Achieving asymmetric redox chemistry for oxygen evolution reaction through strong metal-support interactions

Water electrolysis poses a significant challenge for balancing catalytic activity and stability of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)electrocatalysts.In this study,we address this challenge by constructing asymmetric redox chemistry through elaborate surface OO–Ru–OH and bulk Ru–O–Ni/Fe coordination moieties within single-atom Ru-decorated defective NiFe LDH nanosheets(Ru@d-NiFe LDH)in conjunction with strong metal-support interactions(SMSI).Rigorous spectroscopic characterization and theoretical calculations indicate that single-atom Ru can delocalize the O 2p electrons on the surface and optimize d-electron configurations of metal atoms in bulk through SMSI.The^(18)O isotope labeling experiment based on operando differential electrochemical mass spectrometry(DEMS),chemical probe experiments,and theoretical calculations confirm the encouraged surface lattice oxygen,stabilized bulk lattice oxygen,and enhanced adsorption of oxygen-containing intermediates for bulk metals in Ru@d-NiFe LDH,leading to asymmetric redox chemistry for OER.The Ru@d-NiFe LDH electrocatalyst exhibits exceptional performance with an overpotential of 230 mV to achieve 10 mA cm^(−2)and maintains high robustness under industrial current density.This approach for achieving asymmetric redox chemistry through SMSI presents a new avenue for developing high-performance electrocatalysts and instills confidence in its industrial applicability.

Confined cobalt single-atom catalysts with strong electronic metal-support interactions based on a biomimetic self-assembly strategy

Designing high-performance and low-cost electrocatalysts for oxygen evolu-tion reaction(OER)is critical for the conversion and storage of sustainable energy technologies.Inspired by the biomineralization process,we utilized the phosphorylation sites of collagen molecules to combine with cobalt-based mononuclear precursors at the molecular level and built a three-dimensional(3D)porous hierarchical material through a bottom-up biomimetic self-assembly strategy to obtain single-atom catalysts confined on carbonized biomimetic self-assembled carriers(Co SACs/cBSC)after subsequent high-temperature annealing.In this strategy,the biomolecule improved the anchoring efficiency of the metal precursor through precise functional groups;meanwhile,the binding-then-assembling strategy also effectively suppressed the nonspecific adsorption of metal ions,ultimately preventing atomic agglomeration and achieving strong electronic metal-support interactions(EMSIs).Experimental characterizations confirm that binding forms between cobalt metal and carbonized self-assembled substrate(Co–O_(4)–P).Theoretical calculations disclose that the local environment changes significantly tailored the Co d-band center,and optimized the binding energy of oxygenated intermediates and the energy barrier of oxygen release.As a result,the obtained Co SACs/cBSC catalyst can achieve remarkable OER activity and 24 h durability in 1 M KOH(η10 at 288 mV;Tafel slope of 44 mV dec-1),better than other transition metal-based catalysts and commercial IrO_(2).Overall,we presented a self-assembly strategy to prepare transition metal SACs with strong EMSIs,providing a new avenue for the preparation of efficient catalysts with fine atomic structures.

Strong metal-support interactions between highly dispersed Cu^(+) species and ceria via mix-MOF pyrolysis toward promoted water-gas shift reaction

The modulation of metal-support interfacial interaction is significant but challenging in the design of high-efficiency and high-stability supported catalysts.Here,we report a synthetic strategy to upgrade Cu-CeO_(2)interfacial interaction by the pyrolysis of mixed metal-organic framework(MOF)structure.The obtained highly dispersed Cu/CeO_(2)-MOF catalyst via this strategy was used to catalyze water-gas shift reaction(WGSR),which exhibited high activity of 40.5μmolCOgcat^(-1).s^(-1)at 300℃and high stability of about 120 h.Based on comprehensive studies of electronic structure,pyrolysis strategy has significant effect on enhancing metal-support interaction and then stabilizing interfacial Cu^(+)species under reaction conditions.Abundant Cu^(+)species and generated oxygen vacancies over Cu/CeO_(2)-MOF catalyst played a key role in CO molecule activation and H2O molecule dissociation,respectively.Both collaborated closely and then promoted WGSR catalytic performance in comparison with traditio nal supported catalysts.This study shall offer a robust approach to harvest highly dispersed catalysts with finely-tuned metal-support interactions for stabilizing the most interfacial active metal species in diverse heterogeneous catalytic reactions.

