Precisely Control Relationship between Sulfur Vacancy and H Absorption for Boosting Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Ef fective and robust catalyst is the core of water splitting to produce hydrogen.Here, we report an anionic etching method to tailor the sulfur vacancy(VS) of NiS_(2) to further enhance the electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER). With the VS concentration change from 2.4% to 8.5%, the H* adsorption strength on S sites changed and NiS_(2)-VS 5.9% shows the most optimized H* adsorption for HER with an ultralow onset potential(68 m V) and has long-term stability for 100 h in 1 M KOH media. In situ attenuated-total-reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIRS) measurements are usually used to monitor the adsorption of intermediates. The S-H* peak of the Ni S_(2)-VS 5.9% appears at a very low voltage, which is favorable for the HER in alkaline media. Density functional theory calculations also demonstrate the Ni S_(2)-VS 5.9% has the optimal |ΔG^(H*)| of 0.17 e V. This work offers a simple and promising pathway to enhance catalytic activity via precise vacancies strategy.

Heterostructured Pt-Ni_(3)Mo_(3)N formed via ammonia-containing polyoxometalates for highly efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in acid medium

Constructing heterostructured nanohybrid is considered as a prominent route to fabricate alternative electrocatalysts to commercial Pt/C for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In this work,(NH_(4))_(4)[NiH_(6)Mo_(6)O_(4)]·5H_(2)O polyoxometalates(NiMo_(6))are adopted as the cluster precursors for simple fabrication of heterostructured Pt-Ni_(3)Mo_(3)N nanohybrids supported by carbon black(Pt-Ni_(3)Mo_(3)N/C)without using additional N sources.The improved porosity and enhanced electronic interaction of Pt-Ni_(3)Mo_(3)N/C should be attributed to the integration of Pt with NiMo_(6),which favors the mass transport,promotes the formation of exposed catalytic sites,and benefits the regulation of intrinsic activity.Thus,the as-obtained Pt-Ni_(3)Mo_(3)N/C exhibits impressive and durable HER performance as indicated by the low overpotential of 13.7 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm^(-2) and the stable overpotential during continuous working at 100 mA cm^(-2) for 100 h.This work provides significant insights for the synthesis of new highly active heterostructured electrocatalysts for renewable energy devices.

Mg/MgO interfaces as efficient hydrogen evolution cathodes causing accelerated corrosion of additive manufactured Mg alloys:A DFT analysis

The corrosion rates of additive-manufactured Mg alloys are higher than their as-cast counterparts,possibly due to increased kinetics for the hydrogen evolution reaction on secondary phases,which may include oxide inclusions.Scanning Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy demonstrated that MgO inclusions could act as cathodes for Mg corrosion,but their low conductivity likely precludes this.However,the density of state calculations through density functional theory using hybrid HSE06 functional revealed overlapping electronic states at the Mg/MgO interface,which facilitates electron transfers and participates in redox reactions.Subsequent determination of the hydrogen absorption energy at the Mg/MgO interface reveals it to be an excellent catalytic site,with HER being found to be a factor of 23x more efficient at the interface than on metallic Mg.The results not only support the plausibility of the Mg/MgO interface being an effective cathode to the adjacent anodic Mg matrix during corrosion but also contribute to the understanding of the enhanced cathodic activities observed during the anodic dissolution of magnesium.

Unsaturated bi-heterometal clusters in metal-vacancy sites of 2D MoS2 for efficient hydrogen evolution

The valence states and coordination structures of doped heterometal atoms in two-dimensional(2D)nanomaterials lack predictable regulation strategies.Hence,a robust method is proposed to form unsaturated heteroatom clusters via the metal-vacancy restraint mechanism,which can precisely regulate the bonding and valence state of heterometal atoms doped in 2D molybdenum disulfide.The unsaturated valence state of heterometal Pt and Ru cluster atoms form a spatial coordination structure with Pt–S and Ru–O–S as catalytically active sites.Among them,the strong binding energy of negatively charged suspended S and O sites for H+,as well as the weak adsorption of positively charged unsaturated heterometal atoms for H*,reduces the energy barrier of the hydrogen evolution reaction proved by theoretical calculation.Whereupon,the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance is markedly improved by the ensemble effect of unsaturated heterometal atoms and highlighted with an overpotential of 84 mV and Tafel slope of 68.5 mV dec^(−1).In brief,this metal vacancy-induced valence state regulation of heterometal can manipulate the coordination structure and catalytic activity of heterometal atoms doped in the 2D atomic lattice but not limited to 2D nanomaterials.

