Spectroscopic Studies of Nickel(II) and Nickel(III) Species Generated upon Thermal Treatments of Nickel/Ceria-Supported Materials

Ni-Ru supported on CeO2 obtained by mechanochemical milling for catalytic hydrogen production from ammonia

Developing active and stable catalysts for carbon-free hydrogen production is crucial to mitigate the effects of climate change. Ammonia is a promising carbon-free hydrogen source, as it has a high hydrogen content and is liquid at low pressure, which allows its easy storage and transportation. We have recently developed a nickel-based catalyst with a small content of ruthenium supported on cerium oxide, which exhibits high activity and stability in ammonia decomposition. Here, we investigate mechanochemical milling for its synthesis, a faster and less energy-consuming technique than conventional ones. Results indicate that mechanochemical synthesis increases catalytic activity compared to the conventional incipient wetness impregnation method. The interaction between the metal precursors and the support is key in fine-tuning catalytic activity, which increases linearly with oxygen vacancies in the support. Moreover, the mechanochemical method modifies the oxidation state of Ni and Ru species, with a variation depending on the precursors.

Unraveling Stoichiometry Effect in Nickel-Tungsten Alloys for Efficient Hydrogen Oxidation Catalysis in Alkaline Electrolytes

Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells provide the possibility to use platinum group metal-free catalysts, but the anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) suffers from sluggish kinetics and its source is still debated. Here, over nickel-tungsten (Ni-W) alloy catalysts, we show that the Ni : W ratio greatly governs the HOR performance in alkaline electrolyte. Experimental and theoretical studies unravel that alloying with W can tune the unpaired electrons in Ni, tailoring the potential of zero charge and the catalytic surface to favor hydroxyl adsorption (OHad). The OHad species coordinately interact with potassium (K+) ions, which break the K+ solvation sheath to leave free water molecules, yielding an improved connectivity of hydrogen-bond networks. Consequently, the optimal Ni17W3 alloy exhibits alkaline HOR activity superior to the state-of-the-art platinum on carbon (Pt/C) catalyst and operates steadily with negligible decay after 10,000 cycles. Our findings offer new understandings of alloyed HOR catalysts and will guide rational design of next-generation catalysts for fuel cells.

Ni3+ -Rich Ni/NiOx @C Nanocapsules Below 4 nm Constructed by Low-Temperature Graphitization of Self-Assembled Few-Layer Coordination Polymers toward Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis

Low-cost and eco-friendly Ni/NiO heterojunctions have been theoretically proven to be the ideal candidate for stepwise electrocatalysis of alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction, attributed to the preferred OHad adsorption by incompletely filled d orbitals of NiO phase and favorable Had adsorption energy of Ni phase. Nevertheless, most Ni/NiO compounds reported so far fail to exhibit excellent catalytic activity, possibly due to the lack of efficient electron transport, limited interfacial active sites, and unregulated Nin+ ratios. To address the above bottlenecks, herein, the ultrasmall Ni/NiOx @C nanocapsules (<5 nm) are directly constructed by graphitization of four-layer Ni-based coordination polymers at record low temperatures of 400 °C. Ascribed to the accelerated electron and mass transfer by the carbon nano-onions coated around Ni/NiOx heterojunctions, the extreme rise in interfaces and Ni3+ defects with t6 2ge1 g electronic configuration owed to the ultrasmall size, the Ni/NiOx @C nanocapsules exhibit the highest catalytic activity and the lowest overpotential of η10 = 80 mV among various Ni/NiO materials (measured on the glassy carbon electrode). This work not only constructs an industrialized high-efficiency electrocatalyst toward alkaline HER, but also provides a novel strategy for the constant-scale preparation of multicomponent transition metals-based nanocrystals below 4 nm.

