Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are promising energy storage systems because of high theoretical energy density,safety,low cost,and abundance of zinc.However,the slow multi-step reaction of oxygen and heavy reliance on noble-...Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are promising energy storage systems because of high theoretical energy density,safety,low cost,and abundance of zinc.However,the slow multi-step reaction of oxygen and heavy reliance on noble-metal catalysts hinder the practical applications of ZABs.Therefore,feasible and advanced non-noble-metal elec-trocatalysts for air cathodes need to be identified to promote the oxygen catalytic reaction.In this review,we initially introduced the advancement of ZABs in the past two decades and provided an overview of key developments in this field.Then,we discussed the work-ing mechanism and the design of bifunctional electrocatalysts from the perspective of morphology design,crystal structure tuning,interface strategy,and atomic engineering.We also included theoretical studies,machine learning,and advanced characterization technologies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure-performance relationship of electrocatalysts and the reaction pathways of the oxygen redox reactions.Finally,we discussed the challenges and prospects related to designing advanced non-noble-metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ZABs.展开更多
Transition-metal phosphides(TMPs)with high catalytic activity are widely used in the design of electrodes for water splitting.However,a major challenge is how to achieve the trade-off between activity and stability of...Transition-metal phosphides(TMPs)with high catalytic activity are widely used in the design of electrodes for water splitting.However,a major challenge is how to achieve the trade-off between activity and stability of TMPs.Herein,a novel method for synthesizing CoP nanoparticles encapsu-lated in a rich-defect carbon shell(CoP/DCS)is developed through the self-assembly of modified polycyclic aromatic molecules.The graft and removal of high-activity C-N bonds of aromatic molecules render the controllable design of crystallite defects of carbon shell.The density functional theory calculation indicates that the carbon defects with unpaired electrons could effectively tailor the band structure of CoP.Benefiting from the improved activity and corrosion resistance,the CoP/DCS delivers outstanding difunctional hydrogen evolution reaction(88 mV)and oxygen evolution reaction(251 mV)performances at 10 mA cm^(−2)current density.Furthermore,the coupled water electrolyzer with CoP/DCS as both the cathode and anode presents ultralow cell voltages of 1.49 V to achieve 10 mA cm^(−2)with long-time stability.This strategy to improve TMPs electrocatalyst with rich-DCS and heterogeneous structure will inspire the design of other transition metal compound electrocatalysts for water splitting.展开更多
Improving catalytic activity and durabilty through the structural and compositional development of bifunctional electrocatalysts with low cost,high activity and stability is a challenging issue in electrochemical wate...Improving catalytic activity and durabilty through the structural and compositional development of bifunctional electrocatalysts with low cost,high activity and stability is a challenging issue in electrochemical water splitting.Herein,we report the fabrication of heterostructured P-CoMoO_(4)@NiCoP on a Ni foam substrate through interface engineering,by adjusting its composition and architecture.Benefitting from the tailored electronic structure and exposed active sites,the heterostructured P-CoMoO_(4)@NiCoP/NF arrays can be coordinated to boost the overall water splitting.In addition,the superhydrophilic and superaerophobic properties of P-CoMoO_(4)@NiCoP/NF make it conducive to water dissociation and bubble separation in the electrocatalytic process.The heterostructured PCoMoO_(4)@NiCoP/NF exhibits excellent bifunctional electrocatalysis activity with a low overpotential of 66 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2) for HER and 252 mV at 100 mA cm^(-2) for OER.Only 1.62 V potential is required to deliver 20 mA cm^(-2) in a two-electrode electrolysis system,providing a decent overall water splitting performance.The rational construction of the heterostructure makes it possible to regulate the electronic structures and active sites of the electrocatalysts to promote their catalytic activity.展开更多
Water-splitting reactions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)typically require expensive noble metal-based electrocatalysts.This has motivated researchers to develop nove...Water-splitting reactions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)typically require expensive noble metal-based electrocatalysts.This has motivated researchers to develop novel,cost-effective electrocatalytic systems.In this study,a new multicomponent nanocomposite was assembled by combining functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes,a Cu-based metal–organic framework(MOF)(HKUST-1 or HK),and a sulfidized NiMn-layered double hydroxide(NiMn-S).The resulting nanocomposite,abbreviated as MW/HK/NiMn-S,features a unique architecture,high porosity,numerous electroactive Cu/Ni/Mn sites,fast charge transfer,excellent structural stability,and conductivity.At a current density of 10 mA cm-2,this dual-function electrocatalyst shows remarkable performance,with ultralow overpotential values of 163 mV(OER)or 73 mV(HER),as well as low Tafel slopes(57 and 75 mV dec-1,respectively).Additionally,its high turnover frequency values(4.43 s-1 for OER;3.96 s-1 for HER)are significantly superior to those of standard noble metal-based Pt/C and IrO2 systems.The synergistic effect of the nanocomposite's different components is responsible for its enhanced electrocatalytic performance.A density functional theory study revealed that the multi-interface and multicomponent heterostructure contribute to increased electrical conductivity and decreased energy barrier,resulting in superior electrocatalytic HER/OER activity.This study presents a novel vision for designing advanced electrocatalysts with superior performance in water splitting.Various composites have been utilized in water-splitting applications.This study investigates the use of the MW/HK/NiMn-S electrocatalyst for water splitting for the first time to indicate the synergistic effect between carbon-based materials along with layered double hydroxide compounds and porous compounds of MOF.The unique features of each component in this composite can be an interesting topic in the field of water splitting.展开更多
Water-based rechargeable metal-air batteries play an important role in the storage and conversion of renewable electric energy.However,the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and oxygen evolution re...Water-based rechargeable metal-air batteries play an important role in the storage and conversion of renewable electric energy.However,the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)have limited the practical application of rechargeable metal-air batteries.Most of reviews were focused on single functional electrocatalysts while few on bifunctional electrocatalysts.It is indispensable but challenging to design a bifunctional electrocatalyst that is active and stable to the two reactions.Recently,attempts to develop high active bifunctional electrocatalysts for both ORR and OER increase rapidly.Much work is focused on the micro-nano design of advanced structures to improve the performance of bifunctional electrocatalyst.Transition-metal materials,carbon materials and composite materials,and the methods developed to prepare micro-nano structures,such as electrochemical methods,chemical vapor deposition,hydrothermal methods and template methods are reported in literatures.Additionally,many strategies,such as adjustments of electronic structures,oxygen defects,metal-oxygen bonds,interfacial strain,nano composites,heteroatom doping etc.,have been used extensively to design bifunctional electrocatalysts.To well understand the achievements in the recent literatures,this review focuses on the micro-nano structural design of materials,and the related methods and strategies are classed into two groups for the improvement of intrinsic and apparent activities.The fine adjustment of nano structures and an in-depth understanding of the reaction mechanism are also discussed briefly.展开更多