Strong metal–support interaction boosts the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution capability of Ru nanoparticles supported on titanium nitride

Ruthenium(Ru)has been regarded as one of the most promising alternatives to substitute Pt for catalyzing alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),owing to its inherent high activity and being the cheapest platinum-group metal.Herein,based on the idea of strong metal–support interaction(SMSI)regulation,Ru/TiN catalysts with different degrees of TiN overlayer over Ru nanoparticles were fabricated,which were applied to the alkaline electrolytic water.Characterizations reveal that the TiN overlayer would gradually encapsulate the Ru nanoparticles and induce more electron transfer from Ru nanoparticles to TiN support by the Ru–N–Ti bond as the SMSI degree increased.Further study shows that the exposed Ru–TiN interfaces greatly promote the H_(2) desorption capacity.Thus,the Ru/TiN-300 with a moderate SMSI degree exhibits excellent HER performance,with an overpotential of 38 mV at 10 mA cm^(−2).Also,due to the encapsulation role of TiN overlayer on Ru nanoparticles,it displays super long-term stability with a very slight potential change after 24 h.This study provides a deep insight into the influence of the SMSI effect between Ru and TiN on HER and offers a novel approach for preparing efficient and stable HER electrocatalysts through SMSI engineering.

Fundamental Understanding of Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Zinc Anode Surface:A First‑Principles Study

Hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)has become a key factor affecting the cycling stability of aqueous Zn-ion batteries,while the corresponding fundamental issues involving HER are still unclear.Herein,the reaction mechanisms of HER on various crystalline surfaces have been investigated by first-principle calculations based on density functional theory.It is found that the Volmer step is the ratelimiting step of HER on the Zn(002)and(100)surfaces,while,the reaction rates of HER on the Zn(101),(102)and(103)surfaces are determined by the Tafel step.Moreover,the correlation between HER activity and the generalized coordination number(CN)of Zn at the surfaces has been revealed.The relatively weaker HER activity on Zn(002)surface can be attributed to the higher CN of surface Zn atom.The atomically uneven Zn(002)surface shows significantly higher HER activity than the flat Zn(002)surface as the CN of the surface Zn atom is lowered.The CN of surface Zn atom is proposed as a key descriptor of HER activity.Tuning the CN of surface Zn atom would be a vital strategy to inhibit HER on the Zn anode surface based on the presented theoretical studies.Furthermore,this work provides a theoretical basis for the in-depth understanding of HER on the Zn surface.

In situ infrared, Raman and X-ray spectroscopy for the mechanistic understanding of hydrogen evolution reaction

Hydrogen production by water reduction reactions has received considerable attention because hydrogen is considered a clean-energy carrier,key for a sustainable energy future.Computational methods have been widely used to study the reaction mechanism of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),but the calculation results need to be supported by experimental results and direct evidence to confirm the mechanistic insights.In this review,we discuss the fundamental principles of the in situ spectroscopic strategy and a theoretical model for a mechanistic understanding of the HER.In addition,we investigate recent studies by in situ Fourier transform infrared(FTIR),Raman spectroscopy,and X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS) and cover new findings that occur at the catalyst-electrolyte interface during HER.These spectroscopic strategies provide practical ways to elucidate catalyst phase,reaction intermediate,catalyst-electrolyte interface,intermediate binding energy,metal valency state,and coordination environment during HER.

