Understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)mechanism for single atom catalysts is pivotal for the rational design of non-precious metal cathode materials and the commercialization of fuel cells.Herein,a series...Understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)mechanism for single atom catalysts is pivotal for the rational design of non-precious metal cathode materials and the commercialization of fuel cells.Herein,a series of non-precious metal electrocatalysts based on nitrogen-doped bimetallic(Fe and Co)carbide were modeled by density functional theory calculations to predict the corresponding reaction pathways.The study elucidated prior oxygen adsorption on the Fe atom in the dual site and the modifier role of Co atoms to tune the electronic structures of Fe.The reaction activity was highly correlated with the bimetallic center and the coordination environment of the adjacent nitrogen.Interestingly,the preadsorption of*OH resulted in the apparent change of metal atoms'electronic states with the d-band center shifting toward the Fermi level,thereby boosting reaction activity.The result should help promote the fundamental understanding of active sites in ORR catalysts and provide an effective approach to the design of highly efficient ORR catalysts on an atomic scale.展开更多
Based on the first-principles method,we predict two new stable BN allotropes:C12-BN and O16-BN,which belong to cubic and orthorhombic crystal systems,respectively.It is confirmed that both the phases are thermally and...Based on the first-principles method,we predict two new stable BN allotropes:C12-BN and O16-BN,which belong to cubic and orthorhombic crystal systems,respectively.It is confirmed that both the phases are thermally and dynamically stable.The results of molecular dynamics simulations suggest that both the BN phases are highly stable even at high temperatures of 1000 K.In the case of mechanical properties,C12-BN has a bulk modulus of 359 GPa and a hardness of 43.4 GPa,making it a novel superhard material with potential technological and industrial applications.Electronic band calculations reveal that both C12-BN and O16-BN are insulators with direct band gaps of 3.02 e V and 3.54 e V,respectively.The XRD spectra of C12-BN and O16-BN are also simulated to provide more information for possible experimental observation.Our findings enrich the BN allotrope family and are expected to stimulate further experimental interest.展开更多
基金the Joint Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1732267).
文摘Understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)mechanism for single atom catalysts is pivotal for the rational design of non-precious metal cathode materials and the commercialization of fuel cells.Herein,a series of non-precious metal electrocatalysts based on nitrogen-doped bimetallic(Fe and Co)carbide were modeled by density functional theory calculations to predict the corresponding reaction pathways.The study elucidated prior oxygen adsorption on the Fe atom in the dual site and the modifier role of Co atoms to tune the electronic structures of Fe.The reaction activity was highly correlated with the bimetallic center and the coordination environment of the adjacent nitrogen.Interestingly,the preadsorption of*OH resulted in the apparent change of metal atoms'electronic states with the d-band center shifting toward the Fermi level,thereby boosting reaction activity.The result should help promote the fundamental understanding of active sites in ORR catalysts and provide an effective approach to the design of highly efficient ORR catalysts on an atomic scale.
基金supported by PhD research startup foundation of Civil Aviation University of China(Grant No.2020KYQD94)。
文摘Based on the first-principles method,we predict two new stable BN allotropes:C12-BN and O16-BN,which belong to cubic and orthorhombic crystal systems,respectively.It is confirmed that both the phases are thermally and dynamically stable.The results of molecular dynamics simulations suggest that both the BN phases are highly stable even at high temperatures of 1000 K.In the case of mechanical properties,C12-BN has a bulk modulus of 359 GPa and a hardness of 43.4 GPa,making it a novel superhard material with potential technological and industrial applications.Electronic band calculations reveal that both C12-BN and O16-BN are insulators with direct band gaps of 3.02 e V and 3.54 e V,respectively.The XRD spectra of C12-BN and O16-BN are also simulated to provide more information for possible experimental observation.Our findings enrich the BN allotrope family and are expected to stimulate further experimental interest.
