1
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Honig HC, Mostoni S, Presman Y, Snitkoff-Sol RZ, Valagussa P, D'Arienzo M, Scotti R, Santoro C, Muhyuddin M, Elbaz L. Morphological and structural design through hard-templating of PGM-free electrocatalysts for AEMFC applications. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:11174-11186. [PMID: 38770663 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr01779j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
This study delves into the critical role of customized materials design and synthesis methods in influencing the performance of electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). It introduces a novel approach to obtain platinum-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts based on the controlled integration of iron active sites onto the surface of silica nanoparticles (NPs) by using nitrogen-based surface ligands. These NPs are used as hard templates to form tailored nanostructured electrocatalysts with an improved iron dispersion into the carbon matrix. By utilizing a wide array of analytical techniques including infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques, X-ray diffraction and surface area measurements, this work provides insight into the physical parameters that are critical for ORR electrocatalysis with PGM-free electrocatalysts. The new catalysts showed a hierarchical structure containing a large portion of graphitic zones which contribute to the catalyst stability. They also had a high electrochemically active site density reaching 1.47 × 1019 sites g-1 for SAFe_M_P1AP2 and 1.14 × 1019 sites g-1 for SEFe_M_P1AP2, explaining the difference in performance in fuel cell measurements. These findings underscore the potential impact of a controlled materials design for advancing green energy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilah C Honig
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Silvia Mostoni
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Yan Presman
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Rifael Z Snitkoff-Sol
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Paolo Valagussa
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Massimiliano D'Arienzo
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Roberto Scotti
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies-CNR, Via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Povo, TN, Italy
| | - Carlo Santoro
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Mohsin Muhyuddin
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca U5, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125, Milano, Italy.
| | - Lior Elbaz
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
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2
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Liu M, Zhang J, Peng Y, Guan S. Synergistic dual sites of Zn-Mg on hierarchical porous carbon as an advanced oxygen reduction electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:8940-8947. [PMID: 38722024 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt00152d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The development of cost-effective and high-performance non-noble metal catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) holds substantial promise for real-world applications. Introducing a secondary metal to design bimetallic sites enables effective modulation of a metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalyst's electronic structure, providing new opportunities for enhancing ORR activity and stability. Here, we successfully synthesized an innovative hierarchical porous carbon material with dual sites of Zn and Mg (Zn/Mg-N-C) using polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) as precursors and SBA-15 as a template through a bottom-up approach. The hierarchical porous structure and optimized Zn-Mg bimetallic catalytic centers enable Zn/Mg-N-C to exhibit a half-wave potential of 0.89 V, excellent stability, and good methanol tolerance in 0.1 M KOH solution. Theoretical calculations indicated that the Zn-Mg bimetallic sites in Zn/Mg-N-C effectively lowered the ORR energy barrier. Furthermore, the Zn-air batteries assembled based on Zn/Mg-N-C demonstrated an outstanding peak power density (298.7 mW cm-2) and superior cycling stability. This work provides a method for designing and synthesizing bimetallic site catalysts for advanced catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mincong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shang-Da Road, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Jing Zhang
- College of Sciences & Institute for Sustainable Energy, Shanghai University, 99 Shang-Da Road, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yan Peng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shang-Da Road, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Shiyou Guan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shang-Da Road, Shanghai 200444, China.
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3
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Lv M, Cui CX, Huang N, Wu M, Wang Q, Gao T, Zheng Y, Li H, Liu W, Huang Y, Ma T, Ye L. Precisely Engineering Asymmetric Atomic CoN 4 by Electron Donating and Extracting for Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202315802. [PMID: 38453646 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202315802] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The development of nonpyrolytic catalysts featuring precisely defined active sites represents an effective strategy for investigating the fundamental relationship between the catalytic activity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts and their local coordination environments. In this study, we have synthesized a series of model electrocatalysts with well-defined CoN4 centers and nonplanar symmetric coordination structures. These catalysts were prepared by a sequential process involving the chelation of cobalt salts and 1,10-phenanthroline-based ligands with various substituent groups (phen(X), where X=OH, CH3, H, Br, Cl) onto covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs). By modulating the electron-donating or electron-withdrawing properties of the substituent groups on the phen-based ligands, the electron density surrounding the CoN4 centers was effectively controlled. Our results demonstrated a direct correlation between the catalytic activity of the CoN4 centers and the electron-donating ability of the substituent group on the phenanthroline ligands. Notably, the catalyst denoted as BCTF-Co-phen(OH), featuring the electron-donating OH group, exhibited the highest ORR catalytic activity. This custom-crafted catalyst achieved a remarkable half-wave potential of up to 0.80 V vs. RHE and an impressive turnover frequency (TOF) value of 47.4×10-3 Hz at 0.80 V vs. RHE in an alkaline environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Lv
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Cheng-Xing Cui
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Computational Chemistry, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, 453003, China
| | - Niu Huang
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Mingzhu Wu
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Qiao Wang
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Tao Gao
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Yong Zheng
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Wei Liu
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Yingping Huang
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Tianyi Ma
- School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Liqun Ye
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
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4
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Heppe N, Gallenkamp C, Snitkoff-Sol RZ, Paul SD, Segura-Salas N, Haak H, Moritz DC, Kaiser B, Jaegermann W, Potapkin V, Jafari A, Schünemann V, Leupold O, Elbaz L, Krewald V, Kramm UI. Applying Nuclear Forward Scattering as In Situ and Operando Tool for the Characterization of FeN 4 Moieties in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:12496-12510. [PMID: 38630640 PMCID: PMC11082898 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Nuclear forward scattering (NFS) is a synchrotron-based technique relying on the recoil-free nuclear resonance effect similar to Mössbauer spectroscopy. In this work, we introduce NFS for in situ and operando measurements during electrocatalytic reactions. The technique enables faster data acquisition and better discrimination of certain iron sites in comparison to Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is directly accessible at various synchrotrons to a broad community of researchers and is applicable to multiple metal isotopes. We demonstrate the power of this technique with the hydrogen evolution mechanism of an immobilized iron porphyrin supported on carbon. Such catalysts are often considered as model systems for iron-nitrogen-carbon (FeNC) catalysts. Using in situ and operando NFS in combination with theoretical predictions of spectroscopic data enables the identification of the intermediate that is formed prior to the rate-determining step. The conclusions on the reaction mechanism can be used for future optimization of immobilized molecular catalysts and metal-nitrogen-carbon (MNC) catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Heppe
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Charlotte Gallenkamp
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Quantum
Chemistry, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry,
Department of Chemistry, Technical University
Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Str.
4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rifael Z. Snitkoff-Sol
- Bar-Ilan
Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials and the Department
of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 529002, Israel
| | - Stephen D. Paul
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nicole Segura-Salas
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Hendrik Haak
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dominik C. Moritz
- Surface
Science Division, Institute of Materials Science, Department of Materials
and Earth Sciences, Technical University
Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str.
3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bernhard Kaiser
- Surface
Science Division, Institute of Materials Science, Department of Materials
and Earth Sciences, Technical University
Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str.
3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Wolfram Jaegermann
- Surface
Science Division, Institute of Materials Science, Department of Materials
and Earth Sciences, Technical University
Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str.
3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Vasily Potapkin
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Atefeh Jafari
- Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Volker Schünemann
- Department
of Physics, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Erwin-Schrödinger Straße
56, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Olaf Leupold
- Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lior Elbaz
- Bar-Ilan
Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials and the Department
of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 529002, Israel
| | - Vera Krewald
- Quantum
Chemistry, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry,
Department of Chemistry, Technical University
Darmstadt, Peter-Grünberg-Str.
4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrike I. Kramm
- Catalysts
and Electrocatalysts, Eduard-Zintl-Institute of Inorganic and Physical
Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Technical
University Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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5
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Liu M, Wang X, Cao S, Lu X, Li W, Li N, Bu XH. Ferredoxin-Inspired Design of S-Synergized Fe-Fe Dual-Metal Center Catalysts for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Reaction. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2309231. [PMID: 38345181 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Dual-metal center catalysts (DMCs) have shown the ability to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) owing to their distinctive structural configurations. However, the precise modulation of electronic structure and the in-depth understanding of synergistic mechanisms between dual metal sites of DMCs at the atomic level remain challenging. Herein, mimicking the ferredoxin, Fe-based DMCs (Fe2N6-S) are strategically designed and fabricated, in which additional Fe and S sites are synchronously installed near the Fe sites and serve as "dual modulators" for coarse- and fine-tuning of the electronic modulation, respectively. The as-prepared Fe2N6-S catalyst exhibits enhanced ORR activity and outstanding Zinc-air (Zn-air) battery performance compared to the conventional single Fe site catalysts. The theoretical and experimental results reveal that introducing the second metal Fe creates a dual adsorption site that alters the O2 adsorption configuration and effectively activates the O─O bond, while the synergistic effect of dual Fe sites results in the downward shift of the d-band center, facilitating the release of OH*. Additionally, local electronic engineering of heteroatom S for Fe sites further facilitates the formation of the rate-determining step OOH*, thus accelerating the reaction kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xuemin Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Shoufu Cao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Xiaoqing Lu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Wei Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metal and Molecule-Based Material Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Na Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metal and Molecule-Based Material Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xian-He Bu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metal and Molecule-Based Material Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
