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

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

Insights into the hydrogen evolution reaction in vanadium redox flow batteries:A synchrotron radiation based X-ray imaging study

The parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in the negative half-cell of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)causes severe efficiency losses.Thus,a deeper understanding of this process and the accompanying bubble formation is crucial.This benchmarking study locally analyzes the bubble distribution in thick,porous electrodes for the first time using deep learning-based image segmentation of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomograms.Each large three-dimensional data set was processed precisely in less than one minute while minimizing human errors and pointing out areas of increased HER activity in VRFBs.The study systematically varies the electrode potential and material,concluding that more negative electrode potentials of-200 m V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and lower cause more substantial bubble formation,resulting in bubble fractions of around 15%–20%in carbon felt electrodes.Contrarily,the bubble fractions stay only around 2%in an electrode combining carbon felt and carbon paper.The detected areas with high HER activity,such as the border subregion with more than 30%bubble fraction in carbon felt electrodes,the cutting edges,and preferential spots in the electrode bulk,are potential-independent and suggest that larger electrodes with a higher bulk-to-border ratio might reduce HER-related performance losses.The described combination of electrochemical measurements,local X-ray microtomography,AI-based segmentation,and 3D morphometric analysis is a powerful and novel approach for local bubble analysis in three-dimensional porous electrodes,providing an essential toolkit for a broad community working on bubble-generating electrochemical systems.

Targeted doping induces interfacial orientation for constructing surface-functionalized Schottky junctions to coordinate redox reactions in water electrolysis

Tuning the surface properties of catalysts is an effective method for accelerating water electrolysis.Herein,we propose a directional doping and interfacial coupling strategy to design two surface-functionalized Schottky junction catalysts for coordinating the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).Directional doping with B/S atoms endows amphiphilic g-C_(3)N_(4)with significant n-/p-type semiconductor properties.Further coupling with Fe_(3)C modulates the energy band levels of B-C_(3)N_(4)and S-C_(3)N_(4),thus resulting in functionalized Schottky junction catalysts with specific surface-adsorption properties.The space-charge region generated by the dual modulation induces a local“OH-and Ht-enriched”environment,thus selectively promoting the kinetic behavior of the OER/HER.Impressively,the designed B-C_(3)N_(4)@Fe_(3)C||S-C_(3)N_(4)@Fe_(3)C pair requires only a low voltage of 1.52 V to achieve efficient water electrolysis at 10 mA cm^(-2).This work highlights the potential of functionalized Schottky junction catalysts for coordinating redox reactions in water electrolysis,thereby resolving the trade-off between catalytic activity and stability.

Robust interface layers with redox shuttle reactions suppress the dendrite growth for stable solid-state Li metal batteries

Designing a durable lithium metal anode for solid state batteries requires a controllable and uniform deposition of lithium, and the metal lithium layer should maintain a good interface contact with solid state electrolyte during cycles. In this work, we construct a robust functional interface layer on the modified LiB electrode which considerably improves the electrochemical stability of lithium metal electrode in solid state batteries. It is found that the functional interface layer consisting of polydioxolane, polyiodide ion and Li TFSI effectively restrains the growth of lithium dendrites through the redox shuttle reaction of I-/I3-and maintains a good contact between lithium anode and solid electrolyte during cycles. Benefit from these two advantages, the modified Li-B anode exhibits a remarkable cyclic performance in comparison with those of the bare Li-B anode.

Electrochemical Study of Redox Reaction of Various Gold III Chloride Concentrations in Acidic Solution

The redox reaction of gold III chloride in acid solutions has been electro-chemically investigated using a cyclic voltammetry technique. This paper emphasizes the current and potential sites at which gold III chloride is reduced in hydrochloric acid that is vital to electrochemical evaluation of gold recovery. The solutions were prepared by reacting HCl with AuCl3 in various concentrations thus 30 and 60 mg/L AuCl3 in 0.1 and 0.5 M HCl, respectively. Solutions of 0.1 and 0.5 M HCl containing 0, 30 and 60 mg/L AuCl3, respectively were tested for possible reduction and oxidation reactions by cyclic voltammogram experiment using a glassy carbon, a saturated calomel and a platinum wire mesh as working, reference and counter electrodes, respectively. The results showed no peak in the case of the absence of AuCl3 in the solutions, but appreciable cathodic and anodic peaks for the reduction and oxidation of various concentrations of AuCl3 in acid solutions. The reaction between AuCl3 and HCl was found to be reversible because the ratio of oxidation peak current and reduction peak current was 1. The concentration of AuCl-4 on the surface of the working electrode at the reduction site for each AuCl3 concentration using Nernst equation was 1.22 × 109 ppm and 2.44 × 109 ppm. The reduction potentials were independent of concentration, while the current was highly dependent of concentration.