Tailored PVDF Graft Copolymers via ATRP as High-Performance NCM811 Cathode Binders

High-nickel layered oxides, e.g., LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811), are promising candidates for cathode materials in high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Complementing the notable developments of modification of active materials, this study focused on the polymer binder materials, and a new synthetic route was developed to engineer PVDF binders by covalently grafting copolymers from poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PVDF-CTFE) with multiple functionalities using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The grafted random copolymer binder provided excellent flexibility (319% elongation), adhesion strength (50 times higher than PVDF), transition metal chelation capability, and efficient ionic conductivity pathways. The NCM811 half-cells using the designed binders exhibited a remarkable rate capability of 143.4 mA h g-1 at 4C and cycling stability with 70.1% capacity retention after 230 cycles at 0.5 C, which is much higher than the 52.3% capacity retention of nonmodified PVDF. The well-retained structure of NCM811 with the designed binder was systematically studied and confirmed by post-mortem analysis.

Efficient NH3-Tolerant Nickel-Based Hydrogen Oxidation Catalyst for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Converting hydrogen chemical energy into electrical energy by fuel cells offers high efficiencies and environmental advantages, but ultrapure hydrogen (over 99.97%) is required; otherwise, the electrode catalysts, typically platinum on carbon (Pt/C), will be poisoned by impurity gases such as ammonia (NH3). Here we demonstrate remarkable NH3 resistivity over a nickel-molybdenum alloy (MoNi4) modulated by chromium (Cr) dopants. The resultant Cr-MoNi4 exhibits high activity toward alkaline hydrogen oxidation and can undergo 10,000 cycles without apparent activity decay in the presence of 2 ppm of NH3. Furthermore, a fuel cell assembled with this catalyst retains 95% of the initial peak power density even when NH3 (10 ppm)/H2 was fed, whereas the power output reduces to 61% of the initial value for the Pt/C catalyst. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the Cr modifier not only creates electron-rich states that restrain lone-pair electron donation but also downshifts the d-band center to suppress d-electron back-donation, synergistically weakening NH3 adsorption.

DEEP Surveillance of Brain Cancer Using Self-Functionalized 3D Nanoprobes for Noninvasive Liquid Biopsy

Brain cancers, one of the most fatal malignancies, require accurate diagnosis for guided therapeutic intervention. However, conventional methods for brain cancer prognosis (imaging and tissue biopsy) face challenges due to the complex nature and inaccessible anatomy of the brain. Therefore, deep analysis of brain cancer is necessary to (i) detect the presence of a malignant tumor, (ii) identify primary or secondary origin, and (iii) find where the tumor is housed. In order to provide a diagnostic technique with such exhaustive information here, we attempted a liquid biopsy-based deep surveillance of brain cancer using a very minimal amount of blood serum (5 μL) in real time. We hypothesize that holistic analysis of serum can act as a reliable source for deep brain cancer surveillance. To identify minute amounts of tumor-derived material in circulation, we synthesized an ultrasensitive 3D nanosensor, adopted SERS as a diagnostic methodology, and undertook a DEEP neural network-based brain cancer surveillance. Detection of primary and secondary tumor achieved 100% accuracy. Prediction of intracranial tumor location achieved 96% accuracy. This modality of using patient sera for deep surveillance is a promising noninvasive liquid biopsy tool with the potential to complement current brain cancer diagnostic methodologies.

Harnessing Strong Metal-Support Interaction to Proliferate the Dry Reforming of Methane Performance by In Situ Reduction

The strong bonding at the interface between the metal and the support, which can inhibit the undesirable aggregation of metal nanoparticles and carbon deposition from reforming of hydrocarbon, is well known as the classical strong metal-support interaction (SMSI). SMSI of nanocatalysts was significantly affected by heat treatment and reducing conditions during catalyst preparation.the heat treatment and reduction conditions during catalyst preparation. SMSI can be weakened by the decrement of metal-doped sites in the supporting oxide and can often deactivate catalysts by the encapsulation of active sites through these processes. To retain SMSI near the active sites and to enhance the catalytic activity of the nanocatalyst, it is essential to increase the number of surficial metal-doped sites between nanometal and the support. Herein, we propose a mild reduction process using dry methane (CH₄/CO₂) gas that suppresses the aggregation of nanoparticles and increases the exposed interface between the metal and support, Ni and cerium oxide. The effects of mild reduction on the chemical state of Ni-cerium oxide nanocatalysts were specifically investigated in this study. As a result, mild reduction led to form large amounts of the Ni³⁺ phase at the catalyst surface of which SMSI was significantly enhanced. It can be easily fabricated while the dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction is on stream. The superior performance of the catalyst achieved a considerably high CH₄ conversion rate of approximately 60% and stable operation up to 550 h at a low temperature, 600 °C.

Ni-In Synergy in CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol

Indium oxide (In2O3) is a promising catalyst for selective CH3OH synthesis from CO2 but displays insufficient activity at low reaction temperatures. By screening a range of promoters (Co, Ni, Cu, and Pd) in combination with In2O3 using flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) synthesis, Ni is identified as the most suitable first-row transition-metal promoter with similar performance as Pd-In2O3. NiO-In2O3 was optimized by varying the Ni/In ratio using FSP. The resulting catalysts including In2O3 and NiO end members have similar high specific surface areas and morphology. The main products of CO2 hydrogenation are CH3OH and CO with CH4 being only observed at high NiO loading (≥75 wt %). The highest CH3OH rate (∼0.25 gMeOH/(gcat h), 250 °C, and 30 bar) is obtained for a NiO loading of 6 wt %. Characterization of the as-prepared catalysts reveals a strong interaction between Ni cations and In2O3 at low NiO loading (≤6 wt %). H2-TPR points to a higher surface density of oxygen vacancy (Ov) due to Ni substitution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of the used catalysts suggest that Ni cations can be reduced to Ni as single atoms and very small clusters during CO2 hydrogenation. Supportive density functional theory calculations indicate that Ni promotion of CH3OH synthesis from CO2 is mainly due to low-barrier H2 dissociation on the reduced Ni surface species, facilitating hydrogenation of adsorbed CO2 on Ov.

Inductive effects in cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide electronic structure facilitating urea electrooxidation

Electrochemical oxidation of urea provides an approach to prevent excess urea emissions into the environment while generating value by capturing chemical energy from waste. Unfortunately, the source of high catalytic activity in state-of-the-art doped nickel catalysts for urea oxidation reaction (UOR) activity remains poorly understood, hindering the rational design of new catalyst materials. In particular, the exact role of cobalt as a dopant in Ni(OH)₂ to maximize the intrinsic activity towards UOR remains unclear. In this work, we demonstrate how tuning the Ni:Co ratio allows us to control the intrinsic activity and number of active surface sites, both of which contribute towards increasing UOR performance. We show how Ni₉₀Co₁₀(OH)₂ achieves the largest geometric current density due to the increase of available surface sites and that intrinsic activity towards UOR is maximized with Ni₂₀Co₈₀(OH)₂. Through density functional theory calculations, we show that the introduction of Co alters the Ni 3d electronic state density distribution to lower the minimum energy required to oxidize Ni and influence potential surface adsorbate interactions.

Structure and surface properties of Ni–Al hydrotalcite-like compounds and their catalytic application in highly selective acetalization at room temperature

Oxygen vacancies improve the catalytic activity of acid sites, and their amount decreases due to the conversion of [Ni(OH)₅NO₃] into [Ni(OH)₆] units.

Effects of Promoter on Structural and Surface Properties of Zirconium Oxide-Based Catalyst Materials

Ternary mixed oxide systems CuO/ZnO/ZrO₂ and CuO/NiO/ZrO₂ were synthesized by one-pot synthesis for a better understanding of the synthesis-property relationships of zirconium oxide-based catalyst materials. The prepared mixed oxide samples were analysed by a broad range of characterisation methods (XRD, N₂-physisorption, Temperature-Programmed Ammonia Desorption (TPAD), and XPS) to examine the structural and surface properties, as well as to identify the location of the potential catalytically active sites. By XPS analysis, it could be shown that a progressive enrichment of the surface composition with copper takes place by changing from ZnO to NiO as a promoter. Thus, by addition of the second component, not only electronic but also the geometric properties of active sites, i.e., copper species distribution within the catalyst surface, can be affected in a desired way.

Mechanistic Investigation of Biomass Oxidation Using Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles in a CO2-Saturated Electrolyte for Paired Electrolysis

A highly efficient CO₂ electrolysis system could be created by introducing biomass oxidation as an alternative anodic reaction to the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction in a CO₂-saturated and near-neutral electrolyte. Here, we successfully demonstrate anodic biomass oxidation by synthesizing 5 nm nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs). NiO NPs show a unique electrocatalytic activity for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) oxidation under near-neutral conditions, exhibiting an anodic current onset (1 mA cm^-2) at 1.524 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode and a total Faradaic efficiency of ≤70%. Electrokinetic and in situ ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic analyses suggest that a redox active nickel hydroxide species is formed on the surface of NiO electrocatalysts during HMF oxidation, and this oxidation of Ni(II) hydroxide to Ni(III) oxyhydroxide could be the rate-determining step. This mechanistic study of biomass oxidation in a CO₂-saturated electrolyte provides insight into constructing a highly efficient system for the paired electrolysis of CO₂ reduction and biomass oxidation.

Surface Modification of FeCoNiCr Medium-Entropy Alloy (MEA) Using Octadecyltrichlorosilane and Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

Surface condition and corrosion resistance are major concerns when metallic materials are going to be utilized for applications. In this study, FeCoNiCr medium-entropy alloy (MEA) is first treated with a nitrogen atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and then coated with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) for the surface modification. The hydrophobicity of the FeCoNiCr MEA was effectively improved by OTS-coating treatment, APPJ treatment, or the combination of both treatments (OTS-coated APPJ-treated), which increased the water contact angle from 54.49° of the bare MEA to 70.56°, 93.94°, and 88.42°, respectively. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrate that the APPJ-treated FeCoNiCr MEA exhibits the best anti-corrosion properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that APPJ treatment at 700 °C oxidizes all the alloying elements in the FeCoNiCr MEA, which demonstrates that a short APPJ treatment of two-minute is effective in forming a metal oxide layer on the surface to improve the corrosion resistance of FeCoNiCr MEA. These results provide a convenient and rapid method for improving surface properties of FeCoNiCr MEA.

Nickel complexes of ligands derived from (o-hydroxyphenyl) dichalcogenide: delocalised redox states of nickel and o-chalcogenophenolate ligands

Two monoanionic nickel complexes Bu4N[Ni(LSeO)2] (1) and Bu4N[Ni(LSO)2] (2) (H2LSeO = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyselenophenol and H2LSO = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxythiophenol) were synthesised by reductive cleavage of the respective 2,2'-dichalcogenobis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol) (H2LX-X; X = Se, S) with nickel(ii) salts. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 confirm the reductive X-X bond cleavage with the concomitant formation of the corresponding monoanionic square planar complex, where quinoidal distortions of the aromatic rings are observed. The monoanionic complexes (1 and 2) are paramagnetic (S = 1/2), exhibiting rhombic EPR signals, and the g anisotropies are well correlated with the spin-orbit coupling of chalcogenides. The spectral data indicate that the ligands H2LXO in 1 and 2 are redox non-innocent and stabilise the square planar S = 1/2 nickel complexes with a highly delocalised unpaired electron. DFT calculations further support the delocalised electronic structures of the nickel complexes.

Unconventional CN vacancies suppress iron-leaching in Prussian blue analogue pre-catalyst for boosted oxygen evolution catalysis

The incorporation of defects, such as vacancies, into functional materials could substantially tailor their intrinsic properties. Progress in vacancy chemistry has enabled advances in many technological applications, but creating new type of vacancies in existing material system remains a big challenge. We show here that ionized nitrogen plasma can break bonds of iron-carbon-nitrogen-nickel units in nickel-iron Prussian blue analogues, forming unconventional carbon-nitrogen vacancies. We study oxygen evolution reaction on the carbon-nitrogen vacancy-mediated Prussian blue analogues, which exhibit a low overpotential of 283 millivolts at 10 milliamperes per square centimeter in alkali, far exceeding that of original Prussian blue analogues and previously reported oxygen evolution catalysts with vacancies. We ascribe this enhancement to the in-situ generated nickel-iron oxy(hydroxide) active layer during oxygen evolution reaction, where the Fe leaching was significantly suppressed by the unconventional carbon-nitrogen vacancies. This work opens up opportunities for producing vacancy defects in nanomaterials for broad applications.

