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Weng G, Laderer W, Alexandrova AN. Understanding the Adiabatic Evolution of Surface States in Tetradymite Topological Insulators under Electrochemical Conditions. J Phys Chem Lett 2024:2732-2739. [PMID: 38436223 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Nontrivial surface states in topological materials have emerged as exciting targets for surface chemistry research. In particular, topological insulators have been used as electrodes in electrocatalytic reactions. Herein, we investigate the robustness of the topological surface states and band topology under electrochemical conditions, specifically in the presence of an electric double layer. First-principles band structure calculations are performed on the electrified (111) surfaces of Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3, and Sb2Te3 using an implicit electrolyte model. Our results demonstrate the adiabatic evolution of the surface states upon surface charging. Under oxidizing potentials, the surface states are shifted upward in energy, preserving the Dirac point on the surface and the band inversion in the bulk. Conversely, under reduced potentials, hybridization is observed between the surface and bulk states, suggesting a likely breakdown of topological protection. The position of the Fermi level, which dictates the working states in catalytic reactions, should ideally be confined within the bulk bandgap. This requirement defines a potential window for the effective application of topological electrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guorong Weng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - William Laderer
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Anastassia N Alexandrova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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2
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Boukhvalov DW, D'Olimpio G, Liu J, Ghica C, Istrate MC, Kuo CN, Politano GG, Lue CS, Torelli P, Zhang L, Politano A. Cost-effective, high-performance Ni 3Sn 4 electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction in acidic environments. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:6040-6043. [PMID: 37185589 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc01623d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Methanol (CH3OH) oxidation offers a promising avenue for transitioning to clean energy, particularly in the field of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). However, the development of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) remains a critical challenge. Herein, we report the exceptional electrocatalytic activity and stability of Ni3Sn4 toward MOR in acidic media, achieving a performance comparable to that of commercial Pt/C catalysts. Our catalyst design incorporates Earth-abundant Ni and Sn elements, resulting in a material that is 1800 times more cost-effective than Pt/C. Density functional theory (DFT) modeling substantiates our experimental findings, shedding light on the favorable reaction mechanisms and kinetics on the Ni3Sn4 surface. Additionally, the as-synthesized Ni3Sn4 electrocatalyst demonstrates commendable durability, maintaining its electrocatalytic activity even after prolonged exposure to harsh acidic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danil W Boukhvalov
- College of Science, Institute of Materials Physics and Chemistry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
- Institute of Physics and Technology, Ural Federal University, Mira Str. 19, 620002 Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Gianluca D'Olimpio
- Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila (AQ), Italy.
| | - Junzhe Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
| | - Corneliu Ghica
- National Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, 077125 Magurele, Romania
| | | | - Chia-Nung Kuo
- Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Grazia Giuseppina Politano
- Department of Information Engineering, Infrastructures and Sustainable Energy (DIIES), University "Mediterranea" of Reggio Calabria, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Chin Shan Lue
- Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Piero Torelli
- CNR-IOM, TASC Laboratory, Area Science Park-Basovizza, 34139 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lixue Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, P. R. China.
| | - Antonio Politano
- Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila (AQ), Italy.
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Boukhvalov D, D’Olimpio G, Mazzola F, Kuo CN, Mardanya S, Fujii J, Politano GG, Lue CS, Agarwal A, Vobornik I, Torelli P, Politano A. Unveiling the Catalytic Potential of Topological Nodal-Line Semimetal AuSn 4 for Hydrogen Evolution and CO 2 Reduction. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:3069-3076. [PMID: 36947176 PMCID: PMC10068825 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the correlation between the existence of topological electronic states in materials and their catalytic activity has gained increasing attention, due to the exceptional electron conductivity and charge carrier mobility exhibited by quantum materials. However, the physicochemical mechanisms ruling catalysis with quantum materials are not fully understood. Here, we investigate the chemical reactivity, ambient stability, and catalytic activity of the topological nodal-line semimetal AuSn4. Our findings reveal that the surface of AuSn4 is prone to oxidation, resulting in the formation of a nanometric SnO2 skin. This surface oxidation significantly enhances the material's performance as a catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic environments. We demonstrate that the peculiar atomic structure of oxidized AuSn4 enables the migration of hydrogen atoms through the Sn-O layer with a minimal energy barrier of only 0.19 eV. Furthermore, the Volmer step becomes exothermic in the presence of Sn vacancies or tin-oxide skin, as opposed to being hindered in the pristine sample, with energy values of -0.62 and -1.66 eV, respectively, compared to the +0.46 eV energy barrier in the pristine sample. Our model also suggests that oxidized AuSn4 can serve as a catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkali media. Additionally, we evaluate the material's suitability for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction, finding that the presence of topologically protected electronic states enhances the migration of hydrogen atoms adsorbed on the catalyst to carbon dioxide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danil
W. Boukhvalov
- College
of Science, Institute of Materials Physics and Chemistry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
- Institute
of Physics and Technology, Ural Federal
University, Mira Str.