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6
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Maurya R, Das R, Sharma S, Neergat M. Estimation of the electrochemical active site density of a metal-free carbon-based catalyst using phosphomolybdate (PMo 12) as an adsorbate. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:10091-10100. [PMID: 38482929 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06008j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
A method to estimate the electrochemical active site density (SD) of carbon (C) and nitrogen-doped carbon (N/C-900) using phosphomolybdate (PMo12) as a probe molecule is proposed. The complete coverage of the active sites by the probe molecules is established irrespective of the adsorbate concentration (1, 5, or 10 mM), potential cycling (1 or 10 cycles) and cleaning time (2, 5, or 10 min). A conversion factor derived from a smooth and polished glassy carbon disk of known geometrical area is used to estimate the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of the carbon catalyst from the SD. The relatively higher SD values estimated from DC voltammetry than from large-amplitude Fourier-transform alternating-current voltammetry (FTacV) is indicative of the contribution of capacitive charge in the former. Adsorbed probe molecules (PMo12) can readily be desorbed from the catalyst surface by cycling the electrode to lower potentials. The active site density of N/C-900 (∼0.36 × 1019 sites g-1) is higher than that of C (∼0.17 × 1019 sites g-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajan Maurya
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Rubul Das
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Shreya Sharma
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Manoj Neergat
- Department of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
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7
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Zhang D, Wang Z, Liu F, Yi P, Peng L, Chen Y, Wei L, Li H. Unraveling the pH-Dependent Oxygen Reduction Performance on Single-Atom Catalysts: From Single- to Dual-Sabatier Optima. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3210-3219. [PMID: 38214275 PMCID: PMC10859957 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) single-atom catalysts (SACs) have emerged as a potential substitute for the costly platinum-group catalysts in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, several critical aspects of M-N-C SACs in ORR remain poorly understood, including their pH-dependent activity, selectivity for 2- or 4-electron transfer pathways, and the identification of the rate-determining steps. Herein, by analyzing >100 M-N-C structures and >2000 sets of energetics, we unveil a pH-dependent evolution in ORR activity volcanos─from a single peak in alkaline media to a double peak in acids. We found that this pH-dependent behavior in M-N-C catalysts fundamentally stems from their moderate dipole moments and polarizability for O* and HOO* adsorbates, as well as unique scaling relations among ORR adsorbates. To validate our theoretical discovery, we synthesized a series of molecular M-N-C catalysts, each characterized by well-defined atomic coordination environments. Impressively, the experiments matched our theoretical predictions on kinetic current, Tafel slope, and turnover frequency in both acidic and alkaline environments. These new insights also refine the famous Sabatier principle by emphasizing the need to avoid an "acid trap" while designing M-N-C catalysts for ORR or any other pH-dependent electrochemical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- Advanced
Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
- State
Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhuyu Wang
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Fangzhou Liu
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Peiyun Yi
- State
Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Linfa Peng
- State
Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Li Wei
- School
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Hao Li
- Advanced
Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
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8
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Lian Y, Xu J, Zhou W, Lin Y, Bai J. Research Progress on Atomically Dispersed Fe-N-C Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Molecules 2024; 29:771. [PMID: 38398523 PMCID: PMC10892989 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29040771] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The efficiency and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are primarily influenced by ORR electrocatalysts. In recent years, atomically dispersed metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalysts have gained significant attention due to their high active center density, high atomic utilization, and high activity. These catalysts are now considered the preferred alternative to traditional noble metal electrocatalysts. The unique properties of M-N-C catalysts are anticipated to enhance the energy conversion efficiency and lower the manufacturing cost of the entire system, thereby facilitating the commercialization and widespread application of fuel cell technology. This article initially delves into the origin of performance and degradation mechanisms of Fe-N-C catalysts from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. Building on this foundation, the focus shifts to strategies aimed at enhancing the activity and durability of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts. These strategies encompass the use of bimetallic atoms, atomic clusters, heteroatoms (B, S, and P), and morphology regulation to optimize catalytic active sites. This article concludes by detailing the current challenges and future prospects of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuebin Lian
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213032, China
| | - Jinnan Xu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China; (J.X.)
| | - Wangkai Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001, China; (J.X.)
