Cu single-atom electrocatalyst on nitrogen-containing graphdiyne for CO_(2) electroreduction to CH_(4)

Developing Cu single-atom catalysts(SACs)with well-defined active sites is highly desirable for producing CH4 in the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction and understanding the structure-property relationship.Herein,a new graphdiyne analogue with uniformly distributed N_(2)-bidentate(note that N_(2)-bidentate site=N^N-bidentate site;N_(2)≠dinitrogen gas in this work)sites are synthesized.Due to the strong interaction between Cu and the N_(2)-bidentate site,a Cu SAC with isolated undercoordinated Cu-N_(2) sites(Cu1.0/N_(2)-GDY)is obtained,with the Cu loading of 1.0 wt%.Cu1.0/N_(2)-GDY exhibits the highest Faradaic efficiency(FE)of 80.6% for CH_(4) in electrocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) at-0.96 V vs.RHE,and the partial current density of CH_(4) is 160 mA cm^(-2).The selectivity for CH_(4) is maintained above 70% when the total current density is 100 to 300 mA cm^(-2).More remarkably,the Cu1.0/N_(2)-GDY achieves a mass activity of 53.2 A/mgCu toward CH4 under-1.18 V vs.RHE.In situ electrochemical spectroscopic studies reveal that undercoordinated Cu-N_(2) sites are more favorable in generating key ^(*)COOH and ^(*)CHO intermediate than Cu nanoparticle counterparts.This work provides an effective pathway to produce SACs with undercoordinated Metal-N_(2) sites toward efficient electrocatalysis.

Highly-sensitive electrochemiluminescence biosensor for detection of inosine monophosphate in meat based on graphdiyne/AuNPs/luminol nanocomposites

Inosine monophosphate(IMP),as a critical umami substance,is one of the most important indicators for evaluating the quality of meat products.Here,a sensitive electrochemiluminescence(ECL)biosensor based on graphdiyne(GDY)/AuNPs/luminol nanocomposites was constructed to detect IMP.The GDY/AuNPs/luminol nanocomposites were synthesized by using simple one-pot method.GDY utilized its 2D framework to disperse and fix gold nanoparticles,which inhibited the agglomeration of gold nanoparticles and greatly improved its stability and catalytic properties.Importantly,GDY/AuNPs/luminol nanocomposites showed excellent catalytic ability and superior ECL activity towards luminol-H_(2)O_(2) systems due to the synergistic effect of GDY and AuNPs.Under optimal conditions,the prepared biosensor exhibited a wide linear range from 0.01 g/L to 20 g/L,a satisfactory limit detection of 0.0013 g/L,as well as an excellent specificity.Moreover,we carried out the precise analysis of IMP in actual meat samples with acceptable results compared to the liquid chromatography.We believe that this work could offer an efficient ECL platform for accurate and reliable report of IMP levels,which is significant for maintaining food quality and safety.

Graphdiyne as Hydrogen Purification Membrane

The permselectivity of H2/O2, H2/N2, H2/CO, and H2/CH4 mixtures passing a graphdiyne membrane is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. At pressure range of 0.047-4.5 GPa, H2 can pass the graphdiyen membrane quickly, while all the O2, N2, CO, and CH4 molecules are blocked. At pressure of 47 kPa, the hydrogen flow is 7 mol/m^2s. With increase of pressure, the hydrogen flow goes up, and reaches maximum of 6×10^5 mol/m^2s at 1.5 GPa. Compared to other known membranes, graphdiyne can be used for means of hydrogen purification with the best balance of high selectivity and high permeance.