Deciphering the Oxygen Absorption Pre-edge: A Caveat on its Application for Probing Oxygen Redox Reactions in Batteries

The pre-edges of oxygen-K X-ray absorption spectra have been ubiquitous in transition metal(TM)oxide studies in various fields,especially on the fervent topic of oxygen redox states in battery electrodes.However,critical debates remain on the use of the O-K pre-edge variations upon electrochemical cycling as evidences of oxygen redox reactions,which has been a popular practice in the battery field.This study presents an investigation of the O-K pre-edge of 55 oxides covering all 3d TMs with different elements,structures,and electrochemical states through combined experimental and theoretical analyses.It is shown unambiguously that the O-K pre-edge variation in battery cathodes is dominated by changing TM-d states.Furthermore,the pre-edge enables a unique opportunity to project the lowest unoccupied TM-d states onto one common energy window,leading to a summary map of the relative energy positions of the low-lying TM states,with higher TM oxidation states at lower energies,corresponding to higher electrochemical potentials.The results naturally clarify some unusual redox reactions,such as Cr^(3+/6+).This work provides a critical clarification on O-K pre-edge interpretation and more importantly a benchmark database of O-K pre-edge for characterizing redox reactions in batteries and other energy materials.

Anionic redox reaction mechanism in Na-ion batteries

Na-ion batteries(NIBs),as one of the next-generation rechargeable battery systems,hold great potential in large-scale energy storage applications owing to the abundance and costeffectiveness of sodium resources.Despite the extensive exploration of electrode materials,the relatively low attainable capacity of NIBs hinders their practical application.In recent years,the anionic redox reaction(ARR)in NIBs has been emerging as a new paradigm to deliver extra capacity and thus offers an opportunity to break through the intrinsic energy density limit.In this review,the fundamental investigation of the ARR mechanism and the latest exploration of cathode materials are summarized,in order to highlight the significance of reversible anionic redox and suggest prospective developing directions.

Cryoactivated proton-involved redox reactions enable stable-cycling fiber cooper metal batteries operating at-50℃

Fiber-shaped batteries that feature outstanding flexibility,light weight,and wovenability are extremely attractive for powering smart wearable electronic textiles,which further stimulates their demand in extreme environments.However,there are rare reports on ultralow-temperature fiber batteries to date.This is mainly attributed to the poor conductivity of electrodes and freezing of electrolytes that restrain their satisfactory flexible operation in cold environments.Herein,we propose a fiber cooper metal battery consisting of a conductive polyaniline cathode,an anti-freezing Cu(BF4)2+H3PO4electrolyte and an acidresistant copper wire anode,which can withstand various deformations at ultralow temperatures.Impressively,enhanced capacity and cyclic stability can be achieved by cryoactivated abundant reactive sites in the polyaniline,while benefiting from redox reactions with rapid kinetics involving protons rather than copper ions.Consequently,this well-designed polyaniline/Cu fiber battery delivers excellent flexibility without obvious capacity decay after being bent at-30℃,as well as a remarkable discharge capacity of 120.1 mA h g-1and a capacity retention of 96.8%after 2000 cycles at-50℃.The fiber batteries integrated into wearable textiles can power various electronic devices.These performances greatly outperform those of most reported works.Overall,this work provides a promising strategy toward applications of cryogenic wearable energy storage devices.

Redox Reaction of Disulfide/Polyaniline in Aqueous Solution

The cleavage and formation of the di sulfide bond of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT) were examined in an aqueous solution of pH value from 0 to 14 with and without polyaniline (PAn), The redox reaction of DMcT was accelerated by PAn in acidic condition. The cell using this anodic material was set-up and characterized in aqueous electrolyte.

