Thermoelectricity Enhanced Electrocatalysis

Matrix-type bismuth-modulated copper-sulfur electrode using local photothermal effect strategy for efficient seawater splitting

Constructing catalytic electrodes with green economy, stability, and high efficiency is crucial for achieving overall economic water splitting. Herein, a matrix-type bismuth-modulated nickel-boron electrodes loaded on sulfurized copper foils (Bi-NiBx@CFS) is synthesized via in situ mild electroless plating. This electrode features a 2-dimensional (2D) matrix-type nanosheet structure with uniform, large pores, providing more active sites and ensuring a high gas transmission rate. Notably, the crystalline-amorphous structure constituted by the photothermal materials Bi and NiBx is loaded onto sulfide-based heterostructures. This enhances the catalytic activity through the "local photothermal effect" strategy. A performance enhancement of approximately 10 % is achieved for the Bi-NiBx@CFS at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 using this strategy at 298 K. This enhancement is equivalent to increasing the temperature of conventional electrolyte solutions by 321 K. In addition, the overpotential required to catalytically drive seawater splitting at the same current density is only 1.486 V. The Bi-NiBx@CFS electrode operates stably for 200 h without any performance degradation at industrial-grade current densities. The Bi-NiBx@CFS electrode under the "localized photothermal effect" strategy is expected to be a new type of electrocatalyst for overall seawater splitting.

Thermoelectrocatalysis: an emerging strategy for converting waste heat into chemical energy

This perspective defines and explores an innovative waste heat harvesting strategy, thermoelectrocatalysis (TECatal), emphasizing materials design and potential applications in clean energy, environmental, and biomedical technologies.

Development of a Ni-Doped VAl3 Topological Semimetal with a Significantly Enhanced HER Catalytic Performance

Topological materials with robust topological surface states appear to be well-suited as electrochemical catalysts. However, few studies have been published on the development of non-noble metal topological catalysts, most likely because the topological properties tend to be attributed to the s and p orbital electrons, while transition-metal catalysis mainly involves d orbital electrons. Herein, we proposed a topological semimetallic (TSM) compound, VAl₃, with a surface state consisting mainly of d orbital electrons, as an electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the surface state electrons enhanced the adsorption of H atoms. Moreover, the transfer of surface state electrons between the surface and adsorbed H atoms was optimized through nickel doping. We experimentally prepared single-crystals VAl₃ and V_0.75Ni_0.25Al₃ alloys. Electrochemical analysis showed that not only did V_0.75Ni_0.25Al₃ outperform VAl₃ but also it was among the best non-noble metal topological HER electrocatalysts currently available.

Thermoelectric Energy Harvesters: A Review of Recent Developments in Materials and Devices for Different Potential Applications

The thermoelectric effect encompasses three different effects, i.e. Seebeck effect, Peltier effect, and Thomson effect, which are considered as thermally activated materials that alter directions in smart materials. It is currently considered one of the most challenging green energy harvesting mechanisms among researchers. The ability to utilize waste thermal energy that is generated by different applications promotes the use of thermoelectric harvesters across a wide range of applications. This review illustrates the different attempts to fabricate efficient, robust and sustainable thermoelectric harvesters, considering the material selection, characterization, device fabrication and potential applications. Thermoelectric harvesters with a wide range of output power generated reaching the milliwatt range have been considered in this work, with a special focus on the main advantages and disadvantages in these devices. Additionally, this review presents various studies reported in the literature on the design and fabrication of thermoelectric harvesters and highlights their potential applications. In order to increase the efficiency of equipment and processes, the generation of thermoelectricity via thermoelectric materials is achieved through the harvesting of residual energy. The review discusses the main challenges in the fabrication process associated with thermoelectric harvester implementation, as well as the considerable advantages of the proposed devices. The use of thermoelectric harvesters in a wide range of applications where waste thermal energy is used and the impact of the thermoelectric harvesters is also highlighted in this review.