Manipulating metal-support interactions of metal catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

For supported metal catalyst systems,the impact on catalysis originates from the interaction between metal nanoparticles and their support.Metal-support interactions(MSI)can change electronic properties,geometric morphologies,or chemical compositions of metal nanoparticles to make active sites have specific properties and catalytic activities.Fischer-Tropsch synthesis(FTS)is one of the most effective ways to convert cheap non-petroleum-based carbon sources into high value-added chemicals or ultraclean liquid fuels.In this review,we summarize and classify the impact of MSI on the catalytic activity,selectivity and stability of FTS catalysts.The strategies to tune MSI are introduced in detail,and the recent development of high-efficiency FTS catalysts through the manipulation of SMI strategies has been highlighted.It is emphasized that the active metal sites,which are endowed with special functions by MSI,can change the strength of adsorption bond of adsorbates,consequently controlling the product distribution.

Photo-enhanced thermal catalytic CO_(2) methanation activity and stability over oxygen-deficient Ru/TiO_(2) with exposed TiO_(2){001}facets:Adjusting photogenerated electron behaviors by metal-support interactions

In this study,two Ru/TiO_(2)samples with different TiO_(2)facets were prepared to investigate their photo-thermal catalytic CO_(2)+H_(2)reaction behavior.Without UV irradiation,the Ru/TiO_(2)with 67%{001}facet(3 RT)displayed improved thermal catalytic activity for CO_(2)methanation than that of Ru/TiO_(2)with 30%{001}facet(0 RT).After H_(2)pretreatment,both samples exhibited enhanced thermal catalytic activities,but the H_(2)-treated 3 RT(3 RT-H)exhibited superior activity to that of the H_(2)-treated 0 RT(0 RT-H).Under UV irradiation,3 RT-H exhibited apparent photo-promoted thermal catalytic activity and stability,but the enhanced catalytic activity was lower than that of 0 RT-H.Based on the characterization results,it is proposed that both the surface oxygen vacancies(Vos)(activating CO_(2))and the metallic Ru nanoparticles(activating H_(2))were mainly responsible for CO_(2)methanation.For 0 RT,H_(2)pretreatment and subsequent UV irradiation did not promote the formation of Vos,resulting in low catalytic activity.For 3 RT,on the one hand,H_(2)pretreatment promoted the formation of Vos,which were regenerated under UV irradiation;on the other hand,the photogenerated electrons from TiO_(2)transferred to Ru to maintain the metallic Ru nanoparticles.Both behaviors promoted the activation of CO_(2)and H_(2)and enhanced CO_(2)methanation.Moreover,the photogenerated holes favored the dissociated H at Ru migrating to TiO_(2),also promoting CO_(2)methanation.These behaviors occurring on 3 RT-H may be attributed to the suitable metal-support interaction between the Ru nanoparticles and TiO_(2){001},resulting in the easy activation of lattice oxygen in TiO_(2)to Vos.With reference to the analysis of intermediates,a photo-thermal reaction mechanism is proposed for the Ru/TiO_(2){001}facet sample.

Metal-Support Interactions on Ag/Co_(3)O_(4)Nanowire Monolithic Catalysts Promoting Catalytic Soot Combustion

