The Preparation of Nanosized Pd/ZSM-23 Bifunctional Catalysts for n-Hexadecane Hydroisomerization by Employing PHMB as the Growth Modifi er

The development of highly effective metal-zeolite bifunctional catalysts for the hydroisomerization of n-alkanes is a paramount strategy to produce second-generation biofuels with high quality.In this study,polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride(PHMB)is precisely added to the initial gel to synthesize nanosized ZSM-23 zeolites(Z23-x PH).Due to orientation adsorption and steric hindrance effects of PHMB,each sample of Z23-x PH demonstrates enhanced mesoporosity in comparison with the conventional Z23-C zeolite.Furthermore,the Bronsted acid density of the Z23-x PH samples is also signifi cantly reduced due to a reduction in the distribution of framework Al at T2-T5 sites.The corresponding Pd/23-C and Pd/Z23-x PH bifunctional catalysts with 0.5 wt%Pd loading for n-hexadecane hydroisomerization are prepared by incorporating ZSM-23 zeolites as acid supports.According to the catalytic test results,the suitable addition of PHMB can effectively promote the iso-hexadecane yield.The Pd/Z23-2PH catalyst with an n_(PHMB)/n(_Si)molar ratio of 0.002 demonstrates the highest maximum iso-hexadecane yield of 74.1%at an n-hexadecane conversion of 88.3%.Therefore,the employment of PHMB has provided a simple route for the development of highly effective Pd/ZSM-23 catalysts for n-alkane hydroisomerization.

Efficient conversion of benzene and syngas to toluene and xylene over ZnO-ZrO_(2)&H-ZSM-5 bifunctional catalysts

A series of ZnO-ZrO_(2) solid solutions with different Zn contents were synthesized by the urea coprecipitation method,which were coupled with H-ZSM-5 zeolite to form bifunctional catalysts.As a new benzene alkylation reagent,syngas was used instead of methanol to realize the efficient conversion of syngas and benzene into toluene and xylene.A suitable ratio of ZnO-ZrO_(2) led to the significant improvement in the catalytic performance,and a suitable amount of acid helped to increase the selectivity of toluene/xylene and reduce the selectivity of the by-products ethylbenzene and C^(9+) aromatics.The highest benzene conversion of 89.2%and toluene/xylene selectivity of 88.7%were achieved over 10%ZnO-ZrO_(2)&H-ZSM-5(Si/Al=23)at a pressure of 3 MPa and a temperature of 450℃.In addition,the effect of the zeolite framework structure on product distribution was examined.Similar to the molecular dynamics of aromatic hydrocarbons,H-ZSM-5 zeolites comprise 10-membered-ring pores,which are beneficial to the activation of benzene;hence,the conversion of benzene is higher.H-ZSM-35 and HMOR zeolites exhibited small eight-membered-ring channels,which were not conducive to the passage of benzene;hence,the by-product ethylbenzene exhibits a higher selectivity.The distance between the active centers of the bifunctional catalysts was the main factor affecting the catalytic performance,and the powder mixing method was more conducive to the conversion of syngas and benzene.

Interface-engineered MoS_(2)/CoS/NF bifunctional catalysts for highly-efficient water electrolysis

The utilization of non-noble metal catalysts with robust and highly efficient electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)are extremely important for the large-scale implementation of renewable energy devices.Integration of bifunctional electrocatalysts on both anode and cathode electrodes remains a significant challenge.Herein,we report on a novel and facile strategy to construct the ordered and aligned MoS_(2)nanosheet-encapsulated metal–organic frameworks(MOFs)derived hollow CoS polyhedron,in-situ grown on a nickel foam(NF).The starfish-like MoS_(2)/CoS/NF heterojunctions were formed due to the ordered growth of the material caused by NF substrate.The optimized 2-MoS_(2)/CoS/NF heterojunction exhibits robust bifunctional electrocatalytic activity with a low overpotential of 67 and 207 m V toward the HER and OER at 10 mA cm^(-2),and the long-term stability,which exceeds most of the reported bifunctional electrocatalysts.Such high electrocatalytic performance arises due to the synergistic effect between the MoS_(2)and CoS phases across the interface,the abundant active sites,as well as the hierarchical pore framework,which collectively enhance the mass and electron transfer during the reactions.The work provides a promising approach to fabricating bifunctional catalysts with custom-designed heterojunctions and remarkable performance for applications in electrochemical energy devices and related areas.