| | - Yao Lin
- Research Center of Secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China;
| | - Jirong Bai
- Research Center of Secondary Resources and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China;
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9
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Samala NR, Friedman A, Elbaz L, Grinberg I. Identification of a Durability Descriptor for Molecular Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:481-489. [PMID: 38190330 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The development of durable platinum-group-metal-free oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is a key research direction for enabling the wide use of fuel cells. Here, we use a combination of experimental measurements and density functional theory calculations to study the activity and durability of seven iron-based metallophthalocyanine (MPc) ORR catalysts that differ only in the identity of the substituent groups on the MPcs. While the MPcs show similar ORR activity, their durabilities as measured by the current decay half-life differ greatly. We find that the energy difference between the hydrogenated intermediate structure and the final demetalated structure (ΔEdemetalation) of the MPcs is linearly related to the degradation reaction barrier energy. Comparison to the degradation data for the previously studied metallocorrole systems suggested that ΔEdemetalation also serves as a descriptor for the corrole systems and that the high availability of protons at the active site due to the COOH group of the o-corrole decreases the durability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ariel Friedman
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Lior Elbaz
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Ilya Grinberg
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
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10
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Bai J, Cheng L, Liu S, Lian Y, Deng Y, Zhou Q, Xiang M, Tang Y, Su Y. Construct N-doped carbon anchored CoFe alloy nanoparticles with high content graphitic-N for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 653:1785-1791. [PMID: 37806907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.09.171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an essential half-reaction in next-generation energy storage and conversion systems, such as metal-air batteries and fuel cells. However, its practical application is restricted by the slow intrinsic kinetics, and the high price and low storage of noble metal electrocatalysts. Herein, unique CoFe nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon (CoFe-NC-Z8-900) with high content graphite-N derived from CoFe-g-C3N4@ZIF-8 via stepwise pyrolysis is reported as effective ORR catalysts. The increase of graphitic nitrogen content can enhance both the electrical conductivity and the adsorption of oxygen-containing intermediates, resulting in improved catalytic performance. Fortunately, CoFe-NC-Z8-900 exhibits an exceptionally high half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.914 V in a 0.1 M KOH solution. The excellent ORR electrocatalytic activity can be mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of the CoFe bimetal and the relatively high content of graphite-N. This study offers a unique method for creating powerful nitrogen-doped carbon coated metal nanoparticle electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirong Bai
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Power Batteries, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China
| | - Shuxin Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China
| | - Yuebin Lian
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China.
| | - Yaoyao Deng
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China
| | - Quanfa Zhou
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China
| | - Mei Xiang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Materials, Changzhou Institute of Technology, Changzhou 213022, China.
| | - Yawen Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Power Batteries, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yaqiong Su
- School of Chemistry, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Sustainable Energy Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, Shanxi, China.
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11
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Persky Y, Yurko Y, Snitkoff-Sol RZ, Zion N, Elbaz L. Tuning the performance of Fe-porphyrin aerogel-based PGM-free oxygen reduction reaction catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. NANOSCALE 2023; 16:438-446. [PMID: 38083971 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr04315k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Fe-N-C catalysts are currently the leading candidates to replace Pt-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. To maximize their activity, it is necessary to optimize their structure to allow high active site density on one hand, and hierarchical porous structure that will allow good mass transport of reactants and products to and from the active sites on the other hand. Hence, the hierarchical structure of the catalyst plays an important role in the balance between the electrochemical active site density and the mass transport resistance. Aerogels were synthesized in this work to study the interplay between these two parameters. Aerogels are covalent organic frameworks with ultra-low density, high porosity, and large surface area. The relative ease of tuning the composition and pore structure of aerogels make them prominent candidates for catalysis. Herein, we report on a tunable Fe-N-C catalyst based on an Fe porphyrin aerogel, which shows high electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction activity with tunable hierarchical pore structure and studied the influence of the porous structure on the overall performance in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeela Persky
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Yan Yurko
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Rifael Z Snitkoff-Sol
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Noam Zion
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
| | - Lior Elbaz
- Chemistry Department, Bar-Ilan Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel.
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12