Theoretical screening of the transition metal heteronuclear dimer anchored graphdiyne for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction

Developing efficient electrocatalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR)is crucial to replace the both energy-intensive and environment-malignant Haber-Bosch process.Here using density functional theory calculations,we systematically studied the potential of the heteronuclear 3 d transition metal dimers anchored graphdiyne monolayers(FeM@and NiM@GDY,M=Ti,V,Cr,Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,and Cu)as efficient NRR catalysts.Among all the studied double-atom catalysts(DACs),FeCo@and NiCo@GDY are the most promising with excellent NRR catalytic activity,high ability to suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),and good stability.For both FeCo@and NiCo@GDY,NRR prefers to the distal pathway with the calculated onset potentials of -0.44 and -0.36 V,respectively,which are comparable and even better than their homonuclear counterparts.Moreover,FeCo@and NiCo@GDY have higher ability to suppress HER than Fe_(2)@ and Co_(2)@GDY,which may result from the modulated d state electronic structure due to the synergy effect of the heteronuclear atoms in the DACs.Our work not only suggests that FeCo@and NiCo@GDY hold great promises as efficient,low-cost,and stable DACs for NRR,but also further provides a strategy,i.e.alloying the atomic metal catalysts,to improve the NRR catalytic activity and/or selectivity.

In situ synthesis of a nickel boron oxide/graphdiyne hybrid for enhanced photo/electrocatalytic H_(2) evolution

Developing highly active catalysts for photo/electrocatalytic water splitting is an attractive strategy to produce H2 as a renewable energy source.In this study,a new nickel boron oxide/graphdiyne(NiBi/GDY)hybrid catalyst was prepared by a facile synthetic approach.Benefitting from the strong electron donating ability of graphdiyne,NiBi/GDY showed an optimized electronic structure containing lower valence nickel atoms and demonstrated improved catalytic performance.As expected,NiBi/GDY displayed a high photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of 4.54 mmol g^(-1)h^(-1),2.9 and 4.5 times higher than those of NiBi/graphene and NiBi,respectively.NiBi/GDY also displayed outstanding electrocatalytic H2 evolution activity in 1.0 M KOH solution,with a current density of 400 mA/cm^(2)at an overpotential of 478.0 mV,which is lower than that of commercial Pt/C(505.3 mV@400 mA/cm^(2)).This work demonstrates that GDY is an ideal support for the development of highly active catalysts for photo/electrocatalytic H2 evolution.

CoS_(2)nanowires supported graphdiyne for highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Transition metal sulfides are an important category for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).However,only few edge unsaturated sulfurs functionalize as catalytic sites,which has dramatically limited the catalytic activity and stability.In this work,planar unsaturated sulfurs in(211)plane of the CoS_(2)nanowires have been successfully activated through constructing Graphdiyne-CoS_(2)heterojunction nanocomposites.The corresponding electrons transfer energy barriers for these planar unsaturated sulfurs have been significantly diminished,which are induced by the synergetic effects of the sp~1 hybridized carbons and unsaturated planar sulfurs.In addition,DFT simulations reveal the synergetic effects of the sp~1 hybridized carbons and unsaturated planar sulfurs can promote electron transfer kinetics of the key step,VolmerHeyrovsky step,of the reaction.As expected,the Graphdiyne-CoS_(2)heterojunction nanocomposites exhibit superior HER catalytic performance with low overpotential of 97 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2),and the Tafel slope of 56 mV dec^(-1).Furthermore,the heterojunction shows outstanding stability as well due to the pr tection of the Graphdiyne(GDY).The approach thus paves the way for the further efficient transition metal disulfides catalyst manufactures.

Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution over graphdiyne boosted with a cobalt sulfide formed S-scheme heterojunction

Graphdiyne(GDY,g-C_(n)H_(2n-2)),a novel two-dimensional carbon hybrid material,has attracted significant attention owing to its unique and excellent properties.As a new type of carbon material,GDY has a layered structure and can be used in the field of photocatalytic water splitting.Therefore,herein,new progress in the preparation of graphene using Cu I powder as a catalytic material and the combination of a facile hydrothermal method to prepare a new composite material,Co_(9)S_(8)-GDY-Cu I,is reported.The hydrogen production activity of Co9S8-GDY-Cu I in the sensitization system reached 1411.82μmol g^(-1) h^(-1),which is 10.29 times that of pure GDY.A series of characterization techniques were used to provide evidence for the successful preparation of the material and its superior photocatalytic activity.Raman spectroscopy showed that the material contains acetylenic bonds,and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy carbon fitting peaks indicated the presence of C-C(sp^(2))and C-C(sp),further demonstrating that GDY was successfully prepared.A possible reaction mechanism was proposed by making use of UV-visible diffuse reflectance and Mott-Schottky analyses.The results showed that a double S-scheme heterojunction was constructed between the samples,which effectively accelerated the separation and transfer of electrons.In addition,the introduction of Co9S8 nanoparticles greatly improved the visible light absorption capacity of Co_(9)S_(8)-GDY-Cu I.Photoluminescence spectroscopy and related electrochemical characterization further proved that recombination of the electron-hole pairs in the composite material was effectively suppressed.

Strain-controlled graphdiyne membrane for CO2/CH4 separation:First-principle and molecular dynamic simulation

Tensile strain of porous membrane materials can broaden their capacity in gas separation.In this work,using van der Waals corrected density functional theory(DFT)and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations,the performance and mechanism of CO2/CH4 separation through strain-oriented graphdiyne(GDY)monolayer were studied by applying lateral strain.It is demonstrated that the CO2 permeance peaks at 1.29×10^6 gas permeation units(GPU)accompanied with CO2/CH4 selectivity of 5.27×10^3 under ultimate strain,both of which are far beyond the Robeson’s limit.Furthermore,the GDY membrane exhibited a decreasing gas diffusion energy barrier and increasing permeance with the increase of applied tensile strain.CO2 molecule tends to reoriented itself vertically to permeate the membrane.Finally,the CO2 permeability decreases with the increase of the temperature from300 K to 500 K due to conserving of rotational freedom,suggesting an abnormal permeance of CO2 in relation to temperature.Our theoretical results suggest that the stretchable GDY monolayer holds great promise to be an excellent candidate for CO2/CH4 separation,owing to its extremely high selectivity and permeability of CO2.

Mechanochemical preparation and application of graphdiyne coupled with CdSe nanoparticles for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Graphdiyne(GDY)has attracted considerable attention as a new two-dimensional(2D)carbon hybrid material because of its good conductivity,adjustable electronic structure,and special electron transfer enhancement properties.GDY has great potential in the field of photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen evolution,owing to its unique properties.In this study,GDY was successfully prepared by the mechanochemical coupling of precursors C_(6)Br_(6) and CaC_(2) using a ball-milling approach.The prepared GDY,especially its microstructure and composition,was well characterized using different techniques such as X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),Fourier-transform infrared,and Raman characterization techniques.By exploiting the unique two-dimensional(2D)structure and outstanding light absorption properties of GDY,GDY/CdSe 2D/0D heterojunctions were successfully established and applied to photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.The hydrogen evolution activity of GDY/CdSe-20,a type of composite material,reached 6470μmol g^(-1) h^(-1),which is 461 and 40 times higher than that of GDY and CdSe,respectively.Moreover,the fine electrical conductivity of GDY enabled rapid and effective transfer of the photogenerated electrons in CdSe into the hydrogen evolution reaction.The transfer path of the photogenerated electrons was studied through XPS with in situ irradiation,and a reasonable mechanism for the hydrogen evolution reaction was proposed.This study provides a feasible approach for the large-scale preparation of GDY and demonstrates the prospects of GDY in the field of photocatalysis.