Co_(3)O_(4)/Mn_(3)O_(4) hybrid catalysts with heterointerfaces as bifunctional catalysts for Zn-air batteries

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs) with high energy density and safety are promising as next-generation energy storage systems, while their applications are severely hindered by the sluggish reaction kinetic of air cathodes. Developing a bifunctional catalyst with high activity and durability is an effective strategy to address the above challenges. Herein, a Co_(3)O_(4)/Mn_(3)O_(4) nanohybrid with heterointerfaces is designed as advanced cathode catalyst for ZABs. Density functional theory calculations show the heterogeneous interface between Co_(3)O_(4)/Mn_(3)O_(4) can improve the dynamics of carrier transport and thus enhancing the catalytic activity and durability. The Co_(3)O_(4)/Mn_(3)O_(4) catalyst anchored on reduced graphene oxide(rGO)exhibits high oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) activity with a half-wave potential of 0.86 V, and excellent oxygen evolution reaction(OER) activity with the potential of 1.59 V at 10 mA cm^(-2) , which are comparable to the commercial noble metal catalysts. The improved ORR/OER catalytic activity is ascribed to the synergistic effect of heterointerfaces between Co_(3)O_(4) and Mn_(3)O_(4)as well as the improved conductivity and contact area of oxygen/catalysts/electrolytes three-phase interface by r GO. Furthermore, a home-made ZAB based on Co_(3)O_(4)/Mn_(3)O_(4)/r GO shows a high open circuit voltage of 1.54 V, a large power density of 194.6 mW cm^(-2) and good long-term cycling stability of nearly 400 h at 5 mA cm^(-2) , which affords a promising bifunctional oxygen catalyst for rechargeable ZABs.

Pd nanoparticles immobilized on MIL-53(Al)as highly e ective bifunctional catalysts for oxidation of liquid methanol to methyl formate

A series of Pd/MIL-53(Al) heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts with di erent Pd contents were prepared by an impregnation method. The prepared metal–organic frameworks MIL-53(Al) and catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, HRTEM,FT-IR and N2 adsorption/desorption techniques. The results showed that MIL-53(Al) was synthesized successfully, and the structure was unchanged during and after the preparation of the catalysts. The Pd nanoparticles(NPs) with an average particle size of 4.6 nm were uniformly dispersed on the MIL-53(Al). The catalyst exhibited good catalytic activity in the selective oxidation of liquid methanol to methyl formate. Under the conditions of 150 °C, 2 MPa O2 and solvent-free for5 h, the conversion of methanol could reach 60.3%, and the selectivity of methyl formate was up to 62.2%. In addition, the Pd/MIL-53(Al) bifunctional catalyst exhibited excellent stability and maintained high catalytic activity after five cycles.

Research progress of transition metal compounds as bifunctional catalysts for zinc-air batteries

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are widely studied because of their high theoretical energy density,high battery voltage,environmental protection,and low price.However,the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)on the air electrode limits the further application of ZABs,so that how to develop a cheap,efficient,and stable catalyst with bifunctional catalytic activity is the key to solving the development of ZABs.Transition metal compounds are widely used as cathode materials for ZABs due to their low cost,high electrocatalytic activity,and stable structure.This review summarizes the research progress of transition metal compounds as bifunctional catalysts for ZABs.The development history,operation principle,and mechanism of ORR and OER reactions are introduced first.The application and development of transition metal compounds as bifunctional catalysts for ZABs in recent years are systematically introduced,including transition metal oxides(TMOs),transition metal nitrides(TMNs),transition metal sulfides(TMSs),transition metal carbides(TMCs),transition metal phosphates(TMPs),and others.In addition,the shortcomings of transition metal compounds as bifunctional catalysts for ZABs were summarized and reasonable design strategies and improvement measures were put forward,aiming at providing a reference for the design and construction of high-performance ZABs cathode materials.Finally,the challenges and future in this field are discussed and prospected.

