Simple fabrication of trimetallic platinum-nickel-cobalt hollow alloyed 3D multipods for highly boosted hydrogen evolution reaction

An Infrequent 1D Manganese-Tin Selenide with Bifunctional Catalytic Properties

The optoelectronic, electrocatalytic, and photocatalytic properties of new tin selenides are of great significance for various energy applications. Herein, a facile solvothermal reaction of Sn, Se, and MnCl2 in 1,3-propodiamine (1,3-dap) solution at 150 °C for 7 days was used to achieve a new type of one-dimensional (1D) organic hybrid manganese-tin selenide [Mn2(1,3-dap)4(μ-1,3-dap)Sn2Se6]n (MnSnSe-1), whose 1D framework is built up from the linkage of rare unsaturated binuclear [Mn2(1,3-dap)4(μ-1,3-dap)]2+ cations and dimeric [Sn2Se6]4- anions. The combination of MnSnSe-1 and Ni nanoparticle is first applied for the preparation of a Ni/MnSnSe-1/NF electrode (NF = porous Ni foam) as the efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), indicating excellent HER electrocatalytic property with an overpotential of 117 mV at 10 mA·cm-2 in a neutral medium. Owing to its narrow absorption edge of 1.65 eV, implying prominent harvesting ability in the visible-light region, MnSnSe-1 shows a remarkable photocurrent response and excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic property for the degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution.

Cobalt-Based Nanoscale Material: An Emerging Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Production

Modern civilization has been highly suffering from energy crisis and environmental pollutions. These two burning issues are directly and indirectly created from fossil fuel consumption and uncontrolled industrialization. The above critical issue can be solved through the proper utilization of green energy sources where no greenhouse gases will be generated upon burning of such materials. Hydrogen is the most eligible candidate for this purpose. Among various methods of hydrogen generation, electrocatalytic process is one of the most efficient methods because of easy handling and high efficiency. In these aspects Co-based nanomaterials are considered to be extremely significant as they can be utilized as efficient, recyclable and ideal catalytic system. In this article a series of Co-based nano-electrocatalysts has been discussed with proper structure-property relationship and their medium dependency. Therefore, such type of stimulating summary on recently reported electrocatalysts and their activity may be helpful for scientists of the corresponding field as well as for broader research communities. This can be inspiration for materials researchers to fabricate active catalysts for the production of hydrogen gas in room temperature.

Rapid Synthesis of Nickel Hydroxide/Pt-Based Alloy Heterointerface for Hydrogen Evolution in Full pH Range

The huge application potential of nanoelectrocatalysts can become available only under the condition of scalable and reproducible preparation of nanomaterials (NMs). It is easily overlooked that most of the preparation methods for efficient platinum (Pt)-based electrocatalysts are complicated in process and time-/energy-consuming, which is not conducive to scalable and sustainable production. Herein, we propose a rapid and facile method to in situ construct a heterointerface between nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) and NiPt alloy, in which the preparation steps are easy-to-operate and can be finished in 1 h. Furthermore, the ensemble effect between the Ni(OH)2 substrate and NiPt active sites benefits the water dissociation process in nonacidic conditions, while the electronic effect in NiPt contributes to the downshifted d-band center of Pt and the proper Gibbs free energy of hydrogen species. As a result, the well-designed and quickly constructed Ni(OH)2-Ni3Pt heterointerfaces reveal lower overpotentials for HER compared with most reported Pt-based and commercial Pt/C catalysts in nonacidic conditions. This study is expected to provide useful reference information for the development of facile and robust methods for the preparation of more efficient Pt-based electrocatalysts.

A novel magneto-mediated electrochemical biosensor integrated DNAzyme motor and hollow nanobox-like Pt@Ni-Co electrocatalyst as dual signal amplifiers for vanilla detection