Zn-air batteries have attracted extensive attention for their unique features including high energy density,safety,low cost and environmental friendliness.However,due to their poor chargeability and low efficiency,the...Zn-air batteries have attracted extensive attention for their unique features including high energy density,safety,low cost and environmental friendliness.However,due to their poor chargeability and low efficiency,the practical application remains a challenge.The main obstacles are the intrinsic slow reaction kinetics on air cathodes,including oxygen reduction reaction during the discharging process and oxygen evolution reaction during the recharging process.Searching for efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts is key to solve these problems.In this review,the configuration and fundamental oxygen electrochemical reactions on air cathodes are briefly introduced for Zn-air batteries first.Then,the latest bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts are summarized in detail.Finally,the perspectives are provided for the future investigations on bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.展开更多
The inefficiency of water splitting is mainly due to the sluggish anodic water oxidation reaction. Replacing water oxidation with thermodynamically more favorable selective methanol oxidation reaction and developing r...The inefficiency of water splitting is mainly due to the sluggish anodic water oxidation reaction. Replacing water oxidation with thermodynamically more favorable selective methanol oxidation reaction and developing robust bifunctional electrocatalysts are of great significance. Herein, a hierarchical heteronanostructure with Ni–Co layered double hydroxide(LDH) ultrathin nanosheets coated on cobalt phosphide nanosheets arrays(CoxP@NiCo-LDH) are fabricated and used for co-electrolysis of methanol/water to co-produce value-added formate and hydrogen with saving energy. Benefiting from the fast charge transfer introduced by phosphide nanoarrays, the synergy in nanosheets catalysts with hetero-interface,CoxP@NiCo-LDH/Ni foam(NF) exhibits superior electrocatalytic performance(10 mA cm-2@ 1.24 V and-0.10 V for methanol selective oxidation and hydrogen evolution reaction, respectively). Furthermore,CoxP@NiCo-LDH/NF-based symmetric two-electrode electrolyzer drives a current density of 10 m A cm-2 with a low cell voltage of only 1.43 V and the Faradaic efficiency towards the generation of formate and H2 are close to 100% in the tested range of current density(from 40 to 200 m A cm-2). This work highlights the positive effect of hetero-interaction in the design of more efficient eletrocatalysts and might guide the way towards facile upgrading of alcohols and energy-saving electrolytic H2 co-generation.展开更多
Rational design of bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)with excellent activity and stability is of great significance,since overall water splitting is a ...Rational design of bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)with excellent activity and stability is of great significance,since overall water splitting is a promising technology for sustainable conversion of clean energy.However,most electrocatalysts do not simultaneously possess optimal HER/OER activities and their electrical conductivities are intrinsically low,which limit the development of overall water splitting.In this paper,a strategy of electric field treatment is proposed and applied to Ni/Co_(3)O_(4) film to develop a novel bifunctional electrocatalyst.After treated by electric field,the conductive channels consisting of oxygen vacancies are formed in the Co_(3)O_(4) film,which remarkably reduces the resistance of the system by almost 2×10^(4) times.Meanwhile,the surface Ni metal electrode is partially oxidized to nickel oxide,which enhances the catalytic activity.The electric-field-treated Ni/Co_(3)O_(4) material exhibits super outstanding performance of HER,OER,and overall water splitting,and the catalytic activity is significantly superior to the state-of-the-art noble metal catalysts(Pt/C,RuO_(2),and RuO_(2)‖Pt/C couple).This work provides an effective and feasible method for the development of novel and efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst,which is also promising for wide use in the field of catalysis.展开更多
The oxygen reduction/evolution reactions(ORR/OER) are a key electrode process in the development of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices,such as metal-air batteries and reversible fuel cells.The searc...The oxygen reduction/evolution reactions(ORR/OER) are a key electrode process in the development of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices,such as metal-air batteries and reversible fuel cells.The search for low-cost high-performance nanocarbon-based metal-free and non-precious metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ORR/OER alternatives to the widely-used noble metal-based catalysts is a research focus.This review aims to outline the opportunities and available options for these nanocarbon-based bifunctional electrocatalysts.Through discussion of some current scientific issues,we summarize the development and breakthroughs of these electrocatalysts.Then we provide our perspectives on these issues and suggestions for some areas in the further work.We hope that this review can improve the interest in nanocarbon-based metal-free and non-precious metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ORR/OER.展开更多
Bimetallic metal organic framework(MOF)as a precursor to prepare catalysts with bifunctional catalytic activity of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)attracts more and more attention.Her...Bimetallic metal organic framework(MOF)as a precursor to prepare catalysts with bifunctional catalytic activity of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)attracts more and more attention.Herein,hollow oxygen deficiency-enriched NiFe_(2)O_(4) is synthesized by pyrolytic FeNi bimetallic MOF.The defects of rGO during carbonization can act as nucleation sites for FeNi particles.After nucleation and N doping,the FeNi particles were served as catalysts for the deposition of dissolved carbon in the defects of the N/rGO.These deposited carbon,like a bridge,connect N/rGO and hollow oxygen deficiency-enriched NiFe_(2)O_(4) together,which giving full play to the advantages of N/rGO in fast electron transfer,thereby improving its catalytic activity.The resultant NiFe_(2)O_(4)@N/rGO-800 exhibits a low overpotential of 252 mV at 20 mA cm^(-2) for OER and 157 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2) for HER in 1 M KOH,respectively.When used as bifunctional electrodes for overall water splitting,it also shows low cell voltage of 1.60 V and 1.67 V at 10 and 20 mA cm^(-2),respectively.展开更多
