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Guo Z, Feng Y, Zhang H, Wang Q, Zhang X, Wang L. The Behaviors of Interfacial Nanobubbles on Flat or Rough Electrode Surfaces in Electrochemistry. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:26661-26671. [PMID: 39642236 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c03771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2024]
Abstract
The existence of interfacial nanobubbles on electrode surfaces is thought to block the active area, leading to a considerable decrease in the energy conversion efficiency. Gaining insight into how bubbles form on electrodes will be beneficial for designing effective electrochemical cells and enhancing the electrolytic efficiency. In this article, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to make a systematic comparison of behaviors of interfacial nanobubbles on both flat and rough electrode surfaces in electrochemistry. On a flat electrode surface, bubble nucleation can be categorized into single-site and multisite nucleation, influenced by the electrode sizes and electrolytic rates. The various rates of gas production result in three different scenarios for single-site nucleation: "growth-growth," "growth-shrinking," and "growth-stabilization" behaviors. On a rough one, bubbles are pinned at an early stage. Either through cooperative release or self-release, the bubbles continue to grow until the influx and outflux gas of the bubble reach an equilibrium. In addition, the evolutionary mechanism of interface nanobubbles was discussed on a rough nanoelectrode surface. Based on the dynamic equilibrium mechanism, a theoretical relationship between contact angle and base diameter of equilibrium interfacial nanobubbles was developed. The theoretical model can qualitatively describe the simulation observation of how bubble's shape depends on the electrode surface morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yuntong Feng
- Haide College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, Shandong, China
| | - Huahai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xianren Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Limin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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2
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Zhang QL, Wang YJ, Song WG, Sun MG, Liu SM, Yang RY. Electrostatic-Field-Induced Collapse of Nanobubbles in Nanochannels. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 39141493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
The adsorbed nanobubbles inside the nanochannels can cause fluid transport blockages, which will obviously degrade the nanodevice performance and reduce the lifetime. However, due to small-scale effects, the removal of nanobubbles is a huge challenge at the nanoscale. Herein, molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to study the effect of the electrostatic field on underwater nitrogen nanobubbles confined in nanochannels. It is found that the nanobubbles will collapse under an appropriate electrostatic field, thereby unblocking the transport of water in the nanochannels. The formation of ordered water structures induced by electrostatic fields plays an important role in the removal of nanobubbles from the nanochannels. Our findings provide a convenient, controllable, and remote way to address the blockage problem of nanobubbles in nanochannels, which may have potential applications in improving the performance of fuel cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Lin Zhang
- School of Mathematics-Physics and Finance and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Jie Wang
- School of Mathematics-Physics and Finance and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Guang Song
- National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210039, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Guo Sun
- School of Mathematics-Physics and Finance and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People's Republic of China
| | - Shao-Min Liu
- School of Mathematics-Physics and Finance and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong-Yao Yang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensors and Advanced Sensor Materials, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, People's Republic of China
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3
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Zhao X, Chen H, Cui Y, Zhang X, Hao R. Dual-Mode Imaging of Dynamic Interaction between Bubbles and Single Nanoplates during the Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Process. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2400273. [PMID: 38552218 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Gas bubble formation at electrochemical interfaces can significantly affect the efficiency and durability of electrocatalysts. However, obtaining comprehensive details on bubble evolution dynamics, particularly their dynamic interaction with high-performance structured electrocatalysts, poses a considerable challenge. Herein, dual-mode interference/total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy is introduced, which allows for the simultaneous capture of the evolution pathway of bubbles and the 3D motion of nanoplate electrocatalysts, providing high-resolution and accurate spatiotemporal information. During the hydrogen evolution reaction, the dynamics of hydrogen bubble generation and their interactions with single nanoplate electrocatalysts at the electrochemical interface are observed. The results unveiled that, under constant potential, bubbles initially manifest as fast-moving nanobubbles, transforming into stationary microbubbles subsequently. The morphology of stationary nanoplates regulates the trajectories of these moving nanobubbles while the pinned microbubbles induce the motion of the electrocatalysts. The dual-mode microscopy can be employed to scrutinize numerous multiphase electrochemical interactions with high spatiotemporal resolution, which can facilitate the rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Houkai Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yu Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Rui Hao
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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4
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Monteiro J, McKelvey K. Scanning Bubble Electrochemical Microscopy: Mapping of Electrocatalytic Activity with Low-Solubility Reactants. Anal Chem 2024; 96:9767-9772. [PMID: 38835148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Determining electrocatalytic activity for reactions that involve reactants with limited solubility presents a significant challenge due to the reduced mass-transport to the electrocatalyst surface. This limitation is seen in important reactions such as the oxygen reduction reaction, nitrogen reduction reaction, and carbon dioxide reduction reaction. We introduce a new approach, which we call scanning bubble electrochemical microscopy, to enable the detection and high-resolution mapping of electrocatalytic activity with low-solubility reactants at high mass-transport rates. Using a scanning probe approach, a dual-barreled nanopipette is used to precisely deliver the gas-phase reactant within micrometers of an electrocatalyst surface, which results in high mass-transport rates at the electrocatalyst surface directly under the probe. We demonstrate the scanning bubble electrochemical microscopy approach by mapping the oxygen reduction reaction on model platinum microelectrode surfaces. We anticipate that scanning bubble electrochemical microscopy will provide an effective tool for measuring the electrocatalytic activity of reactants that have limited solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimy Monteiro