Multifunctional catalytic sites regulation of atomic-scale iridium on orthorhombic-CoSe_(2)for high efficiency dual-functional alkaline hydrogen evolution and organic degradation

The earth-abundant and high-performance catalysts are crucial for commercial implementation of hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Herein,a multifunctional site strategy to construct excellent HER catalysts by incorporating iridium(Ir)ions on the atomic scale into orthorhombic-CoSe2(Ir-CoSe_(2))was reported.Outstanding hydrogen evolution activity in alkaline media such as a low overpotential of 48.7 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)and better performance than commercial Pt/C catalysts at high current densities were found in the Ir-CoSe_(2) samples.In the experiments and theoretical calculations,it was revealed that Ir enabled CoSe_(2)to form multifunctional sites to synergistically catalyze alkaline HER by promoting the adsorption and dissociation of H_(2)O(Ir sites)and optimizing the binding energy for H^(*)on Co sites.It was noticeable that the electrolytic system comprising the Ir-CoSe_(2)electrode not only produced hydrogen efficiently via HER,but also degraded organic pollutants(Methylene blue).The cell voltage of the dual-function electrolytic system was 1.58 V at the benchmark current density of 50 mA cm^(-2),which was significantly lower than the conventional water splitting voltage.It was indicated that this method was a novel strategy for designing advanced HER electrocatalysts by constructing multifunctional catalytic sites for hydrogen production and organic degradation.

Deformable Catalytic Material Derived from Mechanical Flexibility for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Deformable catalytic material with excellent flexible structure is a new type of catalyst that has been applied in various chemical reactions,especially electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In recent years,deformable catalysts for HER have made great progress and would become a research hotspot.The catalytic activities of deformable catalysts could be adjustable by the strain engineering and surface reconfiguration.The surface curvature of flexible catalytic materials is closely related to the electrocatalytic HER properties.Here,firstly,we systematically summarized self-adaptive catalytic performance of deformable catalysts and various micro–nanostructures evolution in catalytic HER process.Secondly,a series of strategies to design highly active catalysts based on the mechanical flexibility of lowdimensional nanomaterials were summarized.Last but not least,we presented the challenges and prospects of the study of flexible and deformable micro–nanostructures of electrocatalysts,which would further deepen the understanding of catalytic mechanisms of deformable HER catalyst.

Exploring the Cation Regulation Mechanism for Interfacial Water Involved in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by In Situ Raman Spectroscopy

Interfacial water molecules are the most important participants in the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Hence,understanding the behavior and role that interfacial water plays will ultimately reveal the HER mechanism.Unfortunately,investigating interfacial water is extremely challenging owing to the interference caused by bulk water molecules and complexity of the interfacial environment.Here,the behaviors of interfacial water in different cationic electrolytes on Pd surfaces were investigated by the electrochemistry,in situ core-shell nanostructure enhanced Raman spectroscopy and theoretical simulation techniques.Direct spectral evidence reveals a red shift in the frequency and a decrease in the intensity of interfacial water as the potential is shifted in the positively direction.When comparing the different cation electrolyte systems at a given potential,the frequency of the interfacial water peak increases in the specified order:Li+<Na^(+)<K^(+)<Ca^(2+)<Sr^(2+).The structure of interfacial water was optimized by adjusting the radius,valence,and concentration of cation to form the two-H down structure.This unique interfacial water structure will improve the charge transfer efficiency between the water and electrode further enhancing the HER performance.Therefore,local cation tuning strategies can be used to improve the HER performance by optimizing the interfacial water structure.

Atomic-level coupled RuO_(2)/BaRuO_(3) heterostructure for efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

The slow water dissociation is the rate-determining step that slows down the reaction rate in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Optimizing the surface electronic structure of the catalyst to lower the energy barrier of water dissociation and regulating the binding strength of adsorption intermediates are crucial strategy for boosting the catalytic performance of HER.In this study,RuO_(2)/BaRuO_(3)(RBRO)heterostructures with abundant oxygen vacancies and lattice distortion were in-situ constructed under a low temperature via the thermal decomposition of gel-precursor.The RBRO heterostructures obtained at 550℃ exhibited the highest HER activity in 1 M KOH,showing an ultra-low overpotential of 16 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2)and a Tafel slope of 33.37 m V dec^(-1).Additionally,the material demonstrated remarkable durability,with only 25 mV of degradation in overpotential after 200 h of stability testing at 10 mA cm^(-2).Density functional theory calculations revealed that the redistribution of charges at the heterojunction interface can optimize the binding energies of H*and OH*and effectively lower the energy barrier of water dissociation.This research offers novel perspectives on surpassing the water dissociation threshold of alkaline HER catalysts by means of a systematic design of heterogeneous interfaces.

