Preparation and characterization of ultrafine Fe-Cu-based catalysts for CO hydrogenation

The ultrafine particles of a new style Fe-Cu-based catalysts for CO hydrogenation were prepared by impregnating the organic sol of Fe（OH）3 and Cu（OH）2 onto the activated Al2O3, in which the organic sol of Fe（OH）3 and Cu（OH）2 were prepared in the microemulsion of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium（S）/n-butanol（A）/toluene（O）/water with V（A）/V（O） = 0.25 and W（A）/W（S） = 1.50. This catalyst was characterized by particle size analysis, XRD and TG. The results of particle size analysis showed that Fe（OH）3 particles with a mean size of 17.1 nm and Cu（OH）2 particles with an average size of 6.65 um were obtained. TG analysis and XRD patterns suggested that 673 K is the optimal calcination temperature. CO hydrogenation produced C＋OH with a high selectivity above 58 wt% by using the ultrafine particles as catalyst, and the total alcohol yield of 0.250 g·ml^-1 ·h^-1 was obtained when the contents of Al2O3 and K were 88.61 wt% and 1.60 wt%, respectively.

Cu-based heterojunction catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia

Copper-based catalysts have garnered wide attention in the field of electrocatalytic nitrate reduction for ammonia production due to their low hydrogen precipitation activity and high ammonia selectivity.However,they still face challenges pertaining of poor stability and low activity,which hinder their further application.Herein,we present a Cu_(2)O/Cu heterojunction catalyst supported on nitrogen-doped porous carbon for nitrate reduction.High resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)and X-ray Diffraction(XRD)results confirm the presence of Cu_(2)O/Cu heterojunctions,which serve as an active phase in catalysis.The nitrogen-doped porous carbon as a carrier not only enhances the catalyst’s stability,but also facilitates the exposure and dispersion of active sites.At-1.29 V(vs.RHE),the maximum production rate of ammonia reaches 8.8 mg/(mg·h)with a Faradaic efficiency of 92.8%.This study also elucidates the effect of Cu_(2)O-to-Cu ratio in the heterojunction on catalytic performance,thereby providing valuable insights for designing efficient nitrate reduction catalysts for ammonia production.

Rational design strategies of Cu-based electrocatalysts for CO_(2) electroreduction to C_(2) products

Electrochemical reduction of CO_(2)(CO_(2)RR)to high value-added chemicals is an effective way to remove excess CO_(2) from the atmosphere.Due to the unique propensity of Cu for valuable hydrocarbons,Cu-based electrocatalysts are the most potential catalysts that allow the conversion of CO_(2) into a variety of C_(2) products such as ethylene and ethanol.Rational design of Cu-based catalysts can improve their directional selectivity to C_(2) products.Hence,in this review,we summarize the recent progress in the mechanistic studies of Cu-based catalysts on reducing CO_(2) to C_(2) products.We focus on three key strategies for efficiently enhancing electrocatalytic performance of Cu-based catalysts,including tuning electronic structure,surface structure,and coordination environment.The correlation between the structural characteristics of Cu-based catalysts and their activity and selectivity to C_(2) products is discussed.Finally,we discuss the challenges in the field of CO_(2) electroreduction to C_(2) products and provide the perspectives to design efficient Cu-based catalysts in the future.

Cu-based materials for electrocatalytic CO_(2) to alcohols:Reaction mechanism,catalyst categories,and regulation strategies

Electrocatalytic CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)technology,which enables carbon capture storage and resource utilization by reducing CO_(2) to valuable chemicals or fuels,has become a global research hotspot in recent decades.Among the many products of CO_(2)RR(carbon monoxide,acids,aldehydes and alcohols,olefins,etc.),alcohols(methanol,ethanol,propanol,etc.)have a higher market value and energy density,but it is also more difficult to produce.Copper is known to be effective in catalyzing CO_(2) to high valueadded alcohols,but with poor selectivity.The progress of Cu-based catalysts for the selective generation of alcohols,including copper oxides,bimetals,single atoms and composites is reviewed.Meanwhile,to improve Cu-based catalyst activity and modulate product selectivity,the modulation strategies are straighten out,including morphological regulation,crystalline surface,oxidation state,as well as elemental doping and defect engineering.Based on the research progress of electrocatalytic CO_(2) reduction for alcohol production on Cu-based materials,the reaction pathways and the key intermediates of the electrocatalytic CO_(2)RR to methanol,ethanol and propanol are summarized.Finally,the problems of traditional electrocatalytic CO_(2)RR are introduced,and the future applications of machine learning and theoretical calculations are prospected.An in-depth discussion and a comprehensive review of the reaction mechanism,catalyst types and regulation strategies were carried out with a view to promoting the development of electrocatalytic CO_(2)RR to alcohols.

