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Li Y, Yang S, Bao W, Tao Q, Jiang X, Li J, He P, Wang G, Qi K, Dong H, Ding G, Xie X. Accelerated proton dissociation in an excited state induces superacidic microenvironments around graphene quantum dots. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6634. [PMID: 39103388 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50982-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Investigating proton transport at the interface in an excited state facilitates the mechanistic investigation and utilization of nanomaterials. However, there is a lack of suitable tools for in-situ and interfacial analysis. Here we addresses this gap by in-situ observing the proton transport of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) in an excited state through reduction of magnetic resonance relaxation time. Experimental results, utilizing 0.1 mT ultra-low-field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry compatible with a light source, reveal the light-induced proton dissociation and acidity of GQDs' microenvironment in the excited state (Hammett acidity function: -13.40). Theoretical calculations demonstrate significant acidity enhancement in -OH functionalized GQDs with light induction ( p K a * = -4.62, stronger than that of H2SO4). Simulations highlight the contributions of edge and phenolic -OH groups to proton dissociation. The light-induced superacidic microenvironment of GQDs benefits functionalization and improves the catalytic performances of GQDs. Importantly, this work advances the understanding of interfacial properties of light-induced sp2-sp3 carbon nanostructure and provides a valuable tool for exploring catalyst interfaces in photocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Siwei Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wancheng Bao
- 2020 X-Lab, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
| | - Quan Tao
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuyun Jiang
- 2020 X-Lab, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
| | - Jipeng Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Microelectronic Science and Engineering, School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Qi
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
- 2020 X-Lab, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hui Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guqiao Ding
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoming Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
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Zhao Z, Ling X, El Gabaly F, Grass M, Jabeen N, Jones D, Liu Z, Mun BS, Braun A, Chen Q. Observation of Potential-Induced Hydration on the Surface of Ceramic Proton Conductors Using In Situ Near-Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:2928-2933. [PMID: 35343700 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Interactions of ceramic proton conductors with the environment under operating conditions play an essential role on material properties and device performance. It remains unclear how the chemical environment of material, as modulated by the operating condition, affects the proton conductivity. Combining near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and impedance spectroscopy, we investigate the chemical environment changes of oxygen and the conductivity of BaZr0.9Y0.1O3-δ under operating condition. Changes in O 1s core level spectra indicate that adding water vapor pressure increases both hydroxyl groups and active proton sites at undercoordinated oxygen. Applying external potential further promotes this hydration effect, in particular, by increasing the amount of undercoordinated oxygen. The enhanced hydration is accompanied by improved proton conductivity. This work highlights the effects of undercoordinated oxygen for improving the proton conductivity in ceramics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Zhao
- University of Michigan - Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiao Ling
- University of Michigan - Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Farid El Gabaly
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94551, United States
| | - Michael Grass
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Naila Jabeen
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Nanoscience and Technology Division, National Center for Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University Campus, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Deborah Jones
- ICGM, Université Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, F-34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Zhi Liu
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China
| | - Bongjin S Mun
- Department of Physics and Photon Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Buk-gu Gwangju 500-712, Korea
| | - Artur Braun
- Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Hawai'i Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
| | - Qianli Chen
- University of Michigan - Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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