Tuning the surface electronic structure of noble metal aerogels to promote the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction

The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)is the bottleneck for various electrochemical energy conversion devices.Regulating the electronic structure of electrocatalysts by ligands has received particular attention in deriving valid ORR electrocatalysts.Here,the surface electronic structure of Ptbased noble metal aerogels(NMAs)was modulated by various organic ligands,among which the electron-withdrawing ligand of 4-methylphenylene effectively boosted the ORR electrocatalysis.Theoretical calculations suggested the smaller energy barrier for the transformation of O^(*) to OH^(*) and downshift the d-band center of Pt due to the interaction between 4-methylphenylene and the surface metals,thus enhancing the ORR intrinsic activity.Both Pt3Ni and Pt Pd aerogels with 4-methylphenylene decoration performed significant enhancement in ORR activity and durability in different media.Remarkably,the 4-methylphenylene modified Pt Pd aerogel exhibited the higher halfwave potential of 0.952 V and the mass activity of 10.2 times of commercial Pt/C.This work explained the effect of electronic structure on ORR electrocatalytic properties and would promote functionalized NMAs as efficient ORR electrocatalysts.

A general synthetic strategy for N, P co-doped graphene supported metal-rich noble metal phosphides for hydrogen generation

The exploitation of electrocatalysts with high activity and durability for HER is desirable for future energy systems,but it is still a challenge.NMPs have attracted increasing attentions,but the preparation process often needs toxic regents or dangerous reaction conditions.Herein,we develop a general green method to fabricate metal-rich NMPs anchored on NPG through pyrolyzing DNA cross-linked complexes.The obtained Ru_(2) P-NPG exhibits an ultrasmall overpotential of 7 mV at 10 mA cm^(2) and ultralow Tafel slope of 33 mV dec^(-1) in 1.0 mol L?1 KOH,even better than that of commercial Pt/C.In addition,Ru 2 P-NPG also shows low overpotentials of 29 and 78 mV in 0.5 mol L^(-1) H_(2)SO_(4) and 1.0 mol L^(-1) PBS,respectively.The superior activity can be attributed to the ultrafine dispersion of Ru 2 P nanoparticles for more accessible sites,more defects formed for abundant active sites,the two-dimensional plane structure for accelerated electron transfer and mass transport,as well as the regulation of electron distribution of the catalyst.Moreover,the synthetic method can also be applied to prepare other metal-rich noble metal phosphides(Pd_(3)P-NPG and Rh_(2)P-NPG),which also exhibits high activity for HER.This work provides an effective strategy for designing NMP-based electrocatalysts.

Advances in noble metal-modified g-C_(3)N_(4) heterostructures toward enhanced photocatalytic redox ability

The photocatalytic activity of catalysts depends on the energy-harvesting ability and the separation or transport of photogenerated carriers.The light absorption capacity of graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))-based composites can be enhanced by adjusting the surface plasmon resonance(SPR)of noble metal nanoparticles(e.g.,Cu,Au,and Pd)in the entire visible region.Adjustments can be carried out by varying the nanocomponents of the materials.The SPR of noble metals can enhance the local electromagnetic field and improve interband transition,and resonant energy transfer occurs from plasmonic dipoles to electron-hole pairs via near-field electromagnetic interactions.Thus,noble metals have emerged as relevant nanocomponents for g-C_(3)N_(4) used in CO_(2) photoreduction and water splitting.Herein,recent key advances in noble metals(either in single atom,cluster,or nanoparticle forms)and composite photocatalysts based on inorganic or organic nanocomponent-incorporated g-C_(3)N_(4) nanosheets are systematically discussed,including the applications of these photocatalysts,which exhibit improved photoinduced charge mobility in CO_(2) photoconversion and H2 production.Issues related to the different types of multi-nanocomponent heterostructures(involving Schottky junctions,Z-/S-scheme heterostructures,noble metals,and additional semiconductor nanocomponents)and the adjustment of dimensionality of heterostructures(by incorporating noble metal nanoplates on g-C_(3)N_(4) forming 2D/2D heterostructures)are explored.The current prospects and possible challenges of g-C_(3)N_(4) composite photocatalysts incorporated with noble metals(e.g.,Au,Pt,Pd,and Cu),particularly in water splitting,CO_(2) reduction,pollution degradation,and chemical conversion applications,are summarized.

