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Wang W, Chen J, Tse ECM. Synergy between Cu and Co in a Layered Double Hydroxide Enables Close to 100% Nitrate-to-Ammonia Selectivity. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:26678-26687. [PMID: 38051561 PMCID: PMC10723069 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate electroreduction (NO3RR) holds promise as an energy-efficient strategy for the removal of toxic nitrate to restore the natural nitrogen cycle and mitigate the adverse impacts caused by overfertilization from suboptimal agricultural practices. However, existing catalysts suffer from limited electrocatalytic activity, poor selectivity, inadequate durability, and low scalability. To address this quadrilemma, in this study, we developed a cost-effective layered double hydroxide (LDH) electrocatalyst with a lamellar structure that presents trimetallic CuCoAl active sites on the nanomaterial surface. This codoping design enabled electrochemical upcycling of nitrate into ammonia exclusively and efficiently with an onset potential at 0 V vs RHE, where the electrocatalytic process is less energy intensive and has a lower carbon footprint than conventional practices. The synergistic interaction among Cu, Co, and Al further afforded a 99.5% Faradic efficiency (FE) and a yield rate of 0.22 mol h-1 g-1 for nitrate-to-ammonia electroreduction, surpassing the performance of state-of-the-art nonprecious metal NO3RR electrocatalysts over an extended operation period. To gain insights into the origin of the catalytic performance observed on LDH, control materials were employed to elucidate the roles of Cu and Co. Cu was found to improve the NO3RR onset potential despite displaying limited FE for ammonia synthesis, while Co was discovered to suppress the formation of nitrite byproduct though requiring large overpotential. Simulated wastewater containing phosphate and sulfate, which are typically present in industrial effluents, was used to further investigate the effect of electrolytes on NO3RR. Intriguingly, the use of phosphate buffer resulted in a superior yield rate and FE for ammonia production while simultaneously inhibiting nitrite byproduct formation compared with the sulfate case. These experimental findings were supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which explored the adsorption strength of nitrate adducts adjacent to coadsorbed electrolytes on the LDH surface. Additionally, the relative free energies of NO3RR species were also computed to examine the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism on CuCoAl LDH, shedding light on the potential-dependent step (PDS) and the exclusive selectivity for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. The CuCoAl LDH developed here offers scalability by eliminating the need for precious metals, rendering this earth-abundant catalyst particularly appealing for sustainable nitrate electrovalorization technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on
New Materials University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 00000 China
| | - Jiu Chen
- Department
of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on
New Materials University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 00000 China
| | - Edmund C. M. Tse
- Department
of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on
New Materials University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 00000 China
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2
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Mo X, Deng Y, Lai SKM, Gao X, Yu HL, Low KH, Guo Z, Wu HL, Au-Yeung HY, Tse ECM. Mechanical Interlocking Enhances the Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Activity and Selectivity of Molecular Copper Complexes. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:6087-6099. [PMID: 36853653 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Efficient O2 reduction reaction (ORR) for selective H2O generation enables advanced fuel cell technology. Nonprecious metal catalysts are viable and attractive alternatives to state-of-the-art Pt-based materials that are expensive. Cu complexes inspired by Cu-containing O2 reduction enzymes in nature are yet to reach their desired ORR catalytic performance. Here, the concept of mechanical interlocking is introduced to the ligand architecture to enforce dynamic spatial restriction on the Cu coordination site. Interlocked catenane ligands could govern O2 binding mode, promote electron transfer, and facilitate product elimination. Our results show that ligand interlocking as a catenane steers the ORR selectivity to H2O as the major product via the 4e- pathway, rivaling the selectivity of Pt, and boosts the onset potential by 130 mV, the mass activity by 1.8 times, and the turnover frequency by 1.5 fold as compared to the noninterlocked counterpart. Our Cu catenane complex represents one of the first examples to take advantage of mechanical interlocking to afford electrocatalysts with enhanced activity and selectivity. The mechanistic insights gained through this integrated experimental and theoretical study are envisioned to be valuable not just to the area of ORR energy catalysis but also with broad implications on interlocked metal complexes that are of critical importance to the general fields in redox reactions involving proton-coupled electron transfer steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyong Mo
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yulin Deng
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Samuel Kin-Man Lai
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xutao Gao
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hung-Ling Yu
- Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Center of Atomic Initiative for New Materials, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Kam-Hung Low
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhengxiao Guo
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Hangzhou 311305, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng-Liang Wu
- Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Center of Atomic Initiative for New Materials, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ho Yu Au-Yeung
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Edmund C M Tse
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory of New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Hangzhou 311305, People's Republic of China
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Hybrid bilayer membranes as platforms for biomimicry and catalysis. Nat Rev Chem 2022; 6:862-880. [PMID: 37117701 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00433-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid bilayer membrane (HBM) platforms represent an emerging nanoscale bio-inspired interface that has broad implications in energy catalysis and smart molecular devices. An HBM contains multiple modular components that include an underlying inorganic surface with a biological layer appended on top. The inorganic interface serves as a support with robust mechanical properties that can also be decorated with functional moieties, sensing units and catalytic active sites. The biological layer contains lipids and membrane-bound entities that facilitate or alter the activity and selectivity of the embedded functional motifs. With their structural complexity and functional flexibility, HBMs have been demonstrated to enhance catalytic turnover frequency and regulate product selectivity of the O2 and CO2 reduction reactions, which have applications in fuel cells and electrolysers. HBMs can also steer the mechanistic pathways of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions of quinones and metal complexes by tuning electron and proton delivery rates. Beyond energy catalysis, HBMs have been equipped with enzyme mimics and membrane-bound redox agents to recapitulate natural energy transport chains. With channels and carriers incorporated, HBM sensors can quantify transmembrane events. This Review serves to summarize the major accomplishments achieved using HBMs in the past decade.