The development of highly active and stable acidic water oxidation electrocatalysts is of great significant for promoting the industrial application of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers.Ru-based catalysts have br...The development of highly active and stable acidic water oxidation electrocatalysts is of great significant for promoting the industrial application of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers.Ru-based catalysts have broad application prospects in acidic water oxidation,but their limitations in stability and activity hinder their further application.Herein,a nitrogen-doped carbon(NC)coated porous Ru/RuO_(2) heterojunctional hollow sphere(Ru/RuO_(2)/NC)is designed as high-active and stable bifunctional electrocatalyst for acidic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In synthesis,the key is to use mesoporous polydopamine spheres as a template for forming hollow spheres,a source of NC coating and a reducing agent for forming Ru/RuO_(2) heterojunction.The Ru/RuO_(2) heterojunction adjusts the electronic structure of Ru active sites,optimizing the adsorption of intermediate species.Furthermore,the NC coating and the interaction between NC and Ru/RuO_(2) effectively prevent Ru from over-oxidation and dissolution.The porous hollow structure provides more exposed active sites and promotes mass transfer.Impressively,Ru/RuO_(2)/NC exhibits outstanding OER and HER performance with low overpotentials of 211 and 32 mV at 10 mA·cm^(−2),respectively,and shows excellent stability.The acid water splitting electrolyzer,based on the bifunctional Ru/RuO_(2)/NC,requires low cell voltages of 1.46 and 1.76 V at 10 and 100 mA·cm^(−2),respectively,with good stability for over 100 h operation,surpassing Pt/C||RuO_(2) and most of the reported catalysts.展开更多
Efficient,durable and economic electrocatalysts are crucial for commercializing water electrolysis technology.Herein,we report an advanced bifunctional electrocatalyst for alkaline water splitting by growing NiFe-laye...Efficient,durable and economic electrocatalysts are crucial for commercializing water electrolysis technology.Herein,we report an advanced bifunctional electrocatalyst for alkaline water splitting by growing NiFe-layered double hydroxide(NiFe-LDH)nanosheet arrays on the conductive NiMo-based nanorods deposited on Ni foam to form a three-dimensional(3D)architecture,which exhibits exceptional performances for both hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).In overall water splitting,only the low operation voltages of 1.45/1.61 V are required to reach the current density of 10/500 mA·cm^(-2),and the continuous water splitting at an industrial-level current density of 500 mA·cm^(-2) shows a negligible degradation(1.8%)of the cell voltage over 1000 h.The outstanding performance is ascribed to the synergism of the HER-active NiMo-based nanorods and the OER-active NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays of the hybridized 3D architecture.Specifically,the dense NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays enhance the local pH on cathode by retarding OH-diffusion and enlarge the electrochemically active surface area on anode,while the conductive NiMo-based nanorods on Ni foam much decrease the charge-transfer resistances of both electrodes.This study provides an efficient strategy to explore advanced bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting by rationally hybridizing HER-and OER-active components.展开更多
Fe-nitrogen-carbon(Fe-N-C)-and Co-nitrogen-carbon(Co-N-C)-based electrocatalysts have been widely concerned because of their high OER/ORR activity,low metal cost,and simple preparation.The exploration of Fe-N-C and Co...Fe-nitrogen-carbon(Fe-N-C)-and Co-nitrogen-carbon(Co-N-C)-based electrocatalysts have been widely concerned because of their high OER/ORR activity,low metal cost,and simple preparation.The exploration of Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atombased catalysts with high activity and stability to overcome the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions is also the key to the development of efficient electrolytic water,fuel cells,and rechargeable metal-air batteries.Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based electrocatalysts have the advantages of a high utilization rate of metal atoms and high electrocatalytic activity,and are ideal catalysts for promoting electrochemical energy conversion and storage.The general principles of designing Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based electrocatalysts are reviewed in this paper.Then,the strategies to improve the bifunctional catalytic activity and stability are proposed.Finally,the challenges and prospects of Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based catalysts are well summarized.This review will provide a reference for the directed optimization of Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based catalysts.展开更多
Developing bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting reaction is still highly desired but with large challenges. Herein, an amorphous Fe Co Ni-S electrocatalyst was developed using thioacetamide for th...Developing bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting reaction is still highly desired but with large challenges. Herein, an amorphous Fe Co Ni-S electrocatalyst was developed using thioacetamide for the sulfuration of Fe Co Ni hydroxide during the hydrothermal process. The obtained catalyst exhibited an amorphous structure with hybrid bonds of metal-S bond and metal-O bonds in the catalyst system. The optimized catalyst showed a largely improved bifunctional catalytic ability to drive water splitting reaction in the alkaline electrolyte compared to the Fe Co Ni hydroxide. It required an overpotential of 280 m V and 80 m V(No-IR correction) to offer 10 m A/cm^(2)for water oxidation and reduction respectively;a low cell voltage of 1.55 V was required to reach 10 m A/cm^(2)for the water electrolysis with good stability for12 h. Moreover, this catalyst system showed high catalytic stability, catalytic kinetics, and Faraday efficiency for water splitting reactions. Considering the very low intrinsic activity of Fe Co Ni hydroxide, the efficient bifunctional catalytic ability should result from the newly formed hybrid active sites of metallic metal-S species and the high valence state of metal oxide species. This work is effective in the bifunctional catalytic ability boosting for the transition metal materials by facile sulfuration in the hydrothermal approach.展开更多
The development of highly active,stable and inexpensive electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by defects and morphology engineering remains a great challenge.Herein,S vacancies-rich Ni_(3)S_(2)@Cu_(2)S nan-otube he...The development of highly active,stable and inexpensive electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by defects and morphology engineering remains a great challenge.Herein,S vacancies-rich Ni_(3)S_(2)@Cu_(2)S nan-otube heterojunction arrays were in-situ grown on copper foam(V_(s)-Ni_(3)S_(2)@V_(s)-Cu_(2)S NHAs/CF)for efficient electrocatalytic overall water splitting.With the merits of nanotube arrays and efficient electronic mod-ulation drived by the OD vacancy defect and 2D heterojunction defect,the resultant V_(s)-Ni_(3)S_(2)@V_(s)-Cu_(2)S NHAs/CF electrocatalyst exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity with a low overpotential of 47 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)at 10 mA cm^(-2) current density,and 263 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)at 50 mA cm^(-2) current density,as well as a cell voltage of 1.48 V at 10 mA cm^(-2).Moreover,the nanotube heterojunction arrays endows V_(s)-Ni_(3)S_(2)@V_(s)-Cu_(2)S NHAs/CF with outstanding stability in long-term catalytic processes,as confirmed by the continuous chronopotentiom-etry tests at current densities of 10 mA cm^(-2) for 100 h.展开更多
Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have drawn attention for their simplicity, rapid start-up, high power density and environmental friendliness. Despite these advantages, the widespread application of DEFCs faces chall...Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have drawn attention for their simplicity, rapid start-up, high power density and environmental friendliness. Despite these advantages, the widespread application of DEFCs faces challenges, primarily due to the inadequate performance of anode and cathode catalysts. Pd-based materials have shown exceptional catalytic activity for both the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Alloying noble metals with rare earth elements has emerged as an effective strategy to further enhance the catalytic activity by modulating the electronic structure. In this study, we synthesized a series of palladium-rare earth (Pd3RE) alloys supported on carbon to serve as bifunctional catalysts that efficiently promote both ORR and EOR. Compared to Pd/C, the Pd3Tb/C catalyst exhibits 3.1-fold and 1.8-fold enhancement in activity for ORR and EOR, respectively. The charge transfer in the Pd3Tb/C results in an electron-rich Pd component, thereby weakening the binding energy with oxygen species and facilitating the two reactions.展开更多
The bimetallic nickel-cobalt phosphide (NiCoP) has been confirmed as an efficient electrocatalyst in water splitting. But little attention is paid to the selectivity and affinity of metal sites on hydrogen evolution r...The bimetallic nickel-cobalt phosphide (NiCoP) has been confirmed as an efficient electrocatalyst in water splitting. But little attention is paid to the selectivity and affinity of metal sites on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report a trace-Zn-doping (2.18 wt.%) NiCoP (Zn-NiCoP) whereby the nanoparticles self-aggregated to form elongated nanoneedles. We discover that both Co and Ni sites can be replaced by Zn. The Co substitution improves HER, while the Ni substitution dramatically reduces the energy barrier of the rate-determining step (*O → *OOH). The negative shift of d-band centers after Zn doping ameliorates the intermediate desorption. Therefore, Zn-NiCoP demonstrates superior electrocatalytic activity with overpotentials of 48 and 240 mV for HER and OER at 10 and 50 mA·cm^(−2), respectively. The cell voltage with Zn-NiCoP as both anode and cathode in water splitting was as low as 1.35 V at 10 mA·cm^(−2).展开更多
Metal-air batteries,like Zn-air batteries(ZABs)are usually suffered from low energy conversion efficiency and poor cyclability caused by the sluggish OER and ORR at the air cathode.Herein,a novel bimetallic Co/CoFe na...Metal-air batteries,like Zn-air batteries(ZABs)are usually suffered from low energy conversion efficiency and poor cyclability caused by the sluggish OER and ORR at the air cathode.Herein,a novel bimetallic Co/CoFe nanomaterial supported on nanoflower-like N-doped graphitic carbon(NC)was prepared through a strategy of coordination construction-cation exchange-pyrolysis and used as a highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst.Experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal the formation of Co/CoFe heterostructure and synergistic effect between metal layer and NC support,leading to improved electric conductivity,accelerated reaction kinetics,and optimized adsorption energy for intermediates of ORR and OER.The Co/CoFe@NC exhibits high bifunctional activities with a remarkably small potential gap of 0.70 V between the half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of ORR and the potential at 10 mA cm^(-2)(E_(j=10))of OER.The aqueous ZAB constructed using this air electrode exhibits a slight voltage loss of only 60 mV after 550-cycle test(360 h,15 days).A sodium polyacrylate(PANa)-based hydrogel electrolyte was synthesized with strong water-retention capability and high ionic conductivity.The quasi-solid-state ZAB by integrating the Co/CoFe@NC air electrode and PANa hydrogel electrolyte demonstrates excellent mechanical stability and cyclability under different bending states.展开更多
To develop more ideal bifunctional heteroatom-doped carbon electrocatalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction(OER) for regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal–air batterie...To develop more ideal bifunctional heteroatom-doped carbon electrocatalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction(OER) for regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal–air batteries, herein, tobacco-derived N-containing ordered mesoporous carbon(N-OMC) electrocatalysts with different N species distributions are designed. Results indicate that the as-prepared N-OMC with more pyrrolic and pyridinic Ns exhibits much higher activities for the ORR and OER than N-OMC with more graphitic N in both acidic and alkaline media, suggesting that the increase of pyrrolic and pyridinic Ns favors the improvement of ORR and OER activities of the N-containing carbon catalysts, and showing a great potential for the designing of more effective, lower-cost ORR and OER bifunctional electrocatalysts for future regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal–air batteries.展开更多
The strategy of adopting cheap precursors or abundant resources,which can be obtained directly from nature,is a simple and excellent method of introducing accessible research into environmentally friendly development....The strategy of adopting cheap precursors or abundant resources,which can be obtained directly from nature,is a simple and excellent method of introducing accessible research into environmentally friendly development.Moreover,this is also an urgent requirement for the sustainable development of green technology.Herein,we introduce a simplistic and expandable method to prepare metal-free biomassderived nitrogen self-doped porous activation carbon(N-PAC) with large specific surface area(S_(BET)=1300.58 m^(2)/g).Moreover,the manufactural electrocatalysts exhibit prominent oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) performance in all PH values.As compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst,the N-PAC/800 with a positive onset potential at 10 mA/cm^(2)(0.93 V),half-wave potential(0.87 V),and limiting current(6.34 mA/cm^(2)) bring to light excellent catalytic stability,selectivity,and much-enhanced methanol tolerance.Furthermore,the prepared electrocatalysts possess considerable hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) performance with a less onset potential of 0.218 V(acidic medium) and0.271 V(alkaline medium) respectively,which can show similar catalytic activity across the whole pH range.Such bifunctional electrocatalyst,with excellent electrocatalytic properties,resource-rich,low cost,and environmental-friendly,hold a promising application in energy conversion and reserve.展开更多
基金the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No:22309180)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No:XDB0600000,XDB0600400)+3 种基金Liaoning Binhai Laboratory,(Grant No:LILBLB-2023-04)Dalian Revitalization Talents Program(Grant No:2022RG01)Youth Science and Technology Foundation of Dalian(Grant No:2023RQ015)the University of Waterloo.