Advances in Noble Metal-Decorated Metal Oxide Nanomaterials for Chemiresistive Gas Sensors:Overview

Highly sensitive gas sensors with remarkably low detection limits are attractive for diverse practical application fields including real-time environmental monitoring,exhaled breath diagnosis,and food freshness analysis.Among various chemiresistive sensing materials,noble metal-decorated semiconducting metal oxides(SMOs)have currently aroused extensive attention by virtue of the unique electronic and catalytic properties of noble metals.This review highlights the research progress on the designs and applications of different noble metal-decorated SMOs with diverse nanostructures(e.g.,nanoparticles,nanowires,nanorods,nanosheets,nanoflowers,and microspheres)for high-performance gas sensors with higher response,faster response/recovery speed,lower operating temperature,and ultra-low detection limits.The key topics include Pt,Pd,Au,other noble metals(e.g.,Ag,Ru,and Rh.),and bimetals-decorated SMOs containing ZnO,SnO_(2),WO_(3),other SMOs(e.g.,In_(2)O_(3),Fe_(2)O_(3),and CuO),and heterostructured SMOs.In addition to conventional devices,the innovative applications like photo-assisted room temperature gas sensors and mechanically flexible smart wearable devices are also discussed.Moreover,the relevant mechanisms for the sensing performance improvement caused by noble metal decoration,including the electronic sensitization effect and the chemical sensitization effect,have also been summarized in detail.Finally,major challenges and future perspectives towards noble metal-decorated SMOs-based chemiresistive gas sensors are proposed.

Towards the selectivity distinction of phenol hydrogenation on noble metal catalysts

Selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone is intriguing in chemical industry.Though a few catalysts with promising performances have been developed in recent years,the basic principle for catalyst design is still missing owing to the unclear catalytic mechanism.This work tries to unravel the mechanism of phenol hydro-genation and the reasons causing the selectivity discrepancy on noble metal catalysts under mild conditions.Results show that different reaction pathways always firstly converge to the formation of cyclohexanone under mild conditions.The selectivity discrepancy mainly depends on the activity for cyclohexanone sequential hy-drogenation,in which two factors are found to be responsible,i.e.the hydrogenation energy barrier and the competitive chemisorption between phenol and cyclohexanone,if the specific co-catalyzing effect of H 2 O on Ru is not considered.Based on the above results,a quantitative descriptor,E b(one/pl)/E a,in which E a can be further correlated to the d band center of the noble metal catalyst,is proposed by the first time to roughly evaluate and predict the selectivity to cyclohexanone for catalyst screening.

Finned Zn-MFI zeolite encapsulated noble metal nanoparticle catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane with carbon dioxide

Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane with carbon dioxide(CO_(2)-ODP)characterizes the tandem dehydrogenation of propane to propylene with the reduction of the greenhouse gas of CO_(2)to valuable CO.However,the existing catalyst is limited due to the poor activity and stability,which hinders its industrialization.Herein,we design the finned Zn-MFI zeolite encapsulated noble metal nanoparticles(NPs)as bifunctional catalysts(NPs@Zn-MFI)for CO_(2)-ODP.Characterization results reveal that the Zn2+species are coordinated with the MFI zeolite matrix as isolated cations and the NPs of Pt,Rh,or Rh Pt are highly dispersed in the zeolite crystals.The isolated Zn2+cations are very effective for activating the propane and the small NPs are favorable for activating the CO_(2),which synergistically promote the selective transformation of propane and CO_(2)to propylene and CO.As a result,the optimal 0.25%Rh0.50%Pt@Zn-MFI catalyst shows the best propylene yield,satisfactory CO_(2)conversion,and long-term stability.Moreover,considering the tunable synergetic effects between the isolated cations and NPs,the developed approach offers a general guideline to design more efficient CO_(2)-ODP catalysts,which is validated by the improved performance of the bifunctional catalysts via simply substituting Sn4+cations for Zn2+cations in the MFI zeolite matrix.

Catalytic removal of volatile organic compounds using ordered porous transition metal oxide and supported noble metal catalysts

Most of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） are harmful to the atmosphere and human health. Cata‐lytic combustion is an effective way to eliminate VOCs. The key issue is the availability of high per‐formance catalysts. Many catalysts including transition metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, and sup‐ported noble metals have been developed. Among these catalysts, the porous ones attract much attention. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the synthesis of ordered mesoporous and macroporous transition metal oxides, perovskites, and supported noble metal catalysts and their catalytic oxidation of VOCs. The porous catalysts outperformed their bulk counterparts. This excel‐lent catalytic performance was due to their high surface areas, high concentration of adsorbed oxy‐gen species, low temperature reducibility, strong interaction between noble metal and support and highly dispersed noble metal nanoparticles and unique porous structures. Catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over typical catalysts was also discussed. We made conclusive remarks and pro‐posed future work for the removal of VOCs.