Metal size effects over metal/zeolite bifunctional catalysts in the selective hydroalkylation of benzene

Bifunctional metal/zeolite materials are some of the most suitable catalysts for the direct hydroalkylation of benzene to cyclohexylbenzene.The overall catalytic performance of this reaction is strongly influenced by the hydrogenation,which is dependent on the metal sizes.Thus,systematically investigating the metal size effects in the hydroalkylation of benzene is essential.In this work,we successfully synthesized Ru and Pd nanoparticles on Sinopec Composition Materials No.1 zeolite with various metal sizes.We demonstrated the size-dependent catalytic activity of zeolite-supported Ru and Pd catalysts in the hydroalkylation of benzene,which can be attributed to the size-induced hydrogen spillover capability differences.Our work presents new insights into the hydroalkylation reaction and may open up a new avenue for the smart design of advanced metal/zeolite bi-functional catalysts.

Well-dispersed Mn/g-C_(3)N_(4)as bifunctional catalysts for selective epoxidation of olefins and carbon dioxide cycloaddition

Epoxidation is an important chemical process for the production of epoxides,key building blocks in chemical industry.Despite great efforts being made to facilitate this process,it remains a significant challenge to develop cost-effective,environmental-friendly,and selective catalysts.Herein,we reported a highly dispersed Mn supported by g-C_(3)N_(4)(Mn/g-C_(3)N_(4))with Mn loading up to 2.56 wt%.The Mn/g-CN_(4)exhibited satisfied catalytic performance for olefin epoxidation with excellent conversion(91%),high selectivity(93%)as well as outstanding recycling stability.Further analysis revealed the importance of Mn-N structure for the generation of active oxo-containing species and subsequent oxygen atom transfer.Besides,an efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates from styrene epoxide and CO_(2)has been achieved(88%conversion,89%selectivity)based on the polar Mn-N coordinated characteristics of Mn/g-C_(3)N_(4)catalyst.

Visible Light-Induced Photocatalysis:Self-Fenton Degradation of p-CIPhOH Over Graphitic Carbon Nitride by a Polyethylenimine Bifunctional Catalyst

Deep degradation of organic pollutants by sunlight-induced coupled photocatalytic and Fenton (photo-Fenton) reactions is of immense importance for water purification. In this work, we report a novel bifunctional catalyst (Fe-PEI-CN) by codoping graphitic carbon nitride (CN) with polyethyleneimine ethoxylated (PEI) and Fe species, which demonstrated high activity during p-chlorophenol (p-ClPhOH) degradation via H_(2)O_(2) from the photocatalytic process. The relationship between the catalytic efficiency and the structure was explored using diff erent characterization methods. The Fe modification of CN was achieved through Fe-N coordination, which ensured high dispersion of Fe species and strong stability against leaching during liquid- phase reactions. The Fe modification initiated the Fenton reaction by activating H_(2)O_(2) into ·OH radicals for deep degradation of p-ClPhOH. In addition, it eff ectively promoted light absorption and photoelectron-hole (e-h ^(+) ) separation, corresponding to improved photocatalytic activity. On the other hand, PEI could significantly improve the ability of CN to generate H_(2)O_(2) through visible light photocatalysis. The maximum H_(2)O_(2) yield reached up to 102.6 μmol/L, which was 22 times higher than that of primitive CN. The cooperation of photocatalysis and the self-Fenton reaction has led to high-activity mineralizing organic pollutants with strong durability, indicating good potential for practical application in wastewater treatment.

