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Oschinski H, Hörmann NG, Reuter K. Constant potential energetics of metallic and semiconducting electrodes: A benchmark study on 2D materials. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:214706. [PMID: 38832745 DOI: 10.1063/5.0202849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Grand-canonical (GC) constant-potential methods within an implicit solvent environment provide a general approach to compute the potential-dependent energetics at electrified solid-liquid interfaces with first-principles density-functional theory. Here, we use a mindfully chosen set of 27 isostructural 2D metal halides MX2 to analyze the variation of this energetics when the electronic structure changes from metallic to semiconducting and insulating state. Apart from expectable changes due to the opening up of the electronic bandgap, the calculations also show an increasing sensitivity to the numerical Brillouin zone integration and electronic smearing, which imposes computational burdens in practice. We rationalize these findings within the picture of the total interfacial capacitance arising from a series connection of the electrochemical double-layer capacitance and the so-called quantum capacitance resulting from the filling of electronic states inside the electrode. For metals, the electrochemical double-layer capacitance dominates at all potentials, and the entire potential drop takes place in the electrolyte. For semiconductors, the potential drop occurs instead fully or partially inside the electrode at potentials within or just outside the bandgap. For 2D semiconductors, the increased sensitivity to numerical parameters then results from the concomitantly increased contribution of the quantum capacitance that is harder to converge. Fortunately, this understanding motivates a simple extension of the CHE + DL approximation for metals, which provides the approximate GC energetics of 2D semiconductors using only quantities that can be obtained from computationally undemanding calculations at the point of zero charge and a generic double-layer capacitance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedda Oschinski
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Nicolas Georg Hörmann
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Reuter
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
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2
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Khoo V, Ng SF, Haw CY, Ong WJ. Additive Manufacturing: A Paradigm Shift in Revolutionizing Catalysis with 3D Printed Photocatalysts and Electrocatalysts Toward Environmental Sustainability. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2401278. [PMID: 38634520 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202401278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Semiconductor-based materials utilized in photocatalysts and electrocatalysts present a sophisticated solution for efficient solar energy utilization and bias control, a field extensively explored for its potential in sustainable energy and environmental management. Recently, 3D printing has emerged as a transformative technology, offering rapid, cost-efficient, and highly customizable approaches to designing photocatalysts and electrocatalysts with precise structural control and tailored substrates. The adaptability and precision of printing facilitate seamless integration, loading, and blending of diverse photo(electro)catalytic materials during the printing process, significantly reducing material loss compared to traditional methods. Despite the evident advantages of 3D printing, a comprehensive compendium delineating its application in the realm of photocatalysis and electrocatalysis is conspicuously absent. This paper initiates by delving into the fundamental principles and mechanisms underpinning photocatalysts electrocatalysts and 3D printing. Subsequently, an exhaustive overview of the latest 3D printing techniques, underscoring their pivotal role in shaping the landscape of photocatalysts and electrocatalysts for energy and environmental applications. Furthermore, the paper examines various methodologies for seamlessly incorporating catalysts into 3D printed substrates, elucidating the consequential effects of catalyst deposition on catalytic properties. Finally, the paper thoroughly discusses the challenges that necessitate focused attention and resolution for future advancements in this domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerine Khoo
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
- Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology (CONNECT), Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
| | - Sue-Faye Ng
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
- Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology (CONNECT), Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
| | - Choon-Yian Haw
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
- Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology (CONNECT), Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wee-Jun Ong
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
- Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology (CONNECT), Xiamen University Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 43900, Malaysia
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Gulei Innovation Institute, Xiamen University, Zhangzhou, 363200, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, 518057, China
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3
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Wang B, Wang M, Fan Z, Ma C, Xi S, Chang LY, Zhang M, Ling N, Mi Z, Chen S, Leow WR, Zhang J, Wang D, Lum Y. Nanocurvature-induced field effects enable control over the activity of single-atom electrocatalysts. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1719. [PMID: 38409205 PMCID: PMC10897157 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46175-1] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuning interfacial electric fields provides a powerful means to control electrocatalyst activity. Importantly, electric fields can modify adsorbate binding energies based on their polarizability and dipole moment, and hence operate independently of scaling relations that fundamentally limit performance. However, implementation of such a strategy remains challenging because typical methods modify the electric field non-uniformly and affects only a minority of active sites. Here we discover that uniformly tunable electric field modulation can be achieved using a model system of single-atom catalysts (SACs). These consist of M-N4 active sites hosted on a series of spherical carbon supports with varying degrees of nanocurvature. Using in-situ Raman spectroscopy with a Stark shift reporter, we demonstrate that a larger nanocurvature induces a stronger electric field. We show that this strategy is effective over a broad range of SAC systems and electrocatalytic reactions. For instance, Ni SACs with optimized nanocurvature achieved a high CO partial current density of ~400 mA cm-2 at >99% Faradaic efficiency for CO2 reduction in acidic media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqing Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Republic of Singapore
