Enhanced electro-oxidation of urea using Ni-NiS debris via confinement in carbon derived from glucose

Recent Advancements in Chalcogenides for Electrochemical Energy Storage Applications

Energy storage has become increasingly important as a study area in recent decades. A growing number of academics are focusing their attention on developing and researching innovative materials for use in energy storage systems to promote sustainable development goals. This is due to the finite supply of traditional energy sources, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, and escalating regional tensions. Because of these issues, sustainable renewable energy sources have been touted as an alternative to nonrenewable fuels. Deployment of renewable energy sources requires efficient and reliable energy storage devices due to their intermittent nature. High-performance electrochemical energy storage technologies with high power and energy densities are heralded to be the next-generation storage devices. Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) have sparked interest among electrode materials because of their intriguing electrochemical properties. Researchers have revealed a variety of modifications to improve their electrochemical performance in energy storage. However, a stronger link between the type of change and the resulting electrochemical performance is still desired. This review examines the synthesis of chalcogenides for electrochemical energy storage devices, their limitations, and the importance of the modification method, followed by a detailed discussion of several modification procedures and how they have helped to improve their electrochemical performance. We also discussed chalcogenides and their composites in batteries and supercapacitors applications. Furthermore, this review discusses the subject’s current challenges as well as potential future opportunities.

Ni3S2/Ni Heterostructure Nanobelt Arrays as Bifunctional Catalysts for Urea-Rich Wastewater Degradation

Urea electrolysis is a cost-effective method for urea-rich wastewater degradation to achieve a pollution-free environment. In this work, the Ni₃S₂/Ni heterostructure nanobelt arrays supported on nickel foam (Ni₃S₂/Ni/NF) are synthesized for accelerating the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It only needs ultralow potentials of 1.30 V and -54 mV to achieve the current density of ±10 mA cm^-2 for UOR and HER, respectively. Meanwhile, the overall urea oxidation driven by Ni₃S₂/Ni/NF only needs 1.36 V to achieve 10 mA cm^-2, and it can remain at 100 mA cm^-2 for 60 h without obvious activity attenuation. The superior performance could be attributed to the heterostructure between Ni₃S₂ and Ni, which can promote electron transfer and form electron-poor Ni species to optimize urea decomposition and hydrogen production. Moreover, the nanobelt self-supported structure could expose abundant active sites. This work thus provides a feasible and cost-effective strategy for urea-rich wastewater degradation and hydrogen production.