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Mo X, Gao X, Gillado AV, Chen HY, Chen Y, Guo Z, Wu HL, Tse ECM. Direct 3D Printing of Binder-Free Bimetallic Nanomaterials as Integrated Electrodes for Glycerol Oxidation with High Selectivity for Valuable C 3 Products. ACS NANO 2022; 16:12202-12213. [PMID: 35959924 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c02865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Net-zero carbon strategies and green synthesis methodologies are key to realizing the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) on a global scale. An electrocatalytic glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) holds the promise of upcycling excess glycerol from biodiesel production directly into precious hydrocarbon commodities that are worth orders of magnitude more than the glycerol feedstock. Despite years of research on the GOR, the synthesis process of nanoscale electrocatalysts still involves (1) prohibitive heat input, (2) expensive vacuum chambers, and (3) emission of toxic liquid pollutants. In this paper, these knowledge gaps are closed via developing a laser-assisted nanomaterial preparation (LANP) process to fabricate bimetallic nanocatalysts (1) at room temperature, (2) under an ambient atmosphere, and (3) without liquid waste emission. Specifically, PdCu nanoparticles with adjustable Pd:Cu content supported on few-layer graphene can be prepared using this one-step LANP method with performance that can rival state-of-the-art GOR catalysts. Beyond exhibiting high GOR activity, the LANP-fabricated PdCu/C nanomaterials with an optimized Pd:Cu ratio further deliver an exclusive product selectivity of up to 99% for partially oxidized C3 products with value over 280000-folds that of glycerol. Through DFT calculations and in situ XAS experiments, the synergy between Pd and Cu is found to be responsible for the stability under GOR conditions and preference for C3 products of LANP PdCu. This dry LANP method is envisioned to afford sustainable production of multimetallic nanoparticles in a continuous fashion as efficient electrocatalysts for other redox reactions with intricate proton-coupled electron transfer steps that are central to the widespread deployment of renewable energy schemes and carbon-neutral technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyong Mo
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, People's Republic of China
- HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Hangzhou 311305, People's Republic of China
| | - Xutao Gao
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, People's Republic of China
- HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Hangzhou 311305, People's Republic of China
| | - Armida V Gillado
- Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Molecular Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP), Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Yu Chen
- Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Molecular Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP), Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Zhengxiao Guo
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, People's Republic of China
- HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Hangzhou 311305, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng-Liang Wu
- Center for Condensed Matter Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Center of Atomic Initiative for New Materials, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Edmund C M Tse
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, People's Republic of China
- HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Hangzhou 311305, People's Republic of China
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Wang W, Tse ECM. Enhanced Nitrite Electrovalorization to Ammonia by NiFe Layered Double Hydroxide. Eur J Inorg Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ejic.202200291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Wang
- University of Hong Kong Department of Chemistry HONG KONG
| | - Edmund Chun Ming Tse
- University of Hong Kong Department of Chemistry Room 403Chong Yuet Ming Chemistry BuildingPokfulam Hong Kong SAR HONG KONG
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Wang W, Tse ECM. Proton Removal Kinetics That Govern the Hydrogen Peroxide Oxidation Activity of Heterogeneous Bioinorganic Platforms. Inorg Chem 2021; 60:6900-6910. [PMID: 33621073 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c03743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Precise regulation of proton-coupled electron-transfer (PCET) rates holds the key to simultaneously optimizing the turnover frequency and product selectivity of redox reactions that are central to the realization of renewable energy schemes in a sustainable future. In this work, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of a Ru complex electrografted onto a glassy carbon (GC) electrode was prepared as a heterogeneous electrocatalytic interface to facilitate the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidation half-cell reaction of a direct hydrogen peroxide/hydrogen peroxide fuel cell. A functional lipid membrane embedded with catalytic amounts of proton carriers was appended on top of the Ru SAM to construct a hybrid bilayer membrane (HBM) platform that can modulate the thermodynamics and kinetics of proton- and electron-transfer steps independently. The performances of the as-prepared Ru SAMs and HBMs toward H2O2 oxidation were investigated using electrochemical means, kinetic isotope effect (KIE) studies, and Tafel analyses. Proton carriers featuring borate, phosphate, and nitrile headgroups were found to dictate the transmembrane proton removal rate, thereby controlling the H2O2 oxidation activity. The first significance of this work was the expansion of HBM platforms to GC substrates to overcome the limited redox potential window on gold thiol systems, thereby enabling electrochemical investigations of anodic reactions at the SAM-lipid interface. The second highlight of this work was demonstrating for the first time that deprotonation kinetics can be taken advantage of to enhance the electrocatalytic oxidation performance of a metal complex anchored at the SAM-lipid interface of a HBM platform. When the knowledge gaps regarding how PCET steps govern redox pathways are closed, the advances achieved using our unique bioinorganic platform are envisioned to accelerate the understanding and optimization of electrocatalytic processes involving proton- and electron- transfer steps that are fundamental to the development of high-performance energy devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Wang
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, University of Hong Kong (HKU), Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Edmund C M Tse
- Department of Chemistry, HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, University of Hong Kong (HKU), Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Zhejiang 311305, China
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7
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Man Ngo F, Tse ECM. Bioinorganic Platforms for Sensing, Biomimicry, and Energy Catalysis. CHEM LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/cl.200875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fung Man Ngo
- Department of Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory of Metallomics on Health and Environment, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
- Advanced Functional Materials Laboratory, HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Zhejiang 311305, P. R. China
| | - Edmund C. M. Tse
- Department of Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory of Metallomics on Health and Environment, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
- Advanced Functional Materials Laboratory, HKU Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, Zhejiang 311305, P. R. China
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