Operando Electrodeposition of Nonprecious Metal Copper Nanocatalysts on Low-Dimensional Support Materials for Nitrate Reduction Reactions

Supported nonprecious metal catalysts such as copper (Cu) are promising replacements for Pt-based catalysts for a wide range of energy-related electrochemical reactions. Direct electrochemical deposition is one of the most straightforward and versatile methods to synthesize supported nonprecious metal catalysts. However, further advancement in the design of supported nonprecious metal catalysts requires a detailed mechanistic understanding of the interplay between kinetics and thermodynamics of the deposition phenomena under realistic reaction conditions. Here, we study the electrodeposition of Cu on carbon nanotubes and graphene derivatives under electrochemical conditions using in situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By combining real-time imaging, electrochemical measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and finite-element analysis (FEA), we show that low-dimensional support materials, especially carbon nanotubes, are excellent for generating uniform and finely dispersed platinum group metal-(PGM)-free catalysts under mild electrochemical conditions. The electrodeposited Cu on graphene and carbon nanotubes is also observed to show good electrochemical activity toward nitrate reduction reactions (NO3RRs), further supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Nitrogen doping plays an important role in guiding nonprecious metal deposition, but its low electrical conductivity may give rise to lower NO3RR activity compared to its nondoped analogue. The development of supported nonprecious metals through interfacial and surface engineering for the design of supported catalysts will substantially reduce the demand for precious metals and generate robust catalysts with better durability, thereby presenting opportunities for solving the critical problems in energy storage and electrocatalysis.

Symmetric Catalyst Design Employing Ir Nanoparticles on Black WO3- x Nanofiber Support for Boosting Water Electrolysis

The efficient evolution of gaseous hydrogen and oxygen from water is required to realize sustainable energy conversion systems. To address the sluggish kinetics of the multielectron transfer reaction, bifunctional catalyst materials for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) should be developed. Herein, a tailored combination of atomically minimized iridium catalysts and highly conductive black WO3- x nanofiber supports are developed for the bifunctional electrolyzer system. Atomic Ir catalysts, particularly those that activate the OER, minimize the utilization of precious metals. The oxygen-deficient black WO3- x NF support, which boosts the HER, offers increased electronic conductivity and favorable nucleation sites for Ir loading. The Ir-black WO3- x NFs exhibit increased double-layer capacitance, a significantly reduced onset potential, lower Tafel slope, and stable cyclability for both the OER and HER, compared to large-sized Ir catalysts loaded on white WO3 nanofibers. This study offers a strategy for developing an optimal catalyst material with suitable supports for high-performance and economical water electrolysis systems for achieving carbon-negative targets.

Metal-Support Interaction between Titanium Oxynitride and Pt Nanoparticles Enables Efficient Low-Pt-Loaded High-Performance Electrodes at Relevant Oxygen Reduction Reaction Current Densities

In the present work, we report on a synergistic relationship between platinum nanoparticles and a titanium oxynitride support (TiOxNy/C) in the context of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysis. As demonstrated herein, this composite configuration results in significantly improved electrocatalytic activity toward the ORR relative to platinum dispersed on carbon support (Pt/C) at high overpotentials. Specifically, the ORR performance was assessed under an elevated mass transport regime using the modified floating electrode configuration, which enabled us to pursue the reaction closer to PEMFC-relevant current densities. A comprehensive investigation attributes the ORR performance increase to a strong interaction between platinum and the TiOxNy/C support. In particular, according to the generated strain maps obtained via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), the Pt-TiOxNy/C analogue exhibits a more localized strain in Pt nanoparticles in comparison to that in the Pt/C sample. The altered Pt structure could explain the measured ORR activity trend via the d-band theory, which lowers the platinum surface coverage with ORR intermediates. In terms of the Pt particle size effect, our observation presents an anomaly as the Pt-TiOxNy/C analogue, despite having almost two times smaller nanoparticles (2.9 nm) compared to the Pt/C benchmark (4.8 nm), manifests higher specific activity. This provides a promising strategy to further lower the Pt loading and increase the ECSA without sacrificing the catalytic activity under fuel cell-relevant potentials. Apart from the ORR, the platinum-TiOxNy/C interaction is of a sufficient magnitude not to follow the typical particle size effect also in the context of other reactions such as CO stripping, hydrogen oxidation reaction, and water discharge. The trend for the latter is ascribed to the lower oxophilicity of Pt-based on electrochemical surface coverage analysis. Namely, a lower surface coverage with oxygenated species is found for the Pt-TiOxNy/C analogue. Further insights were provided by performing a detailed STEM characterization via the identical location mode (IL-STEM) in particular, via 4DSTEM acquisition. This disclosed that Pt particles are partially encapsulated within a thin layer of TiOxNy origin.