Herein, a novel magneto-mediated electrochemical aptasensor using the signal amplification technologies of DNAzyme motor and electrocatalyst for vanilla (VAN) detection was fabricated. The D/B duplex, formed by the DNAzyme motor that was each silenced by a blocker, and hairpin DNA1 (H1) containing adenosine ribonucleotide (rA) site were tethered on the sites of the gold nanoparticles@hollow porphyrinic-Metal-organic framework/polyethyleneimine-reduced graphene oxide (AuHPCN-222/PEI-rGO)-modified gold electrode (AuE). Then, after homogeneous and specific recognition in the presence of the VAN, trigger DNA was released and enriched by magnetic separation technique and introduced to the sensing platform to activate the DNAzyme motor, which efficiently improved target recognition capability and avoided the obstacle of multiple DNA strands tangling. More interestingly, the activated DNAzyme motor could repeatedly bind to and cleave H1 in the presence of Mg2+, leading to the exposure of a plethora of capture probes. The thionine (Thi) functionalized hairpin DNA2 (H2)-Pt@Ni-Co as signal probes could hybridize with capture probes. Additionally, the Pt@Ni-Co electrocatalysts presented catalytic activity towards Thi to obtain stronger electrochemical signals. VAN with concentrations ranging from 1 × 10-6 to 10 μM was determined and a detection limit was down to 0.15 pM. The designed electrochemical sensor was highly selective with specificity, stability, reproducibility, and reliable capability for monitoring the VAN in real samples.

One-Dimensional Selenidostannates Based on an Infrequent Tetrameric Cluster [Sn4Se12] Exhibiting Electro-Catalytic Properties

The discovery of low-cost and efficient electro-catalytic materials for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is very desirable in hydrogen energy technology. Here, a new type of one-dimensional (1-D) organic hybrid selenidostannate [Ni(en)₃]_n[Sn₂Se₅]_n (SnSe-1, en = ethylenediamine) with an in situ [Ni(en)₃]²⁺ complex was achieved by the solvothermal reaction of Sn, Se, and NiCl₂·6H₂O in a mixed solvent of en and triethanolamine at 160 °C for 10 days. The crystal structure of SnSe-1 contains a unique 1-D [Sn₂Se₅^2-]_n chain built up from the sharing-edge connection of a hitherto-unknown tetrameric [Sn₄Se₁₂] cluster, which is separated by discrete [Ni(en)₃]²⁺ complexes. SnSe-1 is first combined with Ni nanoparticles supported on conductive porous Ni foam (NF) to constitute a Ni/SnSe-1/NF electrode as the HER electro-catalyst, displaying superior electro-catalytic activity in near-neutral conditions.

Simple pyrolysis of graphene-wrapped PtNi nanoparticles supported on hierarchically N-doped porous carbon for sensitive detection of carbendazim

A novel electrochemical sensor was established based on graphene-wrapped PtNi nanoparticles supported on three-dimensional (3D) N-doped porous carbon (G-PtNi/3D-NPC) for the highly sensitive and selective detection of carbendazim (CBZ). In this sensing system, the encapsulation of PtNi nanoparticles (NPs) by graphene can effectively prevent the aggregation tendency and enhance the structural stability. The hierarchically porous nanostructures have a large specific surface area to expose a large number of active sites and the resulting enhanced electrical conductivity ultimate improves the electrocatalytic activity towards CBZ. Under the optimal conditions, the prepared sensor showed excellent electrochemical responses for the determination of CBZ with a linear range of 0.5-30 μM and lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 μM (S/N = 3). It also shows excellent anti-interference ability at a working potential of 0.74 V. The feasibility of the senor is demonstrated for its practical assays in diluted peach and vegetable samples with acceptable recovery (95.8-97.3 %, peach; 97.2-97.6 %, vegetable) and a relative standard deviation (RSD) below 2.3%.

Progress in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution of transition metal alloys: synthesis, structure, and mechanism analysis

At present, the problems of high energy consumption and low efficiency in electrocatalytic hydrogen production have limited the large-scale industrial application of this technology. Constructing effective catalysts has become the way to solve these problems. Transition metal alloys have been proved to be very promising materials in hydrogen evaluation reaction (HER). In this study, the related theories and characterization methods of electrocatalysis are summarized, and the latest progress in the application of binary, ternary, and high entropy alloys to HER in recent years is analyzed and studied. The synthesis methods and optimization strategies of transition metal alloys, including composition regulation, hybrid engineering, phase engineering, and morphological engineering were emphatically discussed, and the principles and performance mechanism analysis of these strategies were discussed in detail. Although great progress has been made in alloy catalysts, there is still considerable room for applications. Finally, the challenges, prospects, and research directions of transition metal alloys in the future were predicted.

Enhancing Resistance to Chloride Corrosion by Controlling the Morphologies of PtNi Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Seawater Hydrogen Evolution

A solvothermal method to prepare PtNi alloys that have differing morphologies is described. By adjusting the feed ratio of Pt and Ni precursors in this process, PtNi alloys with different compositions (Pt : Ni atomic ratio from 1 : 3 to 3 : 1) and morphologies (evolution from nanobranches to nanoparticles) are generated. The prepared Pt₄₈ Ni₅₂ alloy, which has a composite morphology comprised of nanobranches and nanoparticles, exhibits superior activity and durability towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in seawater compared to those of commercial Pt/C catalyst and other PtNi alloys that have different compositions and morphologies. The excellent seawater HER performance of Pt₄₈ Ni₅₂ is ascribed to its nanobranch/nanoparticle morphology that optimally facilitates electron accumulation on Pt, which enhances resistance to chloride corrosion in seawater.