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
| | - Kim McKelvey
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
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5
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Ma Y, Huang M, Mutschke G, Zhang X. Nucleation of surface nanobubbles in electrochemistry: Analysis with nucleation theorem. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 654:859-867. [PMID: 37898070 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.10.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
The formation of single bubbles at nanoelectrodes during electrochemical reactions allows to accurately identify the critical nucleus for bubble formation. As demonstrated before, combining nanoelectrode experiments and an analysis approach based on classical nucleation theory (CNT) delivers useful insight into bubble nucleation. In this work we propose an alternative approach to analyze the critical nuclei by applying the nucleation theorem (NT), which is able to overcome the inherent shortcomings of CNT. The size of the critical nucleus can be calculated more accurately by fitting experimental data in a simple form of the NT. Simulating the local gas concentration using a finite element approach, and considering the effect of gas oversaturation on the interfacial tension and the real gas compressibility, we obtain a more realistic estimation of the critical nuclei morphology. With the NT-based analysis presented, we re-analyze the nucleation data reported before. The properties of the critical nuclei obtained here are roughly consistent with those obtained from the CNT-based approach. In addition, we confirm that the critical nucleus for bubble formation in high gas oversaturation is featured with a contact angle much larger than Young's contact angle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqing Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mengyuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Institute of Fluid Dynamics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01328, Germany.
| | - Gerd Mutschke
- Institute of Fluid Dynamics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01328, Germany
| | - Xianren Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
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Mondaca-Medina E, García-Carrillo R, Lee H, Wang Y, Zhang H, Ren H. Nanoelectrochemistry in electrochemical phase transition reactions. Chem Sci 2023; 14:7611-7619. [PMID: 37476712 PMCID: PMC10355110 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc01857a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrochemical phase transition is important in a range of processes, including gas generation in fuel cells and electrolyzers, as well as in electrodeposition in battery and metal production. Nucleation is the first step in these phase transition reactions. A deep understanding of the kinetics, and mechanism of the nucleation and the structure of the nuclei and nucleation sites is fundamentally important. In this perspective, theories and methods for studying electrochemical nucleation are briefly reviewed, with an emphasis on nanoelectrochemistry and single-entity electrochemistry approaches. Perspectives on open questions and potential future approaches are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elías Mondaca-Medina
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin 105 E 24th St Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Roberto García-Carrillo
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin 105 E 24th St Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Hyein Lee
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin 105 E 24th St Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Yufei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin 105 E 24th St Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin 105 E 24th St Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Hang Ren
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin 105 E 24th St Austin TX 78712 USA
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7
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Fang H, Geng Z, Guan N, Zhou L, Zhang L, Hu J. Controllable generation of interfacial gas structures on the graphite surface by substrate hydrophobicity and gas oversaturation in water. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:8251-8261. [PMID: 36278324 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00849a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Spherical nanobubbles and flat micropancakes are two typical states of gas aggregation on solid-liquid surfaces. Micropancakes, which are quasi-two-dimensional gaseous structures, are often produced accompanied by surface nanobubbles. Compared with surface nanobubbles, the intrinsic properties of micropancakes are barely understood due to the challenge of the highly efficient preparation and characterization of such structures. The hydrophobicity of the substrate and gas saturation of solvents are two crucial factors for the nucleation and stability of interfacial gas domains. Herein, we investigated the synergistic effect of the surface hydrophobicity and gas saturation on the generation of interfacial gas structures. Different surface hydrophobicities were achieved by the aging process of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The results indicated that higher surface hydrophobicity and gas oversaturation could create surface nanobubbles and micropancakes with higher efficiency. Strong surface hydrophobicity could promote nanobubble nucleation and higher gas saturation would induce bigger nanobubbles. Degassed experiments could remove most of these structures and prove that they are actually gaseous domains. Finally, we draw a region diagram to describe the formation conditions of nanobubbles, micropancakes based on observations. These results would be very helpful for further understanding the formation of interfacial gas structures on the hydrophobic surface under different gas saturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengxin Fang
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhanli Geng
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Nan Guan
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Limin Zhou
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China.