Formation of hierarchical porosity in oxidation of Ag films by reactive sputtering deposition of metal oxides via the Kirkendall effect

In this work, the conversion of Ag films to silver oxide nanorod arrays with hierarchical porosity which was realized in an oxidation environment by reactive sputtering deposition of metal oxides was reported. The mechanisms from the oxidation of Ag films to the formation of hierarchical porosity were investigated by varying the deposition parameters with the determination of phase structure, hierarchical porosity, diffusion coefficient, and chemical states of elements as well as by a comparison with the oxidation of Ag films by direct exposure to plasma. The oxidation of Ag films can be ascribed to the atomic oxygen in the environment. The formation of silver oxide nanorods and the creation of hierarchical porosity were substantiated to be due to the Kirkendall effect occurring between the oxidized Ag films and the deposited metal oxides with the assistance of the shading effect in deposition. In addition, the sample temperature and the attributes of metal oxides were found to have significant effects on the formation of hierarchically structured porous silver oxide films. The principle revealed in this work is of significance for the synthesis of porous materials with hierarchical porosity, especially for fabrication of hierarchically porous silver oxide films with improved properties, which are needed in the research fields of solid-state thin film batteries, photocatalysts, bactericides, gas sensors, etc.

Stabilizing Terminal Ni(III)-Hydroxide Complex Using NNN-Pincer Ligands: Synthesis and Characterization

The reaction of [Ni(COD)₂] (COD; cyclooctadiene) in THF with the NNN-pincer ligand bis(imino)pyridyl (L₁) reveals a susceptibility to oxidation in an inert atmosphere ([O₂] level <0.5 ppm), resulting in a transient Ni:dioxygen adduct. This reactive intermediate abstracts a hydrogen atom from THF and stabilizes an uncommon Ni(III) complex. The complex is crystallographically characterized by a molecular formula of [Ni^III(L_1^··)^2-(OH)] (1). Various isotopically labeled experiments (¹⁶O/¹⁸O) assertively endorse the origin of terminal oxygen based ligand in 1 due to the activation of molecular dioxygen. The presence of proton bound to the terminal oxygen in 1 is well supported by NMR, IR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions promoted by 1. The observation of shakeup satellite peaks for the primary photoelectron lines of Ni(2p) in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) unambiguously confirms the paramagnetic signature associated with the distorted square planar nickel ion, which is consistent with the trivalent oxidation state assigned for the nickel ion in 1. The variable temperature magnetic susceptibility data of 1 shows dominant antiferromagnetic interactions exist among the paramagnetic centers, resulting in an overall S = 1/2 ground state. Variable temperature X-band EPR studies performed on 1 show evidence for the S = 1/2 ground state, which is consistent with magnetic data. The unusual g-tensor extracted for the ground state S = 1/2 is analyzed under a strong exchange limit of spin-coupled centers. The electronic structure predicted for 1 is in good agreement with theoretical calculations.

Electrochemically Deposited Nickel Oxide from Molecular Complexes for Efficient Water Oxidation Catalysis

A facile method for the electrodeposition of amorphous nickel oxyhydroxide is described and discussed in which well-defined nickel complexes with pyridinedimethanol ligands are employed as single-source molecular precursors. No buffering agent is required to assist the anodic deposition process. The deposited nickel oxyhydroxide shows high robustness and efficiency for electrocatalytic water oxidation.

