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Wang Q, Fei Z, Shen D, Cheng C, Dyson PJ. Ginkgo Leaf-Derived Carbon Supports for the Immobilization of Iron/Iron Phosphide Nanospheres for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2309830. [PMID: 38174610 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202309830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Iron/iron phosphide nanospheres supported on ginkgo leaf-derived carbon (Fe&FeP@gl-C) are prepared using a post-phosphidation approach, with varying amounts of iron (Fe). The activity of the catalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) outperforms iron/iron carbide nanospheres supported on ginkgo leaf-derived carbon (Fe&FexC@gl-C), due to enhanced work function, electron transfer, and Volmer processes. The d-band centers of Fe&FeP@gl-C-15 move away from the Fermi level, lowering the H2 desorption energy and accelerating the Heyrovsky reaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the hydrogen-binding free energy |ΔGH*| value is close to zero for the Fe&FeP@gl-C-15 catalyst, showing a good balance between Volmer and Heyrovsky processes. The Fe&FeP@gl-C-15 catalyst shows excellent hydrogen evolution performance in 0.5 m H2SO4, driving a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 92 mV. Notably, the Fe&FeP@gl-C-15 catalyst outperforms a 20 wt% Pt/C catalyst, with a smaller overpotential required to drive a higher current density above 375 mA cm-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qichang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210096, P. R. China
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Zhaofu Fei
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Dekui Shen
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210096, P. R. China
| | - Chongbo Cheng
- Engineering Laboratory of Energy System Process Conversion and Emission Reduction Technology of Jiangsu Province, School of Energy & Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, P. R. China
| | - Paul J Dyson
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
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Romanyuk O, Stehlík Š, Zemek J, Aubrechtová Dragounová K, Kromka A. Utilizing Constant Energy Difference between sp-Peak and C 1s Core Level in Photoelectron Spectra for Unambiguous Identification and Quantification of Diamond Phase in Nanodiamonds. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:590. [PMID: 38607124 PMCID: PMC11013481 DOI: 10.3390/nano14070590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The modification of nanodiamond (ND) surfaces has significant applications in sensing devices, drug delivery, bioimaging, and tissue engineering. Precise control of the diamond phase composition and bond configurations during ND processing and surface finalization is crucial. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the graphitization process in various types of hydrogenated NDs, considering differences in ND size and quality. We prepared three types of hydrogenated NDs: high-pressure high-temperature NDs (HPHT ND-H; 0-30 nm), conventional detonation nanodiamonds (DND-H; ~5 nm), and size- and nitrogen-reduced hydrogenated nanodiamonds (snr-DND-H; 2-3 nm). The samples underwent annealing in an ultra-high vacuum and sputtering by Ar cluster ion beam (ArCIB). Samples were investigated by in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in situ ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). Our investigation revealed that the graphitization temperature of NDs ranges from 600 °C to 700 °C and depends on the size and crystallinity of the NDs. Smaller DND particles with a high density of defects exhibit a lower graphitization temperature. We revealed a constant energy difference of 271.3 eV between the sp-peak in the valence band spectra (at around 13.7 eV) and the sp3 component in the C 1s core level spectra (at 285.0 eV). The identification of this energy difference helps in calibrating charge shifts and serves the unambiguous identification of the sp3 bond contribution in the C 1s spectra obtained from ND samples. Results were validated through reference measurements on hydrogenated single crystal C(111)-H and highly-ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG).
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksandr Romanyuk
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (Š.S.); (J.Z.); (K.A.D.); (A.K.)
| | - Štěpán Stehlík
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (Š.S.); (J.Z.); (K.A.D.); (A.K.)
- New Technologies—Research Centre, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitní 8, 306 14 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Zemek
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (Š.S.); (J.Z.); (K.A.D.); (A.K.)
| | - Kateřina Aubrechtová Dragounová
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (Š.S.); (J.Z.); (K.A.D.); (A.K.)
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, 115 19 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander Kromka
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (Š.S.); (J.Z.); (K.A.D.); (A.K.)