文摘Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are promising energy storage systems because of high theoretical energy density,safety,low cost,and abundance of zinc.However,the slow multi-step reaction of oxygen and heavy reliance on noble-metal catalysts hinder the practical applications of ZABs.Therefore,feasible and advanced non-noble-metal elec-trocatalysts for air cathodes need to be identified to promote the oxygen catalytic reaction.In this review,we initially introduced the advancement of ZABs in the past two decades and provided an overview of key developments in this field.Then,we discussed the work-ing mechanism and the design of bifunctional electrocatalysts from the perspective of morphology design,crystal structure tuning,interface strategy,and atomic engineering.We also included theoretical studies,machine learning,and advanced characterization technologies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure-performance relationship of electrocatalysts and the reaction pathways of the oxygen redox reactions.Finally,we discussed the challenges and prospects related to designing advanced non-noble-metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ZABs.
基金Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Grant/Award Number:2021174National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:51902326Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province,Grant/Award Numbers:201901D211588,20210302124421。
文摘Transition-metal phosphides(TMPs)with high catalytic activity are widely used in the design of electrodes for water splitting.However,a major challenge is how to achieve the trade-off between activity and stability of TMPs.Herein,a novel method for synthesizing CoP nanoparticles encapsu-lated in a rich-defect carbon shell(CoP/DCS)is developed through the self-assembly of modified polycyclic aromatic molecules.The graft and removal of high-activity C-N bonds of aromatic molecules render the controllable design of crystallite defects of carbon shell.The density functional theory calculation indicates that the carbon defects with unpaired electrons could effectively tailor the band structure of CoP.Benefiting from the improved activity and corrosion resistance,the CoP/DCS delivers outstanding difunctional hydrogen evolution reaction(88 mV)and oxygen evolution reaction(251 mV)performances at 10 mA cm^(−2)current density.Furthermore,the coupled water electrolyzer with CoP/DCS as both the cathode and anode presents ultralow cell voltages of 1.49 V to achieve 10 mA cm^(−2)with long-time stability.This strategy to improve TMPs electrocatalyst with rich-DCS and heterogeneous structure will inspire the design of other transition metal compound electrocatalysts for water splitting.
基金The authors acknowledge the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC 91834301,21808046 and 21908037)Anhui Provincial Science and Technology Department Foundation(201903a05020021 and 202003a05020046)for funding support.
文摘Improving catalytic activity and durabilty through the structural and compositional development of bifunctional electrocatalysts with low cost,high activity and stability is a challenging issue in electrochemical water splitting.Herein,we report the fabrication of heterostructured P-CoMoO_(4)@NiCoP on a Ni foam substrate through interface engineering,by adjusting its composition and architecture.Benefitting from the tailored electronic structure and exposed active sites,the heterostructured P-CoMoO_(4)@NiCoP/NF arrays can be coordinated to boost the overall water splitting.In addition,the superhydrophilic and superaerophobic properties of P-CoMoO_(4)@NiCoP/NF make it conducive to water dissociation and bubble separation in the electrocatalytic process.The heterostructured PCoMoO_(4)@NiCoP/NF exhibits excellent bifunctional electrocatalysis activity with a low overpotential of 66 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2) for HER and 252 mV at 100 mA cm^(-2) for OER.Only 1.62 V potential is required to deliver 20 mA cm^(-2) in a two-electrode electrolysis system,providing a decent overall water splitting performance.The rational construction of the heterostructure makes it possible to regulate the electronic structures and active sites of the electrocatalysts to promote their catalytic activity.
基金Iran National Science Foundation(INSF)under project No.4025105the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of High-efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering(Grant No.2022-K31)+1 种基金the Zhejiang Province Key Research and Development Project(2023 C01191)Alexander M.Kirillov acknowledges the Foundation for Science and Technology(LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-029697,PTDC/QUIQIN/3898/2020,LA/P/0056/2020,UIDB/00100/2020).
文摘Water-splitting reactions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)typically require expensive noble metal-based electrocatalysts.This has motivated researchers to develop novel,cost-effective electrocatalytic systems.In this study,a new multicomponent nanocomposite was assembled by combining functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes,a Cu-based metal–organic framework(MOF)(HKUST-1 or HK),and a sulfidized NiMn-layered double hydroxide(NiMn-S).The resulting nanocomposite,abbreviated as MW/HK/NiMn-S,features a unique architecture,high porosity,numerous electroactive Cu/Ni/Mn sites,fast charge transfer,excellent structural stability,and conductivity.At a current density of 10 mA cm-2,this dual-function electrocatalyst shows remarkable performance,with ultralow overpotential values of 163 mV(OER)or 73 mV(HER),as well as low Tafel slopes(57 and 75 mV dec-1,respectively).Additionally,its high turnover frequency values(4.43 s-1 for OER;3.96 s-1 for HER)are significantly superior to those of standard noble metal-based Pt/C and IrO2 systems.The synergistic effect of the nanocomposite's different components is responsible for its enhanced electrocatalytic performance.A density functional theory study revealed that the multi-interface and multicomponent heterostructure contribute to increased electrical conductivity and decreased energy barrier,resulting in superior electrocatalytic HER/OER activity.This study presents a novel vision for designing advanced electrocatalysts with superior performance in water splitting.Various composites have been utilized in water-splitting applications.This study investigates the use of the MW/HK/NiMn-S electrocatalyst for water splitting for the first time to indicate the synergistic effect between carbon-based materials along with layered double hydroxide compounds and porous compounds of MOF.The unique features of each component in this composite can be an interesting topic in the field of water splitting.
