Electrostatics advancing green catalysis events

Newswise — This viewpoint is spearheaded by Prof. Weidong Shi and Prof. Long Zhang. The continuous pursuit of chemists in the realms of chemical production and fundamental investigation has been the advancement of novel, high-performing methods for regulating chemical reactivity and selectivity. Increasing evidence indicates the potential utilization of directed external electric fields as an intelligent agent to govern various chemical alterations, including bonding, selectivity, crossover, and catalysis/inhibition.

In contrast to the traditional method of enhancing rates through the inclusion of specific chemical entities, known as molecular catalysts, electrostatic catalysis offers distinct advantages. These include (1) eliminating the laborious process of searching for a suitable catalyst through trial and error, (2) obviating the need for separating valuable catalysts from the resulting products, (3) mitigating potential risks to both experimentalists' health and the environment, and (4) providing the capability to predictably adjust reaction reactivity and selectivity by simply modifying the orientation and magnitude of the OEEFs. Nevertheless, the experimental investigation of electrostatic catalysis is still in its initial stages, with the proof-of-concept remaining largely theoretical.

"The scope of electrostatic catalysis is presently confined to certain nanoscale reactions that are unable to handle preparative-scale chemical processes. Moreover, its implementation in bulk synthesis poses challenges due to the associated costs and technical complexity," explains Zhang. "To overcome these limitations and broaden the applications of electrostatic catalysis into scalable technologies, we need to develop versatile platforms. Possible strategies include:

• Polar materials: For instance, piezoelectric nanomaterials generate a polarized electric field within themselves upon mechanical stimulation, leading to the generation of free charges on their surfaces.
• Friction-induced static charges: Friction between dielectric materials results in the transfer of electrons or charged molecular fragments into solvents. This phenomenon creates a near-surface field surrounding plastic microbeads, even without any applied potential, connecting wires, or conductive electrodes. Consequently, reacting molecules tend to align with the charge-induced fields as they approach charged surfaces."

Zhang further suggests that alternative platforms such as microdroplet environments, biased electrodes, and metal-organic frameworks can offer more effective approaches to achieving electrostatic catalysis.

According to Shi, "The application of electric fields as environmentally friendly catalysts holds the promise of revolutionizing processing technology. By enabling more efficient, sustainable, and selective chemical transformations, this approach has the potential to bring about significant advancements. As ongoing research in this field advances, it is highly probable that we will witness the widespread integration of electric field-based technologies across diverse industries. This trajectory will contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future."