Catalytically altering the redox pathway of sulfur in propylene carbonate electrolyte using dual-nitrogen/oxygen-containing carbon

Carbonate electrolytes are one of the most desirable electrolytes for high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)because of their successful implementation in commercial Li-ion batteries.The low-polysulfide-solubility feature of some carbonate solvents also makes them very promising for overcoming the shuttle effects of LSBs.However,regular sulfur electrodes experience undesired electrochemical mechanisms in carbonate electrolytes due to side reactions.In this study,we report a catalytic redox mechanism of sulfur in propylene carbonate(PC)electrolyte based on a compari-son study.The catalytic mechanism is characterized by the interactions between polysulfides and dual N/O functional groups on the host carbon,which largely prevents side reactions between polysulfides and the carbonate electrolyte.Such a mechanism coupled with the low-polysulfide-solubility feature leads to stable cycling of LSBs in PC electrolyte.Favorable dual N/O functional groups are identified via a density functional theory study.This work provides an alternative route for enabling LSBs in carbonate electrolytes.

Effect of calcination temperature and reaction conditions on methane partial oxidation using lanthanum-based perovskite as oxygen donor

We investigated the effect of calcination temperature, reaction temperature, and different amounts of replenished lattice oxygen on the partial oxidation of methane （POM） to synthesis gas using perovskite-type LaFeO3 oxide as oxygen donor instead of gaseous oxygen, which was prepared by the sol-gel method, and the oxides were characterized by XRD, TG/DTA, and BET. The results indicated that the particle size increased with the calcination temperature increasing, while BET and CH4 conversion declined with the calcination temperature increasing using LaFeO3 oxide as oxygen donor in the absence of gaseous oxygen. CO selectivity remained at a high level such as above 92%, and increased slightly as the calcination temperature increased. Exposure of LaFeO3 oxides to methane atmosphere enhanced the oxygen migration of in the bulk with time online owing to the loss of lattice oxygen and reduction of the oxidative stated Fe ion simultaneously, The high reaction temperature was favorable to the migration of oxygen species from the bulk toward the surface for the synthesis gas production with high CO selectivity. The product distribution and evolution for POM by sequential redox reaction was determined by amounts of replenished lattice oxygen with gaseous oxygen. The optimal process should decline the total oxidation of methane, and increase the selectivity of partial oxidation of methane.

The effect of phosphate additive on the positive electrolyte stability of vanadium redox flow battery

The electrolyte is one of the most important components of vanadium redox flow battery （VRFB）. and its stability and solubility determines the energy density of a VRFB. The performance of current positive elec- trolyte is limited by the low stability of VO2＋ at a higher temperature. Phosphate is proved to be a very effective additive to improve the stability of VO2＋. Even though, the stabilizing mechanism is still not clear, which hinders the further development of VRFBs. In this paper, to clarify the effect of phosphate additive on the positive electrolyte stability, the hydration structures of VO2＋ cations and the reaction mechanisms of precipitation with or without phosphate in the supporting electrolyte of H_2SO_4 solutions were investigated in detail based on calculations of electronic structure. The stable configurations of com- plexes were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311 ＋ G（d,p） level of theory. The zero-point energies and Gibbs free energies for these complexes were further evaluated at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. It shows that a structure of [VO_2（H_2O）_2]＋ surrounded by water molecules in H2S04 solution can be formed at the room temperature. With the temperature rises, [VO_2（H_2O）_2]＋ will lose a proton and form the interme- diate of VO（OH）_3, and the further dehydration among VO（OH）_3 molecules will create the precipitate of V_2O_5. When H_3PO_4 was added into electrolytes, the V-O-P bond-containing neutral compound could be formed through interaction between VO（OH）_3 and H_3PO_4, and the activation energy of forming the V-O-P bond-containing neutral compound is about 7 kcal tool-1 lower than that of the VO（OH）_3 dehydration, which could avoid the precipitation of V_2O_5 and improve the electrolyte stability.

