Earth-Abundant Transition-Metal-Based Electrocatalysts for Water Electrolysis to Produce Renewable Hydrogen

Deciphering Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production in Water Through a Bioinspired Water-Stable Copper(II) Complex Adorned with (N2S2)-Donor Sites

Electrocatalytic hydrogen production stands as a pivotal cornerstone in ushering the revolutionary era of the hydrogen economy. With a keen focus on emulating the significance of hydrogenase-like active sites in sustainable H2 generation, a meticulously designed and water-stable copper(II) complex, [Cl-Cu-LN2S2]ClO4, featuring the N,S-type ligand, LN2S2 (2,2'-((butane-2,3-diylbis(sulfanediyl))bis(methylene))dipyridine), has been crafted and assessed for its prowess in electrocatalytic H2 production in water, leveraging acetic acid as a proton source. The molecular catalyst, adopting a square pyramidal coordination geometry, undergoes -Cl substitution by H2O during electrochemical conditions yielding [H2O-Cu-LN2S2]2+ as the true catalyst, showcases outstanding activity in electrochemical proton reduction in acidic water, achieving an impressive rate of 241.75 s-1 for hydrogen generation. Controlled potential electrolysis at -1.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl for 1.6 h reveals a high turnover number of 73.06 with a commendable Faradic efficiency of 94.2 %. A comprehensive analysis encompassing electrochemical, spectroscopic, and analytical methods reveals an insignificant degradation of the molecular catalyst. However, the post-CPE electrocatalyst, present in the solution domain, signifies the coveted stability and effective activity under the specified electrochemical conditions. The synergy of electrochemical, spectroscopic, and computational studies endorses the proton-electron coupling mediated catalytic pathways, affirming the viability of sustainable hydrogen production.

Single Entity Electrocatalysis

Making a measurement over millions of nanoparticles or exposed crystal facets seldom reports on reactivity of a single nanoparticle or facet, which may depart drastically from ensemble measurements. Within the past 30 years, science has moved toward studying the reactivity of single atoms, molecules, and nanoparticles, one at a time. This shift has been fueled by the realization that everything changes at the nanoscale, especially important industrially relevant properties like those important to electrocatalysis. Studying single nanoscale entities, however, is not trivial and has required the development of new measurement tools. This review explores a tale of the clever use of old and new measurement tools to study electrocatalysis at the single entity level. We explore in detail the complex interrelationship between measurement method, electrocatalytic material, and reaction of interest (e.g., carbon dioxide reduction, oxygen reduction, hydrazine oxidation, etc.). We end with our perspective on the future of single entity electrocatalysis with a key focus on what types of measurements present the greatest opportunity for fundamental discovery.

Ni(OH)2 Nanosheet as an Efficient Cocatalyst for Improved Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution over Cd0.9Zn0.1S Nanorods under Visible Light

Loading cocatalysts to promote spatial charge separation has been confirmed as an effective method for improving photocatalytic hydrogen production. This article reports that the synthesis of Ni(OH)2/Cd0.9Zn0.1S nanorod photocatalyst is suitable for photocatalytic H2 generation under visible light. It can be proven that the binary photocatalyst exhibits a one-dimensional nanorod morphological structure. Ni(OH)2 nanosheets occupy the top area of Cd0.9Zn0.1S nanorods. The photocatalytic H2 production rate can reach 132.93 mmol·h-1·g-1, which corresponds to an apparent quantum efficiency of up to 76.5% at a wavelength of 460 nm. In addition, the Ni(OH)2 nanosheet can aggregate the light-incited electrons of Cd0.9Zn0.1S, inhibiting the confluence of electrons and holes. The detailed analysis of its mechanism through characterization methods such as photoluminescence and electrochemical measurement shows that the significant improvement in photocatalytic performance derives from the effective spatial separation of photo-induced charge carriers. Therefore, this synthesis strategy of one-dimensional materials may bring new prospects for more efficient, stable, and sustainable photocatalysis for water splitting.

A Review of Transition Metal Boride, Carbide, Pnictide, and Chalcogenide Water Oxidation Electrocatalysts

Transition metal borides, carbides, pnictides, and chalcogenides (X-ides) have emerged as a class of materials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Because of their high earth abundance, electrical conductivity, and OER performance, these electrocatalysts have the potential to enable the practical application of green energy conversion and storage. Under OER potentials, X-ide electrocatalysts demonstrate various degrees of oxidation resistance due to their differences in chemical composition, crystal structure, and morphology. Depending on their resistance to oxidation, these catalysts will fall into one of three post-OER electrocatalyst categories: fully oxidized oxide/(oxy)hydroxide material, partially oxidized core@shell structure, and unoxidized material. In the past ten years (from 2013 to 2022), over 890 peer-reviewed research papers have focused on X-ide OER electrocatalysts. Previous review papers have provided limited conclusions and have omitted the significance of "catalytically active sites/species/phases" in X-ide OER electrocatalysts. In this review, a comprehensive summary of (i) experimental parameters (e.g., substrates, electrocatalyst loading amounts, geometric overpotentials, Tafel slopes, etc.) and (ii) electrochemical stability tests and post-analyses in X-ide OER electrocatalyst publications from 2013 to 2022 is provided. Both mono and polyanion X-ides are discussed and classified with respect to their material transformation during the OER. Special analytical techniques employed to study X-ide reconstruction are also evaluated. Additionally, future challenges and questions yet to be answered are provided in each section. This review aims to provide researchers with a toolkit to approach X-ide OER electrocatalyst research and to showcase necessary avenues for future investigation.