Tuning metal-support interactions(MSIs)is an important strategy in heterogeneous catalysis to realize the desirable metal dispersion and redox ability of metal catalysts.Herein,we use pre-reduced Co_(3)O_(4)nanowires(Co-NWs)in situ grown on monolithic Ni foam substrates to support Ag catalysts(Ag/Co-NW-R)for soot combustion.The macroporous structure of Ni foam with crossed Co_(3)O_(4)nanowires remarkably increases the soot-catalyst contact effi ciency.Our characterization results demonstrate that Ag species exist as Ag 0 because of the equation Ag^(+)+Co^(2+)=Ag^(0)+Co^(3+),and the pre-reduction treatment enhances interactions between Ag and Co_(3)O_(4).The number of active oxygen species on the Ag-loaded catalysts is approximately twice that on the supports,demonstrating the signifi cant role of Ag sites in generating active oxygen species.Additionally,the strengthened MSI on Ag/Co-NW-R further improves this number by increasing metal dispersion and the intrinsic activity determined by the turnover frequency of these oxygen species for soot oxidation compared with the catalyst without pre-reduction of Co-NW(Ag/Co-NW).In addition to high activity,Ag/Co-NW-R exhibits high catalytic stability and water resistance.The strategy used in this work might be applicable in related catalytic systems.

Dry Reforming of Ethane over FeNi/Al-Ce-O Catalysts:Composition-Induced Strong Metal-Support Interactions

Dry reforming of ethane(DRE)has received significant attention because of its potential to produce chemical raw materials and reduce carbon emissions.Herein,a composition-induced strong metal-support interaction(SMSI)effect over FeNi/Al-Ce-O catalysts is revealed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),H_(2)-temperature programmed reduction(TPR),and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)elemental mapping.The introduction of Al into Al-Ce-O supports significantly influences the dispersion of surface active components and improves the catalytic performance for DRE over supported FeNi catalysts due to enhancement of the SMSI effect.The catalytic properties,for example,C_(2)H_(6) and CO_(2) conversion,CO selectivity and yield,and turnover frequencies(TOFs),of supported FeNi catalysts first increase and then decrease with increasing Al content,following the same trend as the theoretical effective surface area(TESA)of the corresponding catalysts.The FeNi/Ce-Al_(0.5) catalyst,with 50%Al content,exhibits the best DRE performance under steady-state conditions at 873 K.As observed by with in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)analysis,the introduction of Al not only increases the content of surface Ce3+and oxygen vacancies but also promotes the dispersion of surface active components,which further alters the catalytic properties for DRE over supported FeNi catalysts.

Enhancing alkyne semi-hydrogenation through engineering metal-support interactions of Pd on oxides

Supported Pd catalysts show superior activities for olefin productions from alkynes through semi-hydrogenation reactions,but over-hydrogenation into alkanes highly decreases olefin selectivity.Using phenylacetylene semi-hydrogenation as a model reaction,here we explore the optimization approaches toward better Pd catalysts for alkyne semi-hydrogenation through investigating support effect and metal-support interactions.The results show that the states of Pd with supports can be tuned by varying oxide reducibility,loading ratios,and post-treatments.In our system,0.06 wt.%Pd on rutile-TiO_(2) nanorods shows the highest activity owing to the synergistic effects of single-atoms and clusters.Support reducibility can change the filling degrees of Pd 4d orbitals through varying interfacial bonding strengths,which further affect catalytic activity and selectivity.

Silica-modified Pt/TiO_(2) catalysts with tunable suppression of strong metal-support interaction for cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation

Tuning Strong Metal-support Interactions(SMSI)is a key strategy to obtain highly active catalysts,but conventional methods usually enable TiO_(x) encapsulation of noble metal components to minimize the exposure of noble metals.This study demonstrates a catalyst preparation method to modulate a weak encapsulation of Pt metal nanoparticles(NPs)with the supported TiO_(2),achieving the moderate suppression of SMSI effects.The introduction of silica inhibits this encapsulation,as reflected in the characterization results such as XPS and HRTEM,while the Ti^(4+) to Ti^(3+) conversion due to SMSI can still be found on the support surface.Furthermore,the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde(CAL)as a probe reaction revealed that once this encapsulation behavior was suppressed,the adsorption capacity of the catalyst for small molecules like H_(2) and CO was enhanced,which thereby improved the catalytic activity and facilitated the hydrogenation of CAL.Meanwhile,the introduction of SiO_(2) also changed the surface structure of the catalyst,which inhibited the occurrence of the acetal reaction and improved the conversion efficiency of C=O and C=C hydrogenation.Systematic manipulation of SMSI formation and its consequence on the performance in catalytic hydrogenation reactions are discussed.

Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) in environmental catalysis: Mechanisms, application, regulation strategies, and breakthroughs

The strong metal-support interaction(SMSI)in supported catalysts plays a dominant role in catalytic degradation,upgrading,and remanufacturing of environmental pollutants.Previous studies have shown that SMSI is crucial in supported catalysts'activity and stability.However,for redox reactions catalyzed in environmental catalysis,the enhancement mechanism of SMSI-induced oxygen vacancy and electron transfer needs to be clarified.Additionally,the precise control of SMSI interface sites remains to be fully understood.Here we provide a systematic review of SMSI's catalytic mechanisms and control strategies in purifying gaseous pollutants,treating organic wastewater,and valorizing biomass solid waste.We explore the adsorption and activation mechanisms of SMSI in redox reactions by examining interfacial electron transfer,interfacial oxygen vacancy,and interfacial acidic sites.Furthermore,we develop a precise regulation strategy of SMSI from systematical perspectives of interface effect,crystal facet effect,size effect,guest ion doping,and modification effect.Importantly,we point out the drawbacks and breakthrough directions for SMSI regulation in environmental catalysis,including partial encapsulation strategy,size optimization strategy,interface oxygen vacancy strategy,and multi-component strategy.This review article provides the potential applications of SMSI and offers guidance for its controlled regulation in environmental catalysis.

Progress on metal-support interactions in Pd-based catalysts for automobile emission control

The interactions between metals and oxide supports,so-called metal-support interactions(MSI),are of great importance in heterogeneous catalysis.Pd-based automotive exhaust control catalysts,especially Pd-based three-way catalysts (TWCs),have received considerable research attention owing to its prominent oxidation activity of HCs/CO,as well as excellent thermal stability.For Pd-based TWCs,the dispersion,chemical state and thermal stability of Pd species,which are crucial to the catalytic performance,are closely associated with interactions between metal nanoparticles and their supporting matrix.Progress on the research about MSI and utilization of MSI in advanced Pd-based three-way catalysts are reviewed here.Along with the development of advanced synthesis approaches and engine control technology,the study on MSI would play a notable role in further development of catalysts for automobile exhaust control.

Ecological network analysis reveals complex responses of tree species life stage interactions to stand variables

Tree interactions are essential for the structure,dynamics,and function of forest ecosystems,but variations in the architecture of life-stage interaction networks(LSINs)across forests is unclear.Here,we constructed 16 LSINs in the mountainous forests of northwest Hebei,China based on crown overlap from four mixed forests with two dominant tree species.Our results show that LSINs decrease the complexity of stand densities and basal areas due to the interaction cluster differentiation.In addition,we found that mature trees and saplings play different roles,the first acting as“hub”life stages with high connectivity and the second,as“bridges”controlling information flow with high centrality.Across the forests,life stages with higher importance showed better parameter stability within LSINs.These results reveal that the structure of tree interactions among life stages is highly related to stand variables.Our efforts contribute to the understanding of LSIN complexity and provide a basis for further research on tree interactions in complex forest communities.

Low temperature one-pot synthesis of 1,1-diethoxyethane from ethanol on Bi/BiCeO_(x)with strong metal-support interactions

The direct conversion of ethanol to 1,1-diethoxyethane(DEE)through one-pot dehydrogenation-acetalization has attracted broad interest from both academia and industry.Based on thermodynamics,the oxidative dehydrogenation of alcohol to acetaldehyde requires high temperature to activate oxygen to realize the C-H cleavage,while the acetalization of acetaldehyde with ethanol is exothermic reversible reaction favorable at low temperature.The mismatching of the reaction condition for the two consecutive steps makes it a great challenge to achieve both high ethanol conversion and high DEE selectivity.This work reports a highly efficient bi-functional catalysis by Bi/BiCeO_(x)for one-pot oxidative dehydrogenation-acetalization route from ethanol to DEE under 150℃and ambient pressure,affording a selectivity of 98.5%±0.5%to DEE at an ethanol conversion of 87.0%±1.0%.An efficient tandem catalysis has been achieved on the interfacial Bi^(δ)+-Ov-Ce^(III)sites in Bi/BiCeO_(x)established by strong metal-support interaction,in which Biδ+-Ov-sites contribute to the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethanol at mild temperature,and-Ov-CeIII sites to the subsequent acetalization between the generated acetaldehyde and ethanol.

