The development of sustainable energy technologies and demand for advanced carbon materials drives innovation in methane pyrolysis, particularly catalytic approaches using ferrocene (Fe(C5H5)2) as a dual catalyst/carbon source. This study investigates methane decomposition in a ferrocene-fed tubular reactor using undiluted CH4 at temperatures of 633 to 1046 °C and flow rates of 0.063–0.25 SLPM, corresponding to gas hourly space velocities of approximately 16–65 h-1. The reactor achieved conversions of 3%–83% at lower temperatures than for an uncatalyzed reactor, and produced agglomerates of ordered graphitic carbon particles (4.34±1.52μm) contrasting to the submicron particles in non-catalytic processes. The particles consisted of approximately 57 wt% graphitic carbon and 4 wt% amorphous carbon, with the remaining weight fraction attributed to metal-containing phases, including α−Fe and iron carbide, as determined by X-ray diffraction coupled with Rietveld analysis. The highly ordered graphitic layers (interplanar spacing: 3.3 Å) were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) while Raman spectroscopy demonstrated reduced defects in catalytic runs (ID/IG=0.64±0.01) versus non-catalytic (0.86±0.16). The increased graphitization of the catalytic carbon was also demonstrated by its thermogravimetric analysis in air, which showed a carbon–iron composite profile with combustion peaks at approximately 637 °C and 670 °C. The catalytic carbon has a high surface area (31 m2/g), and high electrical conductivity, i.e., 3.1 S/cm (in-plane) and 6.5 S/cm (through-plane). Microstructural variability was limited; however, increasing temperature and conversion drove phase evolution, manifested predominantly as graphitic carbon accumulation. Ferrocene lowered reaction temperatures and increased the order, graphitization and size of the formed carbon containing particles (i.e, 4.34±1.52 μm). Its usage could result in reactors with reduced energy demand, lower operating temperature (allowing for conventional reactor materials to be used), and increased carbon particle separation efficiency via industrial cyclones, resulting in a more energy efficient process and improved carbon quality. These findings underscore ferrocene-catalyzed pyrolysis as a scalable, sustainable route to high-quality carbon materials for electronic and structural applications.

In response to the urgent need for high-performance non-precious metal electrocatalysts to address the energy crisis and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, we propose a novel approach to develop a highly selective and efficient electrocatalyst derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). This electrocatalyst is designed for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The innovative synthesized catalyst combines the synergistic effects of cobalt (Co), MXene, and lanthanide praseodymium (Pr), which are synthesized via a simple co-precipitation method. Cobalt plays an important role in enhancing electron transfer kinetics, and the layered structure of MXene significantly increases the active surface area, and the lanthanide praseodymium enhances electrical conductivity and structural and chemical stability. All of these help the synthesized catalyst to have a low overvoltage, thereby facilitating ORR, HER, and OER processes. The interaction between these components enhances the catalytic performance and benefits from unique morphological features, abundant heterogeneous interfaces, and excellent structural stability. The synthesized electrocatalysts were characterized using various techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) analysis, along with electrochemical evaluations such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Two separate samples of 10 %Pr-coreshell ZIF8@ZIF67/Mxene at 1:1 and 2:1 ratios showed exceptional electrocatalytic activity. For ORR, the samples showed impressive onset potentials of 0.904 V and 0.894 V (vs. RHE), while their HER onset potentials were recorded at -0.21 V and -0.20 V (vs. RHE). In terms of OER, the onset potentials were 1.62 V and 1.65 V, respectively. Notably, these materials showed outstanding stability and outperformed commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts, making them promising candidates for sustainable energy solutions.