Bimetallic Single‑Atom Catalysts for Water Splitting

Green hydrogen from water splitting has emerged as a critical energy vector with the potential to spearhead the global transition to a fossil fuel-independent society.The field of catalysis has been revolutionized by single-atom catalysts(SACs),which exhibit unique and intricate interactions between atomically dispersed metal atoms and their supports.Recently,bimetallic SACs(bimSACs)have garnered significant attention for leveraging the synergistic functions of two metal ions coordinated on appropriately designed supports.BimSACs offer an avenue for rich metal–metal and metal–support cooperativity,potentially addressing current limitations of SACs in effectively furnishing transformations which involve synchronous proton–electron exchanges,substrate activation with reversible redox cycles,simultaneous multi-electron transfer,regulation of spin states,tuning of electronic properties,and cyclic transition states with low activation energies.This review aims to encapsulate the growing advancements in bimSACs,with an emphasis on their pivotal role in hydrogen generation via water splitting.We subsequently delve into advanced experimental methodologies for the elaborate characterization of SACs,elucidate their electronic properties,and discuss their local coordination environment.Overall,we present comprehensive discussion on the deployment of bimSACs in both hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction,the two half-reactions of the water electrolysis process.

Boosting Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance on NiFe‑Based Catalysts Through d‑Orbital Hybridization

Anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers(AEMWEs)for green hydrogen production have received intensive attention due to their feasibility of using earth-abundant NiFe-based catalysts.By introducing a third metal into NiFe-based catalysts to construct asymmetrical M-NiFe units,the d-orbital and electronic structures can be adjusted,which is an important strategy to achieve sufficient oxygen evolution reaction(OER)performance in AEMWEs.Herein,the ternary NiFeM(M:La,Mo)catalysts featured with distinct M-NiFe units and varying d-orbitals are reported in this work.Experimental and theoretical calculation results reveal that the doping of La leads to optimized hybridization between d orbital in NiFeM and 2p in oxygen,resulting in enhanced adsorption strength of oxygen intermediates,and reduced rate-determining step energy barrier,which is responsible for the enhanced OER performance.More critically,the obtained NiFeLa catalyst only requires 1.58 V to reach 1 A cm^(−2) in an anion exchange membrane electrolyzer and demonstrates excellent long-term stability of up to 600 h.

Preparation of Co/S co-doped carbon catalysts for excellent methylene blue degradation

S and Co co-doped carbon catalysts were prepared via pyrolysis of MOF-71 and thiourea mixtures at 800℃at a mass ratio of MOF-71 to thiourea of 1:0.1 to effectively activate peroxymonosulfate(PMS)for methylene blue(MB)degradation.The effects of two different mixing routes were identified on the MB degradation performance.Particularly,the catalyst obtained by the alcohol solvent evaporation(MOF-AEP)mixing route could degrade 95.60%MB(50 mg/L)within 4 min(degradation rate:K=0.78 min^(-1)),which was faster than that derived from the direct grinding method(MOF-DGP,80.97%,K=0.39 min^(-1)).X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the Co-S content of MOF-AEP(43.39at%)was less than that of MOF-DGP(54.73at%),and the proportion of C-S-C in MOF-AEP(13.56at%)was higher than that of MOF-DGP(10.67at%).Density functional theory calculations revealed that the adsorption energy of Co for PMS was -2.94 eV when sulfur was doped as C-S-C on the carbon skeleton,which was higher than that when sulfur was doped next to cobalt in the form of Co-S bond(-2.86 eV).Thus,the C-S-C sites might provide more contributions to activate PMS compared with Co-S.Furthermore,the degradation parameters,including pH and MOF-AEP dosage,were investigated.Finally,radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)measurements revealed that ^(1)O_(2)might be the primary catalytic species,whereas·O~(2-)might be the secondary one in degrading MB.