Multiscale Architectured Membranes, Electrodes, and Transport Layers for Next-Generation Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Over the past few decades, considerable advances have been achieved in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) based on the development of material technology. Recently, an emerging multiscale architecturing technology covering nanometer, micrometer, and millimeter scales has been regarded as an alternative strategy to overcome the hindrance to achieving high-performance and reliable PEMFCs. This review summarizes the recent progress in the key components of PEMFCs based on a novel architecture strategy. In the first section, diverse architectural methods for patterning the membrane surface with random, single-scale, and multiscale structures as well as their efficacy for improving catalyst utilization, charge transport, and water management are discussed. In the subsequent section, the electrode structures designed with 1D and 3D multiscale structures to enable low Pt usage, improve oxygen transport, and achieve high electrode durability are elucidated. Finally, recent advances in the architectured transport layer for improving mass transportation including pore gradient, perforation, and patterned wettability for gas diffusion layer and 3D structured/engineered flow fields are described.

Performance Enhancement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell through Carbon Nanofibers Grown In Situ on Carbon Paper

We developed an integrated gas diffusion layer (GDL) for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells by growing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in situ on carbon paper via the electro-polymerization of polyaniline (PANI) on carbon paper followed by a subsequent carbonization treatment process. The CNF/carbon paper showed a microporous structure and a significantly increased pore volume compared to commercial carbon paper. By utilizing this CNF/carbon paper in a PEM fuel cell, it was found that the cell with CNF/carbon paper had superior performance compared to the commercial GDL at both high and low humidity conditions, and its power density was as high as 1.21 W cm^-2 at 100% relative humidity, which is 26% higher than that of a conventional gas diffusion layer (0.9 W cm^-2). The significant performance enhancement was attributed to a higher pore volume and porosity of the CNF/carbon paper, which improved gas diffusion in the GDL. In addition, the superior performance of the cell with CNF/carbon paper at low relative humidity demonstrated that it had better water retention than the commercial GDL. This study provides a novel and facile method for the surface modification of GDLs to improve the performance of PEM fuel cells. The CNF/carbon paper with a microporous structure has suitable hydrophobicity and lower through-plane resistance, which makes it promising as an advanced substrate for GDLs in fuel cell applications.

Recent Advances in Anode Electrocatalysts for Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells - Part I - Fundamentals and Pd Based Catalysts

Direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) have gained immense importance as a source of clean energy for portable electronic devices. It outperforms other fuel cells in several key operational and safety parameters. However, slow kinetics of the formic acid oxidation at the anode remains the main obstacle in achieving a high power output in DFAFCs. Noble metal-based electrocatalysts are effective, but are expensive and prone to CO poisoning. Recently, a substantial volume of research work have been dedicated to develop inexpensive, high activity and long lasting electrocatalysts. Herein, recent advances in the development of anode electrocatalysts for DFAFCs are presented focusing on understanding the relationship between activity and structure. This review covers the literature related to the electrocatalysts based on noble metals, non-noble metals, metal-oxides, synthesis route, support material, and fuel cell performance. The future prospects and bottlenecks in the field are also discussed at the end.

Electrocatalysis in Alkaline Media and Alkaline Membrane-Based Energy Technologies

Hydrogen energy-based electrochemical energy conversion technologies offer the promise of enabling a transition of the global energy landscape from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the fundamentals of electrocatalysis in alkaline media and applications in alkaline-based energy technologies, particularly alkaline fuel cells and water electrolyzers. Anion exchange (alkaline) membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) enable the use of nonprecious electrocatalysts for the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), relative to proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), which require Pt-based electrocatalysts. However, the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) kinetics is significantly slower in alkaline media than in acidic media. Understanding these phenomena requires applying theoretical and experimental methods to unravel molecular-level thermodynamics and kinetics of hydrogen and oxygen electrocatalysis and, particularly, the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process that takes place in a proton-deficient alkaline media. Extensive electrochemical and spectroscopic studies, on single-crystal Pt and metal oxides, have contributed to the development of activity descriptors, as well as the identification of the nature of active sites, and the rate-determining steps of the HOR and ORR. Among these, the structure and reactivity of interfacial water serve as key potential and pH-dependent kinetic factors that are helping elucidate the origins of the HOR and ORR activity differences in acids and bases. Additionally, deliberately modulating and controlling catalyst-support interactions have provided valuable insights for enhancing catalyst accessibility and durability during operation. The design and synthesis of highly conductive and durable alkaline membranes/ionomers have enabled AEMFCs to reach initial performance metrics equal to or higher than those of PEMFCs. We emphasize the importance of using membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) to integrate the often separately pursued/optimized electrocatalyst/support and membranes/ionomer components. Operando/in situ methods, at multiscales, and ab initio simulations provide a mechanistic understanding of electron, ion, and mass transport at catalyst/ionomer/membrane interfaces and the necessary guidance to achieve fuel cell operation in air over thousands of hours. We hope that this Review will serve as a roadmap for advancing the scientific understanding of the fundamental factors governing electrochemical energy conversion in alkaline media with the ultimate goal of achieving ultralow Pt or precious-metal-free high-performance and durable alkaline fuel cells and related technologies.

A TiN@C core–shell support for improving Pt catalyst corrosion resistance

TiN@C composite support with high corrosion resistance improves catalyst durability because of SMSI between the Pt and N site in TiN.

Advanced Nanocarbons for Enhanced Performance and Durability of Platinum Catalysts in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Insufficient stability of current carbon supported Pt and Pt alloy catalysts is a significant barrier for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). As a primary degradation cause to trigger Pt nanoparticle migration, dissolution, and aggregation, carbon corrosion remains a significant challenge. Compared with enhancing Pt and PtM alloy particle stability, improving support stability is rather challenging due to carbon's thermodynamic instability under fuel cell operation. In recent years, significant efforts have been made to develop highly durable carbon-based supports concerning innovative nanostructure design and synthesis along with mechanistic understanding. This review critically discusses recent progress in developing carbon-based materials for Pt catalysts and provides synthesis-structure-performance correlations to elucidate underlying stability enhancement mechanisms. The mechanisms and impacts of carbon support degradation on Pt catalyst performance are first discussed. The general strategies are summarized to tailor the carbon structures and strengthen the metal-support interactions, followed by discussions on how these designs lead to enhanced support stability. Based on current experimental and theoretical studies, the critical features of carbon supports are analyzed concerning their impacts on the performance and durability of Pt catalysts in fuel cells. Finally, the perspectives are shared on future directions to develop advanced carbon materials with favorable morphologies and nanostructures to increase Pt utilization, strengthen metal-support interactions, facilitate mass/charge transfer, and enhance corrosion resistance.

Testing PtCu Nanoparticles Supported on Highly Ordered Mesoporous Carbons CMK3 and CMK8 as Catalysts for Low-Temperature Fuel Cells

Pt(Cu) nanoparticles supported on CMK3 and CMK8 ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) have been synthesized by electroless deposition of Cu followed by galvanic exchange with Pt. The structural characterization by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed the formation of Pt(Cu) nanoparticles of 4–5 nm, in which PtCu alloys with contracted fcc Pt lattice and 70–80 at.% Pt was identified. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses indicated that the Pt(Cu) nanoparticles were mainly composed of a PtCu alloy core covered by a Pt-rich shell, in agreement with the steady cyclic voltammograms, which did not show any Cu oxidation peaks. Electroactive surface areas up to about 70 m2 gPt−1 were obtained. The onset potentials for CO oxidation and the oxygen reduction reaction were more negative and positive, respectively, as compared to Pt/C, thus indicating higher activity of these Pt(Cu) catalysts with respect to the latter. Based on the corresponding binding energies, these better activities were attributed to the favorable geometric and ligand effects of Cu on Pt, which were able to reduce the adsorption energy of the intermediates on Pt. Pt(Cu)/CMK3 showed competitive mass and specific activities, as well as better stability than Pt/C.