Biomass-derived bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reaction: A review

Oxygen electrode catalysts are important as inter-conversion of O_(2) and H_(2)O is crucial for energy technologies.However,the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction and evolution reactions(ORR and OER)are a hindrance to their scalable production,whereas scarce and costly Pt and Ir/Ru-based catalysts with the highest electrocatalytic activity are commercially unviable.Since good ORR catalysts are not always efficient for OER and vice versa,so bifunctional catalysts on which OER and ORR occurs on the same electrode are very desirable.Alternative catalysts based on heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials,though showed good electrocatalytic activity yet their high cost and complex synthesis is not viable for scalable production.To overcome these drawbacks,biomass-derived heteroatom-doped porous carbons have recently emerged as low-cost,earth-abundant,renewable and sustainable environment-friendly materials for bifunctional oxygen catalysts.The tunable morphology,mesoporous structure and high concentration of catalytic active sites of these materials due to heteroatom(N)-doping could further enhance their ORR and OER activity,along with tolerance to methanol crossover and good durability.Thus,biomassderived heteroatom-doped porous carbons with large surface area,rich edge defects,numerous micropores and thin 2 D nanoarchitecture could be suitable as efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts.In the present article,synthesis,N-doping,ORR/OER mechanism and electrocatalytic performance of biomassderived bifunctional catalysts has been discussed.The selected biomass(chitin,eggs,euonymus japonicas,tobacco,lysine and plant residue)except wood,act as both C and N precursor,resulting in N selfdoping of porous carbons that avoids the use of toxic chemicals,thus making the synthesis a facile and environment-friendly green process.The synthetic strategy could be further optimized to develop future biomass-based N self-doped porous carbons as metal-free high performance bifunctional oxygen catalysts for commercial energy applications.Recent advances and the importance of biomass-based bifunctional oxygen catalysts in metal-air batteries and fuel cells has been highlighted.The material design,perspectives and future directions in this field are also provided.

Decavanadate-based Transition Metal Hybrids as Bifunctional Catalysts for Sulfide Oxidation and C-C Bond Construction

The development of bifunctional catalysts has drawn much attention in realizing efficient and feasible catalytic systems to meet the diverse dema nd of pote ntial industrial applications.Desig n of stable and powerful bifun ctional catalysts for various catalysis systems is highly desirable yet largely unmet.Here,three kinds of decavanadate-based transition metal hybrids(DTMH)(i.e.,Co-DTMH,Ni-DTMH and Ag-DTMH)have been successfully synthesized through a pH tuning strategy and further characterized.Specifically,the rare M05N six-coordinated transition metal coordination modes have been detected in Co-DTMH and Ni-DTMH,while Ag atoms in Ag-DTMH exhibited three-and five-coordinated geometries with the tuning of specially selected imidazole ligands.Thus-obtained clusters can serve as powerful bifunctional catalysts for both sulfide oxidation and C-C bond construction.Remarkably,Ag-DTMH dem on st rated excellent heteroge ne ous bifunctional catalytic properties in the selective oxidati on of sulfides and construction of C-C bond(yields up to 99%),which enable successful recycling for three cycles with remained catalytic activities and structure stability.The newly designed decavanadate-based transition metal hybrids with bifunctional property hold high promise in the practical applications like continuous catalysis or flow bed reactions.

