Doping of the Mn vacancy of Mn2B2 with a single different transition metal atom as the dual-function electrocatalyst

The design of efficient electrocatalysts is essential to enhance the performance of rechargeable metal-air cells, renewable fuel cells and overall water splitting. Based on this, how to improve the catalytic activity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) becomes self-evident. Currently, single atom catalysts (SACs) are widely used as structural design models for the OER, ORR and HER because of the single active site and maximum metal atom utilization, but significant challenges remain. Herein, the catalytic properties of the OER, ORR and HER with a single metal atom as the active site are discussed through first-principles calculations by introducing a single metal atom in the Mn vacancy of Mn₂B₂ (TM@Mn₂B₂, TM = Au, Ag, Co, Cd, Cu, Ir, Pd, Ni, Rh, Ru and Pt). The results show that Ni@Mn₂B₂ is suitable as a dual-function electrocatalyst for the OER/ORR with overpotentials of 0.38 V and 0.37 V, which are lower than those of the OER overpotential of RuO₂/IrO₂ (0.42 V/0.56 V) and the ORR overpotential of Pt (0.45 V). Meanwhile, Pt@Mn₂B₂ is available as an OER/HER dual-function electrocatalyst for overall water splitting with a lower overpotential of OER (0.45 V) and lower |ΔG_H| (-0.15eV) under 1/4 hydrogen coverage for the HER. This work proposes a practical strategy for developing single metal atom doped MBene as a dual-function electrocatalyst.

High-Efficiency of Bi-Functional-Based Perovskite Nanocomposite for Oxygen Evolution and Oxygen Reduction Reaction: An Overview

High efficient, low-cost and environmentally friendly-natured bi-functional-based perovskite electrode catalysts (BFPEC) are receiving increasing attention for oxygen reduction/oxygen evolution reaction (ORR/OER), playing an important role in the electrochemical energy conversion process using fuel cells and rechargeable batteries. Herein, we highlighted the different kinds of synthesis routes, morphological studies and electrode catalysts with A-site and B-site substitution co-substitution, generating oxygen vacancies studies for boosting ORR and OER activities. However, perovskite is a novel type of oxide family, which shows the state-of-art electrocatalytic performances in energy storage device applications. In this review article, we go through different types of BFPECs that have received massive appreciation and various strategies to promote their electrocatalytic activities (ORR/OER). Based on these various properties and their applications of BFPEC for ORR/OER, the general mechanism, catalytic performance and future outlook of these electrode catalysts have also been discussed.