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Bates JS, Martinez JJ, Hall MN, Al-Omari AA, Murphy E, Zeng Y, Luo F, Primbs M, Menga D, Bibent N, Sougrati MT, Wagner FE, Atanassov P, Wu G, Strasser P, Fellinger TP, Jaouen F, Root TW, Stahl SS. Chemical Kinetic Method for Active-Site Quantification in Fe-N-C Catalysts and Correlation with Molecular Probe and Spectroscopic Site-Counting Methods. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:26222-26237. [PMID: 37983387 PMCID: PMC10782517 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Mononuclear Fe ions ligated by nitrogen (FeNx) dispersed on nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) serve as active centers for electrocatalytic O2 reduction and thermocatalytic aerobic oxidations. Despite their promise as replacements for precious metals in a variety of practical applications, such as fuel cells, the discovery of new Fe-N-C catalysts has relied primarily on empirical approaches. In this context, the development of quantitative structure-reactivity relationships and benchmarking of catalysts prepared by different synthetic routes and by different laboratories would be facilitated by the broader adoption of methods to quantify atomically dispersed FeNx active centers. In this study, we develop a kinetic probe reaction method that uses the aerobic oxidation of a model hydroquinone substrate to quantify the density of FeNx centers in Fe-N-C catalysts. The kinetic method is compared with low-temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy, CO pulse chemisorption, and electrochemical reductive stripping of NO derived from NO2- on a suite of Fe-N-C catalysts prepared by diverse routes and featuring either the exclusive presence of Fe as FeNx sites or the coexistence of aggregated Fe species in addition to FeNx. The FeNx site densities derived from the kinetic method correlate well with those obtained from CO pulse chemisorption and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The broad survey of Fe-N-C materials also reveals the presence of outliers and challenges associated with each site quantification approach. The kinetic method developed here does not require pretreatments that may alter active-site distributions or specialized equipment beyond reaction vessels and standard analytical instrumentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S. Bates
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Jesse J. Martinez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Melissa N. Hall
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Abdulhadi A. Al-Omari
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Eamonn Murphy
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National Fuel Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Yachao Zeng
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Fang Luo
- The Electrochemical Catalysis, Energy and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Technical University Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mathias Primbs
- The Electrochemical Catalysis, Energy and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Technical University Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Davide Menga
- Chair of Technical Electrochemistry, Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München (TUM), 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Nicolas Bibent
- ICGM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Friedrich E. Wagner
- Department of Physics, Technische Universität München (TUM), 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Plamen Atanassov
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National Fuel Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Gang Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| | - Peter Strasser
- The Electrochemical Catalysis, Energy and Materials Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Technical University Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tim-Patrick Fellinger
- Chair of Technical Electrochemistry, Department of Chemistry and Catalysis Research Center, Technische Universität München (TUM), 85748 Garching, Germany
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Frédéric Jaouen
- ICGM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Thatcher W. Root
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Shannon S. Stahl
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
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13
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Zhao CX, Liu X, Liu JN, Wang J, Wan X, Wang C, Li XY, Shui J, Song L, Peng HJ, Li BQ, Zhang Q. Molecular Recognition Regulates Coordination Structure of Single-Atom Sites. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202313028. [PMID: 37851474 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202313028] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Coordination engineering for single-atom sites has drawn increasing attention, yet its chemical synthesis remains a tough issue, especially for tailorable coordination structures. Herein, a molecular recognition strategy is proposed to fabricate single-atom sites with regulable local coordination structures. Specifically, a heteroatom-containing ligand serves as the guest molecule to induce coordination interaction with the metal-containing host, precisely settling the heteroatoms into the local structure of single-atom sites. As a proof of concept, thiophene is selected as the guest molecule, and sulfur atoms are successfully introduced into the local coordination structure of iron single-atom sites. Ultrahigh oxygen reduction electrocatalytic activity is achieved with a half-wave potential of 0.93 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Furthermore, the strategy possesses excellent universality towards diversified types of single-atom sites. This work makes breakthroughs in the fabrication of single-atom sites and affords new opportunities in structural regulation at the atomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Xin Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xinyan Liu
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, Sichuan, China
| | - Jia-Ning Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xin Wan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Changda Wang
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230029, Anhui, China
| | - Xi-Yao Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jianglan Shui
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Li Song
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230029, Anhui, China
| | - Hong-Jie Peng
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, Sichuan, China
| | - Bo-Quan Li
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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14
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Pedersen A, Bagger A, Barrio J, Maillard F, Stephens IEL, Titirici MM. Atomic metal coordinated to nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells: a perspective on progress, pitfalls and prospectives. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. A 2023; 11:23211-23222. [PMID: 38013915 PMCID: PMC10629202 DOI: 10.1039/d3ta04711c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells require reduced construction costs to improve commercial viability, which can be fueled by elimination of platinum as the O2 reduction electrocatalyst. The past 10 years has seen significant developments in synthesis, characterisation, and electrocatalytic performance of the most promising alternative electrocatalyst; single metal atoms coordinated to nitrogen-doped carbon (M-N-C). In this Perspective we recap some of the important achievements of M-N-Cs in the last decade, as well as discussing current knowledge gaps and future research directions for the community. We provide a new outlook on M-N-C stability and atomistic understanding with a set of original density functional theory simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus Pedersen
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ England UK
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ England UK
| | - Alexander Bagger
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ England UK
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark Kongens Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | - Jesús Barrio
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ England UK
| | - Frédéric Maillard