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Chang K, Podder C, Pan H. Ligand Decomposition Differences during Thermal Sintering of Oleylamine-Capped Gold Nanoparticles in Ambient and Inert Environments: Implications for Conductive Inks. ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS 2023; 6:23418-23429. [PMID: 38356925 PMCID: PMC10862381 DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.3c04803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are essential in creating conductive inks vital for advancing printable electronics, sensing technologies, catalysis, and plasmonics. A crucial step in fabricating useful GNP-based devices is understanding the thermal sintering process and particularly the decomposition pathways of ligands in different environments. This study addresses a gap in the existing research by examining the sintering of oleylamine (OA)-capped GNPs in both ambient (air) and inert (N2) environments. Through a series of analyses including TGA/MS, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS, distinctive OA decomposition behaviors were identified in air and nitrogen environments. The research delineates two OA decomposition pathways resulting in different porosity, microstructure, and electrical conductivity of GNP films sintered in air and nitrogen environments. The study offers some insights that can steer the sintering and utilization of the GNP sintering process and promises to aid the future development of nanoparticle-based printable electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chang
- J. Mike Walker’66
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas
A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Chinmoy Podder
- J. Mike Walker’66
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas
A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Heng Pan
- J. Mike Walker’66
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas
A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
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Tulić S, Waitz T, Romanyuk O, Varga M, Čaplovičová M, Habler G, Vretenár V, Kotlár M, Kromka A, Rezek B, Skákalová V. Ni-mediated reactions in nanocrystalline diamond on Si substrates: the role of the oxide barrier. RSC Adv 2020; 10:8224-8232. [PMID: 35497871 PMCID: PMC9049891 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra00809e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films grown on Si substrates by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MWPECVD) were subjected to Ni-mediated graphitization to cover them with a conductive layer. Results of transmission electron microscopy including electron energy-loss spectroscopy of cross-sectional samples demonstrate that the oxide layer on Si substrates (∼5 nm native SiO2) has been damaged by microwave plasma during the early stage of NCD growth. During the heat treatment for graphitizing the NCD layer, the permeability or absence of the oxide barrier allow Ni nanoparticles to diffuse into the Si substrate and cause additional solid-state reactions producing pyramidal crystals of NiSi2 and SiC nanocrystals. The latter are found impinged into the NiSi2 pyramids but only when the interfacial oxide layer is absent, replaced by amorphous SiC. The complex phase morphology of the samples is also reflected in the temperature dependence of electrical conductivity, where multiple pathways of the electronic transport dominate in different temperature regions. We present models explaining the observed cascade of solid-state reactions and resulting electronic transport properties of such heterostructures. Nanocrystalline diamond films grown on Si/native oxide substrates were subjected to Ni-mediated graphitization. Transmission electron microscopy study revealed crystals of NiSi2 and SiC across the carbon/silicon interface in addition.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Semir Tulić
- Physics of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna Boltzmanngasse 5 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Thomas Waitz
- Physics of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna Boltzmanngasse 5 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Oleksandr Romanyuk
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences Cukrovarnická 10 Prague 6 Czech Republic
| | - Marián Varga
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences Cukrovarnická 10 Prague 6 Czech Republic
| | - Mária Čaplovičová
- Slovak University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics Vazovova 5 812 43 Bratislava Slovakia
| | - Gerlinde Habler
- Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna Althanstrasse 14 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Viliam Vretenár
- Slovak University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics Vazovova 5 812 43 Bratislava Slovakia
| | - Mário Kotlár
- Slovak University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics Vazovova 5 812 43 Bratislava Slovakia
| | - Alexander Kromka
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences Cukrovarnická 10 Prague 6 Czech Republic
| | - Bohuslav Rezek
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences Cukrovarnická 10 Prague 6 Czech Republic.,Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University Technická 2 Prague 6 Czech Republic
| | - Viera Skákalová
- Physics of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna Boltzmanngasse 5 1090 Vienna Austria .,Slovak University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics Vazovova 5 812 43 Bratislava Slovakia