基金the financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91545202,U1508203)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)(XDB17000000)+1 种基金the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciencesthe Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program(XLYC1807066)~~
文摘Water-based rechargeable metal-air batteries play an important role in the storage and conversion of renewable electric energy.However,the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)have limited the practical application of rechargeable metal-air batteries.Most of reviews were focused on single functional electrocatalysts while few on bifunctional electrocatalysts.It is indispensable but challenging to design a bifunctional electrocatalyst that is active and stable to the two reactions.Recently,attempts to develop high active bifunctional electrocatalysts for both ORR and OER increase rapidly.Much work is focused on the micro-nano design of advanced structures to improve the performance of bifunctional electrocatalyst.Transition-metal materials,carbon materials and composite materials,and the methods developed to prepare micro-nano structures,such as electrochemical methods,chemical vapor deposition,hydrothermal methods and template methods are reported in literatures.Additionally,many strategies,such as adjustments of electronic structures,oxygen defects,metal-oxygen bonds,interfacial strain,nano composites,heteroatom doping etc.,have been used extensively to design bifunctional electrocatalysts.To well understand the achievements in the recent literatures,this review focuses on the micro-nano structural design of materials,and the related methods and strategies are classed into two groups for the improvement of intrinsic and apparent activities.The fine adjustment of nano structures and an in-depth understanding of the reaction mechanism are also discussed briefly.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China NSFC(51702166)Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Bureau(17JCZDJC37100)~~
文摘Zn-air batteries have attracted extensive attention for their unique features including high energy density,safety,low cost and environmental friendliness.However,due to their poor chargeability and low efficiency,the practical application remains a challenge.The main obstacles are the intrinsic slow reaction kinetics on air cathodes,including oxygen reduction reaction during the discharging process and oxygen evolution reaction during the recharging process.Searching for efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts is key to solve these problems.In this review,the configuration and fundamental oxygen electrochemical reactions on air cathodes are briefly introduced for Zn-air batteries first.Then,the latest bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts are summarized in detail.Finally,the perspectives are provided for the future investigations on bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21975163 and 21905181)。
文摘The inefficiency of water splitting is mainly due to the sluggish anodic water oxidation reaction. Replacing water oxidation with thermodynamically more favorable selective methanol oxidation reaction and developing robust bifunctional electrocatalysts are of great significance. Herein, a hierarchical heteronanostructure with Ni–Co layered double hydroxide(LDH) ultrathin nanosheets coated on cobalt phosphide nanosheets arrays(CoxP@NiCo-LDH) are fabricated and used for co-electrolysis of methanol/water to co-produce value-added formate and hydrogen with saving energy. Benefiting from the fast charge transfer introduced by phosphide nanoarrays, the synergy in nanosheets catalysts with hetero-interface,CoxP@NiCo-LDH/Ni foam(NF) exhibits superior electrocatalytic performance(10 mA cm-2@ 1.24 V and-0.10 V for methanol selective oxidation and hydrogen evolution reaction, respectively). Furthermore,CoxP@NiCo-LDH/NF-based symmetric two-electrode electrolyzer drives a current density of 10 m A cm-2 with a low cell voltage of only 1.43 V and the Faradaic efficiency towards the generation of formate and H2 are close to 100% in the tested range of current density(from 40 to 200 m A cm-2). This work highlights the positive effect of hetero-interaction in the design of more efficient eletrocatalysts and might guide the way towards facile upgrading of alcohols and energy-saving electrolytic H2 co-generation.
基金supported by the program B for Outstanding PhD candidate of Nanjing University.
文摘Rational design of bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)with excellent activity and stability is of great significance,since overall water splitting is a promising technology for sustainable conversion of clean energy.However,most electrocatalysts do not simultaneously possess optimal HER/OER activities and their electrical conductivities are intrinsically low,which limit the development of overall water splitting.In this paper,a strategy of electric field treatment is proposed and applied to Ni/Co_(3)O_(4) film to develop a novel bifunctional electrocatalyst.After treated by electric field,the conductive channels consisting of oxygen vacancies are formed in the Co_(3)O_(4) film,which remarkably reduces the resistance of the system by almost 2×10^(4) times.Meanwhile,the surface Ni metal electrode is partially oxidized to nickel oxide,which enhances the catalytic activity.The electric-field-treated Ni/Co_(3)O_(4) material exhibits super outstanding performance of HER,OER,and overall water splitting,and the catalytic activity is significantly superior to the state-of-the-art noble metal catalysts(Pt/C,RuO_(2),and RuO_(2)‖Pt/C couple).This work provides an effective and feasible method for the development of novel and efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst,which is also promising for wide use in the field of catalysis.
基金the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51932005 and 21773269)the Joint Research Fund LiaoningShenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science(Grant No.20180510047)Liao Ning Revitalization Talents Program(XLYC1807175)。
文摘The oxygen reduction/evolution reactions(ORR/OER) are a key electrode process in the development of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices,such as metal-air batteries and reversible fuel cells.The search for low-cost high-performance nanocarbon-based metal-free and non-precious metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ORR/OER alternatives to the widely-used noble metal-based catalysts is a research focus.This review aims to outline the opportunities and available options for these nanocarbon-based bifunctional electrocatalysts.Through discussion of some current scientific issues,we summarize the development and breakthroughs of these electrocatalysts.Then we provide our perspectives on these issues and suggestions for some areas in the further work.We hope that this review can improve the interest in nanocarbon-based metal-free and non-precious metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ORR/OER.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21878231,21676202 and 51603145)Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin(Nos.19JCZDJC37300 and 17JCZDJC38100)supported by the Science and Technology Plans of Tianjin(Nos.17PTSYJC00040 and 18PTSYJC00180)。
文摘Bimetallic metal organic framework(MOF)as a precursor to prepare catalysts with bifunctional catalytic activity of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)attracts more and more attention.Herein,hollow oxygen deficiency-enriched NiFe_(2)O_(4) is synthesized by pyrolytic FeNi bimetallic MOF.The defects of rGO during carbonization can act as nucleation sites for FeNi particles.After nucleation and N doping,the FeNi particles were served as catalysts for the deposition of dissolved carbon in the defects of the N/rGO.These deposited carbon,like a bridge,connect N/rGO and hollow oxygen deficiency-enriched NiFe_(2)O_(4) together,which giving full play to the advantages of N/rGO in fast electron transfer,thereby improving its catalytic activity.The resultant NiFe_(2)O_(4)@N/rGO-800 exhibits a low overpotential of 252 mV at 20 mA cm^(-2) for OER and 157 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2) for HER in 1 M KOH,respectively.When used as bifunctional electrodes for overall water splitting,it also shows low cell voltage of 1.60 V and 1.67 V at 10 and 20 mA cm^(-2),respectively.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFA1503002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22271081 and 91961111)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province(No.ZD2021B003)the University Nursing Program for Young Scholars with Creative Talents in Heilongjiang Province(No.UNPYSCT-2020004)the Heilongjiang University Excellent Youth Foundation.