Enhancement of Catalytic Activity and Durability of Pt Nanoparticle through Strong Chemical Interaction with Electrically Conductive Support of Magnéli Phase Titanium Oxide

In this study, we address the catalytic performance of variously sized Pt nanoparticles (NPs) (from 1.7 to 2.9 nm) supported on magnéli phase titanium oxide (MPTO, Ti₄O₇) along with commercial solid type carbon (VXC-72R) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Key idea is to utilize a robust and electrically conductive MPTO as a support material so that we employed it to improve the catalytic activity and durability through the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI). Furthermore, we increase the specific surface area of MPTO up to 61.6 m² g⁻¹ to enhance the SMSI effect between Pt NP and MPTO. After the deposition of a range of Pt NPs on the support materials, we investigate the ORR activity and durability using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique in acid media. As a result of accelerated stress test (AST) for 30k cycles, regardless of the Pt particle size, we confirmed that Pt/MPTO samples show a lower electrochemical surface area (ECSA) loss (<20%) than that of Pt/C (~40%). That is explained by the increased dissolution potential and binding energy of Pt on MPTO against to carbon, which is supported by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Based on these results, we found that conductive metal oxides could be an alternative as a support material for the long-term fuel cell operation.

Low-PGM and PGM-Free Catalysts for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells: Stability Challenges and Material Solutions

Fuel cells as an attractive clean energy technology have recently regained popularity in academia, government, and industry. In a mainstream proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, platinum-group-metal (PGM)-based catalysts account for ≈50% of the projected total cost for large-scale production. To lower the cost, two materials-based strategies have been pursued: 1) to decrease PGM catalyst usage (so-called low-PGM catalysts), and 2) to develop alternative PGM-free catalysts. Grand stability challenges exist when PGM catalyst loading is decreased in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA)-the power generation unit of a PEM fuel cell-or when PGM-free catalysts are integrated into an MEA. More importantly, there is a significant knowledge gap between materials innovation and device integration. For example, high-performance electrocatalysts usually demonstrate undesired quick degradation in MEAs. This issue significantly limits the development of PEM fuel cells. Herein, recent progress in understanding the degradation of low-PGM and PGM-free catalysts in fuel cell MEAs and materials-based solutions to address these issues are reviewed. The key factors that degrade the MEA performance are highlighted. Innovative, emerging material concepts and development of low-PGM and PGM-free catalysts are discussed.

Enhancement of oxidation of dimethyl ether through application of zirconia matrix for immobilization of noble metal catalytic nanoparticles

Electrocatalytic activity of Pt and bimetallic PtRu nanoparticles (both Vulcan supported and unsupported) toward electrooxidation of dimethyl ether (DME), a potential small organic molecule fuel, in an acid medium (0.5 mol dm−3 H2SO4) has been significantly enhanced by dispersing them over a thin film of zirconia (ZrO2). The enhancement effects concern increases of the DME electrocatalytic current densities recorded under both cyclic voltammetric and chronoamperometric conditions. Similar effects have been observed for the oxidation of methanol. Regarding the dissimilar DME electrooxidation mechanisms at Pt and PtRu catalytic centers, the activating capabilities of zirconia seem to originate from the high population of reactive –OH groups favoring mobility of protons and the capability of inducing the oxidative removal of poisoning (CO-type) intermediates both at platinum and ruthenium catalytic sites. In the presence of the zirconia matrix, the onset potential for the oxidation of DME (particularly at PtRu) is shifted more than 50 mV toward less positive potentials. Mutual metal-support interactions are also postulated.

Improving the High-Current-Density Performance of PEMFC through Much Enhanced Utilization of Platinum Electrocatalysts on Carbon

We report an effective approach to the synthesis of high-content and high-dispersion Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on XC-72 carbon black as a cathode electrocatalyst with improved high-current-density performance in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). While exceptionally high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was reported based on the rotating disk electrode (RDE) technique, such catalysts do not deliver nearly the same level of performance in PEMFC due to the lack of optimized design of catalyst structures on carbon support. We recently developed a synergistic synthesis method to make exceptionally high-content and finely dispersed Pt catalysts, which showed the highest Pt-electroactive surface area and the highest Pt mass activity for ORR among the electrocatalysts tested. More importantly, the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) made with this catalyst showed excellent performance at current densities higher than 1200 mA cm^-2 in a hydrogen-air PEMFC measurement. ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR was used to analyze the molecular structures of the metal precursors and to understand the mechanisms of the formation of Pt catalysts at high dispersity and uniformity.

Voltammetric measurements of neurotransmitter-acetylcholine through metallic nanoparticles embedded 2-D material

The most generally spread neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) is used as a chemical messenger assisting in conveying signals transversely through the nerve synapse. Herein, two enzymes acetylcholinesterase and choline oxidase were covalently immobilized over the gold nanoparticles (Au_NPs) embedded graphene oxide (GO; 2D carbon material) nanocomposite modified ITO coated glass plate. The synergetic and unique properties of Au_NPs and GO present in nanocomposite are used to detect the ultra-small concentration of analyte, Ach. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized using different techniques i.e. TEM, XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV-Vis and Raman Spectroscopy. All the electrochemical measurements were performed using 3 electrodes integrated electrochemical system by introducing Ach through varying its concentration from 100 pM to 1000 nM. Cyclic voltammetry curves for different concentrations of Ach indicate the facile charge transfer process over the working electrode. Square wave voltammetry curves indicate the good sensing measurements of the modified electrode at the fixed potential. The limit of detection was found to be as low as 100 pM. In addition to these, selectivity of the electrode towards Ach molecule was confirmed by measuring the response towards other interfering agents. Besides this, the present nano interface is capable of detecting Ach in biological fluid such as serum.

Carbon Black Oxidized by Air Calcination for Enhanced H2O2 Generation and Effective Organics Degradation

Carbon black (CB) has a high conductivity and a large surface area, which are the basis of an excellent electrocatalyst. However, CB itself is usually less active or even inactive toward two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e^- ORR) due to the absence of highly active functional groups with low oxygen content. To activate commercial CB for 2e^- ORR, oxygen-containing functional groups were introduced onto the CB surface by a simple air calcination method. After the oxidation treatment at 600 °C (CB600), the oxygen content increased from the initial 1.17 ± 0.15 to 4.08 ± 0.60%, leading to a dramatic increase of the cathodic current from only -8.1 mA (CB) to -117.6 mA (CB600). The air cathode made of CB600 achieved the maximum H₂O₂ production of 517.7 ± 2.4 mg L^-1 within 30 min, resulting in the removal of ∼91.1% rhodamine B in 2 min and an effective mineralization of ∼76.3% in an electro-Fenton reactor. This performance was much better than that obtained using the CB catalyst (65.3 ± 5.6 mg L^-1 H₂O₂ production, and ∼20.3% mineralization). This excellent activity of CB600 toward 2e^- ORR was greatly improved by the introduction of O═C-OH and C-O-C groups. The successful improvement of the 2e^- ORR activity of CB using air calcination enables its practical application in electrochemical advanced oxidation processes.

An anode catalyst support for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: application of organically modified titanium and silicon dioxide

This work describes an attempt to improve the physical and electrochemical parameters of PEM fuel cells that have electrodes modified by titanium and silicon dioxides. A customized design of membrane electrode assemblies was proposed which is characterized to have an around 6 times higher concentration of catalyst at the cathode side (2.0 mgPt cm⁻²) in order to investigate the influence of anode catalyst support treatment. Anode catalyst support materials were modified using pristine TiO₂ and TiO₂–SiO₂–VTMS – the composite was crosslinked with the aid of vinyltrimethoxysilane. Surface area and porosity analysis was carried out with the aid of BET, BJH, t-plot and Horvath–Kawazoe (H–K) theories for particular components of the support materials and their catalyst mixtures. The experiment revealed a positive influence of TiO₂–SiO₂–VTMS (BET 321.9 m² g⁻¹, BJH 3.7 nm) on the anode catalyst layer in terms of surface area (3-times increase, 75 m² g⁻¹) and average pore size (decrease from 25.3 to 15.7 nm). Additionally, favourable microporosity (pores less than 2 nm) was introduced to the material according to the H–K analysis results (10.3 m² g⁻¹, 0.65 nm). Electrochemical experiments, which include polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, have demonstrated the change of behaviour for the fabricated fuel cells with modified anodes against the reference sample. The mitigation of charge and mass transfer resistance (by 15–20%, 50 mV at 200 mA cm⁻²), the improvement of power density (up to 72%, 217 mW cm⁻²) and a better exposure of the catalyst to the reactants of an electrochemical reaction were observed for fuel cells modified by both pristine TiO₂ and the hybrid TiO₂–SiO₂–VTMS-based compound.

TiO₂ and SiO₂ act successfully as an anode support material despite their poor electrical properties providing the improvement of fuel cell electrochemical parameters.