One-dimensional Cu-based catalysts with layered Cu-Cu20-CuO walls for the Rochow reaction

A series of copper catalysts with a core-shell or tubular structure containing various contents of Cu, Cu2O, and CuO were prepared via controlled oxidation of Cu nanowires （NWs） and used in the synthesis of dimethyldichlorosilane （M2） via the Rochow reaction. The Cu NWs were prepared from copper （Ⅱ） nitrate using a solution-based reduction method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the morphology and composition of the catalysts could be tailored by varying the oxidation temperature and time. During the gradual oxidation of Cu NWs, the oxidation reaction inflated on the outer surface and gradually developed into the bulk of the NWs, leading to the formation of catalysts with various structures and layered compositions, e.g., Cu NWs with surface Cu2O, ternary Cu-Cu2O-CuO core-shell NWs, binary Cu2O-CuO nanotubes （NTs）, and single CuO NTs. Among these catalysts, ternary Cu-Cu2O-CuO core-shell NWs exhibited superior M2 selectivity and Si conversion in the Rochow reaction. The enhanced catalytic performance was mainly attributed to improved mass and heat transfer resulting from the peculiar heterostructure and the synergistic effect among layered components. Our work indicated that the catalytic property of Cu-based nanoparticles can be improved by carefully controlling their structures and compositions.

Recent advances in Cu-based nanocomposite photocatalysts for CO_2 conversion to solar fuels

COconversion via photocatalysis is a potential solution to address global warming and energy shortage.Photocatalysis can directly utilize the inexhaustible sunlight as an energy source to catalyze the reduction of COto useful solar fuels such as CO, CH, CHOH, and CHOH. Among studied formulations, Cubased photocatalysts are the most attractive for COconversion because the Cu-based photocatalysts are low-cost and abundance comparing noble metal-based catalysts. In this literature review, a comprehensive summary of recent progress on Cu-based photocatalysts for COconversion, which includes metallic copper, copper alloy nanoparticles（NPs）, copper oxides, and copper sulfides photocatalysts, can be found. This review also included a detailed discussion on the correlations of morphology, structure, and performance for each type of Cu-based catalysts. The reaction mechanisms and possible pathways for productions of various solar fuels were analyzed, which provide insight into the nature of potential active sites for the catalysts. Finally, the current challenges and perspective future research directions were outlined, holding promise to advance Cu-based photocatalysts for COconversion with much-enhanced energy conversion efficiency and production rates.

Accelerated prediction of Cu-based single-atom alloy catalysts for CO_(2) reduction by machine learning

Various strategies,including controls of morphology,oxidation state,defect,and doping,have been developed to improve the performance of Cu-based catalysts for CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),generating a large amount of data.However,a unified understanding of underlying mechanism for further optimization is still lacking.In this work,combining first-principles calculations and machine learning(ML)techniques,we elucidate critical factors influencing the catalytic properties,taking Cu-based single atom alloys(SAAs)as examples.Our method relies on high-throughput calculations of 2669 CO adsorption configurations on 43 types of Cu-based SAAs with various surfaces.Extensive ML analyses reveal that low generalized coordination numbers and valence electron number are key features to determine catalytic performance.Applying our ML model with cross-group learning scheme,we demonstrate the model generalizes well between Cu-based SAAs with different alloying elements.Further,electronic structure calculations suggest surface negative center could enhance CO adsorption by back donating electrons to antibonding orbitals of CO.Finally,several SAAs,including PCu,AgCu,GaCu,ZnCu,SnCu,GeCu,InCu,and SiCu,are identified as promising CO_(2)RR catalysts.Our work provides a paradigm for the rational design and fast screening of SAAs for various electrocatalytic reactions.

The newly-assisted catalytic mechanism of surface hydroxyl species performed as the promoter in syngas-to-C2 species on the Cu-based bimetallic catalysts

In the conversion process of syngas-to-C_(2)species,the OH species are inevitably produced accompanying the production of key intermediates CH_(x)(x=1-3),traditionally,the function of surface OH species is generally accepted as the hydrogenating reactive species.This work for the first time proposed and confirmed the assisted catalytic mechanism of surface OH species that performed as the promoter for syngas-to-C_(2)species on Cu-based catalysts.DFT and microkinetic modeling results reveal that the produced OH species accompanying the intermediates CH_(x)production on the MCu(M=Co,Fe,Rh)catalysts can stably exist to form OH/MCu catalysts,on which the presence of surface OH species as the promoter not only presented better activity and selectivity toward CH_(x)(x=1-3)compared to MCu catalysts,but also significantly suppressed CH_(3)OH production,providing enough CH_(x)sources to favor the production of C_(2)hydrocarbons and oxygenates.Correspondingly,the electronic properties analysis revealed the essential relationship between the electronic feature of OH/MCu catalysts and catalytic performance,attributing to the unique electronic micro-environment of the catalysts under the interaction of surface OH species.This new mechanism is called as OH-assisted catalytic mechanism,which may be applied in the reaction systems related to the generation of OH species.

Tuning Structures and Microenvironments of Cu-Based Catalysts for Sustainable CO_(2) and CO Electroreduction

CONSPECTUS:The carbon balance has been disrupted by the widespread use of fossil fuels and subsequent excessive emissions of carbon dioxide(CO_(2)),which has become an increasingly critical environmental challenge for human society.The production and use of renewable energy sources and/or chemicals have been proposed as important strategies to reduce emissions,of which the electrochemical CO_(2)(or CO)reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR/CORR)in the aqueous systems represents a promising approach.Benefitted by the capacity of manufacturing high-value-added products(e.g.,ethylene,ethanol,formic acid,etc.)with a net-zero carbon emission,copper-based CO_(2)RR/CORR powered by sustainable electricity is regarded as a potential candidate for carbon neutrality.However,the diversity of selectivities in copper-based systems poses a great challenge to the research in this field and sets a great obstacle for future industrialization.To date,scientists have revealed that the electrocatalyst design and preparation play a significant role in achieving efficient and selective CO_(2)-to-chemical(or CO-to-chemical)conversion.Although substantial efforts have been dedicated to the catalyst preparation and corresponding electrosynthesis of sustainable chemicals from CO_(2)/CO so far,most of them are still derived from empirical or random searches,which are relatively inefficient and cost-intensive.Most of the mechanism studies have suggested that both intrinsic properties(such as electron states)and extrinsic environmental factors(such as surface energy)of a catalyst can significantly alter catalytic performance.Thus,these two topics are mainly discussed for copper-based catalyst developments in this Account.Here,we provided a concise and comprehensive introduction to the well-established strategies employed for the design of copperbased electrocatalysts for CO_(2)RR/CORR.We used several examples from our research group,as well as representative studies of other research groups in this field during the recent five years,with the perspectives of tuning local electron states,regulating alloy phases,modifying interfacial coverages,and adjusting other interfacial microenvironments(e.g.,molecule modification or surface energy).Finally,we employed the techno-economic assessment with a viewpoint on the future application of CO_(2)/CO electroreduction in manufacturing sustainable chemicals.Our study indicates that when carbon price is taken into account,the electrocatalytic CO_(2)-to-chemical conversion can be more market-competitive,and several potential value-added products including formate,methanol,ethylene,and ethanol can all make profits under optimal operating conditions.Moreover,a downstream module employing traditional chemical industrial processes(e.g.,thermal polymerization,catalytic hydrolysis,or condensation process)will also make the whole electrolysis system profitable in the future.These design principles,combined with the recent advances in the development of efficient copper-based electrocatalysts,may provide a low-cost and long-lasting catalytic system for a profitable industrial-scale CO_(2)RR in the future.

NiCu-based catalysts for the low-temperature hydrodeoxygenation of anisole:Effect of the metal ratio on SiO_(2)andγ-Al_(2)O_(3)supports

The effects of the metal ratio of NiCu catalysts on the low-temperature hydrodeoxygenation(HDO)of anisole were assessed on a neutral SiO_(2) and an acidicγ-Al_(2)O_(3) support.The activity of SiO_(2)-supported catalysts increases with the Ni content in the NiCu phase,related to Ni’s hydrogenation capacity.In contrast,on aγ-Al_(2)O_(3) support,the activity decreases with the Ni content.Overall,Al_(2)O_(3)-supported catalysts,exhibiting a smaller NiCu alloy particle size,are more active than SiO_(2)-supported ones.In terms of selectivity,SiO_(2)-supported catalysts mainly hydrogenate anisole to methoxycyclohexane,while,particularly at higher conversions,γ-Al_(2)O_(3)-supported catalysts are able to further convert methoxycyclohexane to cyclohexane,demonstrating the importance of acid sites for low-temperature HDO.The Ni/Cu ratio also steers the selectivity,but not the catalyst stability.Deactivation phenomena are only support dependent:while on SiO_(2)-supported catalysts,active site sintering occurs,attributed to weak stabilization of metal particles by the support,acid catalyzed coking is the main cause of deactivation on theγ-Al_(2)O_(3)-supported catalysts.