19, 620002 Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Gianluca D’Olimpio
- Department
of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University
of L’Aquila, via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila (AQ), Italy
| | - Federico Mazzola
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio
TASC, Area Science Park
S.S. 14 km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Chia-Nung Kuo
- Department
of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Sougata Mardanya
- Department
of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jun Fujii
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio
TASC, Area Science Park
S.S. 14 km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Grazia Giuseppina Politano
- Department
of Information Engineering, Infrastructures and Sustainable Energy
(DIIES), University “Mediterranea”
of Reggio Calabria, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Chin Shan Lue
- Department
of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, 1 Ta-Hsueh Road, 70101 Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Amit Agarwal
- Department
of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology
Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Ivana Vobornik
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio
TASC, Area Science Park
S.S. 14 km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Piero Torelli
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio
TASC, Area Science Park
S.S. 14 km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Antonio Politano
- Department
of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University
of L’Aquila, via Vetoio, 67100 L’Aquila (AQ), Italy
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Saikia S, Devi R, Gogoi P, Saikia L, Choudary BM, Raja T, Deka P, Deka RC. Regioselective Friedel-Crafts Acylation Reaction Using Single Crystalline and Ultrathin Nanosheet Assembly of Scrutinyite-SnO 2. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:32225-32237. [PMID: 36120068 PMCID: PMC9476169 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Peculiar physicochemical properties of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted research interest in developing new synthetic technology and exploring their potential applications in the field of catalysis. Moreover, ultrathin metal oxide nanosheets with atomic thickness exhibit abnormal surficial properties because of the unique 2D confinement effect. In this work, we present a facile and general approach for the synthesis of single crystalline and ultrathin 2D nanosheets assembly of scrutinyite-SnO2 through a simple solvothermal method. The structural and compositional characterization using X-ray diffraction (Rietveld refinement analysis), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and so on reveal that the as-synthesized 2D nanosheets are ultrathin and single crystallized in the scrutinyite-SnO2 phase with high purity. The ultrathin SnO2 nanosheets show predominant growth in the [011] direction on the main surface having a thickness of ca. 1.3 nm. The SnO2 nanosheets are further employed for the regioselective Friedel-Crafts acylation to synthesize aromatic ketones that have potential significance in chemical industry as synthetic intermediates of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. A series of aromatic substrates acylated over the SnO2 nanosheets have afforded the corresponding aromatic ketones with up to 92% yield under solvent-free conditions. Comprehensive catalytic investigations display the SnO2 nanosheet assembly as a better catalytic material compared to the heterogeneous metal oxide catalysts used so far in the view of its activity and reusability in solvent-free reaction conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudakhina Saikia
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur 784028, India
| | - Rasna Devi
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur 784028, India
| | - Pranjal Gogoi
- Catalysis
and Inorganic Chemistry Division, CSIR-National
Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
| | - Lakshi Saikia
- Materials
Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North
East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat 785006, India
| | | | - Thirumalaiswamy Raja
- Catalysis
and Inorganic Chemistry Division, CSIR-National
Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
| | - Pangkita Deka
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur 784028, India
- Department
of Chemistry, Jorhat Engineering College, Garmur, Jorhat 785007, India
| | - Ramesh C. Deka
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur 784028, India
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Lu Y, Fan X, Ma X, Liu J, Li Y, Zhao M. Tunable topological electronic states in the honeycomb-kagome lattices of nitrogen/oxygen-doped graphene nanomeshes. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2022; 4:2201-2207. [PMID: 36133449 PMCID: PMC9419200 DOI: 10.1039/d2na00132b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The rich and exotic electronic properties of graphene nanomeshes (GNMs) have been attracting interest due to their superiority to pristine graphene. Using first-principles calculations, we considered three graphene meshes doped with nitrogen and oxygen atoms (C10N3, C9N4 and C10O3). The electronic band structures of these GNMs in terms of the proximity of the Fermi level featured a two-dimensional (2D) honeycomb-kagome lattice with concurrent kagome and Dirac bands. The position of the Fermi level can be regulated by the doping ratio, resulting in different topological quantum states, namely topological Dirac semimetals and Dirac nodal line (DNL) semimetals. More interestingly, the adsorption of rhenium (Re) atoms in the voids of the C10N3 (Re@ C10N3) GNMs induced quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) states, as verified by the nonzero Chern numbers and chiral edge states. These GNMs offer a promising platform superior to pristine graphene for regulating multiple topological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Lu
- School of Physics, Shandong University Jinan Shandong 250100 China
| | - Xuejia Fan
- School of Physics, Shandong University Jinan Shandong 250100 China
| | - Xikui Ma
- School of Physics, Shandong University Jinan Shandong 250100 China
| | - Jian Liu
- School of Physics, Shandong University Jinan Shandong 250100 China
| | - Yangyang Li
- School of Physics, Shandong University Jinan Shandong 250100 China
| | - Mingwen Zhao
- School of Physics, Shandong University Jinan Shandong 250100 China
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