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China.
| | - Jun Hu
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- The Interdisciplinary Research Center, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China
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8
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Chen Q, Zhao J, Deng X, Shan Y, Peng Y. Single-Entity Electrochemistry of Nano- and Microbubbles in Electrolytic Gas Evolution. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:6153-6163. [PMID: 35762985 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Gas bubbles are found in diverse electrochemical processes, ranging from electrolytic water splitting to chlor-alkali electrolysis, as well as photoelectrochemical processes. Understanding the intricate influence of bubble evolution on the electrode processes and mass transport is key to the rational design of efficient devices for electrolytic energy conversion and thus requires precise measurement and analysis of individual gas bubbles. In this Perspective, we review the latest advances in single-entity measurement of gas bubbles on electrodes, covering the approaches of voltammetric and galvanostatic studies based on nanoelectrodes, probing bubble evolution using scanning probe electrochemistry with spatial information, and monitoring the transient nature of nanobubble formation and dynamics with opto-electrochemical imaging. We emphasize the intrinsic and quantitative physicochemical interpretation of single gas bubbles from electrochemical data, highlighting the fundamental understanding of the heterogeneous nucleation, dynamic state of the three-phase boundary, and the correlation between electrolytic bubble dynamics and nanocatalyst activities. In addition, a brief discussion of future perspectives is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianjin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jiao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xiaoli Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yun Shan
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yu Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
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9
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Majumdar P, Gao R, White HS. Electroprecipitation of Nanometer-Thick Films of Ln(OH) 3 [Ln = La, Ce, and Lu] at Pt Microelectrodes and Their Effect on Electron-Transfer Reactions. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:8125-8134. [PMID: 35715230 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We report investigations of the deposition of nanometer-thick Ln(OH)3 films (Ln = La, Ce, and Lu) and their effect on outer-sphere and inner-sphere electron-transfer reactions. Insoluble Ln(OH)3 films are deposited from aqueous solutions of LaCl3 onto the surface of 12.5 μm radius Pt microdisk electrodes during water or oxygen reduction. Both reactions produce interfacial OH-, which complexes with Ln3+, resulting in the precipitation of Ln(OH)3. Surface analyses by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy indicate the formation of a 1-2 nm thick uniform film. Outer-sphere electron-transfer reactions (Ru(NH3)63+ reduction, FcMeOH oxidation, and Fe(CN)64-/3- oxidation/reduction) were investigated at Ln(OH)3-modified electrodes of different film thicknesses. The results demonstrate that the steady-state transport-limited current for these reactions decreases with an increase in the film thickness. Moreover, the degree of blockage depends upon the redox species, suggesting that the Ln(OH)3 films are free from pinholes greater than the size of the redox molecules. This suggests that the films are either ionically conducting or that electron tunneling occurs across these thin layers. A similar blocking effect was observed for the inner-sphere reductions of H2O and O2. We further demonstrate that the thickness of La(OH)3 films can be controlled by anodic dissolution. Additionally, we show that La3+ lowers the supersaturation of dissolved H2 required to nucleate a stable nanobubble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Majumdar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Rui Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Henry S White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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10
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Hewage SA, Meegoda JN. Molecular Dynamics Simulation Of Bulk Nanobubbles. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.129565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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11
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Zhang T, Yu C, Zhu X, Yang Y, Ye D, Chen R, Liao Q. Elimination of Fuel Crossover in a Single-Flow Microfluidic Fuel Cell with a Selective Catalytic Cathode. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c04875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Chuhe Yu
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Xun Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Dingding Ye
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Rong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Qiang Liao
- Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, China
- Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
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12
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Hill CM, Mendoza-Cortes JL, Velázquez JM, Whittaker-Brooks L. Multi-dimensional designer catalysts for negative emissions science (NES): bridging the gap between synthesis, simulations, and analysis. iScience 2022; 25:103700. [PMID: 35036879 PMCID: PMC8749188 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative emissions technologies will play a critical role in limiting global warming to sustainable levels. Electrocatalytic and/or photocatalytic CO2 reduction will likely play an important role in this field moving forward, but efficient, selective catalyst materials are needed to enable the widespread adoption of these processes. The rational design of such materials is highly challenging, however, due to the complexity of the reactions involved as well as the large number of structural variables which can influence behavior at heterogeneous interfaces. Currently, there is a significant disconnect between the complexity of materials systems that can be handled experimentally and those that can be modeled theoretically with appropriate rigor and bridging these gaps would greatly accelerate advancements in the field of Negative Emissions Science (NES). Here, we present a perspective on how these gaps between materials design/synthesis, characterization, and theory can be resolved, enabling the rational development of improved materials for CO2 conversion and other NES applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb M. Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jose L. Mendoza-Cortes
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jesús M. Velázquez
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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13
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Suvira M, Zhang B. Single-Molecule Interactions at a Surfactant-Modified H 2 Surface Nanobubble. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:13816-13823. [PMID: 34788049 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In schematics and cartoons, the gas-liquid interface is often drawn as solid lines that aid in distinguishing the separation of the two phases. However, on the molecular level, the structure, shape, and size of the gas-liquid interface remain elusive. Furthermore, the interactions of molecules at gas-liquid interfaces must be considered in various contexts, including atmospheric chemical reactions, wettability of surfaces, and numerous other relevant phenomena. Hence, understanding the structure and interactions of molecules at the gas-liquid interface is critical for further improving technologies that operate between the two phases. Electrochemically generated surface nanobubbles provide a stable, reproducible, and high-throughput platform for the generation of a nanoscale gas-liquid boundary. We use total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to image single-fluorophore labeling of surface nanobubbles in the presence of a surfactant. The accumulation of a surfactant on the nanobubble surface changes the interfacial properties of the gas-liquid interface. The single-molecule approach reveals that the fluorophore adsorption and residence lifetime at the interface is greatly impacted by the charge of the surfactant layer at the bubble surface. We demonstrate that the fluorescence readout is either short- or long-lived depending on the repulsive or attractive environment, respectively, between fluorophores and surfactants. Additionally, we investigated the effect of surfactant chain length and salt type and concentration on the fluorophore lifetime at the nanobubble surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milomir Suvira
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700, United States
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700, United States
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14
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Wang G, Chang J, Koul S, Kushima A, Yang Y. CO 2 Bubble-Assisted Pt Exposure in PtFeNi Porous Film for High-Performance Zinc-Air Battery. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:11595-11601. [PMID: 34269572 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c04339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Fine-tuning the exposed active sites of platinum group metal (PGM)-based materials is an efficient way to improve their electrocatalytic performance toward large-scale applications in renewable energy devices such as Zn-air batteries (ZABs). However, traditional synthetic methods trade off durability for the high activity of PGM-based catalysts. Herein, a novel dynamic CO2-bubble template (DCBT) approach was established to electrochemically fine-tuning the exposed Pt active sites in PtFeNi (PFN) porous films (PFs). Particularly, CO2 bubbles were intentionally generated as gas-phase templates by methanol electrooxidation. The generation, adsorption, residing, and desorption of CO2 bubbles on the surface of PFN alloys were explored and controlled by adjusting the frequency of applied triangular-wave voltage. Thereby, the surface morphology and Pt exposure of PFN PFs were controllably regulated by tuning the surface coverage of CO2 bubbles. Consequently, the Pt1.1%Fe8.8%Ni PF with homogeneous nanoporous structure and sufficiently exposed Pt active sites was obtained, showing preeminent activities with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.87 V and onset overpotential (ηonset) of 288 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER), respectively, at an ultralow Pt loading of 0.01 mg cm-2. When tested in ZABs, a high power density of 175.0 mW cm-2 and a narrow voltage gap of 0.64 V were achieved for the long cycling tests over 500 h (750 cycles), indicating that the proposed approach can efficiently improve the activity of PGM catalysts by fine-tuning the microstructure without compromising the durability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanzhi Wang