B, V. G, D. S, Kulal N, A. S. Framework of ruthenium-containing nickel hydrotalcite-type material: preparation, characterisation, and its catalytic application

The framework ruthenium-containing nickel (NiRu) hydrotalcite (HT)-type materials were prepared by a co-precipitation method for the first time in this study. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the formation of a layered hydrotalcite-type phase. DRUV-Vis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies revealed the presence of nickel in the +2 and +3 oxidation states along with the presence of ruthenium as Ru³⁺ ions. Temperature-programmed desorption studies of the NiRu-HT-type materials indicated a two-stage reduction with a decrease in T_max, supporting the presence of Ni²⁺ and Ru³⁺ in the framework of hydrotalcite. The obtained NiRu-HT-type materials proved to be promising catalysts for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds in the presence of hydrazine as a hydrogen source under ambient conditions. The NiRu-HT-type material demonstrated enhanced activity and selectivity during the reduction of nitrobenzene and its derivatives due to the synergistic effect of nickel and ruthenium ions.

The framework ruthenium-containing nickel (NiRu) hydrotalcite (HT)-type materials were prepared for the first time without organics and the resultant materials were found to be promising catalysts for nitro-benzene reduction.

Activation of a Nickel-Based Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyst on a Hematite Photoanode via Incorporation of Cerium for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

There has been debate on whether Ni(OH)₂ is truly catalytically active for the photo/electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. In this report, we synthesized a Ni(OH)₂ cocatalyst on a hematite photoanode and showed that, as has been proposed in other studies, the current density varies as a function of scan rate, which arises due to a photoinduced capacitive charging effect. We discovered that this photoinduced charging of Ni^2+/3+ can be overcome by mixing cerium nitrate into the Ni precursor solution. Under illumination, the NiCeO_x cocatalyst on a hematite photoanode exhibited an approximately 200 mV cathodic shift in onset potential and a ∼53% enhancement in photocurrent at 1.23 V vs RHE. Material characterization by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the Ni species create a p-n junction across the charge space region, which facilitates collection of the photogenerated holes by the cocatalyst layer, and core level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that Ce incorporated into the Ni-based cocatalyst layer may possibly induce the oxidation of the Ni species. In addition, we observed a reduction in binding energies of Ni after photoelectrochemical water splitting reactions, which suggests that the lattice oxygen of the NiCeO_x is consumed in the catalytic cycle, forming oxygen vacancies. The NiCeO_x cocatalyst, however, was incapable of passivating the surface recombination centers of the hematite photoanode, as indicated by the unaltered flat-band potential determined with Mott-Schottky analysis.

Effect of oxygen plasma immersion ion implantation on the formation of nanostructures over Ni–Ti alloy

Ni–Ti alloy has been implanted with oxygen ions by plasma immersion ion implantation. Ni–Ti–O nanotubes are formed by anodic oxidation of oxygen implanted Ni–Ti alloy.

Towards a full understanding of the nature of Ni(ii) species and hydroxyl groups over highly siliceous HZSM-5 zeolite supported nickel catalysts prepared by a deposition–precipitation method

A mechanism for the preparation of highly siliceous HZSM-5 zeolite supported nickel catalysts via a deposition–precipitation (D–P) method.

Defect-Rich Ultrathin ZnAl-Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets for Efficient Photoreduction of CO2 to CO with Water

Defect-rich ultrathin ZnAl-layered double hydroxide nanosheets are successfully prepared. Under UV-vis irradiation, these nanosheets are superior efficient catalysts for the photoreduction of CO2 to CO with water. The formed oxygen vacancies lead to the formation of coordinatively unsaturated Zn(+) centers within the nanosheets, responsible for the very high photocatalytic activities.

Facile preparation of electroactive amorphous α-ZrP/PANI hybrid film for potential-triggered adsorption of Pb(2+) ions

An electroactive hybrid film composed of amorphous α-zirconium phosphate and polyaniline (α-ZrP/PANI) is controllably synthesized on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modified Au electrodes in aqueous solution by cyclic voltammetry method. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray power diffraction (XRD) analysis are applied for the evaluation of the synthesis process. It is found that the exfoliated amorphous α-ZrP nanosheets are well dispersed in PANI and the hydrolysis of α-ZrP is successfully suppressed by controlling the exfoliation temperature and adding appropriate supporting electrolyte. The insertion/release of heavy metals into/from the film is reversibly controlled by a potential-triggered mechanism. Herein, α-ZrP, a weak solid acid, can provide an acidic micro-environment for PANI to promote the electroactivity in neutral aqueous solutions. Especially, the hybrid film shows excellent potential-triggered adsorption of Pb(2+) ion due to the selective complexation of Pb(2+) ion with oxygen derived from P-O-H of α-ZrP. Also, it shows long-term cycle stability and rapid potential-responsive adsorption/desorption rate. This kind of novel hybrid film is expected to be a promising potential-triggered ESIX material for separation and recovery of heavy metal ions from wastewater.