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Xu J, Yokota Y, Wong RA, Kim Y, Einaga Y. Unusual Electrochemical Properties of Low-Doped Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes Containing sp 2 Carbon. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:2310-2316. [PMID: 31927922 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b11183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Unexpected phenomena displayed by low-boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes are disclosed in the present work. Generally, the presence of sp2 nondiamond carbon impurities in BDD electrodes causes undesirable electrochemical properties, such as a reduced potential window and increased background current, etc. However, we found that the potential window and redox reaction in normally doped (1%) BDD and low-doped (0.1%) BDD exhibited opposite tendencies depending on the extent of sp2 carbon. Moreover, we found that contrary to the usual expectations, low-doped BDD containing sp2 carbon hinders electron transfer, whereas in line with expectations, normally doped BDD containing sp2 exhibits enhanced electron transfer. Surface analyses by X-ray/ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS/UPS) and electrochemical methods are utilized to explain these unusual phenomena. This work indicates that the electrochemical properties of low-doped BDD containing sp2 might be due partially to the high level of surface oxygen, the large work function, the low carrier density, and the existence of different types of sp2 carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- Department of Chemistry , Keio University , 3-14-1 Hiyoshi , Yokohama 223-8522 , Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Yokota
- Surface and Interface Science Laboratory , RIKEN , 2-1 Hirosawa , Wako , Saitama 351-0198 , Japan
| | - Raymond A Wong
- Surface and Interface Science Laboratory , RIKEN , 2-1 Hirosawa , Wako , Saitama 351-0198 , Japan
| | - Yousoo Kim
- Surface and Interface Science Laboratory , RIKEN , 2-1 Hirosawa , Wako , Saitama 351-0198 , Japan
| | - Yasuaki Einaga
- Department of Chemistry , Keio University , 3-14-1 Hiyoshi , Yokohama 223-8522 , Japan.,ACCEL , JST , 3-14-1 Hiyoshi , Yokohama , Kanagawa 223-8522 , Japan
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Carbon doping switching on the hydrogen adsorption activity of NiO for hydrogen evolution reaction. Nat Commun 2020; 11:590. [PMID: 32001713 PMCID: PMC6992690 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14462-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is more sluggish in alkaline than in acidic media because of the additional energy required for water dissociation. Numerous catalysts, including NiO, that offer active sites for water dissociation have been extensively investigated. Yet, the overall HER performance of NiO is still limited by lacking favorable H adsorption sites. Here we show a strategy to activate NiO through carbon doping, which creates under-coordinated Ni sites favorable for H adsorption. DFT calculations reveal that carbon dopant decreases the energy barrier of Heyrovsky step from 1.17 eV to 0.81 eV, suggesting the carbon also serves as a hot-spot for the dissociation of water molecules in water-alkali HER. As a result, the carbon doped NiO catalyst achieves an ultralow overpotential of 27 mV at 10 mA cm-2, and a low Tafel slope of 36 mV dec-1, representing the best performance among the state-of-the-art NiO catalysts.
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Tulić S, Waitz T, Čaplovičová M, Habler G, Varga M, Kotlár M, Vretenár V, Romanyuk O, Kromka A, Rezek B, Skákalová V. Covalent Diamond-Graphite Bonding: Mechanism of Catalytic Transformation. ACS NANO 2019; 13:4621-4630. [PMID: 30883098 PMCID: PMC6482437 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b00692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy of the atomic structure of diamond-graphite interface after Ni-induced catalytic transformation reveals graphitic planes bound covalently to the diamond in the upright orientation. The covalent attachment, together with a significant volume expansion of graphite transformed from diamond, gives rise to uniaxial stress that is released through plastic deformation. We propose a comprehensive model explaining the Ni-mediated transformation of diamond to graphite and covalent bonding at the interface as well as the mechanism of relaxation of uniaxial stress. We also explain the mechanism of electrical transport through the graphitized surface of diamond. The result may thus provide a foundation for the catalytically driven formation of graphene-diamond nanodevices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semir Tulić
- Physics
of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Waitz
- Physics
of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mária Čaplovičová
- Slovak
University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics, Vazovova 5, 812 43 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Gerlinde Habler
- Department
of Lithospheric Research, University of
Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marián Varga
- Institute
of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Mário Kotlár
- Slovak
University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics, Vazovova 5, 812 43 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Viliam Vretenár
- Slovak
University of Technology, Centre for Nanodiagnostics, Vazovova 5, 812 43 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Oleksandr Romanyuk
- Institute
of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Alexander Kromka
- Institute
of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Bohuslav Rezek
- Institute
of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Faculty
of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical
University, Technická
2, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Viera Skákalová
- Physics
of Nanostructured Materials, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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