Amorphous alumina: an ideal material for advancing pentacoordinated aluminum chemistry and verifying its catalytic properties
• Amorphous alumina whose main component is AlO 5 units is prepared via simple precipitation method. • It showed a catalytic property for the dehydrogenation of propane and worked as catalytic promotor in hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis of molecular complex. • Pentacoordinated aluminum sites are suggested to play important role in these functions. Pentacoordinated aluminum (Al V ) sites, which are infrequently observed in crystals, have been shown to enhance material properties such as catalytic and mechanical performances. We synthesized porous amorphous alumina particles using a straightforward precipitation method and demonstrated the catalytic benefits of Al V sites. While the sample contained trace amounts of hydroxyl groups and physisorbed water, it was entirely amorphous, consisting primarily of AlO 4 , AlO 5 , and AlO 6 units, with AlO 5 as the dominant component. This material exhibited catalytic activity in the dehydrogenation of propane. When paired with a molecular complex that facilitates electrocatalytic hydrogen generation, it resulted in an increased catalytic current and a reduction in overpotential. The Al V sites are believed to play a crucial role in these enhancements. With its abundant Al V sites throughout both the interior and surface, amorphous alumina serves as an ideal material for advancing the "chemistry of pentacoordinated aluminum."
Authors
- Zen Maeno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9300-219X)
- Yohei Onodera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3080-6991)
- Hiroki Nagai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1480-3037)
- Naoto Kuwamura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5957-2693)
- Kiyoshi Nakahara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6701-6216)
- Takeharu Yoshii (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1869-6021)
- Koji Yazawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2384-3716)
- Shinobu Ohki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7357-3833)
- Toshinori Okura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4506-8514)
- Shinji Kohara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9596-2680)
- Hideki Hashimoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4771-1240)
- Yuto Okawara
- Shunsuke Shimizu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1016-2095)
- Kenzo Deguchi
- Rei Okuno
- T. Seki
- Hirooki Kajiwara
- Ayumi Ishi
- Ryuichi Maekawa
- Tetsuya Kinjo
Institutions
- Kogakuin University (JP)
- JEOL (Japan) (JP)
- Tokyo University of Science (JP)
- Yamaguchi University (JP)
- Tohoku University (JP)
- National Institute for Materials Science (JP)
- Kyoto University (JP)
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Applied Materials Today
- Published
- 2025-04-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2025.102710
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Zeolite Catalysis and Synthesis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.54
Funders
- Nippon Sheet Glass Foundation for Materials Science and Engineering
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Iwatani Naoji Foundation
- Iketani Science and Technology Foundation
- Light Metal Educational Foundation
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- Japan Science and Technology Agency
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology