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Altaf A, Sohail M, Altaf M, Nafady A, Sher M, Wahab MA. Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity of Amorphized LaCoO 3 for Oxygen Evolution Reaction. Chem Asian J 2024; 19:e202300870. [PMID: 37943100 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202300870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Amorphous inorganic perovskites have attracted significant attention as efficient electrocatalysts due to their unique structural flexibility and good catalytic activity. In particular, the disordered structure and a surface rich in defects such as oxygen vacancies can contribute to the superior electrocatalytic activity of amorphous oxides compared to their crystalline counterpart. In this work, we report the synthesis of LaCoO3, followed by an amorphization process through urea reduction with tailored modifications. The as-synthesized catalysts were thoroughly tested for their performance in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), Remarkably, the amorphous LaCoO3 synthesized at 450 °C (referred to as LCO-4) exhibits excellent OER catalytic activity. At an overpotential of 310 mV, it achieved a current density of 10 mA/cm-2, exceedingly fast to 1 A/cm-2 at an overpotential of only 460 mV. Moreover, LCO-4 exhibited several advantageous features compared to pristine LaCoO3 and LaCoO3 amorphized at other two temperatures (350 °C, LCO-3, and 550 °C, LCO-5). The amorphized LCO-4 catalyst showed a higher electrochemically active surface area, a key factor in boosting catalytic performance. Additionally, LCO-4 demonstrated the lowest Tafel slope of 70 mVdec-1, further highlighting its exceptional OER activity. Furthermore, the long-term stability of LCO-4 is notably superior than pristine LaCoO3 (LCO-P) and the other amorphized samples (LCO-3 and LCO-5). The enhanced catalytic activity of LCO-4 can be attributed to its unique disordered structure, small crystallite size, and higher concentration of oxygen vacancies in the final catalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amna Altaf
- Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Manzar Sohail
- Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Altaf
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Ayman Nafady
- Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Sher
- Department of Chemistry, Allama Iqbal Open University, H-8, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Md A Wahab
- Energy and Process Engineering Laboratory, School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
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Nguyen KG, Huš M, Baragau IA, Bowen J, Heil T, Nicolaev A, Abramiuc LE, Sapelkin A, Sajjad MT, Kellici S. Engineering Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots: Tailoring Optical and Chemical Properties through Selection of Nitrogen Precursors. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2310587. [PMID: 38546418 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The process of N-doping is frequently employed to enhance the properties of carbon quantum dots. However, the precise requirements for nitrogen precursors in producing high-quality N-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) remain undefined. This research systematically examines the influence of various nitrogen dopants on the morphology, optical features, and band structure of NCQDs. The dots are synthesized using an efficient, eco- friendly, and rapid continuous hydrothermal flow technique. This method offers unparalleled control over synthesis and doping, while also eliminating convention-related issues. Citric acid is used as the carbon source, and urea, trizma base, beta-alanine, L-arginine, and EDTA are used as nitrogen sources. Notably, urea and trizma produced NCQDs with excitation-independent fluorescence, high quantum yields (up to 40%), and uniform dots with narrow particle size distributions. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT modelling established that defects and substituents within the graphitic structure have a more significant impact on the NCQDs' electronic structure than nitrogen-containing functional groups. Importantly, for the first time, this work demonstrates that the conventional approach of modelling single-layer structures is insufficient, but two layers suffice for replicating experimental data. This study, therefore, provides essential guidance on the selection of nitrogen precursors for NCQD customization for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiem G Nguyen
- School of Engineering, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA, UK
| | - Matej Huš
- Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, SI-1001, Slovenia
- Association for Technical Culture of Slovenia (ZOTKS), Zaloška 65, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
- Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (ZVKDS), Poljanska 40, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ioan-Alexandru Baragau
- School of Engineering, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA, UK
- National Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele, Ilfov, 077125, Romania
| | - James Bowen
- School of Engineering and Innovation, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Tobias Heil
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Adela Nicolaev
- National Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele, Ilfov, 077125, Romania
| | - Laura Elena Abramiuc
- National Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele, Ilfov, 077125, Romania
| | - Andrei Sapelkin
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Muhammad Tariq Sajjad
- School of Engineering, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA, UK
| | - Suela Kellici
- School of Engineering, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA, UK