Dimethyl ether synthesis from CO_2 hydrogenation on La-modified CuO-ZnO-Al_2O_3 /HZSM-5 bifunctional catalysts

A series of CuO-ZnO-Al2O3-La2O3/HZSM-5 biftmctional catalysts with various La loadings for dimethyl ether （DME） directly synthesized from CO2 hydrogenation were prepared. The catalysts were characterized with N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, H2 temperature-programmed reduction （H2-TPR）, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption （NH3-TPD） and N2O titration techniques, and tested for the synthesis of DME directly from CO2 hydrogenation in a fixed-bed reactor. The results showed that the reducibility, dispersion ofbifunctional catalysts were strongly dependent on the addition of La. With the addition of appropri- ate amount of La, the crystaUite size of CuO was decreased and the dispersion of Cu on the surface was enhanced, which resulted in the increased conversion of CO2. It was also found that the selectivity to DME was related to the intensity and amount of strong acid site on the catalyst surface. The presence of La favored the production of DME, and the optimum catalytic activity was obtained when the amount of La was 2.0 wt.%.

Rationally engineered Co and N co-doped WS_(2) as bifunctional catalysts for pH-universal hydrogen evolution and oxidative dehydrogenation reactions

In the field of electrolysis of water,the design and synthesis of catalysts over a wide pH range have attracted extensive attentions.In this paper,Co and N are co-introduced into the structural unit of tungsten disulfide(WS_(2)),and the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)performances of different WS_(2)-based catalysts are theoretically predicted and systematically studied by density functional theory(DFT)calculations.With the guidance of DFT calculations,an evaporation-pyrolysis strategy is applied to prepare Co and N co-doped WS_(2)(Co,N-WS_(2))flower-like nanosheets,which exhibits excellent HER performance over a wide pH range.In addition,the DFT calculations show that the active sites in Co,N-WS_(2) have a good ability of hydrogen adsorption after the introduction of Co and N,suggesting that such a co-doping system will be an ideal catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation(ODH).The following experiment results indeed evidence that the Co,N-WS_(2) catalyst displays a high activity in the ODH of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline(4H-quinoline)and its derivatives.Therefore,this work provides a good example for the rational design and accurate preparation of functional catalysts,which enables it possible to develop other efficient catalysts with multiple functions.

Porous Hafnium-Containing Acid/Base Bifunctional Catalysts for Efficient Upgrading of Bio-Derived Aldehydes

Novel organic-inorganic hybrids were synthesized by using HfCl 4 and organic ligand 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dicarboxylic acid(PDCA)via a simple hydrothermal method.The as-prepared Hf-PDCA were characterized by various techniques,such as electron microscope,N_(2) adsorption/desorption,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.Among them,the porous and nitrogen-containing Hf-PDCA as heterogeneous acid/base bifunctional catalyst was then applied to the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural to produce furfuryl alcohol(FFA).It exhibited excellent catalytic performance,with high conversion(98.8%)and selectivity(98.5%)by using 2-propanol as hydrogen source under a relatively mild condition.Moreover,the Hf-PDCA has strong stability and durability,and can be recovered after the catalyst reaction.In addition,the Hf-PDCA as catalyst can be extended to fabricate corresponding alcohols by catalytic conversion of other biomass derived aldehydes.

Effects of mixing methods of bifunctional catalysts on catalyst stability of DME synthesis via CO_(2)hydrogenation

The effects of three different mixing methods of CuO/ZnO/Al_(2)O_(3)(CZA)and HZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst on the stability for dimethyl ether(DME)synthesis from carbon dioxide(CO_(2))hydrogenation were investigated.When the bifunctional catalyst was prepared by method A(mixing powder without pelletization),there was no significant change in DME production and catalyst stability when the HZSM-5 loading was varied between 0.1 g and 0.5 g with a fixed CZA loading of 0.5 g,.When the bifunctional catalysts were prepared by method B(pressed into pellets of CZA and pellets of HZSM-5 and then mixed)and method C(mixed CZA and HZSM-5 powders,then pressed into pellets),the mixing methods did not initially impact CO_(2)conversion and had a minor effect on DME yield.However,long-term tests(100 h)indicated that the mixing method had a significant influence on the catalyst stability.Method B showed the best stability and the extent of catalyst deactivation followed the sequence of method B<method A<method C.Characterizations of spent catalysts indicated that method B could reduce the extent of copper(Cu)oxidation,which due to the relatively low surface contact between Cu active sites and HZSM-5.Large amounts of water generated in CO_(2)hydrogenation to synthesize DME and intimate contact between CZA and HZSM-5 catalyst could induce severe oxidation of Cu and metal ions migration from hydrogenation catalyst to HZSM-5,which can result in the number reduction of acidic sites.