Syngas Production by Methane Reforming with Carbon Dioxide on Noble Metal Catalysts

A series of noble metal catalysts （Ru, Rh, Ir, Pt, and Pd） supported on alumina-stabilized magnesia （Spinel） were used to produce syngas by methane reforming with carbon dioxide. The synthesized catalysts were characterized using BET, TPR, TPO, TPH, and H2S chemisorption techniques. The activity results showed high activity and stability for the Ru and Rh catalysts. The TPO and TPH analyses indicated that the main reason for lower activity and stability of the Pd catalyst was the formation of the less reactive deposited carbon and sintering of the catalyst.

Calculation of phonon spectrum for noble metals by modified analytic embedded atom method （MAEAM）

In the harmonic approximation, the atomic force constants are derived and the phonon dispersion curves along four major symmetry directions [00ζ], [0ζζ], [ζζζ] and [0ζ1] （or △∑, A and Z in group-theory notation） are calculated for four noble metals Cu, Ag, Au and Pt by combining the modified analytic embedded atom method （MAEAM） with the theory of lattice dynamics. A good agreement between calculations and measurements, especially for lower frequencies, shows that the MAEAM provides a reasonable description of lattice dynamics in noble metals.

A perspective of chalcogenide semiconductor-noble metal nanocomposites through structural transformations

Intense efforts have been devoted to the synthesis of heterogeneous nanocomposites consisting of chalcogenide semiconductors and noble metals,which usually exhibit enhanced properties owing to the synergistic effect between their different material domains.Tailoring the structure of the metal domains in the nanocomposites may lead to further improvements of its performance for a given application.This review therefore highlights the strategies based on a structural conversion process for the fabrication of nanocomposites consisting of chalcogenide semiconductors and noble metals with various internal structures,e.g.,hollow or cage-bell.This strategy relies on a unique inside-out diffusion phenomenon of Ag in core-shell nanoparticles with Ag residing at core or inner shell region.In the presence of sulfur or selenium precursors,the diffused Ag are converted into Ag2S or Ag2Se,which is connected with the remaining noble metal parts,forming nanocomposites consisting of silver chalcogenide and noble metal nanoparticles with hollow or cage-bell structures.We would focus on the introduction of the fundamentals,principles,electrocatalytic applications as well as perspectives of the chalcogenide semiconductor-noble metal nanocomposites derived from their core-shell precursors so as to provide the readers insights in designing efficient nanocomposites for electrocatalysis.

Light alloying element‐regulated noble metal catalysts for energy‐related applications

Noble metals have been widely used as heterogeneous catalysts because they exhibit high activity and selectivity for many reactions of both academic and industrial interest.The introduction of light atomic species(e.g.,H,B,C,and N)into noble metal lattices plays an important role in optimizing catalytic performance by modulating structural and electronic properties.In this review,we present a general overview of the recent advances in the modification of noble metals with light alloying elements for various catalytic reactions,particularly for energy‐related applications.We summarize the types,location,concentration,and ordering degree of light atoms as major factors in the performance of noble metal‐based catalysts,with emphasis on how they can be rationally controlled to promote activity and selectivity.We then summarize the synthetic strategies developed to incorporate light elements and highlight the theoretical and experimental methods for understanding the alloying effects.We further focus on the wide usage of noble metal‐based catalysts modified with different light alloying atoms and attempt to correlate the structural features with their catalytic performances.Finally,we discuss current challenges and future perspectives regarding the development of highly efficient noble metal‐based catalysts modified with light elements.

Plasmon Assisted Highly Efficient Visible Light Catalytic CO_(2) Reduction Over the Noble Metal Decorated Sr-Incorporated g-C_(3)N_(4)

The photocatalytic performance of g-C_(3)N_(4) for CO_(2) conversion is still inadequate by several shortfalls including the instability,insu cient solar light absorption and rapid charge carrier's recombination rate. To solve these problems,herein,noble metals(Pt and Au)decorated Sr-incorporated g-C_(3)N_(4) photocatalysts are fabricated via the simple calcination and photo-deposition methods. The Sr-incorporation remarkably reduced the g-C_(3)N_(4) band gap from 2.7 to 2.54 eV,as evidenced by the UV–visible absorption spectra and the density functional theory results. The CO_(2) conversion performance of the catalysts was evaluated under visible light irradiation. The Pt/0.15 Sr-CN sample produced 48.55 and 74.54 μmol h-1 g-1 of CH_(4) and CO,respectively.These amounts are far greater than that produced by the Au/0.15 Sr-CN,0.15 Sr-CN,and CN samples. A high quantum e ciency of 2.92% is predicted for the Pt/0.15 Sr-CN sample. Further,the stability of the photocatalyst is confirmed via the photocatalytic recyclable test. The improved CO_(2) conversion performance of the catalyst is accredited to the promoted light absorption and remarkably enhanced charge separation via the Sr-incorporated mid gap states and the localized surface plasmon resonance e ect induced by noble metal nanoparticles.This work will provide a new approach for promoting the catalytic e ciency of g-C_(3)N_(4) for e cient solar fuel production.