Recent Progress of Transition Metal Compounds as Electrocatalysts for Electrocatalytic Water Splitting

Hydrogen has enormous commercial potential as a secondary energy source because of its high calorific value, clean combustion byproducts, and multiple production methods. Electrocatalytic water splitting is a viable alternative to the conventional methane steam reforming technique, as it operates under mild conditions, produces high-quality hydrogen, and has a sustainable production process that requires less energy. Electrocatalysts composed of precious metals like Pt, Au, Ru, and Ag are commonly used in the investigation of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Nevertheless, their limited availability and expensive cost restrict practical use. In contrast, electrocatalysts that do not contain precious metals are readily available, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and possess electrocatalytic performance equal to that of noble metals. However, considerable research effort must be devoted to create cost-effective and high-performing catalysts. This article provides a comprehensive examination of the reaction mechanism involved in electrocatalytic water splitting in both acidic and basic environments. Additionally, recent breakthroughs in catalysts for both the hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution reactions are also discussed. The structure-activity relationship of the catalyst was deep-going discussed, together with the prospects of current obstacles and potential for electrocatalytic water splitting, aiming at provide valuable perspectives for the advancement of economical and efficient electrocatalysts on an industrial scale.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Photoelectric and Electrochemical Behavior of (CH3NH3)2Zn1-xCoxBr4 Perovskites

We report the synthesis, characterization, and photoelectric and electrochemical properties of (CH3NH3)2Zn1-xCoxBr4 (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0) samples. X-ray powder and single-crystal diffraction confirm the formation of solid solution across the entire range. Additionally, as the cobalt concentration increases, the crystallinity of the samples decreases, as indicated by the powder diffraction patterns. All samples remain stable up to 560 K, beyond which they decompose into CH3NH3Br and the respective bromide. The semiconductor behavior of the compounds is confirmed through optical absorption measurements, and band gap values are determined by using the Tauc method from diffuse reflectance spectra. Raman spectroscopy reveals a slight redshift in all vibration modes with increasing cobalt content. Finally, photovoltaic measurements on solar cells constructed with (MA)2CoBr4 perovskite exhibit modest performance, and electrochemical measurements indicate that the compound with the composition (MA)2Zn0.3Co0.7Br4 exhibits the highest current for electrochemical water reduction during oxygen evolution.

Recent advances in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) are an attractive technology for renewable energy conversion and storage. By using green electricity generated from renewable sources like wind or solar, high-purity hydrogen gas can be produced in PEMWE systems, which can be used in fuel cells and other industrial sectors. To date, significant advances have been achieved in improving the efficiency of PEMWEs through the design of stack components; however, challenges remain for their large-scale and long-term application due to high cost and durability issues in acidic conditions. In this review, we examine the latest developments in engineering PEMWE systems and assess the gap that still needs to be filled for their practical applications. We provide a comprehensive summary of the reaction mechanisms, the correlation among structure-composition-performance, manufacturing methods, system design strategies, and operation protocols of advanced PEMWEs. We also highlight the discrepancies between the critical parameters required for practical PEMWEs and those reported in the literature. Finally, we propose the potential solution to bridge the gap and enable the appreciable applications of PEMWEs. This review may provide valuable insights for research communities and industry practitioners working in these fields and facilitate the development of more cost-effective and durable PEMWE systems for a sustainable energy future.

Nanocomposite Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reactions (HERs) for Sustainable and Efficient Hydrogen Energy-Future Prospects

Hydrogen is considered a good clean and renewable energy substitute for fossil fuels. The major obstacle facing hydrogen energy is its efficacy in meeting its commercial-scale demand. One of the most promising pathways for efficient hydrogen production is through water-splitting electrolysis. This requires the development of active, stable, and low-cost catalysts or electrocatalysts to achieve optimized electrocatalytic hydrogen production from water splitting. The objective of this review is to survey the activity, stability, and efficiency of various electrocatalysts involved in water splitting. The status quo of noble-metal- and non-noble-metal-based nano-electrocatalysts has been specifically discussed. Various composites and nanocomposite electrocatalysts that have significantly impacted electrocatalytic HERs have been discussed. New strategies and insights in exploring nanocomposite-based electrocatalysts and utilizing other new age nanomaterial options that will profoundly enhance the electrocatalytic activity and stability of HERs have been highlighted. Recommendations on future directions and deliberations for extrapolating information have been projected.

