Enhanced Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of Activated Carbon-Supported Metal Catalysts via Rapid Plasma Surface Functionalization

We employ a nonthermal, He/O-2 atmosphericplasma asan efficient surface functionalization method of activated carbons.We show that plasma treatment rapidly increases the surface oxygencontent from 4.1 to 23.4% on a polymer-based spherical activated carbonin 10 min. Plasma treatment is 3 orders of magnitude faster than acidicoxidation and introduces a diverse range of carbonyl (C O)and carboxyl (O-C O) functionalities that were not foundwith acidic oxidation. The increased oxygen functionalities reducethe particle size of a high 20 wt % loading Cu catalyst by >44%andsuppress the formation of large agglomerates. Increased metal dispersionexposes additional active sites and improves the yield of hydrodeoxygenationof 5-hydroxymethyl furfural to 2,5-dimethyl furan, an essential compoundfor biofuel replacement, by 47%. Surface functionalization via plasmacan advance catalysis synthesis while being rapid and sustainable.