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Republic of Singapore
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ziting Fan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Republic of Singapore
| | - Chao Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Tsinghua, China
| | - Shibo Xi
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Pesek Road, Singapore, 627833, Republic of Singapore
| | - Lo-Yueh Chang
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Centre, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Mingsheng Zhang
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ning Ling
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ziyu Mi
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Pesek Road, Singapore, 627833, Republic of Singapore
| | - Shenghua Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Tsinghua, China
| | - Wan Ru Leow
- Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 1 Pesek Road, Singapore, 627833, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jia Zhang
- Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), 1 Fusionopolis Way, #16-16 Connexis, Singapore, 138632, Republic of Singapore
| | - Dingsheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Tsinghua, China
| | - Yanwei Lum
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Republic of Singapore.
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis #08-03, Singapore, 138634, Republic of Singapore.
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Schilling M, Eifert L, Köble K, Jaugstetter M, Bevilacqua N, Fahy KF, Tschulik K, Bazylak A, Zeis R. Investigating the Influence of Treatments on Carbon Felts for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202301063. [PMID: 37671901 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) electrodes face challenges related to their long-term operation. We investigated different electrode treatments mimicking the aging processes during operation, including thermal activation, aging, soaking, and storing. Several characterization techniques were used to deepen the understanding of the treatment of carbon felts. Synchrotron X-ray imaging, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with the distribution of relaxation times analysis, and dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) revealed differences between the wettability of felts. The bulk saturation after electrolyte injection into the carbon felts significantly differed from 8 % to 96 %. DVS revealed differences in the sorption/desorption behavior of carbon felt ranging from a slight change of 0.8 wt % to over 100 wt %. Additionally, the interactions between the water vapor and the sample change from type V to type H2. After treatment, morphology changes were observed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and EIS were used to probe the electrochemical performance, revealing different catalytic activities and transport-related impedances for the treated samples. These investigations are crucial for understanding the effects of treatments on the performance and optimizing materials for long-term operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monja Schilling
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - László Eifert
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kerstin Köble
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maximilian Jaugstetter
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry II, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nico Bevilacqua
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kieran F Fahy
- Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Kristina Tschulik
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry II, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Aimy Bazylak
- Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Roswitha Zeis
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical, Electronics, Communication Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstraße 9, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtzstraße 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
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Beinlich SD, Kastlunger G, Reuter K, Hörmann NG. Controlled Electrochemical Barrier Calculations without Potential Control. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:8323-8331. [PMID: 37933878 PMCID: PMC10688182 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
The knowledge of electrochemical activation energies under applied potential conditions is a prerequisite for understanding catalytic activity at electrochemical interfaces. Here, we present a new set of methods that can compute electrochemical barriers with accuracy comparable to that of constant potential grand canonical approaches, without the explicit need for a potentiostat. Instead, we Legendre transform a set of constant charge, canonical reaction paths. Additional straightforward approximations offer the possibility to compute electrochemical barriers at a fraction of computational cost and complexity, and the analytical inclusion of geometric response highlights the importance of incorporating electronic as well as the geometric degrees of freedom when evaluating electrochemical barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon D. Beinlich
- Fritz-Haber-Institut
der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Technical
University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Georg Kastlunger
- Technical
University of Denmark, Fysikvej 311, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Karsten Reuter
- Fritz-Haber-Institut
der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolas G. Hörmann
- Fritz-Haber-Institut