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Wang X, Yu X, Wu S, He P, Qin F, Yao Y, Bai J, Yuan G, Ren L. Crystalline-Amorphous Interface Coupling of Ni 3S 2/NiP x/NF with Enhanced Activity and Stability for Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:15533-15544. [PMID: 36920420 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c00547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The rational design of highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an urgent need but remains challenging for various sustainable energy systems. How to adjust the atomic structure and electronic structure of the active center is a key bottleneck problem. Accelerating the electron transfer process and the deep self-reconstruction of active sites could be a cost-effective strategy toward electrocatalytic OER catalyst development. Here, a crystalline-amorphous (c-a) coupled Ni3S2/NiPx electrocatalyst self-supported on nickel foam with an intimate interface was developed via a feasible solvothermal-electrochemistry method. The coupling interface of the crystalline structure with high conductivity and amorphous structure with numerous potential active sites could regulate the electronic structure and optimize the adsorption/desorption of O-containing species, ultimately resulting in high OER catalytic performance. The obtained Ni3S2/NiPx/NF presents a low OER overpotential of 265 mV to obtain 10 mA·cm-2 and a small Tafel slope of 51.6 mV·dec-1. Also, the catalyst with the coupled interface exhibited significantly enhanced long-term stability compared to the other two catalysts, with <5% decay in OER activity over 20 h of continuous operation, while that of Ni3S2/NF and NiPx/NF decreased by about 30 and 50%, respectively. This study provides inspiration for other energy conversion reactions in optimizing the performance of catalysts by coupling crystalline-amorphous structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Wang
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Xu Yu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Shuang Wu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Pinyi He
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Fu Qin
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yongkang Yao
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jianliang Bai
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Guojun Yuan
- School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Anhui Vocational and Technical College, Hefei 230011, China
| | - Lili Ren
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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Abu Hatab AS, Ahmad YH, Ibrahim M, Elsafi Ahmed A, Abdul Rahman MB, Al-Qaradawi SY. MOF-Derived Cobalt@Mesoporous Carbon as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Impact of Organic Linker. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:1123-1134. [PMID: 36607611 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Water electrolysis has attracted scientists' attention as a green route for energy generation. However, the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remarkably increases the reaction overpotential. In this work, we developed Co-based nanomaterials as cost-effective, highly efficient catalysts for OER. In this regard, different Co-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized using different organic linkers. After annealing under inert atmosphere, the corresponding Co-embedded mesoporous carbon (Co/MC) materials were produced. Among them, Co/MC synthesized using 2-methyl imidazole (Co/NMC-2MeIM) expressed the highest surface area (412 m2/g) compared to its counterparts. Furthermore, it expressed a higher degree of defects as depicted by Raman spectra. Co/NMC-2MeIM exhibited the best catalytic performance toward OER in alkaline medium. It afforded an overpotential of 292 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 99.2 mV dec-1. The superior electrocatalytic performance of Co/NMC-2MeIM is attributed to its high content of Co3+ on the surface, high surface area, and enhanced electrical conductivity induced by nitrogen doping. Furthermore, its high content of pyridinic-N and high degree of defects remarkably enhance the charge transfer between the adsorbed oxygen species and the active sites. These results may pave the avenue toward further investigation of metal/carbon materials in a wide range of electrocatalytic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aymen S Abu Hatab
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia UPM, 43400Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Integrated Chemical BioPhysics Research, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia UPM, 43400Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha2713, Qatar
| | - Yahia H Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha2713, Qatar
| | - Muna Ibrahim
- Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha2713, Qatar
| | - Alaa Elsafi Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha2713, Qatar
| | - Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia UPM, 43400Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Integrated Chemical BioPhysics Research, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia UPM, 43400Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Siham Y Al-Qaradawi
- Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha2713, Qatar
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Lan B, Zhang X, Zhao L, Wang P, Wei C, Wang Y, Wen G. Amino-functionalization-assisted construction of CoP/N, P co-doped graphene to enhance stable lithium storage via electrostatic interaction and strong bonds. Electrochim Acta 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2023.141910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Wang S, Zhao R, Zheng T, Lu Z, Fang Y, Xie H, Wang W, Xue W. Rational Design of a Low-Dimensional and Metal-free Heterostructure for Efficient Water Oxidation: DFT and Experimental Studies. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:12562-12569. [PMID: 36191260 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A nitrogen-doped fullerene dimer is synthesized and compounded with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to construct a low-dimensional and metal-free 0D-1D heterostructure for electrocatalytic water oxidation. The (C59N)2/MWCNTs heterostructure exhibits a highly efficient performance, as verified by both first-principles density functional theory and experimental studies. The *O → *OOH process is confirmed as the rate-determining step of water oxidation. The negatively charged N-doping leads to electronic redistribution and intermolecular charge transfer and thus reduces the uphill free energies of intermediates on the (C59N)2/MWCNTs interface. Therefore, the (C59N)2/MWCNTs heterostructure has great potential to emit light and heat in metal-free-based electrocatalytic water oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, PR China
| | - Rui Zhao
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, PR China
| | - Tian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Energy Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang621010, China
| | - Zheng Lu
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, PR China
| | - Yuan Fang
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, PR China
| | - Haijiao Xie
- Hangzhou Yanqu Information Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou310003, China
| | - Wenjian Wang
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, PR China
| | - Weidong Xue
- School of Materials and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, PR China
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