Synthesis and water splitting performance of FeCoNbS bifunctional electrocatalyst

Transition metal (TM) sulfides are promising catalysts for water splitting in alkaline media due to their high intrinsic activities and similar TM-S electronic structure with hydrogenase. In this work, the nanoporous FeCoNbS electrocatalyst with nanosheet morphology is synthesized through dealloying AlFeCoNb alloy followed by the steam sulphurization. The introduction of S element improves the electronic structure, further increases the active sites, regulates the mass transfer and enhances the intrinsic activity. The Nb introduction improves the electron transfer ability of the catalyst. The synergistic effect of Fe, Co and Nb improves the intrinsic activity of the active site. The FeCoNbS catalyst exhibits good catalytic performance for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline solution. The overpotentials at 10 mA cm^-2 of HER and OER are 83 and 241 mV, respectively. The Tafel slopes of HER and OER are 101.2 and 35.5 mV dec^-1, respectively. The FeCoNbS can serve as overall water splitting electrode with the decomposition voltage of 1.61 V at 10 mA cm^-2.

Catalyst-Support Interactions Promoted Acidic Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution Catalysis: A Mini Review

In the context of the growing human demand for green secondary energy sources, proton-exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is necessary to meet the high-efficiency production of high-purity hydrogen required for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The development of stable, efficient, and low-cost oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts is key to promoting the large-scale application of hydrogen production by PEMWE. At present, precious metals remain irreplaceable in acidic OER catalysis, and loading the support body with precious metal components is undoubtedly an effective strategy to reduce costs. In this review, we will discuss the unique role of common catalyst-support interactions such as Metal-Support Interactions (MSIs), Strong Metal-Support Interactions (SMSIs), Strong Oxide-Support Interactions (SOSIs), and Electron-Metal-Support Interactions (EMSIs) in modulating catalyst structure and performance, thereby promoting the development of high-performance, high-stability, low-cost noble metal-based acidic OER catalysts.

Al-Pt compounds catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction

Al-Pt compounds have been systematically studied as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Considering the harsh oxidative conditions of the OER, all Al-Pt compounds undergo modifications during electrochemical experiments. However, the degree of changes strongly depends on the composition and crystal structure of a compound. In contrast to Al-rich compounds (Al₄Pt and Al₂₁Pt₈), which reveal strong leaching of aluminum, changes in other compounds (Al₂Pt, Al₃Pt₂, rt-AlPt, Al₃Pt₅, and rt-AlPt₃) take place only on the surface or in the near-surface region. Furthermore, surface modification leads to a change in the electronic structure of Pt, giving rise to the in situ formation of catalytically more active surfaces, which are composed of intermetallic compounds, Pt-rich Al_xPt_1-x phases and Pt oxides. Forming a compromise between sufficient OER activity and stability, Al₂Pt and Al₃Pt₂ can be considered as precursors for OER electrocatalysts.

The pH Influence on the Water-Splitting Electrocatalytic Activity of Graphite Electrodes Modified with Symmetrically Substituted Metalloporphyrins

Hydrogen, considered to be an alternative fuel to traditional fossil fuels, can be generated by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen via the use of electrical energy, in a process whose efficiency depends directly on the employed catalytic material. The current study takes part in the relentless search for suitable and low-cost catalysts relevant to the water-splitting field by investigating the electrocatalytic properties of the O₂ and H₂ evolution reactions (OER and HER) of two metalloporphyrins: Zn(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)-porphyrin and Co(II) 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenyl)-porphyrin. The TEM/STEM characterisation of the porphyrin samples obtained using different organic solvents revealed several types of self-assembled aggregates. The HER and OER experiments performed on porphyrin-modified graphite electrodes in media with different pH values revealed the most electrocatalytically active specimens. For the OER, this specimen was the electrode manufactured with one layer of Co-porphyrin applied from dimethylsulfoxide, exhibiting an overpotential of 0.51 V at i = 10 mA/cm² and a Tafel slope of 0.27 V/dec. For the HER, it was the sample obtained by drop casting one layer of Zn-porphyrin from N,N-dimethylformamide that displayed a HER overpotential of 0.52 V at i = -10 mA/cm² and a Tafel slope of 0.15 V/dec.

Effect of Fe on the Hydrogen Production Properties of Al-Bi-Sn Composite Powders

Fe additives may play an important role in the preparation of aluminum-based hydrolysis hydrogen powder, with high hydrogen yield, low cost, and good oxidation resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain the effect of Fe on the hydrogen production performance of Al-Bi-Sn composite powders. According to the calculated vertical cross-section of the Al-10Bi-7Sn-(0~6)Fe (wt.%) quasi-binary system, Al-10Bi-7Sn-xFe (x = 0, 0.5, 1.5, 3) wt.% composite powders for hydrogen production were prepared by the gas-atomization method. The results showed that the Al-10Bi-7Sn-1.5Fe (wt.%) powder exhibited an extremely fast hydrogen generation rate at 50 °C, which reached 1105 mL·g^-1 in 27 min in distilled water, 1086 mL·g^-1 in 15 min in 0.1 mol·L^-1 NaCl solution, and 1086 mL·g^-1 in 15 min in 0.1 mol·L^-1 CaCl₂ solution. In addition, the antioxidant properties of these powders were also investigated. The results showed that the hydrogen production performance of the Al-10Bi-7Sn-1.5Fe (wt.%) powder could retain 91% of its hydrogen production activity, even though the powder was exposed to 25 °C and 60 RH% for 72 h. The addition of Fe not only promoted the hydrogen generation rate of the Al-Bi-Sn composite powders, but also improved their oxidation resistance. The Al-10Bi-7Sn-1.5Fe (wt.%) composite powder shows great potential for mobile hydrogen source scenarios with rapid hydrogen production.

