Electrospun nanofibers for catalysts

Electrospun nanofibers have been extensively studied in recent years for use as catalysts. These nanofibers are made from a variety of polymers, metals, oxides, and salts, among others, through electrospinning, sometimes followed by postelectrospinning treatment (e.g., calcination and chemical reduction). Although some of these nanofibers by themselves are quite effective catalysts for chemical reactions, many are used as supporting materials for active catalysts, including enzymes, metal nanoparticles, and oxide nanostructures. The active catalysts are confined in or incorporated on to nanofibers by encapsulation during electrospinning and various postelectrospinning deposition methods. The large surface area and optimal surface chemistry of electrospun nanofibers greatly enhance the catalyst-support interaction and improve their activity, selectivity, stability, and reusability in catalysis. As a result, electrospun nanofiber-based catalysts have demonstrated great potential in a variety of important chemical processes in energy and the environment.