Recent advances in understanding and design of efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts for water splitting: A comprehensive review

An unsustainable reliance on fossil fuels is the primary cause of the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn lead to climate change. Green hydrogen (H₂), which may be generated by electrolyzing water with renewable power sources, is a possible substitute for fossil fuels. On the other hand, the increasing intricacy of hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts that are presently being explored makes it more challenging to integrate catalytic theories, catalytic fabrication procedures, and characterization techniques. This review will initially present the thermodynamics, kinetics, and associated electrical and structural characteristics for HER electrocatalysts before highlighting design approaches for the electrocatalysts. Secondly, an in-depth discussion regarding the rational design, synthesis, mechanistic insight, and performance improvement of electrocatalysts is centered on both the intrinsic and extrinsic influences. Thirdly, the most recent technological advances in electrocatalytic water-splitting approaches are described. Finally, the difficulties and possibilities associated with generating extremely effective HER electrocatalysts for water-splitting applications are discussed.

Hydrogen evolution reaction catalysis on RuM (M = Ni, Co) porous nanorods by cation etching

The development of efficient and stable nanomaterial electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of great significance for renewable energy conversion via water electrolysis. Herein, we have developed a novel class of bimetallic RuM (M = Ni, Co) hollow nanorods (HNRs) through a facile Fe³⁺ etching strategy, as electrocatalysts for enhancing the HER. Morphological physical characterization and electrochemical tests demonstrated that RuM (M = Ni, Co) HNRs with hollow structures can effectively enhance electrocatalytic activity due to their high specific surface areas. Impressively, the RuNi HNRs exhibited superior HER performance with an overpotential of merely 25.6 mV in 1 M KOH solution at 10 mA cm^-2, which is significantly lower than that of commercial Pt/C (44.7 mV). Moreover, the as prepared RuNi HNRs showed excellent stability and could continuously work at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 for 40 h with a negligible increase in potential. The Ru-based HNRs also showed high HER activity in an acidic solution. This study paves a new way for the universal fabrication of bimetallic hollow structured nanomaterials as efficient electrocatalysts for boosting the HER.

Simple synthesis of PtRu nanoassemblies as signal amplifiers for electrochemical immunoassay of carbohydrate antigen 19-9

In clinical analysis, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA199) is a gold standard for pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Herein, PtRu nanoassemblies (NAs) were synthesized via a facile one-step solvothermal approach, with the help of octylphenoxypolye thoxyethanol (NP-40) acted as a growth-directing molecule, and triethylene glycol (TEG) worked as a reductant and solvent. During the assembly process of small particles, a large number of voids were formed, which significantly increase the specific surface area of the PtRu NAs exhibiting excellent electrocatalytic performance. Incorporating the PtRu NAs as signal amplifiers for potassium ferrocyanide oxidation into the specific molecular recognition of proteins, a facile signal-enhanced electrochemical (EC) immunosensor was developed. Verified by a series of experiments, the proposed immunosensor presented a wide linear range (10^-4-70 U mL^-1) and a low detection limit (3.3 × 10^-5 U mL^-1), accompanied by good reproducibility, selectivity, and stability, which could be applied in human serum samples for the determination of CA199, and was comparable to commercial electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay. Feasibility of batch fabrication of PtRu NAs makes nanomaterial-based EC immunoassay promising for the determination of similar cancer markers in future.

Rational Design of Better Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting: A Review

The excessive dependence on fossil fuels contributes to the majority of CO2 emissions, influencing on the climate change. One promising alternative to fossil fuels is green hydrogen, which can be produced through water electrolysis from renewable electricity. However, the variety and complexity of hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts currently studied increases the difficulty in the integration of catalytic theory, catalyst design and preparation, and characterization methods. Herein, this review first highlights design principles for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts, presenting the thermodynamics, kinetics, and related electronic and structural descriptors for HER. Second, the reasonable design, preparation, mechanistic understanding, and performance enhancement of electrocatalysts are deeply discussed based on intrinsic and extrinsic effects. Third, recent advancements in the electrocatalytic water splitting technology are further discussed briefly. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of the development of highly efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts for water splitting are proposed.

Heterogeneous Trimetallic Nanoparticles as Catalysts

The development and application of trimetallic nanoparticles continues to accelerate rapidly as a result of advances in materials design, synthetic control, and reaction characterization. Following the technological successes of multicomponent materials in automotive exhausts and photovoltaics, synergistic effects are now accessible through the careful preparation of multielement particles, presenting exciting opportunities in the field of catalysis. In this review, we explore the methods currently used in the design, synthesis, analysis, and application of trimetallic nanoparticles across both the experimental and computational realms and provide a critical perspective on the emergent field of trimetallic nanocatalysts. Trimetallic nanoparticles are typically supported on high-surface-area metal oxides for catalytic applications, synthesized via preparative conditions that are comparable to those applied for mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles. However, controlled elemental segregation and subsequent characterization remain challenging because of the heterogeneous nature of the systems. The multielement composition exhibits beneficial synergy for important oxidation, dehydrogenation, and hydrogenation reactions; in some cases, this is realized through higher selectivity, while activity improvements are also observed. However, challenges related to identifying and harnessing influential characteristics for maximum productivity remain. Computation provides support for the experimental endeavors, for example in electrocatalysis, and a clear need is identified for the marriage of simulation, with respect to both combinatorial element screening and optimal reaction design, to experiment in order to maximize productivity from this nascent field. Clear challenges remain with respect to identifying, making, and applying trimetallic catalysts efficiently, but the foundations are now visible, and the outlook is strong for this exciting chemical field.

N, P-doped carbon supported ruthenium doped Rhenium phosphide with porous nanostructure for hydrogen evolution reaction using sustainable energies

Developing efficient and cost-effective catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is vital to hydrogen energy's commercial applications. In this study, N,P-doped carbon supported ruthenium (Ru) doped triruthenium tetraphosphide (Re₃P₄) (Ru-Re₃P₄/NPC) with porous nanostructure is prepared using the low-toxic melamine phosphate as the carbon and phosphorous source. The in-situ generated N,P-doped carbon layers play a pivotal role in regulating the electrocatalytic activity by avoiding the aggregation of the nanoparticles and increasing the specific surface area. Moreover, Ru doping contributes to the remarkable electrocatalytic performance of the prepared nanomaterials. Impressively, the as-synthesized Ru-Re₃P₄/NPC presents remarkable electrocatalytic performances toward HER with small overpotentials of 39 mV, 115 mV, and 88 mV to deliver 10 mA cm^-2 in alkaline, neutral, and acidic media. Moreover, the prepared electrocatalyst can drive water-splitting with a small potential of 1.45 V@10 mA cm^-2 and use sustainable energies, including solar, wind, and thermal, as electric resources. This work paves a novel and valuable way to enhance the electrocatalytic performances of metal phosphides.

Novel bimetallic MOF derived N-doped carbon supported Ru nanoparticles for efficient reduction of nitro aromatic compounds and rhodamine B

N-doped carbon enables Ru-NC-15 to exhibit extremely high catalytic activity towards 4-nitrophenol and rhodamine B reduction.

Enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution by constructing strong metal-support interaction on Pd-CeO2-x-NC hybrids

Diminishing the size of metal nanostructures can significantly improve the performance of catalysts. However, the self-aggregation of small particles is still an insurmountable obstacle, resulting in the unfavorable stability and recyclability. Herein, we designed and fabricated the Pd-CeO_2-x-NC catalyst though an accurate deposition strategy to downsize the Pd particle to sub-nanometer level and enhance its running stability. The CeO_2-x nanoclusters were firstly dispersed on the nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets. Further, the active Pd sub-nanoclusters were accurately scattered on the surface of CeO_2-x ascribing to the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between Pd and CeO_2-x, which was beneficial to promote the catalytic activity. Subsequently, the high oxidation state Pdⁿ⁺ species were formed due to the electron transfer from Pd to CeO_2-x caused by the SMSI effect. Strikingly, the HER performance of Pd-CeO_2-x-NC was surprisingly correlated with the ratio of Pdⁿ⁺, suggesting Pdⁿ⁺ acted as the dominant active species. Besides, the SMSI effect stabilized the valence state of active Pdⁿ⁺ species and prevented the sub-nanometer Pd clusters from aggregation, which played a vital role for the enhanced stability of the hybrid catalyst. This synthetic process described here is contributed to prepare various nanostructured catalysts with satisfactory stability through the direct targeting strategy.

Nanowire-structured FeP-CoP arrays as highly active and stable bifunctional electrocatalyst synergistically promoting high-current overall water splitting

The design and construction of highly efficient and durable non-noble metal bifunctional catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media is essential for developing the hydrogen economy. To achieve this goal, we have developed a bifunctional nanowire-structured FeP-CoP array catalyst on carbon cloth with uniform distribution through in-situ hydrothermal growth and phosphating treatment. The unique nanowire array structure and the strong electronic interaction between FeP and CoP species have been confirmed. Electrochemical studies have found that the designed Fe_0.14Co_0.86-P/CC catalyst appears excellent HER (130 mV@10 mA cm^-2)/OER (270 mV@10 mA cm^-2) activity and stability. Moreover, the bifunctional Fe_0.14Co_0.86-P/CC^(+/-) catalyst is also used in simulated industrial water splitting system, where the pair catalyst requires about 1.95 and 2.14 V to reach 500 and 1000 mA cm^-2, even superior to the control RuO₂⁽⁺⁾||Pt/C^(-) catalyst, showing good industrial application prospects. These excellent electrocatalytic properties are attributed to the synergy between FeP and CoP species as well as the unique microstructure, which can accelerate charge transfer, expose more active sites and enhance electrolyte diffusion and gas emissions.

Bimetallic Nanocrystals: Structure, Controllable Synthesis and Applications in Catalysis, Energy and Sensing

In recent years, bimetallic nanocrystals have attracted great interest from many researchers. Bimetallic nanocrystals are expected to exhibit improved physical and chemical properties due to the synergistic effect between the two metals, not just a combination of two monometallic properties. More importantly, the properties of bimetallic nanocrystals are significantly affected by their morphology, structure, and atomic arrangement. Reasonable regulation of these parameters of nanocrystals can effectively control their properties and enhance their practicality in a given application. This review summarizes some recent research progress in the controlled synthesis of shape, composition and structure, as well as some important applications of bimetallic nanocrystals. We first give a brief introduction to the development of bimetals, followed by the architectural diversity of bimetallic nanocrystals. The most commonly used and typical synthesis methods are also summarized, and the possible morphologies under different conditions are also discussed. Finally, we discuss the composition-dependent and shape-dependent properties of bimetals in terms of highlighting applications such as catalysis, energy conversion, gas sensing and bio-detection applications.

Fragment-interconnected nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets loaded with platinum group metals for highly boosted hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution

The rational design and preparation of advanced electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under alkaline conditions is the key to achieving sustainable hydrogen production. Herein, a new type of nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets (NPCN) loaded with platinum group metals (Pd, Pt or Ru) were prepared. The introduction of melamine not only realized the doping of N-species, but also optimized the morphology and surface functional groups of the prepared catalysts. The prepared Pd-NPCN, Pt-NPCN and Ru-NPCN with a metal loading of about 10 wt% showed outstanding HER activity (21, 9 and 11 mv at 10 mA cm^-2 current density), small Tafel slopes (49, 30 and 30 mV dec^-1) and good stability in 1.0 M KOH. In addition, the mechanism of the introduction of melamine to improve the catalytic performance of HER was also discussed. Therefore, this work provides promising alternatives to traditional Pt-based catalysts, and is instructive for the design of high-efficiency alkaline HER catalysts.

Hierarchically Assembling CoFe Prussian Blue Analogue Nanocubes on CoP Nanosheets as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting

Efficient and durable electrocatalysts are highly desirable for overall water splitting. Herein, a facile strategy is demonstrated to rationally construct CoFe Prussian blue analogues (PBA)@CoP cube-on-sheet hierarchical structure by etching reaction with intermediated CoO to form PBA nanocubes. Benefitting from the heterostructured engineering, the as-synthesized CoFe PBA@CoP presents remarkable electrocatalytic performance in 1.0 m KOH, only requiring overpotentials of 100 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 171 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to reach the 10 mA cm^-2 current density with good stability. Extraordinarily enhanced electrocatalytic performance is ascribed to not only the rapid charge transfer of active species, but also the synergistic effect between each component to achieve tuned electronic structure and abundant electrocatalytic active sites. Especially, the assembled two-electrode cell using CoFe PBA@CoP as both cathode and anode delivers the current densities of 10 mA cm^-2 at a relatively low cell voltage of 1.542 V, outperforming most of low-cost bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. The controllable and versatile strategy will open up an avenue to prepare hybrid films for advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion.

Mesoporous NiCo alloy/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites as efficient hydrogen evolution catalysts

Water electrolysis is a clean and efficient route for producing high-purity hydrogen. Developing highly efficient, stable and inexpensive electrocatalysts to replace Pt is currently a major challenge for the widespread application of water splitting. Herein, we report a facile and novel strategy for the synthesis of mesoporous NiCo alloy nanoparticle/reduced graphene oxide (MNiCo/rGO) composites via electroless deposition technique. Owing to the synergistic interaction of Ni and Co, the mesoporous structure of NiCo alloy, and the optimized combination of the mesoporous NiCo with rGO, the obtained optimal MNi₆₃Co₃₇/rGO₅ catalyst exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with a low overpotential of 115 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm^-2, and a small Tafel slope of 45 mV dec^-1, as well as a high durability in alkaline solution. These remarkable merits make it a favorable alternative to noble metal Pt-based catalysts for HER, thereby further promoting the development of non-noble metal electrocatalysts.

Enriching the branching of Au@PdAu core–shell nanocrystals using a syringe pump: kinetics control meets lattice mismatch

Gold@palladium–gold nanocrystals with a tunable branched shape are prepared via seeded growth, where the use of a syringe pump allows the manipulation over reaction kinetics as coupled by surface diffusion and strain caused by lattice mismatch.

Investigation of polymer-derived Si-(B)-C-N ceramic/reduced graphene oxide composite systems as active catalysts towards the hydrogen evolution reaction

Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) is an attractive technology for chemical conversion of energy. Replacement of platinum with inexpensive and stable electrocatalysts remains a major bottleneck hampering large-scale hydrogen production by using clean and renewable energy sources. Here, we report electrocatalytically active and ultra-stable Polymer-Derived Ceramics towards HER. We successfully prepared ultrathin silicon and carbon (Si–C) based ceramic systems supported on electrically conducting 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets with promising HER activity by varying the nature and the composition of the ceramic with the inclusion of nitrogen, boron and oxygen. Our results suggest that oxygen-enriched Si-B-C-N/rGO composites (O-SiBCN/rGO) display the strongest catalytic activity leading to an onset potential and a Tafel slope of − 340 mV and ~ 120 mV dec⁻¹ respectively. O-SiBCN/rGO electrodes display stability over 170 h with minimal increase of 14% of the overpotential compared to ~ 1700% for commercial platinum nanoparticles. Our study provides new insights on the performance of ceramics as affordable and robust HER catalysts calling for further exploration of the electrocatalytic activity of such unconventional materials.

Rational design of Cu3PdN nanocrystals for selective electroreduction of carbon dioxide to formic acid

The selective electrochemical reduction of CO₂ yields value-added products that are important renewable energy resources for carbon recycling. In this study, Cu₃PdN nanocrystals (NCs) exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity for carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction to formic acid (HCOOH) than as-prepared Cu₃N and Cu₃Pd NCs. In addition, the reaction yielded small amounts of CO (<5%), H₂, and HCOOH as the main products, and the electrocatalytic activity of the Cu NCs was significantly enhanced by modification with N and Pd. This work demonstrates a simple and effective strategy for improving the electrochemical reduction of CO₂.

Potentiostatic electrodeposition of Ni-Se-Cu on nickel foam as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

Development of cost-effective and efficient earth-abundant catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a great challenge. In this study, by one-step potentiostatic electrodeposition, the Ni-Se-Cu electrocatalyst on nickel foam was fabricated as a binder-free HER electrocatalyst. As compared with Ni-Se electrocatalysts, such fabricated Ni-Se-Cu electrocatalyst exhibited prominent electrocatalytic activity to the HER in alkaline electrolyte. This Ni-Se-Cu electrocatalyst exhibits a small overpotential of 136 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA·cm^-2 and high electrochemical stability. The remarkable HER properties of Ni-Se-Cu electrocatalyst mainly originate from high electronic conductivity induced by Cu-doping. This work shows a cheap and simple avenue to develop high efficient non-noble electrochemical electrocatalysts for HER.

PtMn/PtCo alloy nanofascicles: robust electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction under both acidic and alkaline conditions

Herein, PtMn and PtCo nanofascicles were prepared by ultrathin nanofibers using a versatile method, and can be employed as effective electrocatalysts toward the HER under both acidic and alkaline conditions.

Designed synthesis of WC-based nanocomposites as low-cost, efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction

In this study, effectively conductive rGO (reduced graphene oxide) was used as the supporter both to promote charge transfer and to refine particle size of WC, to realize efficient and stable HER performance.