Understanding Sulfur Redox Mechanisms in Different Electrolytes for Room-Temperature Na-S Batteries

This work reports influence of two different electrolytes,carbonate ester and ether electrolytes,on the sulfur redox reactions in room-temperature Na-S batteries.Two sulfur cathodes with different S loading ratio and status are investigated.A sulfur-rich composite with most sulfur dispersed on the surface of a carbon host can realize a high loading ratio(72%S).In contrast,a confined sulfur sample can encapsulate S into the pores of the carbon host with a low loading ratio(44%S).In carbonate ester electrolyte,only the sulfur trapped in porous structures is active via‘solid-solid’behavior during cycling.The S cathode with high surface sulfur shows poor reversible capacity because of the severe side reactions between the surface polysulfides and the carbonate ester solvents.To improve the capacity of the sulfur-rich cathode,ether electrolyte with NaNO_(3) additive is explored to realize a‘solid-liquid’sulfur redox process and confine the shuttle effect of the dissolved polysulfides.As a result,the sulfur-rich cathode achieved high reversible capacity(483 mAh g^(−1)),corresponding to a specific energy of 362 Wh kg^(−1) after 200 cycles,shedding light on the use of ether electrolyte for high-loading sulfur cathode.

Redox catalysts for aprotic Li-O2 batteries: Toward a redox flow system

Large-scale electrical energy storage with high energy density and round-trip efficiency is important to the resilience of power grids and the effective use of intermittent renewable energy such as solar and wind.Lithiumoxygen battery,due to its high energy density,is believed to be one of the most promising energy storage systems for the future.However,large overpotentials,poor cycling stability,and degradation of electrolytes and cathodes have been hindering the development of lithium-oxygen batteries.Numerous heterogeneous oxygen electrocatalysts have been investigated to lower the overpotentials and enhance the cycling stability of lithium-oxygen batteries.Unfortunately,the prevailing issues of electrode passivation and clogging remain.Over the past few years,redox mediators were explored as homogenous catalysts to address the issues,while only limited success has been achieved for these soluble catalysts.In conjunction with a flowing electrolyte system,a new redox flow lithium-oxygen battery(RFLOB)has been devised to tackle the aforementioned issues.The working mechanism and schematic processes will be elaborated in this review.In addition,the performance gap of RFLOB with respect to practical requirements will be analysed.With the above,we anticipate RFLOB would be a credible solution for the implementation of lithium-oxygen battery chemistry for the next generation energy storage.

Roles of Ceria on Base Metal Oxide Catalysts——NO+CO Reaction

A microreactor system was used to study the catalytic reaction of NO+CO→1/2 N_2+CO_2 over Cu,Fe, Mn,Cr,and Ce oxides supported on alumina,and the effect of adding Ce in supported Cu-M-O(M=Mn,Fe and Cr) catalysts on their catalytic activities for the topic reaction and the concentration of N_2O produced.It was found that the catalytic activity order of the single-element oxide is:CuO>Fe_2O_3≈Cr_2O_3> MnO_2>CeO_2>NiO.Cu-Mn-O is more active than CuO,and Cu-Fe-O is more active than Cu-Mn-O and Cu-Cr-O for NO+CO reaction.This study shows that the addition of Ce in supported Cu-M-O can promote their catalytic activities Jot the topic reaction,which makes the reaction of 2NO+CO→N_2O+CO_2 fast,and N_2O is an intermediate compound produced during NO+CO reaction.

Multi-electron reaction concept for the universal battery design

Electrochemical batteries define the contraption stores electricity in the direct form of chemical energy with high efficiency. If the energy conversion process can be reversed, namely the input and output of electricity both being permitted, the batteries are termed rechargeable batteries or also secondary batteries accordingly [1]. These decades have witnessed the rapid development of batteries because of the demands for transportation of information and mass in the mobile area, and stationary storage for the implementation of renewable energy technologies.

