Surface and interface reaction, especially surface catalysis and physical/chemical adsorption, can be significantly enhanced on the nanomaterials due to their particular properties. The main research fields in our group are synthesis of nanostructured materials with abundance pores and particular structures, and explore their applications in adsorption and catalysis.

1. Nano-adsorption:

Heavy metal ions in drinking water have seriously effects on the people’s health and adsorption is one of the most efficiency ways to removal of them. Traditional adsorbents (such as active carbon, active aluminum oxide) cannot meet the application requirements owing to the poor adsorption capacities. In recent years, many nanostructured materials have been developed based on the particular surface and interface properties of nanomaterials, and their show highly potential applications in the removal of heavy metal ions by adsorption. We plan to fabricate nanostructured materials with high surface area and abundance of surface groups to enhance the effective adsorption capacities. We also plan to do thoroughly research in order to revealing the adsorption mechanism between nanostructured materials and heavy metal ions by using the ultrahigh resolution of synchrotron radiation X-ray, combined with surface analysis and structure analysis. We also do some practical application research to treat the real underground water with nanocomposites fabricated by the programmed assembly method.

2. Nano-catalysis:

(1) Energy and Environmental catalysis: Design and synthesis of nanocatalysts with high activity and stability for energy and environmental applications, including CO and VOCs oxidation, organic chemical degradation via photocatalysis, CO₂ conversion, hydrogen production, and so on.

(2) Nano-catalysis for organic reactions: Control the catalytic reactions through design the pore size, pore length, active site distribution of catalysts.

Representative publications:

1. J.-S. Hu, L.-J. Wan. Hierarchically Self-Assembled Metal Oxide Mirco/Nano Composite Structures and Their Applications. Metal Oxide Nanostructures and Their Applications, Chapter 12, 417-456

2. J.-S. Hu, L.-S. Zhong, W.-G. Song, L.-J. Wan. Synthesis of Hierarchically Structured Metal Oxides and their Application in Heavy Metal Ion Removal. Adv. Mater., 2008, 20, 2977-2982

3. L.-S. Zhong, J.-S. Hu, L.-J. Wan, W.-G. Song. Facile Synthesis of Nanoporous Anatase Spheres and Their Environmental Applications. Chem. Comm., 2008, 1184-1186

4. H. Li, W. Li, Y.-J. Zhang, T.-S. Wang, B. Wang, W. Xu, L. Jiang, W.-G. Song, C.-Y. Shu, C.-R. Wang. Chrysanthemum-Like α-FeOOH Microspheres Produced by a Simple Green Method and Their Outstanding Ability in Heavy Metal Ion Removal. J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21, 7878-7881

5. W. Li, C.-Y. Cao, L.-Y. Wu, M.-F. Ge, W.-G. Song. Superb Fluoride and Arsenic Removal Performance of Highly Ordered Mesoporous Alumina. J. Hazard. Mater., 2011, 198, 143-150

6. C.-Y. Cao, J. Qu, W.-S. Yan, J.-F. Zhu, Z.-Y. Wu, W.-G. Song. Low Cost Synthesis of Flowerlike α-Fe2O3 Nanostructures for Heavy Metal Ions Removal: Adsorption Property and Mechanism. Langmuir, 2012, 28, 4573-4579

7. C.-Y. Cao, J. Qu, F. Wei, H. Liu, W.-G. Song. Superb Adsorption Capacity and Mechanism of Flowerlike Magnesium Oxide Nanostructures for Lead and Cadmium Ions. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2012, 4, 4283-4287

8. C.-Y. Cao, F. Wei, J. Qu, Z.-F. Dou, W.-S. Yan, J.-F. Zhu, Z.-Y. Wu, W.-G. Song. High Adsorption Capacity and the Key Role of Carbonate Groups for Heavy Metal Ions Removal by Basic Aluminum Carbonate Porous Nanospheres. J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 19898-19903

9. J. Qu, C.-Y. Cao, W. Li, Z. Qin, W.-G. Song. Metal Silicate Nanotubes with Nanostructured Walls as Superb Adsorbents for Uranyl Ions and Lead Ions in Water. J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 17222-17226

10. C.-Q. Chen, W. Li, C.-Y. Cao, W.-G. Song. Enhanced catalytic activity of perovskite oxides nanofibers for combustion of methane in coal mine ventilation air. J. Mater. Chem, 2010, 20, 6968-6974

11. C.-Q. Chen, Y. Yu, W. Li, C.-Y. Cao, P. Li, Z.-F. Dou, W.-G. Song. Mesoporous Ce1-xZrxO2 Solid Solutions Nanofibers as High Efficiency Catalyst for catalytic combustion of VOCs. J. Mater. Chem. 2011, 21, 12836-12841

12. C.-Y. Cao, C.-Q. Chen, W. Li, W.-G. Song, W. Cai. Nanoporous Nickel Spheres as Highly Active Catalyst for Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane. ChemSusChem, 2010, 3, 1241-1244

13. J. Qu, C.-Y. Cao, Z.-F. Dou, H. Liu, Y. Yu, P. Li, W.-G. Song. Solid-liquid Interfacial Hydrogen Bond Assisted Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates using Flower-like Fe3O4@Fe(OH)3 Composite Catalyst. ChemSusChem, 2012, 5, 652-655