Insights into the hydrogen evolution reaction in vanadium redox flow batteries:A synchrotron radiation based X-ray imaging study

The parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in the negative half-cell of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)causes severe efficiency losses.Thus,a deeper understanding of this process and the accompanying bubble formation is crucial.This benchmarking study locally analyzes the bubble distribution in thick,porous electrodes for the first time using deep learning-based image segmentation of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomograms.Each large three-dimensional data set was processed precisely in less than one minute while minimizing human errors and pointing out areas of increased HER activity in VRFBs.The study systematically varies the electrode potential and material,concluding that more negative electrode potentials of-200 m V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and lower cause more substantial bubble formation,resulting in bubble fractions of around 15%–20%in carbon felt electrodes.Contrarily,the bubble fractions stay only around 2%in an electrode combining carbon felt and carbon paper.The detected areas with high HER activity,such as the border subregion with more than 30%bubble fraction in carbon felt electrodes,the cutting edges,and preferential spots in the electrode bulk,are potential-independent and suggest that larger electrodes with a higher bulk-to-border ratio might reduce HER-related performance losses.The described combination of electrochemical measurements,local X-ray microtomography,AI-based segmentation,and 3D morphometric analysis is a powerful and novel approach for local bubble analysis in three-dimensional porous electrodes,providing an essential toolkit for a broad community working on bubble-generating electrochemical systems.

Preparation of Flower-like Copper Foam Supported Co_(3)O_(4) Electrocatalyst and Its Hydrogen Evolution Performance

Flower-like copper foam Co_(3)O_(4) catalysts(Co_(3)O_(4)/CF) were prepared by hydrothermal method.The crystalline structure and microscopic morphology of the prepared samples were characterized by using X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and scanning electron microscope(SEM),and the electrochemical properties were investigated by an electrochemical workstation.The experimental results show that the Co_(3)O_(4) catalysts are successfully prepared on the foamed copper support by hydrothermal method,and the material’s morphology is mainly flower cluster.When the current density is 10 mA·cm^(-2),the overpotential value of the Co_(3)O_(4)/CF catalyst is 141 mV,lower than that of blank support.The electrochemical impedance(EIS) spectrum shows that the R_(ct )value of the Co_(3)O_(4)/CF catalyst decreases,and the Coulomb curves of double-layer show that the electrochemically active area of the Co_(3)O_(4)/CF catalyst efficiently increases compared with that of the blank support.Therefore,the as-obtained Co_(3)O_(4)/CF catalyst exhibits a good hydrogen evolution rate,showing great applicability potential in the catalytic electrolysis of water for hydrogen production.

Electrochemically Grown Ultrathin Platinum Nanosheet Electrodes with Ultralow Loadings for Energy-Saving and Industrial-Level Hydrogen Evolution

Nanostructured catalyst-integrated electrodes with remarkably reduced catalyst loadings,high catalyst utilization and facile fabrication are urgently needed to enable cost-effective,green hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells(PEMECs).Herein,benefitting from a thin seeding layer,bottom-up grown ultrathin Pt nanosheets(Pt-NSs)were first deposited on thin Ti substrates for PEMECs via a fast,template-and surfactant-free electrochemical growth process at room temperature,showing highly uniform Pt surface coverage with ultralow loadings and vertically well-aligned nanosheet morphologies.Combined with an anode-only Nafion 117 catalyst-coated membrane(CCM),the Pt-NS electrode with an ultralow loading of 0.015 mgPt cm−2 demonstrates superior cell performance to the commercial CCM(3.0 mgPt cm^(−2)),achieving 99.5%catalyst savings and more than 237-fold higher catalyst utilization.The remarkable performance with high catalyst utilization is mainly due to the vertically well-aligned ultrathin nanosheets with good surface coverage exposing abundant active sites for the electrochemical reaction.Overall,this study not only paves a new way for optimizing the catalyst uniformity and surface coverage with ultralow loadings but also provides new insights into nanostructured electrode design and facile fabrication for highly efficient and low-cost PEMECs and other energy storage/conversion devices.