In Situ Grown Mn(II) MOF upon Nickel Foam Acts as a Robust Self-Supporting Bifunctional Electrode for Overall Water Splitting: A Bimetallic Synergistic Collaboration Strategy

The design of highly efficient, cost-effective non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts with superior stability for overall water splitting (OWS) reactions is of great importance as well as of immense challenge for the upcoming sustainable and green energy conversion technologies. Herein, a convenient and simple in situ solvothermal method has been adopted to fabricate a self-supported, binder-free 3D electrode (Mn-MOF/NF) by the direct growth of a newly synthesized carboxylate-based pristine Mn(II)-metal-organic framework (Mn-MOF) upon the conducting substrate nickel foam (NF). The binder-free Mn-MOF/NF electrode exhibits excellent performances toward OWS with ultralow overpotentials of 280 mV@20 mA cm^-2 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 125 mV@10 mA cm^-2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with remarkable durability. Mn-MOF/NF can also attain a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 with a low cell voltage of 1.68 V in a 0.1 M KOH solution in a two-electrode system for OWS. The direct growth of nonconducting electroactive Mn-MOF materials upon conducting substrate NF provides an excellent mass transport of the electrolyte with a relatively low contact resistance due to the strong catalyst-substrate contact and enhances the efficient electron transport for OWS. The redox chemical etching of the self-sacrificial substrate NF during solvothermal synthesis introduces redox-active Ni²⁺ in Mn-MOF/NF. Thus, the excellent OWS electrocatalytic activity can mainly be attributed to the bimetallic synergistic collaboration of the two redox active metal centers (Mn²⁺ and Ni²⁺) along with the excellent support surface of NF, which provides a high specific surface area and maximum utilization of the electroactive metal ion sites by preventing the self-aggregation of the active sites. The Mn-MOF/NF electrode also exhibits superb stability and durability for a prolonged time throughout the multiple cycles of full water splitting reactions. Therefore, this work elucidates a convenient and smart approach for constructing MOF-based bifunctional electrocatalysts for OWS.

Tuning the Mn Dopant To Boost the Hydrogen Evolution Performance of CoP Nanowire Arrays

Because of its advantages such as abundant resources, low cost, simple synthesis, and high electrochemical stability, cobalt phosphide (CoP) is considered as a promising candidate for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Through element doping, the morphology and electronic structure of the catalyst can be tuned, resulting in both the increase of the active site number and the improvement of the intrinsic activity of each site. Herein, we designed and fabricated Mn-doped CoP nanowires with a length of 3 μm, a diameter of 50 nm, and the pores between the grains of 10 nm. As a highly efficient electrocatalyst for alkaline hydrogen evolution, the Mn₁₀-doped CoP/NF (doping amount is about 10 atom %) electrode presented overpotentials of 60 mV @ 10 mA cm^-2 and 112 mV @ 100 mA cm^-2, improved by 35 and 23%, respectively, compared with CoP/NF. Characterizations indicate that Mn doping increases the electrochemical active area, reduces the impedance, and tunes the electronic structure of the material. Density functional theory calculations also revealed that an appropriate amount of Mn dopant at a suitable location can both react as an active site itself and boost the activity of the surrounding Co sites, delivering favorable H* adsorption and rapid reaction kinetics. This result may not only promote the development of hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts but also encourage explorations of the relationship between the property and fine doping structure.

Water electrolysis: from textbook knowledge to the latest scientific strategies and industrial developments

Replacing fossil fuels with energy sources and carriers that are sustainable, environmentally benign, and affordable is amongst the most pressing challenges for future socio-economic development. To that goal, hydrogen is presumed to be the most promising energy carrier. Electrocatalytic water splitting, if driven by green electricity, would provide hydrogen with minimal CO2 footprint. The viability of water electrolysis still hinges on the availability of durable earth-abundant electrocatalyst materials and the overall process efficiency. This review spans from the fundamentals of electrocatalytically initiated water splitting to the very latest scientific findings from university and institutional research, also covering specifications and special features of the current industrial processes and those processes currently being tested in large-scale applications. Recently developed strategies are described for the optimisation and discovery of active and durable materials for electrodes that ever-increasingly harness first-principles calculations and machine learning. In addition, a technoeconomic analysis of water electrolysis is included that allows an assessment of the extent to which a large-scale implementation of water splitting can help to combat climate change. This review article is intended to cross-pollinate and strengthen efforts from fundamental understanding to technical implementation and to improve the 'junctions' between the field's physical chemists, materials scientists and engineers, as well as stimulate much-needed exchange among these groups on challenges encountered in the different domains.