Tailoring Light–Matter Interactions in Overcoupled Resonator for Biomolecule Recognition and Detection

Plasmonic nanoantennas provide unique opportunities for precise control of light–matter coupling in surface-enhanced infrared absorption(SEIRA)spectroscopy,but most of the resonant systems realized so far suffer from the obstacles of low sensitivity,narrow bandwidth,and asymmetric Fano resonance perturbations.Here,we demonstrated an overcoupled resonator with a high plasmon-molecule coupling coefficient(μ)(OC-Hμresonator)by precisely controlling the radiation loss channel,the resonator-oscillator coupling channel,and the frequency detuning channel.We observed a strong dependence of the sensing performance on the coupling state,and demonstrated that OC-Hμresonator has excellent sensing properties of ultra-sensitive(7.25%nm^(−1)),ultra-broadband(3–10μm),and immune asymmetric Fano lineshapes.These characteristics represent a breakthrough in SEIRA technology and lay the foundation for specific recognition of biomolecules,trace detection,and protein secondary structure analysis using a single array(array size is 100×100μm^(2)).In addition,with the assistance of machine learning,mixture classification,concentration prediction and spectral reconstruction were achieved with the highest accuracy of 100%.Finally,we demonstrated the potential of OC-Hμresonator for SARS-CoV-2 detection.These findings will promote the wider application of SEIRA technology,while providing new ideas for other enhanced spectroscopy technologies,quantum photonics and studying light–matter interactions.

Molecular dynamics simulations on the interactions between nucleic acids and a phospholipid bilayer

Recently,lipid nanoparticles(LNPs)have been extensively investigated as non-viral carriers of nucleic acid vaccines due to their high transport efficiency,safety,and straightforward production and scalability.However,the molecular mechanism underlying the interactions between nucleic acids and phospholipid bilayers within LNPs remains elusive.In this study,we employed the all-atom molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the interactions between single-stranded nucleic acids and a phospholipid bilayer.Our findings revealed that hydrophilic bases,specifically G in single-stranded RNA(ssRNA)and single-stranded DNA(ssDNA),displayed a higher propensity to form hydrogen bonds with phospholipid head groups.Notably,ssRNA exhibited stronger binding energy than ssDNA.Furthermore,divalent ions,particularly Ca2+,facilitated the binding of ssRNA to phospholipids due to their higher binding energy and lower dissociation rate from phospholipids.Overall,our study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying nucleic acidphospholipid interactions,with potential implications for the nucleic acids in biotherapies,particularly in the context of lipid carriers.

Enhancing carbon dioxide reduction electrocatalysis by tuning metal-support interactions: a first principles study

The electrochemical reduction of CO_(2) is an extremely potential technique to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality,but the development of electrocatalysts with high activity,excellent product selectivity,and long-term durability remains a great challenge.Herein,the role of metal-supports interaction(MSI)between different active sites(including single and bimetallic atom sites consisting of Cu and Ni atoms)and carbon-based supports(including C_(2) N,C_(3)N_(4),N-coordination graphene,and graphdiyne)on catalytic activity,prod-uct selectivity,and thermodynamic stability towards CO_(2) reduction reaction(CRR)is systematically investi-gated by first principles calculations.Our results show that MSI is mainly related to the charge transfer behavior from metal sites to supports,and different MSI leads to diverse magnetic moments and d-band centers.Subsequently,the adsorption and catalytic performance can be efficiently improved by tuning MSI.Notably,the bimetallic atom supported graphdiyne not only exhibits a better catalytic activity,higher product selec-tivity,and higher thermodynamic stability,but also effectively inhibits the hydrogen evolution reaction.This finding provides a new research idea and optimization strategy for the rational design of high-efficiency CRR catalysts.