文摘The development of highly active and stable acidic water oxidation electrocatalysts is of great significant for promoting the industrial application of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers.Ru-based catalysts have broad application prospects in acidic water oxidation,but their limitations in stability and activity hinder their further application.Herein,a nitrogen-doped carbon(NC)coated porous Ru/RuO_(2) heterojunctional hollow sphere(Ru/RuO_(2)/NC)is designed as high-active and stable bifunctional electrocatalyst for acidic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).In synthesis,the key is to use mesoporous polydopamine spheres as a template for forming hollow spheres,a source of NC coating and a reducing agent for forming Ru/RuO_(2) heterojunction.The Ru/RuO_(2) heterojunction adjusts the electronic structure of Ru active sites,optimizing the adsorption of intermediate species.Furthermore,the NC coating and the interaction between NC and Ru/RuO_(2) effectively prevent Ru from over-oxidation and dissolution.The porous hollow structure provides more exposed active sites and promotes mass transfer.Impressively,Ru/RuO_(2)/NC exhibits outstanding OER and HER performance with low overpotentials of 211 and 32 mV at 10 mA·cm^(−2),respectively,and shows excellent stability.The acid water splitting electrolyzer,based on the bifunctional Ru/RuO_(2)/NC,requires low cell voltages of 1.46 and 1.76 V at 10 and 100 mA·cm^(−2),respectively,with good stability for over 100 h operation,surpassing Pt/C||RuO_(2) and most of the reported catalysts.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFA1500900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52071174,21832003,21972061)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,Major Project(No.BK20212005)the Foundation of Science and Technology of Suzhou(No.SYC2022102).
文摘Efficient,durable and economic electrocatalysts are crucial for commercializing water electrolysis technology.Herein,we report an advanced bifunctional electrocatalyst for alkaline water splitting by growing NiFe-layered double hydroxide(NiFe-LDH)nanosheet arrays on the conductive NiMo-based nanorods deposited on Ni foam to form a three-dimensional(3D)architecture,which exhibits exceptional performances for both hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).In overall water splitting,only the low operation voltages of 1.45/1.61 V are required to reach the current density of 10/500 mA·cm^(-2),and the continuous water splitting at an industrial-level current density of 500 mA·cm^(-2) shows a negligible degradation(1.8%)of the cell voltage over 1000 h.The outstanding performance is ascribed to the synergism of the HER-active NiMo-based nanorods and the OER-active NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays of the hybridized 3D architecture.Specifically,the dense NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays enhance the local pH on cathode by retarding OH-diffusion and enlarge the electrochemically active surface area on anode,while the conductive NiMo-based nanorods on Ni foam much decrease the charge-transfer resistances of both electrodes.This study provides an efficient strategy to explore advanced bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting by rationally hybridizing HER-and OER-active components.
基金supported by NSFC(52373215)Sichuan Science and Technology Program(2023NSFSC0086)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(YJ2021156)。
文摘Fe-nitrogen-carbon(Fe-N-C)-and Co-nitrogen-carbon(Co-N-C)-based electrocatalysts have been widely concerned because of their high OER/ORR activity,low metal cost,and simple preparation.The exploration of Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atombased catalysts with high activity and stability to overcome the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions is also the key to the development of efficient electrolytic water,fuel cells,and rechargeable metal-air batteries.Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based electrocatalysts have the advantages of a high utilization rate of metal atoms and high electrocatalytic activity,and are ideal catalysts for promoting electrochemical energy conversion and storage.The general principles of designing Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based electrocatalysts are reviewed in this paper.Then,the strategies to improve the bifunctional catalytic activity and stability are proposed.Finally,the challenges and prospects of Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based catalysts are well summarized.This review will provide a reference for the directed optimization of Fe-N-C and Co-N-C single atom-based catalysts.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21972124)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutionthe support of the Six Talent Peaks Project of Jiangsu Province (No. XCL-070–2018)。
文摘Developing bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting reaction is still highly desired but with large challenges. Herein, an amorphous Fe Co Ni-S electrocatalyst was developed using thioacetamide for the sulfuration of Fe Co Ni hydroxide during the hydrothermal process. The obtained catalyst exhibited an amorphous structure with hybrid bonds of metal-S bond and metal-O bonds in the catalyst system. The optimized catalyst showed a largely improved bifunctional catalytic ability to drive water splitting reaction in the alkaline electrolyte compared to the Fe Co Ni hydroxide. It required an overpotential of 280 m V and 80 m V(No-IR correction) to offer 10 m A/cm^(2)for water oxidation and reduction respectively;a low cell voltage of 1.55 V was required to reach 10 m A/cm^(2)for the water electrolysis with good stability for12 h. Moreover, this catalyst system showed high catalytic stability, catalytic kinetics, and Faraday efficiency for water splitting reactions. Considering the very low intrinsic activity of Fe Co Ni hydroxide, the efficient bifunctional catalytic ability should result from the newly formed hybrid active sites of metallic metal-S species and the high valence state of metal oxide species. This work is effective in the bifunctional catalytic ability boosting for the transition metal materials by facile sulfuration in the hydrothermal approach.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.52072196,52002200,52102106,52202262,22379081,22379080Major Basic Research Program of Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province under Grant No.ZR2020zD09the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province under Grant No.ZR2020QE063,ZR202108180009,ZR2023QE059.