Nickel oxide particles catalyze photochemical hydrogen evolution from water--nanoscaling promotes p-type character and minority carrier extraction

Nickel(II) oxide (NiO) is an important wide gap p-type semiconductor used as a hole transport material for dye sensitized solar cells and as a water oxidation electrocatalyst. Here we demonstrate that nanocrystals of the material have increased p-type character and improved photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from water in the presence of methanol as sacrificial electron donor. NiO nanocrystals were synthesized by hydrolysis of Ni(II) nitrate under hydrothermal conditions followed by calcination in air. The crystals have the rock salt structure type and adopt a plate-like morphology (50-90 nm × 10-15 nm). Diffuse reflectance absorbance spectra indicate a band gap of 3.45 eV, similar to bulk NiO. Photoelectrochemical measurements were performed at neutral pH with methylviologen as electron acceptor, revealing photo-onset potentials (Fermi energies) of 0.2 and 0.05 eV (NHE) for nanoscale and bulk NiO, respectively. Nano-NiO and NiO-Pt composites obtained by photodepositon of H2PtCl6 catalyze hydrogen evolution from aqueous methanol at rates of 0.8 and 4.5 μmol H2 h(-1), respectively, compared to 0.5 and 2.1 μmol H2 h(-1) for bulk-NiO and NiO-Pt (20 mg of catalyst, 300 W Xe lamp). Surface photovoltage spectroscopy of NiO and NiO-Pt films on Au substrates indicate a metal Pt-NiO junction with 30 mV photovoltage that promotes carrier separation. The increased photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performance of nano-NiO is due to improved minority carrier extraction and increased p-type character, as deduced from Mott-Schottky plots, optical absorbance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data.

Ni3+ doped monolayer layered double hydroxide nanosheets as efficient electrodes for supercapacitors

Ni(3+) doped NiTi layered double hydroxide (NiTi-LDH) monolayer nanosheets with a particle size of ∼ 20 nm and a thickness of ∼ 0.9 nm have been successfully prepared through a facile bottom-up approach. These NiTi-LDH monolayer nanosheets exhibit excellent supercapacitor performance, including a high specific pseudocapacitance (2310 F g(-1) at 1.5 A g(-1)) and long durability compared with bulk LDH, owing to highly exposed conductive Ni(3+) species (NiOOH) which lead to the increased mobility rate of surface charge and electrolyte-transfer. Therefore, this work is expected to take a significant step towards exploring novel 2D monolayer electrode materials with unique physical and chemical properties for applications in energy storage and conversion.

An intelligent displacement pumping film system: a new concept for enhancing heavy metal ion removal efficiency from liquid waste

A concept of electrochemically switched ion exchange (ESIX) hybrid film system with piston-like proton pumping effect for the removal of heavy metal ions was proposed. Based on this concept, a novel ESIX hybrid film composed of layered alpha zirconium phosphate (α-Zr(HPO4)2; α-ZrP) nanosheets intercalated with a potential-responsive conducting polyaniline (PANI) was developed for the removal of Ni(2+) ions from wastewater. It is expected that the space between α-ZrP nanosheets acts as the reservoir for the functional ions while the intercalated PANI works as the potential-sensitive function element for piston-like proton pumping in such ESIX hybrid films. The prepared ESIX hybrid film showed an excellent property of rapid removal of Ni(2+) ions from wastewater with a high selectivity. The used film was simply regenerated by only altering the applied potential. The ion pumping effect for the ESIX of Ni(2+) ions using this kind of film was proved via XPS analysis. The proposed ESIX hybrid film should have high potential for the removal of Ni(2+) ions and/or other heavy metal ions from wastewater in various industrial processes.