Heterometallic cobalt(ii) calix[6 and 8]arenes: synthesis, structure and electrochemical activity

Heterometallic cobalt p-tert-butylcalix[6 and 8]arenes have been generated from the in situ reaction of lithium reagents (n-BuLi or t-BuOLi) or NaH with the parent calix[n]arene and subsequent reaction with CoBr₂. The reverse route, involving the addition of in situ generated Li[Co(Ot-Bu)₃] to p-tert-butylcalix[6 and 8]arene, has also been investigated. X-ray crystallography reveals the formation of complicated products incorporating differing numbers of cobalt and lithium or sodium centers, often with positional disorder, as well as, in some cases, the retention of halide. The electrochemical analysis revealed several oxidation events related to the subsequent oxidation of Co(ii) centers and the reduction of the metal cation at negative potentials. Moreover, the electrochemical activity of the phenol moieties of the parent calix[n]arenes resulted in dimerized products or quinone derivatives, leading to insoluble oligomeric products that deposit and passivate the electrode. Preliminary screening for electrochemical proton reduction revealed good activity for a number of these systems. Results suggest that [Co₆Na(NCMe)₆(μ-O)(p-tert-butylcalix[6]areneH)₂Br]·7MeCN (6·7MeCN) is a promising molecular catalyst for electrochemical proton reduction, with a mass transport coefficient, catalytic charge transfer resistance and current magnitude at the catalytic turnover region that are comparable to those of the reference electrocatalyst (Co(ii)Cl₂).

Reactions between p-tert-butylcalix[6 and 8]arenes and lithium or sodium reagents led to complex structures often with positional disorder. Such systems are capable of electrochemical proton reduction.

Electrocatalytic Water Splitting: From Harsh and Mild Conditions to Natural Seawater

Electrocatalytic water splitting is regarded as the most effective pathway to generate green energy-hydrogen-which is considered as one of the most promising clean energy solutions to the world's energy crisis and climate change mitigation. Although electrocatalytic water splitting has been proposed for decades, large-scale industrial hydrogen production is hindered by high electricity cost, capital investment, and electrolysis media. Harsh conditions (strong acid/alkaline) are widely used in electrocatalytic mechanism studies, and excellent catalytic activities and efficiencies have been achieved. However, the practical application of electrocatalytic water splitting in harsh conditions encounters several obstacles, such as corrosion issues, catalyst stability, and membrane technical difficulties. Thus, the research on water splitting in mild conditions (neutral/near neutral), even in natural seawater, has aroused increasing attention. However, the mechanism in mild conditions or natural seawater is not clear. Herein, different conditions in electrocatalytic water splitting are reviewed and the effects and proposed mechanisms in the three conditions are summarized. Then, a comparison of the reaction process and the effects of the ions in different electrolytes are presented. Finally, the challenges and opportunities associated with direct electrocatalytic natural seawater splitting and the perspective are presented to promote the progress of hydrogen production by water splitting.

Optimizing Hydrogen Binding on Ru Sites with RuCo Alloy Nanosheets for Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution

Ruthenium (Ru)-based catalysts, with considerable performance and desirable cost, are becoming highly interesting candidates to replace platinum (Pt) in the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The hydrogen binding at Ru sites (Ru-H) is an important factor limiting the HER activity. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) simulations show that the essence of Ru-H binding energy is the strong interaction between the 4 d z 2 orbital of Ru and the 1s orbital of H. The charge transfer between Ru sites and substrates (Co and Ni) causes the appropriate downward shift of the 4 d z 2 -band center of Ru, which results in a Gibbs free energy of 0.022 eV for H* in the RuCo system, much lower than the 0.133 eV in the pure Ru system. This theoretical prediction has been experimentally confirmed using RuCo alloy-nanosheets (RuCo ANSs). They were prepared via a fast co-precipitation method followed with a mild electrochemical reduction. Structure characterizations reveal that the Ru atoms are embedded into the Co substrate as isolated active sites with a planar symmetric and Z-direction asymmetric coordination structure, obtaining an optimal 4 d z 2 modulated electronic structure. Hydrogen sensor and temperature program desorption (TPD) tests demonstrate the enhanced Ru-H interactions in RuCo ANSs compared to those in pure Ru nanoparticles. As a result, the RuCo ANSs reach an ultra-low overpotential of 10 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 20.6 mV dec-1 in 1 M KOH, outperforming that of the commercial Pt/C. This holistic work provides a new insight to promote alkaline HER by optimizing the metal-H binding energy of active sites.

[NiFe]-(Oxy)Sulfides Derived from NiFe2O4 for the Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

The development of noble-metal-free electrocatalysts is regarded as a key factor for realizing industrial-scale hydrogen production powered by renewable energy sources. Inspired by nature, which uses Fe- and Ni-containing enzymes for efficient hydrogen generation, Fe/Ni-containing chalcogenides, such as oxides and sulfides, received increasing attention as promising electrocatalysts to produce hydrogen. We herein present a novel synthetic procedure for mixed Fe/Ni (oxy)sulfide materials by the controlled (partial) sulfidation of NiFe2O4 (NFO) nanoparticles in H2S-containing atmospheres. The variation in H2S concentration and the temperature allows for a precise control of stoichiometry and phase composition. The obtained sulfidized materials (NFS) catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with increased activity in comparison to NFO, up to −10 and −100 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of approx. 250 and 450 mV, respectively.

A novel monoclinic metal oxide catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media

The main bottleneck of electrolytic water for hydrogen production in alkaline media is the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) involving four-electron transfer. Designing highly efficient OER catalysts is attractive to accelerate...