Molecule functionalization to facilitate electrocatalytic oxygen reduction on graphdiyne

Chemical doping is verified to be a promising strategy to regulate local electron distribution and further promote the poor intrinsic catalytic activity of graphdiyne.However,the current doping approach still faces problems such as precise doping for creating active sites and the destruction of graphdiyne skeleton calling for high temperature.Here,we achieved charge redistribution on graphdiyne surface through molecule functionalization.A p-type molecule–F4 TCNQ(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodime thane)was introduced and the site-defined functionalization was accomplished.Theoretical calculations showed that the charge transfer ability is improved and graphdiyne becomes positively charged.The oxygen reduction electrocatalysis was conducted as a proof of principle,where the electronic states of sp hybridized C active site was tuned toward favorable reaction intermediates’adsorption.Such work from both theoretical prediction and experimental validation,found that molecule functionalization is effective to promote the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction,which creates new possibilities for graphdiyne’s applications in different electrochemical reactions.

Tuning precise numbers of supported nickel clusters on graphdiyne for efficient CO_(2)electroreduction toward various multi-carbon products

Compared to single-atom catalysts,supported metal clusters can exhibit enhanced activity and designated selectivity in heterogeneous catalysis due to their unique geometric and electronic features.Herein,by means of comprehensive density functional theory (DFT) computations,we systematically investigated the potential of several Ni clusters supported on graphdiyne (Ni_(x)/GDY,x=1–6) for CO_(2) reduction reaction (CO_(2)RR).Our results revealed that,due to the strong interaction between Ni atoms and sp-hybridized C atoms,these supported Ni clusters on GDY exhibit high stabilities and excellent electronic properties.In particular,according to the computed free energy profiles for CO_(2)RR on these Ni_(x)/GDY systems,the anchored Ni_(4) cluster was revealed to exhibit high CO_(2)RR catalytic activity with a small limiting potential and moderate kinetic barrier for C–C coupling,and CH_(4),C_(2)H_(5)OH,and C_(3)H_(7)OH were identified as the main products,which can be attributed to its strong capacity for CO_(2) activation due to its unique configuration and excellent electronic properties.Thus,by carefully controlling the precise numbers of atoms in sub-nano clusters,the spatially confined Ni clusters can perform as promising CO_(2)RR catalysts with high-efficiency and high-selectivity,which may provide a useful guidance to further develop novel and low-cost metal clusters-based catalysts for sustain CO_(2)conversion to valuable chemicals and fuels.

Halogen-Driven Bandgap Opening in Graphdiyne for Overall Photocatalytic Water Splitting

In this work,we studied the electronic band structure of the halogen(F,Cl,and Br)functionalized graphdiynes(GDYs)by using hybrid density functional theory.The results revealed that the bandgap energies of modified GDYs increase as the number of halogen atoms increases.It is also found that the position of the valence band maximum(VBM)is influenced by the electronegativity of halogen atoms.The higher the electronegativity,the deeper the VBM of the GDYs modified by the same number of halogen atoms.Importantly,our results revealed that the bandgap of GDY could be effectively tuned by mixing types of halogen atoms.The new generated conduction band and valence band edges are properly aligned with the oxidation and reduction potentials of water.Further thermodynamic analysis confirms that some models with mixing types of halogen atoms exhibit higher performance of overall photocatalytic water splitting than non-mixing models.This work provides useful insights for designing efficient photocatalysts that can be used for overall water splitting.

Single-Atom Protecting Group for on-Surface Synthesis of Graphdiyne Nanowires

On-surface synthesis of semiconducting graphdiyne nanowires usually suffer severe side reactions owing to the high reactivity of the butadiynylene units at noble metal surfaces,limiting the production of isolated nanowires. In this work, we report the high-yield synthesis of branchless graphdiyne nanowires [-C≡C-Ph2-C≡C-]nvia on-surface Ullmann coupling of 1,4-bis（4-bromophenyl）-1,3-butadiyne molecules with chemical vapor deposition method.Non-contact atomic force microscopy with single-bond resolution reveals that single gold adatoms act as effective protecting groups for butadiynylene units by forming Au-π ligand bonds, preventing unwanted branched coupling reactions and enabling the synthesis of ultralong isolated graphdiyne nanowires. This study will stimulate further investigation on the role of various surface adatoms in protecting on-surface reactions.