- University Grenoble Alpes, University Savoie-Mont-Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble-INP, LEPMI 38000 Grenoble France
| | - Ifan E L Stephens
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ England UK
| | - Maria-Magdalena Titirici
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London London SW7 2AZ England UK
- Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University 2-1-1 Katahira, Aobaku Sendai Miyagi 980-8577 Japan
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15
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Kumar K, Dubau L, Jaouen F, Maillard F. Review on the Degradation Mechanisms of Metal-N-C Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Acid Electrolyte: Current Understanding and Mitigation Approaches. Chem Rev 2023; 123:9265-9326. [PMID: 37432676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
One bottleneck hampering the widespread use of fuel cell vehicles, in particular of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), is the high cost of the cathode where the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurs, due to the current need of precious metals to catalyze this reaction. Electrochemists tackle this issue in the short/medium term by developing catalysts with improved utilization or efficiency of platinum, and in the longer term, by developing catalysts based on Earth-abundant elements. Considerable progress has been achieved in the initial performance of Metal-nitrogen-carbon (Metal-N-C) catalysts for the ORR, especially with Fe-N-C materials. However, until now, this high performance cannot be maintained for a sufficiently long time in an operating PEMFC. The identification and mitigation of the degradation mechanisms of Metal-N-C electrocatalysts in the acidic environment of PEMFCs has therefore become an important research topic. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding of the degradation mechanisms of Metal-N-C electrocatalysts, including the recently identified importance of combined oxygen and electrochemical potential. Results obtained in a liquid electrolyte and a PEMFC device are discussed, as well as insights gained from in situ and operando techniques. We also review the mitigation approaches that the scientific community has hitherto investigated to overcome the durability issues of Metal-N-C electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Kumar
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LEPMI, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Laetitia Dubau
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LEPMI, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Frédéric Jaouen
- ICGM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, F-34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Maillard
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LEPMI, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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16
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Wang M, Wang L, Li Q, Wang D, Yang L, Han Y, Ren Y, Tian G, Zheng X, Ji M, Zhu C, Peng L, Waterhouse GIN. Regulating the Coordination Geometry and Oxidation State of Single-Atom Fe Sites for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2300373. [PMID: 36919312 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202300373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
FeNC catalysts demonstrate remarkable activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and Zn-air batteries (ZABs). The local coordination of Fe single atoms in FeNC catalysts strongly impacts ORR activity. Herein, FeNC catalysts containing Fe single atoms sites with FeN3 , FeN4 , and FeN5 coordinations are synthesized by carbonization of Fe-rich polypyrrole precursors. The FeN5 sites possess a higher Fe oxidation state (+2.62) than the FeN3 (+2.23) and FeN4 (+2.47) sites, and higher ORR activity. Density functional theory calculations verify that the FeN5 coordination optimizes the adsorption and desorption of ORR intermediates, dramatically lowering the energy barrier for OH- desorption in the rate-limiting ORR step. A primary ZAB constructed using the FeNC catalyst with FeN5 sites demonstrates state-of-the-art performance (an open circuit potential of 1.629 V, power density of 159 mW cm-2 ). Results confirm an intimate structure-activity relationship between Fe coordination, Fe oxidation state, and ORR activity in FeNC catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Wang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Li Wang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Qingbin Li
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Dan Wang
- School of Ceramic, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Liu Yang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Yongjun Han
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Ren
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Gang Tian
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, 467000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyang Zheng
- Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8573, Japan
| | - Muwei Ji
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, P. R. China
| | - Caizhen Zhu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Lishan Peng
- Ganjiang Innovation Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ganzhou, 341100, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
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17
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Bates JS, Johnson MR, Khamespanah F, Root TW, Stahl SS. Heterogeneous M-N-C Catalysts for Aerobic Oxidation Reactions: Lessons from Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts. Chem Rev 2023; 123:6233-6256. [PMID: 36198176 PMCID: PMC10073352 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Nonprecious metal heterogeneous catalysts composed of first-row transition metals incorporated into nitrogen-doped carbon matrices (M-N-Cs) have been studied for decades as leading alternatives to Pt for the electrocatalytic O2 reduction reaction (ORR). More recently, similar M-N-C catalysts have been shown to catalyze the aerobic oxidation of organic molecules. This Focus Review highlights mechanistic similarities and distinctions between these two reaction classes and then surveys the aerobic oxidation reactions catalyzed by M-N-Cs. As the active-site structures and kinetic properties of M-N-C aerobic oxidation catalysts have not been extensively studied, the array of tools and methods used to characterize ORR catalysts are presented with the goal of supporting further advances in the field of aerobic oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S. Bates
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Mathew R. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Fatemeh Khamespanah
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Thatcher W. Root
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Shannon S. Stahl
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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18