State of arts on the bio-synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles and their biological application

Nanomaterials are materials in which at least one of the dimensions of the particles is 100 nm and below.There are many types of nanomaterials,but noble metal nanoparticles are of interest due to their uniquely large surface-to-volume ratio,high surface area,optical and electronic properties,high stability,easy synthesis,and tunable surface functionalization.More importantly,noble metal nanoparticles are known to have excellent compatibility with bio-materials,which is why they are widely used in biological applications.The synthesis method of noble metal nanoparticles conventionally involves the reduction of the noble metal salt precursor by toxic reaction agents such as NaBH4,hydrazine,and formaldehyde.This is a major drawback for researchers involved in biological application researches.Hence,the bio-synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles(NPs)by bio-materials via bio-reduction provides an alternative method to synthesize noble metal nanoparticles which are potentially non-toxic and safer for biological application.In this review,the bio-synthesis of noble metal nanoparticle including gold nanoparticle(AuNPs),silver nanoparticle(AgNPs),platinum nanoparticle(PtNPs),and palladium nanoparticle(PdNPs)are first discussed.This is followed by a discussion of these biosynthesized noble metal in biological applications including antimicrobial,wound healing,anticancer drug,and bioimaging.Based on these,it can be concluded that the study on bio-synthesized noble metal nanoparticles will expand further involving bio-reduction by unexplored bio-materials.However,many questions remain on the feasibility of bio-synthesized noble metal nanoparticles to replace existing methods on various biological applications.Nevertheless,the current development of the biological application by bio-synthesized noble metal NPs is still intensively ongoing,and will eventually reach the goal of full commercialization.

Atomic level engineering of noble metal nanocrystals for energy conversion catalysis

It is commonly known that the performance of electrocatalysts is largely influenced by the size,morphology,composition,and crystalline phase of noble metal nanocrystals.However,the limited reserves and high cost of noble metals largely restrict their industrial applications.Along with the development of characterization techniques,theoretical calculations,and advanced material synthesis methods,modulating the electrocatalytic properties of noble metal nanocrystals at the atomic scale(e.g.,monolayer/sub-monolayer,single-atom alloy,ultrafine structure)has been flooding out.Engineering noble metal nanocrystals at the atomic level could not only immensely improve the noble metal atom utilization efficiency and lower the cost,but also boost the catalytic performance.In this review,we summarize the recent advanced progresses of regulating the noble metal nanocrystals at the atomic scale towards energy conversion application.Then,the challenges and perspectives of designing noble metal nanocrystals at the atomic scale in the future are discussed and considered.It is expected that this review will inspire scientists to further study precious metal-based materials for energy-oriented catalysis.

Simultaneous hydrogen production with the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde by a noble‐metal‐free photocatalyst VC/CdS nanowires

In this work we used CdS NWs(nanowires)with vanadium carbide(VC)attached via facile electrostatic self‐assembly and calcination method.The results showed that compared to pristine CdS NWs,the photocatalytic activity of CdS NWs loaded with the particular amount of VC was dramatically enhanced.Among them,the VC/CS‐15 indicated the highest enhancement for simultaneous production of H2 with selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol(BO)into benzaldehyde(BD).The highest hydrogen evolution rate of 20.5 mmol g^(-1)h^(-1)was obtained with more than 99%selectivity for BD production under visible light(λ˃420 nm)irradiation for 2 h,which was almost 661 times higher than the pristine CdS NWs.This enhancement of photocatalytic activity is due to the VC,which provides a favorable attraction for BO by lowering the zeta potential,along with the active site for hydrogen production,and retard the recombination of electron‐hole pairs by increasing the conductivity of the photocatalyst.Moreover,the apparent quantum efficiency(AQE)of VC/CS‐15 for BD and H_(2)production at monochromatic 420 nm is about 7.5%.At the end of the hydrogen evolution test,the selective oxidation with more than 99%selectivity was obtained.It hopes this work will prove its future significance and move scientific community toward a more economical way for achieving the commercialization of H_(2) by photocatalysis.