Strengthening absorption ability of Co-N-C as efficient bifunctional oxygen catalyst by modulating the d band center using MoC

Co-N-C is a promising oxygen electrochemical catalyst due to its high stability and good durability.However,due to the limited adsorption ability improvement for oxygen-containing intermediates,it usually exhibits inadequate catalytic activity with 2-electron pathway and high selectivity of hydrogen peroxide.Herein,the adsorption of Co-N-C to these intermediates is modulated by constructing heterostructures using transition metals and their derivatives based on d-band theory.The heterostructured nanobelts with MoC core and pomegranate-like carbon shell consisting of Co nanoparticles and N dopant(MoC/Co-N-C)are engineered to successfully modulate the d band center of active Co-N-C sites,resulting in a remarkably enhanced electrocatalysis performance.The optimally performing MoC/Co-N-C exhibits outstanding bi-catalytic activity and stability for the oxygen electrochemistry,featuring a high wave-half potential of 0.865 V for the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and low overpotential of 370 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)at 10 mA cm^(-2).The zinc air batteries with the MoC/Co-N-C catalyst demonstrate a large power density of 180 mW cm^(-2)and a long cycling lifespan(2000 cycles).The density functional theory calculations with Hubbard correction(DFT+U)reveal the electron transferring from Co to Mo atoms that effectively modulate the d band center of the active Co sites and achieve optimum adsorption ability with"single site double adsorption"mode.

CO_(2)utilization in syngas conversion to dimethyl ether and aromatics:Roles and challenges of zeolites-based catalysts

Several studies have proven a strong correlation between global warming and CO_(2)emissions.Annually,38 billion tons of CO_(2)are approximately emitted into the atmosphere.Utilizing CO_(2)via chemical conversion to clean fuels and value-added aromatics can substantially contribute to controlling the problem.Considering the thermodynamic and environmental limitations of hydrogenation of CO_(2)alone to value-added aromatics and fuels,CO_(2)utilization has currently emerged as a promising and practical approach for the production of fuels and aromatics with simultaneous utilization of both CO and CO_(2)wastes.As such,the approach is economically preferable.CO_(2)could be converted directly to fuels by the hydrogenation process or as a part of a syngas mixture.Dimethyl ether(DME)is a clean fuel with a higher energy density,which could be used as a substituent for several fuels such as diesel.In the same vein,value-added aromatics such as benzene,toluene,and xylene(BTX)can be produced from a similar process.Herein,we report a review that collects the most recent studies for the conversion of CO_(2)to DME and aromatics via zeolite-based bifunctional catalysts.We highlighted the main routes for producing DME and aromatics,as well as thoroughly discussed the conducted studies on CO_(2)hydrogenation and CO_(2)-rich syngas utilized as feedstock for conversion to DME and aromatics.The CO_(2)hydrogenation mostly occurs through the methanol-mediated reaction route but is most often limited by low selectivity and catalyst deactivation,particularly in the utilization of CO_(2)alone for the reduction reaction.The review takes an overview of the progress made so far and concluded by identifying the roles and challenges of zeolite-based catalysts for CO_(2)utilization and conversion to DME and aromatics.Accordingly,despite the incredible growth the field received in the last couple of years,however,many research challenges and opportunities associated with this process are still abounded and required to be addressed.Special attention is required for the development of approaches to block diffusion of H2O through zeolite to suppress the excess formation of CO_(2)in CO_(2)-rich syngas hydrogenation to DME and aromatics,exceed the product distribution limits,and suppress catalysts deactivation.