Recent advances in quantum dot catalysts for hydrogen evolution:Synthesis,characterization,and photocatalytic application

Photocatalytic water splitting is beneficial for the effective mitigation of global energy and environmental crises.Owing to multi-exciton generation,impressive light harvesting,and excellent photochemical properties,the quantum dot(QD)-based catalysts reveal a considerable potential in photocatalytic hydrogen(H_(2))production compared with bulk competitors.In this review,we summarize the recent advances in QDs for photocatalytic H_(2) production by enumerating different synthetic and characterization strategies for QDs.Various QDs-based photocatalysts are introduced and summarized in categories,and the role of different QDs in varied systems,as well as the mechanism and key factors that enhance the photocatalytic H_(2) generation performance,is discussed.Finally,conclusions and future perspectives in the exploration of highly efficient QDs-based photocatalysts for innovative applications are highlighted.

Self-assembly synthesis of phosphorus-doped tubular g-C_(3)N_(4);Ti_(3)C_(2)MXene Schottky junction for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Establishing highly effective charge transfer channels in carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4)) to enhance its photocatalytic activity is still a challenging issue.Herein,the delaminated 2D Ti_(3)C_(2) MXene nanosheets were employed to decorate the P-doped tubular g-C_(3)N_(4)(PTCN)for engineering 1D/2D Schottky heterojunction(PTCN/TC)through electrostatic self-assembly.The optimized PTCN/TC exhibited the highest hydrogen evolution rate(565 μmol h^(-1)g^(-1)),which was 4.3 and 2.0-fold higher than pristine bulk g-C_(3)N_(4) and PTCN,respectively.Such enhancement may be primarily attributed to the phosphorus heteroatom doped and unique structure of 1D/2D g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ti_(3)C_(2) Schottky heterojunction,enhancing the light-harvesting and charges’separation.One-dimensional pathway of g-C_(3)N_(4) tube and built-in electric field of interfacial Schottky effect can significantly facilitate the spatial separation of photogenerated charge carriers,and simultaneously inhibit their recombination via Schottky barrier.In this composite,metallic Ti_(3)C_(2) was served as electrons sink and photons collector.Moreover,ultrathin Ti_(3)C_(2) flake with exposed terminal metal sites as a co-catalyst exhibited higher photocatalytic reactivity in H2 evolution compared to carbon materials(such as reduced graphene oxide).This work not only proposed the mechanism of tubular g-C_(3)N_(4)/Ti_(3)C_(2) Schottky junction in photocatalysis,but also provided a feasible way to load ultrathin Ti_(3)C_(2) as a co-catalyst for designing highly efficient photocatalysts.

Synergistic Effect of Dual-Doped Carbon on MO_(2)C Nanocrystals Facilitates Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution

Molybdenum carbide(MO_(2)C)materials are promising electrocatalysts with potential applications in hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)due to low cost and Pt-like electronic structures.Nevertheless,their HER activity is usually hindered by the strong hydrogen binding energy.Moreover,the lack of water-cleaving site's makes it difficult for the catalysts to work in alkaline solutions.Here,we designed and synthesized a B and N dual-doped carbon layer that encapsulated on MO_(2)C nanocrystals(MO_(2)C@BNC)for accelerating HER under alkaline condition.The electronic interactions between the MO_(2)C nanocrystals and the multiple-doped carbon layer endow a near-zero H adsorption Gibbs free energy on the defective C atoms over the carbon shell.Meanwhile,the introduced B atoms afford optimal H_2O adsorption sites for the water-cleaving step.Accordingly,the dual-doped MO_(2)C catalyst with synergistic effect of non-metal sites delivers superior HER performances of a low overpotential(99 mV@10 mA cm^(-2))and a small Tafel slope(58.1 mV dec^(-1))in 1 M KOH solution.Furthermore,it presents a remarkable activity that outperforming the commercial 10%Pt/C catalyst at large current density,demonstrating its applicability in industrial water splitting.This study provides a reasonable design strategy towards noble-metal-free HER catalysts with high activity.