Fabrication of highly dispersed carbon doped Cu-based oxides as superior selective catalytic oxidation of ammonia catalysts via employing citric acid-modified carbon nanotubes doping CuAl-LDHs

In this work,the CuAl-LDO/c-CNTs catalyst was fabricated via in situ oriented assembly of layered-double hydroxides(LDHs)and citric acid-modified carbon nanotubes(c-CNTs)followed by annealing treatment,and evaluated in the selective catalytic oxidation(SCO)of NH_(3)to N_(2).The CuAl-LDO/c-CNTs catalyst presented better catalytic performance(98%NH_(3)conversion with nearly 90%N_(2)selectivity at 513 K)than other catalysts,such as CuAlO_(x)/CNTs,CuAlO_(x)/c-CNTs and CuAl-LDO/CNTs.Multiple characterizations were utilized to analyze the difference of physicochemical properties among four catalysts.XRD,TEM and XPS analyses manifested that CuO and Cu_(2)O nanoparticles dispersed well on the surface of the Cu Al-LDO/c-CNTs catalyst.Compared with other catalysts,larger specific surface area and better dispersion of CuAl-LDO/c-CNTs catalyst were conducive to the exposure of more active sites,thus improving the redox capacity of the active site and NH_(3)adsorption capacity.In-situ DRIFTS results revealed that the internal selective catalytic reduction(iSCR)mechanism was found over CuAl-LDO/c-CNTs catalyst.

Regeneration of copper catalysts mediated by molybdenum-based oxides

Cu catalysts,known for their unparalleled catalytic capabilities due to their unique electronic structure,have faced inherent challenges in maintaining long-term effectiveness under harsh hydrogenation conditions.Here,we demonstrate a molybdenum-mediated redispersion behavior of Cu under hightemperature oxidation conditions.The oxidized Cu nanoparticles with rich metal-support interfaces tend to dissolve into the MoO_(3)support upon heating to 600℃,which facilitates the subsequent regeneration in a reducing atmosphere.A similar redispersion phenomenon is observed for Cu nanoparticles supported on Zn O-modified MoO_(3).The modification of ZnO significantly improves the performance of the Cu catalyst for CO_(2)hydrogenation to methanol,with the high activity being well maintained after four repeated oxidation-reduction cycles.In situ spectroscopic and theoretical analyses suggest that the interaction involved in the formation of the copper molybdate-like compound is the driving force for the redispersion of Cu.This method is applicable to various Mo-based oxide supports,offering a practical strategy for the regeneration of sintered Cu particles in hydrogenation applications.

Strong synergy between physical and chemical properties:Insight into optimization of atomically dispersed oxygen reduction catalysts

Atomically dispersed catalysts exhibit significant influence on facilitating the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)kinetics with high atom economy,owing to remarkable attributes including nearly 100%atomic utilization and exceptional catalytic functionality.Furthermore,accurately controlling atomic physical properties including spin,charge,orbital,and lattice degrees of atomically dispersed catalysts can realize the optimized chemical properties including maximum atom utilization efficiency,homogenous active centers,and satisfactory catalytic performance,but remains elusive.Here,through physical and chemical insight,we review and systematically summarize the strategies to optimize atomically dispersed ORR catalysts including adjusting the atomic coordination environment,adjacent electronic orbital and site density,and the choice of dual-atom sites.Then the emphasis is on the fundamental understanding of the correlation between the physical property and the catalytic behavior for atomically dispersed catalysts.Finally,an overview of the existing challenges and prospects to illustrate the current obstacles and potential opportunities for the advancement of atomically dispersed catalysts in the realm of electrocatalytic reactions is offered.

Boric Acid-Assisted Pyrolysis for High-Loading Single-Atom Catalysts to Boost Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Zn-Air Batteries

The emerging of single-atom catalysts(SACs)offers a great opportunity for the development of advanced energy storage and conversion devices due to their excellent activity and durability,but the actual mass production of high-loading SACs is still challenging.Herein,a facile and green boron acid(H_(3)BO_(3))-assisted pyrolysis strategy is put forward to synthesize SACs by only using chitosan,cobalt salt and H_(3)BO_(3)as precursor,and the effect of H_(3)BO_(3)is deeply investigated.The results show that molten boron oxide derived from H_(3)BO_(3)as ideal high-temperature carbonization media and blocking media play important role in the synthesis process.As a result,the acquired Co/N/B tri-doped porous carbon framework(Co-N-B-C)not only presents hierarchical porous structure,large specific surface area and abundant carbon edges but also possesses high-loading single Co atom(4.2 wt.%),thus giving rise to outstanding oxygen catalytic performance.When employed as a catalyst for air cathode in Zn-air batteries,the resultant Co-N-B-C catalyst shows remarkable power density and long-term stability.Clearly,our work gains deep insight into the role of H_(3)BO_(3)and provides a new avenue to synthesis of high-performance SACs.