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
| | - Jinfa Chang
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
| | - Supriya Koul
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
| | - Akihiro Kushima
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
| | - Yang Yang
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States.,Renewable Energy and Chemical Transformation Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826, United States
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15
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Bunkin NF, Shkirin AV, Penkov NV, Goltayev MV, Ignatiev PS, Gudkov SV, Izmailov AY. Effect of Gas Type and Its Pressure on Nanobubble Generation. Front Chem 2021; 9:630074. [PMID: 33869139 PMCID: PMC8044797 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.630074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The dependence of the volume number density of ion-stabilized gas nanobubbles (bubstons) on the type of gas and the pressure created by this gas in deionized water and saline solution has been investigated. The range of external pressures from the saturated water vapor (17 Torr) to 5 atm was studied. It turned out that the growth rate of the volume number density of bubstons is controlled by the magnitude of the molecular polarizability of dissolved gases. The highest densities of bubstons were obtained for gases whose molecules have a dipole moment. At fixed external pressure and the polarizability of gas molecules, the addition of external ions leads to a sharp increase in the content of bubstons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai F Bunkin
- Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia.,Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey V Shkirin
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikita V Penkov
- Federal Research Center "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Institute of Cell Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail V Goltayev
- Federal Research Center "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Institute of Cell Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel S Ignatiev
- JSC "Production Association "Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant named after E.S. Yalamov" (UOMZ), Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Sergey V Gudkov
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.,Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM"(FSAC VIM), Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Yu Izmailov
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM"(FSAC VIM), Moscow, Russia
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16
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Ma Y, Guo Z, Chen Q, Zhang X. Dynamic Equilibrium Model for Surface Nanobubbles in Electrochemistry. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:2771-2779. [PMID: 33576638 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gas bubbles are ubiquitous in electrochemical processes, particularly in water electrolysis. Due to the development of gas-evolving electrocatalysis and energy conversion technology, a deep understanding of gas bubble behaviors at the electrode surface is highly desirable. In this work, by combining theoretical analysis and molecular simulations, we study the behaviors of a single nanobubble electrogenerated at a nanoelectrode. With the dynamic equilibrium model, the stability criteria for stationary surface nanobubbles are established. We show theoretically that a slight change in either the gas solubility or solute concentration results in various nanobubble dynamic states at a nanoelectrode: contact line pinning in aqueous and ethylene glycol solutions, oscillation of pinning states in dimethyl sulfoxide, and mobile nanobubbles in methanol. The above complex nanobubble behavior at the electrode/electrolyte interface is explained by the competition between gas influx into the nanobubble and outflux from the nanobubble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqing Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhenjiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qianjin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xianren Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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17
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An S, Ranaweera R, Luo L. Harnessing bubble behaviors for developing new analytical strategies. Analyst 2021; 145:7782-7795. [PMID: 33107897 DOI: 10.1039/d0an01497d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Gas bubbles are easily accessible and offer many unique characteristic properties of a gas/liquid two-phase system for developing new analytical methods. In this minireview, we discuss the newly developed analytical strategies that harness the behaviors of bubbles. Recent advancements include the utilization of the gas/liquid interfacial activity of bubbles for detection and preconcentration of surface-active compounds; the employment of the gas phase properties of bubbles for acoustic imaging and detection, microfluidic analysis, electrochemical sensing, and emission spectroscopy; and the application of the mass transport behaviors at the gas/liquid interface in gas sensing, biosensing, and nanofluidics. These studies have demonstrated the versatility of gas bubbles as a platform for developing new analytical strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhong An
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
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