Theoretical insights into TM@PHEs as single-atom catalysts for water splitting based on density functional theory

Single-atom catalysis is the new frontier of heterogeneous catalysis and has attracted considerable attention as it exhibits great potential in hydrogen evolution to mitigate energy crisis and environmental issues. The support materials for single-atom catalysts (SACs) play a significant role in stabilizing the metal atoms, preventing their aggregation, and enhancing the catalytic activity. Two-dimensional sp² hybridized PHE-graphene might be a real support for SACs due to the potential energy well induced by its enneagon, hexagon and pentagon carbon rings. In this study, eleven transition metal (TM) atoms adsorbed on PHE-graphene (TM@PHEs) are taken into account based on density functional theory (DFT) and PHE-graphene is proved to be an ideal single-atom carrier for water splitting. In particular, the TM@PHEs (TM = Fe, Ni, Ru, and Pd) exhibit high catalytic activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The reaction path of water splitting is also determined. Due to their much lower energy barrier, both Fe@PHE and Ru@PHE are more promising SACs. In addition, the charge density difference, Bader charge analysis and spin projected density of states (PDOS) are investigated.

Machine Learning in Screening High Performance Electrocatalysts for CO2 Reduction

Converting CO₂ into carbon-based fuels is promising for relieving the greenhouse gas effect and the energy crisis. However, the selectivity and efficiency of current electrocatalysts for CO₂ reductions are still not satisfactory. In this paper, the development of machine learning methods in screening CO₂ reduction electrocatalysts over the recent years is reviewed. Through high-throughput calculation of some key descriptors such as adsorption energies, d-band center, and coordination number by well-constructed machine learning models, the catalytic activity, optimal composition, active sites, and CO₂ reduction reaction pathway over various possible materials can be predicted and understood. Machine learning is now realized as a fast and low-cost method to effectively explore high performance electrocatalysts for CO₂ reduction.

Facile water oxidation by dinuclear mixed-valence CoIII/CoII complexes: the role of coordinated water

Rational design of a catalyst using earth abundant transition metals that can facilitate the smooth O-O bond formation is crucial for developing efficient water oxidation catalysts. The coordination environment around the metal ion of the catalyst plays a pivotal role in this context. We have chosen dinuclear mixed-valence Co^IIICo^II complexes of the general formula of [Co^IIICo^II(LH₂)₂(X)(H₂O)] (X = OAc or Cl) which bear a coordinated water molecule in the primary coordination sphere. We anticipated that the water molecule in the primary sphere can take part in the proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism which can accelerate the facile formation of the O-O bond under strong alkaline conditions (1 M NaOH). To understand the role of the coordinated water molecule we have generated an analogous complex, [Co^IIICo^II(LH₂)₂(o-vanillin)] (o-vanillin = 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde), without coordinated water. Interestingly, we have found that the water coordinated complexes show better oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and stability.

Catalytic decontamination of organic/inorganic pollutants in water and green H2 generation using nanoporous SnS2 micro-flower structured film

Recycling water and generation of H₂ simultaneously as a green technology can be a key attraction in establishing environmental sustainability. Towards this endeavor, nanoporous SnS₂ film electrodes deposited by a solution process on nickel foam demonstrate a promising electrocatalytic activity towards generation of H₂ gas at cathode while the anodic reaction leads to the decomposition of urea-waste at the rate of 10 mA cm^-2 in 1 M KOH with a lower cell-potential of 1.38 V vs RHE. The SnS₂ electrode also demonstrates an excellent catalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution reaction in a wide pH range (0-14). In addition, the SnS₂ film deposited on an FTO-substrate shows 97.56% photocatalytic-degradation of methylene-blue dye within 180 min under irradiation of visible light with a good recyclability of the photocatalyst, suggesting its high potentiality for the practical application. The demonstrated good electro- and photo-catalytic activities can be ascribed to the nanoporous structure of SnS₂ film in a flower like 3D-fashion, offering availability of abundant active catalytic sites. Our results demonstrate the application of SnS₂ nanoporous film as catalyst can be a significant greenery path for the removal of harmful inorganic/organic hazardous wastes from waste-water with simultaneous generation of green H₂ fuel.

Hydrogen adsorption trends on two metal-doped Ni2P surfaces for optimal catalyst design

In this study, we looked at the hydrogen evolution reaction on the doubly doped Ni3P2 terminated Ni2P surface. Two Ni atoms in the first three layers of the Ni2P surface model were exchanged with two transition metal atoms. We limited our investigation to combinations of Al, Co, and Fe based on their individual effectiveness as Ni2P dopants in our previous computational studies. The DFT calculated hydrogen adsorption free energy was employed as a predictor of the materials' catalytic HER activity. Our results indicate that the combination of Co and Fe dopants most improves the catalytic activity of the surface through the creation of multiple novel and active catalytic sites.