Cu-Based Materials for Enhanced C_(2+) Product Selectivity in Photo-/Electro-Catalytic CO_(2) Reduction: Challenges and Prospects

Carbon dioxide conversion into valuable products using photocatalysis and electrocatalysis is an effective approach to mitigate global environmental issues and the energy shortages. Among the materials utilized for catalytic reduction of CO_(2), Cu-based materials are highly advantageous owing to their widespread availability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, Cu-based materials demonstrate interesting abilities in the adsorption and activation of carbon dioxide, allowing the formation of C_(2+) compounds through C–C coupling process. Herein, the basic principles of photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction reactions(PCO_(2)RR) and electrocatalytic CO_(2) reduction reaction(ECO_(2)RR) and the pathways for the generation C_(2+) products are introduced. This review categorizes Cu-based materials into different groups including Cu metal, Cu oxides, Cu alloys, and Cu SACs, Cu heterojunctions based on their catalytic applications. The relationship between the Cu surfaces and their efficiency in both PCO_(2)RR and ECO_(2)RR is emphasized. Through a review of recent studies on PCO_(2)RR and ECO_(2)RR using Cu-based catalysts, the focus is on understanding the underlying reasons for the enhanced selectivity toward C_(2+) products. Finally, the opportunities and challenges associated with Cu-based materials in the CO_(2) catalytic reduction applications are presented, along with research directions that can guide for the design of highly active and selective Cu-based materials for CO_(2) reduction processes in the future.

Optimizing high-coordination shell of Co-based single-atom catalysts for efficient ORR and zinc-air batteries

Atom-level modulation of the coordination environment for single-atom catalysts(SACs)is considered as an effective strategy for elevating the catalytic performance.For the MNxsite,breaking the symmetrical geometry and charge distribution by introducing relatively weak electronegative atoms into the first/second shell is an efficient way,but it remains challenging for elucidating the underlying mechanism of interaction.Herein,a practical strategy was reported to rationally design single cobalt atoms coordinated with both phosphorus and nitrogen atoms in a hierarchically porous carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks.X-ray absorption spectrum reveals that atomically dispersed Co sites are coordinated with four N atoms in the first shell and varying numbers of P atoms in the second shell(denoted as Co-N/P-C).The prepared catalyst exhibits excellent oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)activity as well as zinc-air battery performance.The introduction of P atoms in the Co-SACs weakens the interaction between Co and N,significantly promoting the adsorption process of ^(*)OOH,resulting in the acceleration of reaction kinetics and reduction of thermodynamic barrier,responsible for the increased intrinsic activity.Our discovery provides insights into an ultimate design of single-atom catalysts with adjustable electrocatalytic activities for efficient electrochemical energy conversion.

Boosting Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis via Tuning of N Dopants in TiO_(2)@CN-Supported Ru Catalysts

Nitrogen(N)-doped carbon materials as metal catalyst supports have attracted signifi cant attention,but the eff ect of N dopants on catalytic performance remains unclear,especially for complex reaction processes such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis(FTS).Herein,we engineered ruthenium(Ru)FTS catalysts supported on N-doped carbon overlayers on TiO_(2)nanoparticles.By regulating the carbonization temperatures,we successfully controlled the types and contents of N dopants to identify their impacts on metal-support interactions(MSI).Our fi ndings revealed that N dopants establish a favorable surface environment for electron transfer from the support to the Ru species.Moreover,pyridinic N demonstrates the highest electron-donating ability,followed by pyrrolic N and graphitic N.In addition to realizing excellent catalytic stability,strengthening the interaction between Ru sites and N dopants increases the Ru^(0)/Ru^(δ+)ratios to enlarge the active site numbers and surface electron density of Ru species to enhance the strength of adsorbed CO.Consequently,it improves the catalyst’s overall performance,encompassing intrinsic and apparent activities,as well as its ability for carbon chain growth.Accordingly,the as-synthesized Ru/TiO_(2)@CN-700 catalyst with abundant pyridine N dopants exhibits a superhigh C_(5+)time yield of 219.4 mol CO/(mol Ru·h)and C_(5+)selectivity of 85.5%.