Electrocatalytic and photocatalytic performance of noble metal doped monolayer MoS2 in the hydrogen evolution reaction: A first principles study

To maximize the catalytic performance of MoS_(2) in the hydrogen evolution reaction,we investigate the electrocatalytic and photocatalytic performance of monolayer MoS_(2) doped with noble metal(Ag,Au,Cu,Pd,and Pt)using first principles calculation combined with the climbing image nudged elastic band method.We find the band gap of the monolayer MoS_(2) is reduced significantly by the noble metal doping,which is unfavorable to improving its photocatalytic performance.The optical absorption coefficient shows that the doping does not increase the ability of the monolayer MoS_(2) to absorb visible light.The monolayer MoS_(2) doped with the noble metal is not a potential photocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction because the band edge position of the conduction band minimum is lower than-4.44 eV,the reduction potential of H^(+)/H_(2).Fortunately,the band gap reduction increases the electron transport performance of the monolayer MoS_(2),and the activation energy of water splitting is greatly reduced by the noble metal doping,especially the Pt doping.On the whole,noble metal doping can enhance the electrocatalytic performance of the monolayer MoS_(2).

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Liquid Noble Metals Au and Ag

1.IntroductionRecently Daw and Baskes[1,2]proposed the embedded atom model(EAM)on the basisof quasi-atom concept[3]and density-function theory.It is applicable to the transition met-als as well as the simple metals.It has been widely used in point defect[4],surface[5]andthermal expansion[6].Foiles[7]made the application of the EAM to liquid transition metalsand showed that the EAM also provided a realistic description of the energetics and structure

SULFUR-RESISTANT BIMETALLIC NOBLE METAL CATALYSTS FOR AROMATIC HYDROGENATION OF DIESEL FUEL

Y zeolite supporting noble metal catalysts, as the important industrial catalysts for aromatics hydrogenation, have received increasing attention in recent years. Pd M/Y bimetallic catalysts, where M is non noble metal element, were prepared to investigate the effects of the addition of a second metal. Pd M/Y catalysts were evaluated under the following conditions: H 2 pressure 4.2 MPa, MHSV 4.0 h -1 , sulfur content in feed 3000 μg/g. The microreactor results indicated that the second metal remarkably affects the hydrogenation activity of Pd/Y catalysts. Among them, Cr and W improve the sulfur resistance of Pd/Y, but La, Mn, Mo and Ag make the sulfur resistance worse and the second metals have no evident influence on product selectivity and acidic properties of the catalysts.

High-index faceted noble metal nanostructures drive renewable energy electrocatalysis

Noble metallic nanocrystals are used in a wide variety of applications,such as catalysis,batteries,and bio-and chemical sensors.Most of the previous studies focus on the preparation of thermodynamically stable nanocrystals enclosed by low-index facets and discuss their corresponding catalytic properties.Recently,researchers have found that the nanocrystals with high-index facets(HIFs)are of more interest for electrocatalysis.Herein,we review recent key progress in the synthesis of noble metallic nanoparticles enclosed with HIFs and their facetdependent electrocatalytic behaviors.First,we introduce the concept of HIFs,and establish the correlation between their surface structure and catalytic activity.Then,we discuss various synthetic approaches for controlling the shapes and composition of the nanocrystals enclosed by HIFs.Afterwards,we showcase the enhanced electrocatalytic performance realized by HIF-based nanostructures.Finally,we provide guidance on how to improve the electrocatalysis by engineering HIFs on noble metallic nanocrystals.

Computer simulation of symmetrical tilt grain boundaries in noble metals with MAEAM

This paper reports that an atomic scale study of [^-110] symmetrical tilt grain boundary （STGB） has been made with modified analytical embedded atom method （MAEAM） for 44 planes in three noble metals Au, Ag and Cu. For each metal, the energies of two crystals ideally joined together are unrealistically hlgh due to very short distance between atoms near the grain boundary （GB） plane. A relative slide between grains in the GB plane results in a significaut decrease in GB energy and a minimum value is obtained at specific translation distance. The minimum energy of Cu is much higher than that of Ag and Au, while the minimum energy of Ag is slightly higher than that of Au. For all the three metals, the three lowest energies correspond to identical （111）, （113） and （331） boundary successively for two translations considered; from minimization of GB energy, these boundaries should be preferable in [^-110] STGB for noble metals. This is consistent with the experimental results. In addition, the minimum energy increases with increasing reciprocal planar coincidence density ∑, but decreases with increasing relative interplanar distance d/a.