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Zhang L, Iwata R, Lu Z, Wang X, Díaz-Marín CD, Zhong Y. Bridging Innovations of Phase Change Heat Transfer to Electrochemical Gas Evolution Reactions. Chem Rev 2024; 124:10052-10111. [PMID: 39194152 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Bubbles play a ubiquitous role in electrochemical gas evolution reactions. However, a mechanistic understanding of how bubbles affect the energy efficiency of electrochemical processes remains limited to date, impeding effective approaches to further boost the performance of gas evolution systems. From a perspective of the analogy between heat and mass transfer, bubbles in electrochemical gas evolution reactions exhibit highly similar dynamic behaviors to them in the liquid-vapor phase change. Recent developments of liquid-vapor phase change systems have substantially advanced the fundamental knowledge of bubbles, leading to unprecedented enhancement of heat transfer performance. In this Review, we aim to elucidate a promising opportunity of understanding bubble dynamics in electrochemical gas evolution reactions through a lens of phase change heat transfer. We first provide a background about key parallels between electrochemical gas evolution reactions and phase change heat transfer. Then, we discuss bubble dynamics in gas evolution systems across multiple length scales, with an emphasis on exciting research problems inspired by new insights gained from liquid-vapor phase change systems. Lastly, we review advances in engineered surfaces for manipulating bubbles to enhance heat and mass transfer, providing an outlook on the design of high-performance gas evolving electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenan Zhang
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Ryuichi Iwata
- Toyota Central R&D Laboratories, Inc, Nagakute City 480-1192, Japan
| | - Zhengmao Lu
- Institute of Mechanical Engineering, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Xuanjie Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Carlos D Díaz-Marín
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Yang Zhong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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Rodriguez HM, Martyniuk M, Iyer KS, Ciampi S. Insulator-on-Conductor Fouling Amplifies Aqueous Electrolysis Rates. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:10299-10311. [PMID: 38591156 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
The chemical industry is a major consumer of fossil fuels. Several chemical reactions of practical value proceed with the gain or loss of electrons, opening a path to integrate renewable electricity into chemical manufacturing. However, most organic molecules have low aqueous solubility, causing green and cheap electricity-driven reactions to suffer from intrinsically low reaction rates in industry's solvent of choice: water. Here, we show that a strategic, partial electrode fouling with hydrophobic insulators (oils and plastics) offsets kinetic limitations caused by poor reactant solubility, opening a new path for the direct integration of renewable electricity into the production of commodity chemicals. Through electrochemiluminescence microscopy, we reveal for the oxidation of organic reactants up to 6-fold reaction rate increase at the "fouled" oil-electrolyte-electrode interface relative to clean electrolyte-electrode areas. Analogously, electrodes partially masked (fouled) with plastic patterns, deposited either photolithographically (photoresists) or manually (inexpensive household glues and sealants), outperform clean electrodes. The effect is not limited to reactants of limited water solubility, and, for example, net gold electrodeposition rates are up to 22% larger at fouled than clean electrodes. In a system involving a surface-active reactant, rate augmentation is driven by the synergy between insulator-confined reactant enrichment and insulator-induced current crowding, whereas only the latter and possibly localized decrease in iR drop near the insulator are relevant in a system composed of non-surface-active species. Our counterintuitive electrode design enhances electrolysis rates despite the diminished area of intimate electrolyte-electrode contact and introduces a new path for upscaling aqueous electrochemical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Morris Rodriguez
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Mariusz Martyniuk
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Killugudi Swaminathan Iyer
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Simone Ciampi
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
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Song X, Yan H, Zhang Y, Zhou W, Li S, Zhang J, Ciampi S, Zhang L. Hydroxylation of the indium tin oxide electrode promoted by surface bubbles. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:4186-4189. [PMID: 38530669 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00307a] [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
Adherent bubbles at electrodes are generally treated as reaction penalties. Herein, in situ hydroxylation of indium tin oxide surfaces can be easily achieved by applying a constant potential of +1.0 V in the presence of bubbles. Its successful hydroxylation is further demonstrated by preparing a ferrocene-terminated film, which is confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Song
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Hui Yan
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Yuqiao Zhang
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Weiqiang Zhou
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Shun Li
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Jianming Zhang
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Simone Ciampi
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia.
| | - Long Zhang
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang City, 212013, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Raman A, Peñas P, van der Meer D, Lohse D, Gardeniers H, Fernández Rivas D. Potential response of single successive constant-current-driven electrolytic hydrogen bubbles spatially separated from the electrode. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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