Proton-Assisted Reconstruction of Perovskite Oxides: Toward Improved Electrocatalytic Activity

Electrocatalysis is indispensable to various emerging energy conversion and storage devices such as fuel cells and water electrolyzers. Owing to their unique physicochemical properties, perovskite oxide materials are one of the most promising water oxidation (OER) catalysts solely comprising earth-abundant elements. Nonetheless, many perovskite oxide catalysts suffer from a number of inherent problems such as the A-site cation segregation on the surface, coarse particles due to agglomeration/sintering, and surface decomposition during catalytic reactions. Besides, the catalytic activity is often incomparable with those of the state-of-the-art catalysts. In this work, we developed a proton-assisted approach to mitigate these common challenges. The protonation via the interaction of oxygen vacancies and water molecules induced the formation of protonic defects and the lattice expansion of the perovskite, leading to the fracture of big particles to yield small nanoparticles. This hydration in an acidic solution also selectively removed the A-site cation segregates and generated a spinel/perovskite heterostructure on the surface. We verified this approach using three typical perovskite OER catalysts including Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ (BSCF), La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.8Fe_0.2O₃ (LSCF), and La_0.75Sr_0.25MnO₃ (LSM). The processed catalysts showed much improved activity while maintaining their excellent stability, surpassing most of today's OER catalysts based on complex oxides.

Hydrogen production from water electrolysis: role of catalysts

As a promising substitute for fossil fuels, hydrogen has emerged as a clean and renewable energy. A key challenge is the efficient production of hydrogen to meet the commercial-scale demand of hydrogen. Water splitting electrolysis is a promising pathway to achieve the efficient hydrogen production in terms of energy conversion and storage in which catalysis or electrocatalysis plays a critical role. The development of active, stable, and low-cost catalysts or electrocatalysts is an essential prerequisite for achieving the desired electrocatalytic hydrogen production from water splitting for practical use, which constitutes the central focus of this review. It will start with an introduction of the water splitting performance evaluation of various electrocatalysts in terms of activity, stability, and efficiency. This will be followed by outlining current knowledge on the two half-cell reactions, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), in terms of reaction mechanisms in alkaline and acidic media. Recent advances in the design and preparation of nanostructured noble-metal and non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts will be discussed. New strategies and insights in exploring the synergistic structure, morphology, composition, and active sites of the nanostructured electrocatalysts for increasing the electrocatalytic activity and stability in HER and OER will be highlighted. Finally, future challenges and perspectives in the design of active and robust electrocatalysts for HER and OER towards efficient production of hydrogen from water splitting electrolysis will also be outlined.

Electrochemically dealloyed nanoporous Fe40Ni20Co20P15C5 metallic glass for efficient and stable electrocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen generation

The anion exchange membrane (AEM) in fuel cells requires new, stable, and improved electrocatalysts for large scale commercial production of hydrogen fuel for efficient energy conversion. Fe40Ni20Co20P15C5, a novel metallic glass ribbon, was prepared by arc melting and melt spinning method. The metallic glass was evaluated as an efficient electrocatalyst in water-splitting reactions, namely hydrogen evolution reaction under acidic and alkaline conditions. In addition, oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline medium was also evaluated. In 0.5 M H2SO4, the metallic glass ribbons, after electrochemical dealloying, needed an overpotential of 128 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction, while in 1 M KOH they needed an overpotential of 236 mV for hydrogen evolution. For the oxygen evolution reaction, the overpotential was 278 mV. The electrochemical dealloying procedure significantly reduced the overpotential, and the overpotential remained constant over 20 hours of test conditions under acidic and alkaline conditions. The improved electrocatalytic activity was explained based on the metastable nature of metallic glass and the synergistic effect of metal hydroxo species and phosphates. Based on the excellent properties and free-standing nature of these metallic glass ribbons in electrolyte medium, we propose the current metallic glass for commercial, industrial electrocatalytic applications.

Efficient Machine-Learning-Aided Screening of Hydrogen Adsorption on Bimetallic Nanoclusters

Nanoclusters add an additional dimension in which to look for promising catalyst candidates, since catalytic activity of materials often changes at the nanoscale. However, the large search space of relevant atomic sites exacerbates the challenge for computational screening methods and requires the development of new techniques for efficient exploration. We present an automated workflow that systematically manages simulations from the generation of nanoclusters through the submission of production jobs, to the prediction of adsorption energies. The presented workflow was designed to screen nanoclusters of arbitrary shapes and size, but in this work the search was restricted to bimetallic icosahedral clusters and the adsorption was exemplified on the hydrogen evolution reaction. We demonstrate the efficient exploration of nanocluster configurations and screening of adsorption energies with the aid of machine learning. The results show that the maximum of the d-band Hilbert-transform ϵ_u is correlated strongly with adsorption energies and could be a useful screening property accessible at the nanocluster level.

Engineering of Amorphous Structures and Sulfur Defects into Ultrathin FeS Nanosheets to Achieve Superior Electrocatalytic Alkaline Oxygen Evolution

Integration of amorphous structures and anion defects into ultrathin 2D materials has been identified as an effective strategy for boosting the electrocatalytic performance. However, the in-depth understanding of the relationship among the amorphous structure, vacancy defect, and catalytic activity is still obscure. Herein, a facile strategy was proposed to prepare ultrathin and amorphous Mo-FeS nanosheets (NSs) with abundant sulfur defects. Benefited from the ultrathin, amorphous nanostructure, and synergy effect of Mo-doping and sulfur defect, the Mo-FeS NSs manifested excellent electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline medium, as shown by an ultralow overpotential of 210 mV at 10 mA cm^-2, a Tafel slope of 50 mV dec^-1, and retaining such good catalytic stability over 30 h. The efficient catalytic performance for Mo-FeS NSs is superior to the commercial IrO₂ and most reported top-performing electrocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the accelerated electron/mass transfer over the oxygen-containing intermediates can be attributed to the amorphous structure and sulfur-rich defects caused by structural reconfiguration. Furthermore, the S vacancies could enhance the activity of its neighboring Fe-active sites, which was also beneficial to their OER kinetics. This work integrated both amorphous structures and sulfur vacancies into ultrathin 2D NSs and further systematically evaluated the OER performance, providing new insights for the design of amorphous-layered electrocatalysts.