Tuning anionic redox activity to boost high-performance sodium-storage in low-cost Na_(0.67)Fe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2) cathode

Na-based layered iron-manganese oxide Na_(0.67)Fe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2) containing only low-cost elements is a promising cathode for Na-ion batteries used in large-scale energy storage systems.However,the poor cycle stability restricts its practical application.The capacity decay of Na_(0.67)Fe_(0.6)Mn_(0.5)O_(2) mainly originates from the irreversible anionic redox reaction charge compensation due to the high-level hybridization between oxygen and iron.Herein,we rationally design a surface Ti doping strategy to tune the anionic redox reaction activity of Na_(0.67)Fe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2) and improve its Na-storage properties.The doped Ti ions not only enlarge the Na migration spacing layer but also improve the structure stability thanks to the strong Ti-O bond.More importantly,the d0-shell electronic structure of Ti^(4+) can suppress the charge transfer from the oxidized anions to cations,thus reducing the anionic redox reaction activity and enhancing the reversibility of charge compensation.The modified Na_(0.67)Fe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(2) cathode shows a reversible capacity of 198 mA h g^(-1) and an increased capacity retention from 15% to 73% after about1 month of cycling.Meanwhile,a superior Na-ion diffusion kinetics and rate capability are also observed.This work advances the commercialization process of Na-based layered iron-manganese oxide cathodes;on the other hand,the proposed modification strategy paves the way for the design of high-performance electrode materials relying on anionic redox reactions.

Studies on the Redox Properties of Undecatungstotitanates Containing One Kind of Transition Metal

Some monosubstituted Keggin or Dawson anions nave been reporten by Hill to be "remarkably effective" catalysts for the epoxidation of alkenes, Hill, Finke and Neumann reported respectively that the transition metal monosubstituted heteropolyanions [PW;O;M（H;O）]";, [P;W;O;M（L）]"- and [SiW;O;Ru（H;O）];have an ability to catalyze the epoxidation of alkenes. And the undecatungstotitanates with one kind of transition metal have

Nanoscale transition metal catalysts anchored on perovskite oxide enabling enhanced kinetics of lithium polysulfide redox in lithium-sulfur batteries

To obtain high-performance lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries,it is necessary to rationally design electrocatalytic materials that can promote efficient sulfur electrochemical reactions.Herein,the robust heterostructured material of nanoscale transition metal anchored on perovskite oxide was designed for efficient catalytic kinetics of the oxidation and reduction reactions of lithium polysulphide(Li PSs),and verified by density functional theory(DFT)calculations and experimental characterizations.Due to the strong interaction of nanoscale transition metals with Li PSs through chemical coupling,heterostructured materials(STO@M)(M=Fe,Ni,Cu)exhibit excellent catalytic activity for redox reactions of Li PSs.The bifunctional heterostructure material STO@Fe exhibits good rate performance and cycling stability as the cathode host,realizing a high-performance Li-S battery that can maintain stable cycling under rapid charge-discharge cycling.This study presents a novel approach to designing electrocatalytic materials for redox reactions of Li PSs,which promotes the development of fast charge-discharge Li-S batteries.

Unexpected Li displacement and suppressed phase transition enabling highly stabilized oxygen redox in P3-type Na layered oxide cathode

Oxygen redox is considered a new paradigm for increasing the practical capacity and energy density of the layered oxide cathodes for Na-ion batteries. However, severe local structural changes and phase transitions during anionic redox reactions lead to poor electrochemical performance with sluggish kinetics.Here, we propose a synergy of Li-Cu cations in harnessing the full potential of oxygen redox, through Li displacement and suppressed phase transition in P3-type layered oxide cathode. P3-type Na_(0.7)[Li_(0.1)Cu_(0.2)Mn_(0.7)]O_(2) cathode delivers a large specific capacity of ~212 mA h g^(-1)at 15 mA g^(-1). The discharge capacity is maintained up to ~90% of the initial capacity after 100 cycles, with stable occurrence of the oxygen redox in the high-voltage region. Through advanced experimental analyses and first-principles calculations, it is confirmed that a stepwise redox reaction based on Cu and O ions occurs for the charge-compensation mechanism upon charging. Based on a concrete understanding of the reaction mechanism, the Li displacement by the synergy of Li-Cu cations plays a crucial role in suppressing the structural change of the P3-type layered material under the oxygen redox reaction, and it is expected to be an effective strategy for stabilizing the oxygen redox in the layered oxides of Na-ion batteries.