Carbon-templated conductive oxide supports for oxygen evolution catalysis

We present a novel route for the preparation of supported IrO2 catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in proton exchange membrane electrolyzers. It uses carbon soot as a nanostructure template, which is sequentially coated with a conductive niobium-doped titanium oxide (NTO) layer and an ultrathin, highly pure IrO2 catalyst layer by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The NTO acts as an oxidation-stable conductor between the metal current distributor and the catalyst. The highly controlled film growth by ALD enables the fabrication of electrodes with a very low noble metal loading. Nonetheless, these electrodes exhibit very high catalytic activity and good stability under cyclic and constant load conditions. At an IrO2 content of less than 10 percent by mass of the oxide material and an area-based Ir content of 153 μg cm-2, the nanostructured NTO/IrO2 electrode achieves an oxygen evolution current density of 1 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of ∼250 mV, which is significantly lower than the reported values for particulate NTO/IrO2 catalysts.

Polymer-Based Synthetic Routes to Carbon-Based Metal-Free Catalysts

Carbons are increasingly important as possible alternatives to expensive metal catalysts owing to the wide range of chemical properties they can exhibit and the growing set of synthetic routes available to produce them. This progress report discusses the process of making catalytic carbons from polymeric precursors, focusing on mechanisms of carbonization and how the polymer structures and synthetic procedures affect the resulting carbons. In considering what is necessary to move laboratory catalytic carbons to industrial and commercial applications, the cost and complexity to produce them are a considerable challenge to overcome. Industrially produced carbons are typically made from biopolymers such as lignin while many of the catalytic carbons studied in literature are from synthetic polymers. Thus, studying polymer-derived carbons can provide insights into the carbonization process and the properties of catalytic carbons, which can subsequently be translated to improve biopolymer-derived carbons in an economical way. Aspects of polymer carbonization discussed include carbonization mechanisms, effects of crosslinkers, polymer microstructure, heteroatom control, and effects of nanostructuring.

Nickel-hydrogen batteries for large-scale energy storage

Large-scale energy storage is of significance to the integration of renewable energy into electric grid. Despite the dominance of pumped hydroelectricity in the market of grid energy storage, it is limited by the suitable site selection and footprint impact. Rechargeable batteries show increasing interests in the large-scale energy storage; however, the challenging requirement of low-cost materials with long cycle and calendar life restricts most battery chemistries for use in the grid storage. Recently we introduced a concept of manganese-hydrogen battery with Mn²⁺/MnO₂ redox cathode paired with H⁺/H₂ gas anode, which has a long life of 10,000 cycles and with potential for grid energy storage. Here we expand this concept by replacing Mn²⁺/MnO₂ redox with a nickel-based cathode, which enables ∼10× higher areal capacity loading, reaching ∼35 mAh cm^-2 We also replace high-cost Pt catalyst on the anode with a low-cost, bifunctional nickel-molybdenum-cobalt alloy, which could effectively catalyze hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions in alkaline electrolyte. Such a nickel-hydrogen battery exhibits an energy density of ∼140 Wh kg^-1 (based on active materials) in aqueous electrolyte and excellent rechargeability with negligible capacity decay over 1,500 cycles. The estimated cost of the nickel-hydrogen battery based on active materials reaches as low as ∼$83 per kilowatt-hour, demonstrating attractive characteristics for large-scale energy storage.

Novel tungsten phosphide embedded nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes: A portable and renewable monitoring platform for anticancer drug in whole blood

Biosensors based on converting the concentration of analytes in complex samples into single electrochemical signals are attractive candidates as low cost, high-throughput, portable and renewable sensor platforms. Here, we describe a simple but practical analytical device for sensing an anticancer drug in whole blood, using the detection of methotrexate (MTX) as a model system. In this biosensor, a novel carbon-based composite, tungsten phosphide embedded nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (WP/N-CNT), was fixed to the electrode surface that supported redox cycling. The electronic transmission channel in nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNT) and the synergistic effect of uniform distribution tungsten phosphide (WP) ensured that the electrode materials have outstanding electrical conductivity and catalytic performance. Meanwhile, the surface electronic structure also endows its surprisingly reproducible performance. To demonstrate portable operation for MTX sensing, screen printing electrodes (SPE) was modified with WP/N-CNT. The sensor exhibited low detection limits (45 nM), wide detection range (0.01-540 μM), good selectivity and long-term stability for the determination of MTX. In addition, the technique was successfully applied for the determination of MTX in whole blood.