Light-Material Interactions Using Laser and Flash Sources for Energy Conversion and Storage Applications

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in light-material interactions(LMIs),focusing on lasers and flash lights for energy conversion and storage applications.We discuss intricate LMI parameters such as light sources,interaction time,and fluence to elucidate their importance in material processing.In addition,this study covers various light-induced photothermal and photochemical processes ranging from melting,crystallization,and ablation to doping and synthesis,which are essential for developing energy materials and devices.Finally,we present extensive energy conversion and storage applications demonstrated by LMI technologies,including energy harvesters,sensors,capacitors,and batteries.Despite the several challenges associated with LMIs,such as complex mechanisms,and high-degrees of freedom,we believe that substantial contributions and potential for the commercialization of future energy systems can be achieved by advancing optical technologies through comprehensive academic research and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Effects of layer interactions on instantaneous stability of finite Stokes flows

The stability analysis of a finite Stokes layer is of practical importance in flow control. In the present work, the instantaneous stability of a finite Stokes layer with layer interactions is studied via a linear stability analysis of the frozen phases of the base flow. The oscillations of two plates can have different velocity amplitudes, initial phases, and frequencies. The effects of the Stokes-layer interactions on the stability when two plates oscillate synchronously are analyzed. The growth rates of two most unstable modes when δ < 0.12 are almost equal, and δ = δ*/h*, where δ*and h*are the Stokes-layer thickness and the half height of the channel, respectively. However, their vorticities are different. The vorticity of the most unstable mode is symmetric, while the other is asymmetric. The Stokes-layer interactions have a destabilizing effect on the most unstable mode when δ < 0.68, and have a stabilizing effect when δ > 0.68. However, the interactions always have a stabilizing effect on the other unstable mode. It is explained that one of the two unstable modes has much higher dissipation than the other one when the Stokes-layer interactions are strong. We also find that the stability of the Stokes layer is closely related to the inflectional points of the base-flow velocity profile. The effects of inconsistent velocity-amplitude, initial phase, and frequency of the oscillations on the stability are analyzed. The energy of the most unstable eigenvector is mainly distributed near the plate of higher velocity amplitude or higher oscillation frequency. The effects of the initial phase difference are complicated because the base-flow velocity is extremely sensitive to the initial phase.

FLOCKING OF A THERMODYNAMIC CUCKER-SMALE MODEL WITH LOCAL VELOCITY INTERACTIONS

In this paper, we study the flocking behavior of a thermodynamic Cucker–Smale model with local velocity interactions. Using the spectral gap of a connected stochastic matrix, together with an elaborate estimate on perturbations of a linearized system, we provide a sufficient framework in terms of initial data and model parameters to guarantee flocking. Moreover, it is shown that the system achieves a consensus at an exponential rate.

Local coordination and electronic interactions of Pd/MXene via dual‐atom codoping with superior durability for efficient electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation

Catalyst design relies heavily on electronic metal‐support interactions,but the metal‐support interface with an uncontrollable electronic or coordination environment makes it challenging.Herein,we outline a promising approach for the rational design of catalysts involving heteroatoms as anchors for Pd nanoparticles for ethanol oxidation reaction(EOR)catalysis.The doped B and N atoms from dimethylamine borane(DB)occupy the position of the Ti_(3)C_(2) lattice to anchor the supported Pd nanoparticles.The electrons transfer from the support to B atoms,and then to the metal Pd to form a stable electronic center.A strong electronic interaction can be produced and the d‐band center can be shifted down,driving Pd into the dominant metallic state and making Pd nanoparticles deposit uniformly on the support.As‐obtained Pd/DB–Ti_(3)C_(2) exhibits superior durability to its counterpart(∼14.6% retention)with 91.1% retention after 2000 cycles,placing it among the top single metal anodic catalysts.Further,in situ Raman and density functional theory computations confirm that Pd/DB–Ti_(3)C_(2) is capable of dehydrogenating ethanol at low reaction energies.