der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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6
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Eggert T, Hörmann NG, Reuter K. Cavity formation at metal-water interfaces. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:194702. [PMID: 37966001 DOI: 10.1063/5.0167406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The free energy cost of forming a cavity in a solvent is a fundamental concept in rationalizing the solvation of molecules and ions. A detailed understanding of the factors governing cavity formation in bulk solutions has inter alia enabled the formulation of models that account for this contribution in coarse-grained implicit solvation methods. Here, we employ classical molecular dynamics simulations and multistate Bennett acceptance ratio free energy sampling to systematically study cavity formation at a wide range of metal-water interfaces. We demonstrate that the obtained size- and position-dependence of cavitation energies can be fully rationalized by a geometric Gibbs model, which considers that the creation of the metal-cavity interface necessarily involves the removal of interfacial solvent. This so-called competitive adsorption effect introduces a substrate dependence to the interfacial cavity formation energy that is missed in existing bulk cavitation models. Using expressions from scaled particle theory, this substrate dependence is quantitatively reproduced by the Gibbs model through simple linear relations with the adsorption energy of a single water molecule. Besides providing a better general understanding of interfacial solvation, this paves the way for the derivation and efficient parametrization of more accurate interface-aware implicit solvation models needed for reliable high-throughput calculations toward improved electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorben Eggert
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Chair of Theoretical Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Nicolas G Hörmann
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Karsten Reuter
- Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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7
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Ringe S. The importance of a charge transfer descriptor for screening potential CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2598. [PMID: 37147278 PMCID: PMC10162986 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37929-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been over twenty years since the linear scaling of reaction intermediate adsorption energies started to coin the fields of heterogeneous and electrocatalysis as a blessing and a curse at the same time. It has established the possibility to construct activity volcano plots as a function of a single or two readily accessible adsorption energies as descriptors, but also limited the maximal catalytic conversion rate. In this work, it is found that these established adsorption energy-based descriptor spaces are not applicable to electrochemistry, because they are lacking an important additional dimension, the potential of zero charge. This extra dimension arises from the interaction of the electric double layer with reaction intermediates which does not scale with adsorption energies. At the example of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 it is shown that the addition of this descriptor breaks the scaling relations, opening up a huge chemical space that is readily accessible via potential of zero charge-based material design. The potential of zero charge also explains product selectivity trends of electrochemical CO2 reduction in close agreement with reported experimental data highlighting its importance for electrocatalyst design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Ringe
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
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Domínguez-Flores F, Melander MM. Approximating constant potential DFT with canonical DFT and electrostatic corrections. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:144701. [PMID: 37061493 DOI: 10.1063/5.0138197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of electrochemical interfaces has led to the development of several approximate density functional theory (DFT)-based schemes to study reaction thermodynamics and kinetics as a function of electrode potential. While fixed electrode potential conditions can be simulated with grand canonical ensemble DFT (GCE-DFT), various electrostatic corrections on canonical, constant charge DFT are often applied instead. In this work, we present a systematic derivation and analysis of the different electrostatic corrections on canonical DFT to understand their physical validity, implicit assumptions, and scope of applicability. Our work highlights the need to carefully address the suitability of a given model for the problem under study, especially if physical or chemical insight in addition to reaction energetics is sought. In particular, we analytically show that the different corrections cannot differentiate between electrostatic interactions and covalent or charge-transfer interactions. By numerically testing different models for CO2 adsorption on a single-atom catalyst as a function of the electrode potential, we further show that computed capacitances, dipole moments, and the obtained physical insight depend sensitively on the chosen approximation. These features limit the scope, generality, and physical insight of these corrective schemes despite their proven practicality for specific systems and energetics. Finally, we suggest guidelines for choosing different electrostatic corrections and propose the use of conceptual DFT to develop more general approximations for electrochemical interfaces and reactions using canonical DFT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Domínguez-Flores
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Marko M Melander
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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9
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Kristoffersen HH. Modeling electrochemical proton adsorption at constant potential with explicit charging. ChemCatChem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202200826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrik H. Kristoffersen
- University of Copenhagen: Kobenhavns Universitet Department of Chemistry 2100 København Ø DENMARK
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