2D MOFs with Ni(II), Cu(II), and Co(II) as Efficient Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts: Rationalization of Catalytic Performance vs Structure of the MOFs and Potential of the Redox Couples

Earth-abundant transition-metal-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are of immense interest for the development of efficient and durable heterogeneous water splitting electrocatalysts. This repot explores the design of two-dimensional (2D) MOFs with redox-active metal centers (Ni(II), Co(II), and Cu(II)) containing two types of electron-rich linkers such as bis(5-azabenzimidazole), linear L₁ and angular L₂, and aromatic dicarboxylates. The electron-rich linkers are considered to stabilize the higher oxidation state of the redox-active metal centers in the course of the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process. The 2D MOFs of L₁ and L₂ with Co(II) (1 and 3) and Ni(II) (2 and 4) have been produced via the conventional hydrothermal synthesis, while the MOFs of Cu(II) (Cu@1 and Cu@3) are obtained by the postsynthetic transmetallation reaction of MOFs 1 and 3. The electrocatalytic OER activities of the six MOFs have been studied to explore the influence of the redox potential of the transition-metal quasi-reversible couples and the coordination environment around the redox-active metal centers in the electrocatalytic activity. The lowest overpotential of 370 mV exhibited by MOF 2 with the highest current density and TOF value indicates the importance of the presence of coordinated water molecules and the lowest redox potential value of the most favorable quasi-reversible couple Ni⁺²/Ni⁺³. These catalysts exhibit a remarkable stability up to 1000 OER cycles. These studies pave the way for the design of MOF materials toward the development of a promising heterogeneous OER electrocatalyst.

Ni foam electrode solution impregnated with Ni-Fe X (OH) Y catalysts for efficient oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline electrolyzers

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a demanding step within the water splitting process for its requirement of a high overpotential. Thus, to overcome this unfavourable kinetics, an efficient catalyst is required to expedite the process. In this context, we report on Ni foam functionalised with low cost iron (Fe) and iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)_X), wet chemically synthesized as OER catalysts. The prepared catalyst based on iron hydroxide precipitate shows a promising performance, exhibiting an overpotential of 270 mV (at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in 1 M KOH solution), an efficient Tafel slope of ∼50 mV dec⁻¹ and stable chronopotentiometry. The promising performance of the anode was further reproduced in the overall water splitting reaction with a two electrode cell. The overall reaction requires a lower potential of 1.508 V to afford 10 mA cm⁻², corresponding to 81.5% electrical to fuel efficiency.

Modification of Ni foam electrode by FeCl₃·6H₂O and HCl, towards superior oxygen-evolving electrocatalyst for water splitting process.

Rational phase transformation and morphology design to optimize oxygen evolution property of cobalt tungstate

In this work, a facile and feasible soft template method with the aid of buffer solution is successfully applied to synthesize high-order mesoporous cobalt tungstate for the first time. Attributing to the regulation of reaction solution's pH value and the existence of template, the phenomenon of phase transformation occurs, and high-order mesoporous structure is formed. Because of the variation of phase and morphology, only 448 mV can deliver a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 with a small Tafel slope (61 mV dec^-1) for mesoporous cobalt tungsten oxide hydroxide, while the cobalt tungstate nanoparticles cannot satisfy the basic demand of electrocatalysts. Herein, rational phase transformation and morphology design can significantly affect the property of oxygen evolution, which can provide vast opportunities to turn into candidates for the novel oxygen evolution catalyst.

Bottom-up Design of Bimetallic Cobalt-Molybdenum Carbides/Oxides for Overall Water Splitting

Earth-abundant transition-metal-based catalysts for electrochemical water splitting are critical for sustainable energy schemes. In this work, we use a rational design method for the synthesis of ultrasmall and highly dispersed bimetallic CoMo carbide/oxide particles deposited on graphene oxide. Thermal conversion of the molecular precursors [H3 PMo12 O40 ], Co(OAc)2 ⋅4 H2 O and melamine in the presence of graphene oxide gives the mixed carbide/oxide (Co6 Mo6 C2 /Co2 Mo3 O8 ) nanoparticle composite deposited on highly dispersed, N,P-doped carbon. The resulting composite shows outstanding electrocatalytic water-splitting activity for both the oxygen evolution and hydrogen evolution reaction, and superior performance to reference samples including commercial 20 % Pt/C & IrO2 . Electrochemical and other materials analyses indicate that Co6 Mo6 C2 is the main active phase in the composite, and the N,P-doping of the carbon matrix increases the catalytic activity. The facile design could in principle be extended to multiple bimetallic catalyst classes by tuning of the molecular metal oxide precursor.