Construction of Ru/WO3 with hetero-interface structure for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Water electrolysis is considered as one most promising technique for hydrogen production.The high efficiency electrocatalyst is the key to accelerating the sluggish kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) in alkaline media.In this work,an efficient HER electrocatalyst with hetero-interfacial metal-metal oxide structure was constructed through a redox solid phase reaction(SPR) strategy.During the annealing process under Ar atmosphere,RuO_(2) and WS_(2)in RuO_(2)/WS_(2)precursor were converted to Ru nanoparticles(NPs) and WO3in situ,where tiny Ru NPs and oxygen vacancies were uniformly distributed onto the newly formed WO3nanosheets.Different characterization techniques were adopted to confirm the successful formation of Ru/WO_(3)electrocatalyst(RWOC).The optimized RWOC sample annealed at 400℃ exhibited the low overpotential value of 13 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)and strong durability under the alkaline condition.Density functional theoretical calculations further revealed that the promoted adsorption/desorption rate of reaction intermediates and the accelerated kinetics of HER process were deduced to the synergistic effect between Ru and WO_(3)in electrocatalyst.This work provides a feasible method to fabricate highly efficient HER electrocatalysts.

Anchoring nitrogen-doped Co_(2)P nanoflakes on NiCo_(2)O_(4)nanorod arrays over nickel foam as high-performance 3D electrode for alkaline hydrogen evolution

Effective and robust electrocatalysts are mainly based on innovative materials and unique structures.Herein,we designed a flakelike cobalt phosphide-based catalyst supporting on NiCo_(2)O_(4)nanorods array,which in-situ grew on the nickel foam(NF)current collector,referring as NCo_(2)P/NiCo_(2)O_(4)/NF electrode.By optimizing the microstructure and electronic structure through 3D hierarchy fabrication and nitrogen doping,the catalyst features with abundant electrochemical surface area,favorable surface wettability,excellent electron transport,as well as tailored d band center.Consequently,the as-prepared N-Co_(2)P/NiCo_(2)O_(4)/NF electrode exhibits an impressive HER activity with a low overpotentials of58 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2),a Tafel slop of 75 mV dec^(-1),as well as superior durability in alkaline medium.This work may provide a new pathway to effectively improve the hydrogen evolution performance of transition metal phosphides and to develop promising electrodes for practical electrocatalysis.

Adjusting oxygen vacancies in perovskite LaCoO_(3)by electrochemical activation to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction activity in alkaline condition

Developing highly-active,earth-abundant non-precious-metal catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in alkaline solution would be beneficial to sustainable energy storage.Perovskite oxides are generally regarded as low-active HER catalysts,due to their inapposite hydrogen adsorption and water dissociation.Here,we report a detailed study on perovskite LaCoO_(3)epitaxial thin films as a model catalyst to significantly enhance the HER performance via an electrochemical activation process.As a result,the overpotential for the activation films to achieve a current density of 0.36 m A/cm^(2)is 238 m V,reduced by more than 200 m V in comparison with that of original samples.Structural characterization revealed the activation process dramatically increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies(Vo)on the surface of LaCoO_(3).We established the relationship between the electronic structure induced by Vo and the enhanced HER activity.Further theoretical calculations revealed that the Vo optimizes the hydrogen adsorption and dissociation of water on the surface of LaCoO_(3)thin films,thus improving the HER catalytic activity.This work may promote a deepened understanding of perovskite oxides for HER mechanism by Vo adjusting and a new avenue for designing highly active electrochemical catalysts in alkaline solution.