A Novel Bimetallic Nickel-Molybdenum Carbide Nanowire Array for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

The design and fabrication of noble-metal-free hydrogenevolution electrocatalysts with high activity is significant to future renewable energy systems. In this work, self-supported NiMo carbide nanowires on carbon cloth (Ni₃ Mo₃ C@NPC NWs/CC; NPC=N,P-doped carbon) were developed through an electropolymerization-assisted procedure. During the synthesis process, NiMoO₄ nanowires were first grown on CC through a hydrothermal reaction that was free of any polymer binder such as Nafion. By use of electropolymerization, the as-prepared NiMoO₄ NWs/CC sample was then coated by a layer of polypyrole (PPy) that served as the carbon source for subsequent conversion into Ni₃ Mo₃ C@NPC NWs/CC by carbothermal reduction. The experimental results indicated that judicious choices of the amount of coated PPy and the pyrolysis temperature were essential for obtaining the pure-phase, nanowire array structure of Ni₃ Mo₃ C@NPC NWs/CC. Benefitting from the pure phase of the bimetallic carbide, the unique architecture of the nanowire array, and its self-supported nature, the optimized Ni₃ Mo₃ C@NPC NWs/CC electrode exhibited excellent performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in both acidic and alkaline media. Low overpotentials of 161 and 215 mV were required to afford a high current density of 100 mA cm^-2 toward the HER in acidic and alkaline media, respectively, and the catalytic activity was maintained for at least 48 h, which puts Ni₃ Mo₃ C@NPC NWs/CC among the best HER electrocatalysts based on metallic carbides yet reported.

Pt/TiSi x-NCNT Novel Janus Nanostructure: A New Type of High-Performance Electrocatalyst

Novel Janus nanostructured electrocatalyst (Pt/TiSi _x-NCNT) was prepared by first sputtering TiSi _x on one side of N-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs), followed by wet chemical deposition of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on the other side. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the Pt NPs are mainly deposited on the NCNT surface where no TiSi _x (i.e., between the gaps of TiSi _x film). This feature could benefit the increase in the stability of the Pt NP catalyst. Indeed, compared to the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst, this novel Pt/TiSi _x-NCNT Janus structure showed ∼3 times increase in stability as well as significantly improved CO tolerance. The obvious performance enhancement could be attributed to the better corrosion resistance of TiSi _x and NCNTs than the carbon black that is used in the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Pt/TiSi _x-NCNT Janus nanostructures open the door for designing new type of high-performance electrocatalyst for fuel cells and other oxygen reduction reaction-related energy devices.

Swollen hexagonal liquid crystals as smart nanoreactors: implementation in materials chemistry for energy applications

Materials are the key roadblocks for the commercialization of energy conversion devices in fuel cells and solar cells. Significant research has focused on tuning the intrinsic properties of materials at the nanometer scale. The soft template mediated controlled fabrication of advanced nanostructured materials is attracting considerable interest due to the promising applications of these materials in catalysis and electrocatalysis. Swollen hexagonal lyotropic liquid crystals (SLCs) consist of oil-swollen surfactant-stabilized 1D, 2D or 3D nanometric assemblies regularly arranged in an aqueous solvent. Interestingly, the characteristic size of the SLCs can be controlled by adjusting the volume ratio of oil to water. The non-polar and/or polar compartments of the SLCs can be doped with guest molecules and used as nanoreactors for the synthesis of various metals (Pt, Pd, Au, etc.), conducting polymers and composite nanostructures with controlled size and shape. 1D, 2D and 3D mono- and bimetallic nanostructures of controlled composition and porosity can also be fabricated. These materials have demonstrated impressive enhancements of their electrochemical properties as compared to their bulk counterparts and have been identified as promising for further implementation in energy harvesting applications. In this review article, recent research materials are described regarding the development of functional materials with much improved performances for catalysis applications. This review addresses a brief overview of swollen hexagonal mesophases as nanoreactors, describes examples of nanostructured materials synthesized in these nanoreactors, shows several examples of the energy conversion applications in solar light harvesting, fuel cells etc. and also summarizes the associated reaction mechanisms developed in the recent literature for enhanced catalytic activity.