文摘The development of highly active,stable and inexpensive electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by defects and morphology engineering remains a great challenge.Herein,S vacancies-rich Ni_(3)S_(2)@Cu_(2)S nan-otube heterojunction arrays were in-situ grown on copper foam(V_(s)-Ni_(3)S_(2)@V_(s)-Cu_(2)S NHAs/CF)for efficient electrocatalytic overall water splitting.With the merits of nanotube arrays and efficient electronic mod-ulation drived by the OD vacancy defect and 2D heterojunction defect,the resultant V_(s)-Ni_(3)S_(2)@V_(s)-Cu_(2)S NHAs/CF electrocatalyst exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity with a low overpotential of 47 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)at 10 mA cm^(-2) current density,and 263 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)at 50 mA cm^(-2) current density,as well as a cell voltage of 1.48 V at 10 mA cm^(-2).Moreover,the nanotube heterojunction arrays endows V_(s)-Ni_(3)S_(2)@V_(s)-Cu_(2)S NHAs/CF with outstanding stability in long-term catalytic processes,as confirmed by the continuous chronopotentiom-etry tests at current densities of 10 mA cm^(-2) for 100 h.
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFA1601004).
文摘Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have drawn attention for their simplicity, rapid start-up, high power density and environmental friendliness. Despite these advantages, the widespread application of DEFCs faces challenges, primarily due to the inadequate performance of anode and cathode catalysts. Pd-based materials have shown exceptional catalytic activity for both the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Alloying noble metals with rare earth elements has emerged as an effective strategy to further enhance the catalytic activity by modulating the electronic structure. In this study, we synthesized a series of palladium-rare earth (Pd3RE) alloys supported on carbon to serve as bifunctional catalysts that efficiently promote both ORR and EOR. Compared to Pd/C, the Pd3Tb/C catalyst exhibits 3.1-fold and 1.8-fold enhancement in activity for ORR and EOR, respectively. The charge transfer in the Pd3Tb/C results in an electron-rich Pd component, thereby weakening the binding energy with oxygen species and facilitating the two reactions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22179077 and 22479091)Shanghai Science and Technology Commission’s “2020 Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan”(No.20511104003)+4 种基金Natural Science Foundation in Shanghai(No.21ZR1424200)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52334009)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(No.21DZ1208900)Project of ShangHai Gas Turbine Union Innovation Center(No.GYQ1-2023-1-06)Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF(No.GZC20231536).
文摘The bimetallic nickel-cobalt phosphide (NiCoP) has been confirmed as an efficient electrocatalyst in water splitting. But little attention is paid to the selectivity and affinity of metal sites on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report a trace-Zn-doping (2.18 wt.%) NiCoP (Zn-NiCoP) whereby the nanoparticles self-aggregated to form elongated nanoneedles. We discover that both Co and Ni sites can be replaced by Zn. The Co substitution improves HER, while the Ni substitution dramatically reduces the energy barrier of the rate-determining step (*O → *OOH). The negative shift of d-band centers after Zn doping ameliorates the intermediate desorption. Therefore, Zn-NiCoP demonstrates superior electrocatalytic activity with overpotentials of 48 and 240 mV for HER and OER at 10 and 50 mA·cm^(−2), respectively. The cell voltage with Zn-NiCoP as both anode and cathode in water splitting was as low as 1.35 V at 10 mA·cm^(−2).
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21872105,22072107)the Science&Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(19DZ2271500).
文摘Metal-air batteries,like Zn-air batteries(ZABs)are usually suffered from low energy conversion efficiency and poor cyclability caused by the sluggish OER and ORR at the air cathode.Herein,a novel bimetallic Co/CoFe nanomaterial supported on nanoflower-like N-doped graphitic carbon(NC)was prepared through a strategy of coordination construction-cation exchange-pyrolysis and used as a highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst.Experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal the formation of Co/CoFe heterostructure and synergistic effect between metal layer and NC support,leading to improved electric conductivity,accelerated reaction kinetics,and optimized adsorption energy for intermediates of ORR and OER.The Co/CoFe@NC exhibits high bifunctional activities with a remarkably small potential gap of 0.70 V between the half-wave potential(E_(1/2))of ORR and the potential at 10 mA cm^(-2)(E_(j=10))of OER.The aqueous ZAB constructed using this air electrode exhibits a slight voltage loss of only 60 mV after 550-cycle test(360 h,15 days).A sodium polyacrylate(PANa)-based hydrogel electrolyte was synthesized with strong water-retention capability and high ionic conductivity.The quasi-solid-state ZAB by integrating the Co/CoFe@NC air electrode and PANa hydrogel electrolyte demonstrates excellent mechanical stability and cyclability under different bending states.
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21376257)the Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.BK20131112)
文摘To develop more ideal bifunctional heteroatom-doped carbon electrocatalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction(OER) for regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal–air batteries, herein, tobacco-derived N-containing ordered mesoporous carbon(N-OMC) electrocatalysts with different N species distributions are designed. Results indicate that the as-prepared N-OMC with more pyrrolic and pyridinic Ns exhibits much higher activities for the ORR and OER than N-OMC with more graphitic N in both acidic and alkaline media, suggesting that the increase of pyrrolic and pyridinic Ns favors the improvement of ORR and OER activities of the N-containing carbon catalysts, and showing a great potential for the designing of more effective, lower-cost ORR and OER bifunctional electrocatalysts for future regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal–air batteries.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21673290,U1662103)Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462017YJRC027)the Strategic Cooperation Technology Projects of CNPC and CUPB(No.ZLZX2020-04)。
文摘The strategy of adopting cheap precursors or abundant resources,which can be obtained directly from nature,is a simple and excellent method of introducing accessible research into environmentally friendly development.Moreover,this is also an urgent requirement for the sustainable development of green technology.Herein,we introduce a simplistic and expandable method to prepare metal-free biomassderived nitrogen self-doped porous activation carbon(N-PAC) with large specific surface area(S_(BET)=1300.58 m^(2)/g).Moreover,the manufactural electrocatalysts exhibit prominent oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) performance in all PH values.As compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst,the N-PAC/800 with a positive onset potential at 10 mA/cm^(2)(0.93 V),half-wave potential(0.87 V),and limiting current(6.34 mA/cm^(2)) bring to light excellent catalytic stability,selectivity,and much-enhanced methanol tolerance.Furthermore,the prepared electrocatalysts possess considerable hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) performance with a less onset potential of 0.218 V(acidic medium) and0.271 V(alkaline medium) respectively,which can show similar catalytic activity across the whole pH range.Such bifunctional electrocatalyst,with excellent electrocatalytic properties,resource-rich,low cost,and environmental-friendly,hold a promising application in energy conversion and reserve.