Interface effect on structural and electronic properties of graphdiyne adsorbed on SiO_2 and h-BN substrates:A first-principles study

We use the first-principles calculation method to study the interface effect on the structure and electronic properties of graphdiyne adsorbed on the conventional substrates of rough SiO2 and flat h-BN. For the SiO2 substrate, we consider all possible surface terminations, including Si termination with dangling bond, Si terminations with full and partial hydrogenation, and oxygen terminations with dimerization and hydrogenation. We find that graphdiyne can maintain a flat geometry when absorbed on both h-BN and SiO2 substrates except for the Si termination with partial hydrogenation（Si-H） SiO2 substrate. A lack of surface corrugation in graphdiyne on the substrates, which may help maintain its electronic band character, is due to the weak Van der Waals interaction between graphdiyne and the substrate. Si-H SiO2 should be avoided in applications since a covalent type bonding between graphdiyne and SiO2 will totally vary the band structure of graphdiyne.Interestingly, the oxygen termination with dimerization SiO2 substrate has spontaneous p-type doping on graphdiyne via interlayer charge transfer even in the absence of extrinsic impurities in the substrate. Our result may provide a stimulus for future experiments to unveil its potential in electronic device applications.

Mechanical behavior of single-layer graphdiyne via supersonic micro-projectile impact

The mechanical behavior of single-layer graphdiyne(SLGDY)subjected to high-velocity micro-ballistic impacts is analyzed by molecular dynamics(MD)simulations.The ballistic limits of SLGDY is obtained for the first time.The temperature deterioration effects of the impact resistance are also investigated.The results show that the ballistic limits can reach 75.4%of single-layer graphene(SLGR)at about 1/2 density,leading to approximately the same specific energy absorption(SEA)as SLGR.The ballistic limits of SLGDY and SLGR with single atomic thickness agree with the predictions of macroscopic penetration limits equations,implying the applicability of continuum penetration theories for two-dimensional(2D)materials.In addition,the dynamic responses involving stress wave propagation,conic deformation,and damage evolution are investigated to illuminate the mechanisms of the dynamic energy dissipation.The superior impact resistance of SLGDY and SLGR can be attributed to both the ultra-fast elastic and conic waves and the excellent deformation capabilities.This study provides a deep understanding of the impact behavior of SLGDY,indicating it is a promising protective material.

Theoretical Prediction on the Versatile Electronic Properties of Graphdiyne and Its Nanoribbons Composed of Hexaethynylbenzene and Tetraethynylethene

Fourteen atomically thin two-dimensional graphdiynes composed of hexaethynylbenzene and tetraethynylethene were proposed and investigated using density functional theory. Being different from the traditional graphdiyne, these structures have versatile electronic properties. They can be metals, semimetal, or semiconductors, depending on the coupling patterns and proportions of monomers. One hundred and thirty one one-dimensional nanoribbons cutting from these structures have band gaps larger than 0.4 eV. They have high carrier mobilities. Especially, the hole mobility reaches the order of 105 cm2×V-1×s-1. This is caused by small valence band deformation potential constants and explained by crystal orbital analysis. Both the two-and one-dimensional structures have very small formation energies of 3237 meV per carbon atom. Furthermore, a seamless electronic device composed of theabove metallic electrodes and semiconducting nanoribbon has a high conductance of 11.7 mS and the device can be switched off with gate voltage. These imply that the proposed graphdiynes are good candidates for high speed electronic devices.