Manipulating oxygenate adsorption on N-doped carbon by coupling with CoSn alloy for bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst

Highly active bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts accelerate the development of high-performance Zn-air battery,but suffer from the mismatched activities of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and oxygen reduced reaction(ORR).Herein,highly integrated bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts,cobalt-tin alloys coated by nitrogen doped carbon(CoSn@NC)are prepared by MOFs-derived method.In this hybrid catalyst,the binary CoSn nanoalloys mainly contribute to highly active OER process while the Co(or Sn)-N-C serves as ORR active sites.Rational interaction between CoSn and NC donates more rapid reaction kinetics than Pt/C(ORR)and IrO_(2)(OER).Such CoSn@NC holds a promise as air-cathode electrocatalyst in Zn-air battery,superior to Pt/C+IrO_(2)catalyst.First-principles calculations predict that CoSn alloys can upgrade charge redistribution on NC and promote the transfer to reactants,thus optimizing the adsorption strength of oxygen-containing intermediates to boost the overall reactivity.The tuning of oxygenate adsorption by interactions between alloy and heteroatom-doped carbon can guide the design of bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.

Enhancing the activity of FeNi bimetallic electrocatalysts on overall water splitting by Nd_(2)O_(3)-induced FeNi lattice contraction

The development of high-efficiency and cost-effective bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting remains a formidable challenge.Herein,FeNi-Nd_(2)O_(3) nanoparticles anchored on N-doped carbon nanotubes(FeNi-Nd_(2)O_(3)/NCN) are designed for highly effective overall water splitting via a facile two-step hydrothermal approach.The synthetic FeNi-Nd_(2)O_(3) hetero-trimers(Fe 2p-Ni 2p-Nd 3d orbital coupling)on NCN achieve excellent oxygen evolution reaction(OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) activities with overpotentials of 270 and 120 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2) in 1 M KOH solution.Moreover,a small voltage of 1.52 V at 10 mA cm^(-2) is achieved when FeNi-Nd_(2)O_(3)/NCN is assessed as bifunctional catalyst for overall water splitting,which is superior to the typically integrated Pt/C and RuO_(2) counterparts(1.54 V at 10 mA cm^(-2)).The related characterizations including X-ray absorption fine structure(XAFS)spectroscopy show that the remarkably improved activity is originated from Nd_(2)O_(3)-induced FeNi bimetallic lattice contraction.Furthermore,density functional theory(DFT) calculations indicate that the lattice contraction reduces binding energies of intermediates by downshifting the position of FeNi bimetallic d-band center relative to the Fermi level to optimize catalytic performance.Therefore,the Nd_(2)O_(3)-induced FeNi bimetallic lattice contraction may provide a new perspective for designing and synthesizing innovative catalytic systems.

MOF-Derived Co and Fe Species Loaded on N-Doped Carbon Networks as Efficient Oxygen Electrocatalysts for Zn-Air Batteries

Searching for cheap,efficient,and stable oxygen electrocatalysts is vital to promote the practical performance of Zn-air batteries with high theoretic energy density.Herein,a series of Co nanoparticles and highly dispersed Fe loaded on N-doped porous carbon substrates are pre-pared through a“double-solvent”method with in situ doped metal-organic frameworks as pre-cursors.The optimized catalysts exhibit excellent performance for oxygen reduction and evolution reaction.Furthermore,rechargeable Zn-air bat-teries with designed catalysts demonstrate higher peak power density and better cycling stability than those with commercial Pt/C+RuO_(2).According to structure characterizations and electrochemical tests,the interaction of Co nanoparticles and highly dispersed Fe contributes to the superior performance for oxygen electrocatalysis.In addition,large specific surface areas,porous struc-tures and interconnected three-dimensional carbon networks also play important roles in improving oxygen electrocatalysis.This work provides inspiration for rational design of advanced oxygen electrocatalysts and paves a way for the practical application of rechargeable Zn-air batteries.