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Zhao Y, Adiyeri Saseendran DP, Huang C, Triana CA, Marks WR, Chen H, Zhao H, Patzke GR. Oxygen Evolution/Reduction Reaction Catalysts: From In Situ Monitoring and Reaction Mechanisms to Rational Design. Chem Rev 2023; 123:6257-6358. [PMID: 36944098 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are core steps of various energy conversion and storage systems. However, their sluggish reaction kinetics, i.e., the demanding multielectron transfer processes, still render OER/ORR catalysts less efficient for practical applications. Moreover, the complexity of the catalyst-electrolyte interface makes a comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic OER/ORR mechanisms challenging. Fortunately, recent advances of in situ/operando characterization techniques have facilitated the kinetic monitoring of catalysts under reaction conditions. Here we provide selected highlights of recent in situ/operando mechanistic studies of OER/ORR catalysts with the main emphasis placed on heterogeneous systems (primarily discussing first-row transition metals which operate under basic conditions), followed by a brief outlook on molecular catalysts. Key sections in this review are focused on determination of the true active species, identification of the active sites, and monitoring of the reactive intermediates. For in-depth insights into the above factors, a short overview of the metrics for accurate characterizations of OER/ORR catalysts is provided. A combination of the obtained time-resolved reaction information and reliable activity data will then guide the rational design of new catalysts. Strategies such as optimizing the restructuring process as well as overcoming the adsorption-energy scaling relations will be discussed. Finally, pending current challenges and prospects toward the understanding and development of efficient heterogeneous catalysts and selected homogeneous catalysts are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggui Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Chong Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carlos A Triana
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Walker R Marks
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Han Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Greta R Patzke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Barrio J, Pedersen A, Favero S, Luo H, Wang M, Sarma SC, Feng J, Ngoc LTT, Kellner S, Li AY, Jorge Sobrido AB, Titirici MM. Bioinspired and Bioderived Aqueous Electrocatalysis. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2311-2348. [PMID: 36354420 PMCID: PMC9999430 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The development of efficient and sustainable electrochemical systems able to provide clean-energy fuels and chemicals is one of the main current challenges of materials science and engineering. Over the last decades, significant advances have been made in the development of robust electrocatalysts for different reactions, with fundamental insights from both computational and experimental work. Some of the most promising systems in the literature are based on expensive and scarce platinum-group metals; however, natural enzymes show the highest per-site catalytic activities, while their active sites are based exclusively on earth-abundant metals. Additionally, natural biomass provides a valuable feedstock for producing advanced carbonaceous materials with porous hierarchical structures. Utilizing resources and design inspiration from nature can help create more sustainable and cost-effective strategies for manufacturing cost-effective, sustainable, and robust electrochemical materials and devices. This review spans from materials to device engineering; we initially discuss the design of carbon-based materials with bioinspired features (such as enzyme active sites), the utilization of biomass resources to construct tailored carbon materials, and their activity in aqueous electrocatalysis for water splitting, oxygen reduction, and CO2 reduction. We then delve in the applicability of bioinspired features in electrochemical devices, such as the engineering of bioinspired mass transport and electrode interfaces. Finally, we address remaining challenges, such as the stability of bioinspired active sites or the activity of metal-free carbon materials, and discuss new potential research directions that can open the gates to the implementation of bioinspired sustainable materials in electrochemical devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Barrio
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Angus Pedersen
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Silvia Favero
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Hui Luo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Mengnan Wang
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Saurav Ch Sarma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Jingyu Feng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K.,School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, England, U.K
| | - Linh Tran Thi Ngoc
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K.,School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, England, U.K
| | - Simon Kellner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Alain You Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K
| | - Ana Belén Jorge Sobrido
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, England, U.K
| | - Maria-Magdalena Titirici
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, LondonSW7 2AZ, England, U.K.,Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aobaku, Sendai, Miyagi980-8577, Japan
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20
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He Y, Jia Y, Yu B, Wang Y, Li H, Liu Y, Tan Q. Heteroatom Coordination Regulates Iron Single-Atom-Catalyst with Superior Oxygen Reduction Reaction Performance for Aqueous Zn-Air Battery. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206478. [PMID: 36504185 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Platinum group metal (PGM)-free M-N-C catalysts have exhibited dramatic electrocatalytic performance and are considered the most promising candidate of the Pt catalysts in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the electrocatalytic performance of the M-N-C catalysts is still limited by their inferior intrinsic activity and finite active site density. Regulating the coordination environment and increasing the pore structure of the catalyst is an effective strategy to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of the M-N-C catalysts. In this work, the coordination environment and pore structure exquisitely regulated Fe-N-C catalyst exhibit excellent ORR activity and durability. With the enhanced intrinsic activity and increased active site density, the optimized Fe-N/S-C catalyst shows impressive ORR activity (E1/2 = 0.904 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and superior long-term durability in an alkaline medium. As the advanced physical characterization and theoretical chemistry methods illustrate, the S-modified Fe-Nx (Fe-N3 /S-C) moiety is confirmed as the improved active center for ORR, and the increased active site density further improved ORR efficiency. Based on the Fe-N/S-C cathode, a Zn-air battery is fabricated and shows superior power density (315.4 mW cm-2 ) and long-term discharge stability at 20 mA cm-2 . This work would open a new perspective to design atomically dispersed iron-metal site catalysts for advanced electro-catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting He
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Yufei Jia
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Baozhu Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Hongtao Li
