High surface area graphene-supported metal chalcogenide assembly

1. A method for hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and/or hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising contacting at least one graphene-supported assembly with at least one hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein the graphene-supported assembly comprises (i) a three-dimensional network of graphene sheets crosslinked by covalent carbon bonds and (ii) at least one metal chalcogenide compound disposed on the graphene sheets, wherein the chalcogen of the metal chalcogenide compound is selected from S, Se and Te, and wherein the metal chalcogenide compound accounts for at least 20 wt. % of the graphene-supported assembly, and wherein the metal chalcogenide compound catalyzes the hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and/or hydrocracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon feedstock comprises coal, biofeedstock, and/or petroleum feedstock.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying an electrical bias to the graphene-supported assembly to enhance catalysis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene-supported assembly is electrically conductive.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene-supported assembly has a conductivity of at least 0.5 S/cm.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene-supported assembly is a monolith having a size of at least 1 mm 3 , or in the form of a powder produced by grinding or ball-milling the monolith.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene-supported assembly has an elastic modulus of at least 10 MPa.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chalcogen is S.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound comprises one or more of Mo, W, Fe, Cd, In, Zn, Ni and Co.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound comprises Mo and optionally comprises another metal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound comprises MoS 2 , WS 2 , In 2 S 3 , CdTe, ZnTe, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound comprises MoS 2 .

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene-supported assembly has a surface area of at least 250 m 2 /g.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphene-supported assembly has a mesopore volume of at least 0.5 cm 3 /g.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound comprises MoS 2 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound accounts for at least 30 wt % of the graphene-supported assembly, wherein the graphene-supported assembly has a surface area of at least 300 m 2 /g, and wherein the graphene-supported assembly is a monolith having a size of at least 1 mm 3 .

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surfaces of the graphene sheets are substantially free of carbon nanoparticles, and wherein the covalent carbon bonds crosslinking the graphene sheets are primarily sp 2 bonds.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal chalcogenide compound is Ni—Mo-sulfide or Co—Mo-sulfide.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising (iii) at least one metal oxide, metal carbide or metal nitride deposited on the graphene sheets.

19. A method for hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and/or hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising contacting at least one graphene-supported assembly with at least one hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein the graphene-supported assembly comprises a three-dimensional network of covalently interconnected graphene sheets and MoS 2 disposed on the graphene sheets, wherein the MoS 2 accounts for at least 20 wt. % of the graphene-supported assembly, and wherein the metal chalcogenide compound catalyzes the hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and/or hydrocracking of the hydrocarbon feedstock.