Advances of graphdiyne-supported metal catalysts in thermocatalytic reactions

Supported metal catalysts are widely used in the modern chemical industry.The electronic interaction between supports and active components is of great significance for heterogeneous catalysis.Graphdiyne(GDY),a new type of carbon allotrope with sp-hybridized carbon atoms,πconjugate structure,and electron transmission capability,is a promising candidate as catalyst support.Recent years have witnessed the rapid progress of GDY-supported metal catalysts for different catalysis reactions.Considering that most processes in the current chemical industry are thermocatalytic reactions,we herein give an overview about the advances and particular characteristics of GDY-supported catalysts in these reactions.The geometric structure and electronic properties of GDY are first introduced.Then,the synthesis methods for GDY-supported metal catalysts and their applications in thermocatalytic reactions are discussed,in which the effect of electronic interaction on catalytic performance is highlighted.Finally,the current challenges and future directions of GDY-supported metal catalysts for thermocatalysis are proposed.It is expected that this review will enrich our understanding of the advances of GDY as a superior support for metal catalysts in thermocatalytic reactions.

Atomically dispersed Mn enhanced catalytic performance for overall water splitting on graphdiyne-coated copper hydroxide nanowire

Atomic catalysts(ACs)have been considered as promising catalysts for efficient hydrogen production through water splitting.Herein,we report an AC with single Mn atoms highly dispersed on the surface of graphdiynecoated copper hydroxide nanowire arrays(Mn-GDY/Cu(OH)x NWs).By anchoring Mn atoms on GDY,the specific surface area,the number of active sites,and the stability of catalyst are greatly improved.Detailed characterizations reveal that the high hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction(HER/OER)catalytic activity of the catalyst is induced by strong incomplete charge transfer effect between the metal atoms and GDY.These advantages enable the electrocatalysts to drive a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)at low overpotentials of 188 and 130 mV for OER and HER,respectively,together with excellent long-term stability.Remarkably,the alkaline electrolyzer using Mn-GDY/Cu(OH)x as both cathode and anode electrodes can reach 10 mA cm^(-2)only at a much low cell voltage of 1.50 V.

Controlled Synthesis of Graphdiyne-Based Multiscale Catalysts for Energy Conversion

Graphdiyne(GDY)science is a new and rapidly developing interdisciplinary field that touches on various areas of chemistry,physics,information science,material science,life science,environmental science,and so on.The rapid development of GDY science is part of the trend in development of carbon materials.GDY,with its unique structure and fascinating properties,has greatly promoted fundamental research toward practical applications of carbon materials.Many important applications,such as catalysis and energy conversion,have been reported.In particular,GDY has shown great potential for application in the field of catalysis.Scientists have precisely synthesized a series of GDY-based multiscale catalysts and applied them in various energy conversion and catalysis research,including ammonia synthesis,hydrogen production,CO_(2) conversion,and chemical-to-electrical energy conversion.In this paper,we systematically review the advances in the precisely controlled synthesis of GDY and aggregated structures,and the latest progress with GDY in catalysis and energy conversion.

Recovery and in-situ reduction of precious metals by graphdiyne and graphdiyne oxide for antibacterial use

Based on the in-situ self-reduction and chemical stability,graphdiyne(GDY)and graphdiyne oxide(GDYO)are used as trapping agents to investigate the ability for recovering Au^(3+),Ag^+,and Pd^(2+)under different pH values and interfering ions.Under strong acidity at pH=1,these two agents demonstrate high select recovery towards the three precious metal ions,which could be insitu reduced to nanoparticles(NPs).In addition,superparamagnetic Fe_(3)O_(4)NPs are deposited on the surfaces of GDY and GDYO.The magnetic responses enable GDYFe_(3)O_(4)to recover precious metals conveniently and efficiently by the aid of an external magnetic field.This study also confirms the antibacterial activity of the as-recovered NPs deposited on GDY and GDYO against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus(1×10^(5)colony-forming unit(CFU)·mL^(-1)),and the antibacterial rates are 100%.This strategy of recovering precious metals and subsequently reusing to combat pathogens will be of great significance for environmental remediation and biomedical applications.