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Yongning Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
| | - Qiang Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
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Tang X, Wei Y, Zhai W, Wu Y, Hu T, Yuan K, Chen Y. Carbon Nanocage with Maximum Utilization of Atomically Dispersed Iron as Efficient Oxygen Electroreduction Nanoreactor. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2208942. [PMID: 36349885 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
As key parameters of electrocatalysts, the density and utilization of active sites determine the electrocatalytic performance toward oxygen reduction reaction. Unfortunately, prevalent oxygen electrocatalysts fail to maximize the utilization of active sites due to inappropriate nanostructural design. Herein, a nano-emulsion induced polymerization self-assembly strategy is employed to prepare hierarchical meso-/microporous N/S co-doped carbon nanocage with atomically dispersed FeN4 (denoted as Meso/Micro-FeNSC). In situ scanning electrochemical microscopy technology reveals the density of available active sites for Meso/Micro-FeNSC reach to 3.57 × 1014 sites cm-2 , representing more than threefold improvement compared to micropore-dominant Micro-FeNSC counterpart (1.07 × 1014 sites cm-2 ). Additionally, the turnover frequency of Meso/Micro-FeNSC is also improved to 0.69 from 0.50 e- site-1 s-1 for Micro-FeNSC. These properties motivate Meso/Micro-FeNSC as efficient oxygen electroreduction electrocatalyst, in terms of outstanding half-wave potential (0.91 V), remarkable kinetic mass specific activity (68.65 A g-1 ), and excellent robustness. The assembled Zn-air batteries with Meso/Micro-FeNSC deliver high peak power density (264.34 mW cm-2 ), large specific capacity (814.09 mA h g-1 ), and long cycle life (>200 h). This work sheds lights on quantifying active site density and the significance of maximum utilization of active sites for rational design of advanced catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiannong Tang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yuanhao Wei
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Weijuan Zhai
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yonggan Wu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Ting Hu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- School of Physics and Materials Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yiwang Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymers and Energy Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Carbohydrate Synthesis/Key Lab of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, China
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22
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Selective CO 2 electrolysis to CO using isolated antimony alloyed copper. Nat Commun 2023; 14:340. [PMID: 36670129 PMCID: PMC9860050 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35960-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Renewable electricity-powered CO evolution from CO2 emissions is a promising first step in the sustainable production of commodity chemicals, but performing electrochemical CO2 reduction economically at scale is challenging since only noble metals, for example, gold and silver, have shown high performance for CO2-to-CO. Cu is a potential catalyst to achieve CO2 reduction to CO at the industrial scale, but the C-C coupling process on Cu significantly depletes CO* intermediates, thus limiting the CO evolution rate and producing many hydrocarbon and oxygenate mixtures. Herein, we tune the CO selectivity of Cu by alloying a second metal Sb into Cu, and report an antimony-copper single-atom alloy catalyst (Sb1Cu) of isolated Sb-Cu interfaces that catalyzes the efficient conversion of CO2-to-CO with a Faradaic efficiency over 95%. The partial current density reaches 452 mA cm-2 with approximately 91% CO Faradaic efficiency, and negligible C2+ products are observed. In situ spectroscopic measurements and theoretical simulations reason that the atomic Sb-Cu interface in Cu promotes CO2 adsorption/activation and weakens the binding strength of CO*, which ends up with enhanced CO selectivity and production rates.
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23
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Ni L, Gallenkamp C, Wagner S, Bill E, Krewald V, Kramm UI. Identification of the Catalytically Dominant Iron Environment in Iron- and Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:16827-16840. [PMID: 36036727 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c04865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
For large-scale utilization of fuel cells in a future hydrogen-based energy economy, affordable and environmentally benign catalysts are needed. Pyrolytically obtained metal- and nitrogen-doped carbon (MNC) catalysts are key contenders for this task. Their systematic improvement requires detailed knowledge of the active site composition and degradation mechanisms. In FeNC catalysts, the active site is an iron ion coordinated by nitrogen atoms embedded in an extended graphene sheet. Herein, we build an active site model from in situ and operando 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. A Mössbauer signal newly emerging under operando conditions, D4, is correlated with the loss of other Mössbauer signatures (D2, D3a, D3b), implying a direct structural correspondence. Pyrrolic N-coordination, i.e., FeN4C12, is found as a spectroscopically and thermodynamically consistent model for the entire catalytic cycle, in contrast to pyridinic nitrogen coordination. These findings thus overcome the previously conflicting structural assignments for the active site and, moreover, identify and structurally assign a previously unknown intermediate in the oxygen reduction reaction at FeNC catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingmei Ni
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Catalysts and Electrocatalysts Group, TU Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Charlotte Gallenkamp
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Catalysts and Electrocatalysts Group, TU Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Theoretical Chemistry, TU Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Wagner
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Catalysts and Electrocatalysts Group, TU Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Eckhard Bill
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstraße 34-36, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Vera Krewald
- Department of Chemistry, Theoretical Chemistry, TU Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 4, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrike I Kramm
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Catalysts and Electrocatalysts Group, TU Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.,Graduate School of Excellence Energy Science and Engineering, TU Darmstadt, Otto-Berndt-Str. 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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24
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Snitkoff-Sol RZ, Elbaz L. Assessing and measuring the active site density of PGM-free ORR catalysts. J Solid State Electrochem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10008-022-05236-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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