A used battery supported Ag catalyst for efficient oxidation of alcohols and carbon oxide

Abstract

Green-recycling of existing waste is significant in green chemistry. Herein, we show that used batteries can be applied as cheap and viable supports for silver catalysts and used for gas-phase alcohol and CO oxidation. The catalyst Ag-9/Mn₃O₄ (Ag-loading: 9 wt%) is efficient for oxidizing acyclic, benzylic and polynary alcohols. For instance, Ag-9/Mn₃O₄ can oxidize cyclohexanol into cyclohexanone with 86% conversion and 88% selectivity. In addition, a special synergistic effect between the Ag and the Mn₃O₄ was revealed, which is particularly valuable for the design of composite catalysts. The facile strategy employed in this study can be expanded to the fabrication of other catalysts with the green reuse of used batteries as supports.