Implementation Method 3
The catalytically active material uses the carrier as a cobalt source and is grown on the surface of the carrier autogenously
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application discloses a cobalt catalyst and a preparation method thereof. The cobalt catalyst includes a carrier and a catalytically active substance; the carrier is a cobalt-based substrate material; the catalytically active substance is grown on the surface of the carrier, and the catalytically active substance has a morphology of hydrangea-shaped nanospheres. The catalyst in the present application is an autogenously grown monolithic nanosphere catalyst with a three-dimensional structure assembled by nano-sheets on the catalyst surface. The catalyst has a high specific surface area and can fully expose the catalytically active sites to enhance the catalytic efficiency. Compared to a nanowire catalyst, the catalyst according to the present application has better self-supporting properties, and the active components are not easily aggregated nor fall off during a use process. Therefore, the catalyst has a longer service life.