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Wang Q, Zhao J, Yang X, Li J, Wu C, Shen D, Cheng C, Xu LH. Tuning the electronic metal-carbon interactions in Lignin-based carbon-supported ruthenium-based electrocatalysts for enhanced hydrogen evolution reactions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 664:251-262. [PMID: 38467090 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles dispersed on carbon support are promising electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to strong electronic metal-carbon interactions (EMCIs). Defects engineering in carbon supports is an effective strategy to adjust EMCIs. We prepared nitrogen/sulfur co-doped carbon supported Ru nanoparticles (Ru@N/S-LC) using sodium lignosulfonate and urea as feedstocks. Intrinsic S dopants from sodium lignosulfonate create rich S defects, thus enhancing the EMCIs within Ru@N/S-LC, leading a faster electron transfer between Ru nanoparticles and N/S-LC compared with N-doped carbon supported Ru nanoparticles (Ru@N-CC). The resulting Ru@N/S-LC exhibits an enhanced work function and a down-shifted d-band center, inducing stronger electron capturing ability and weaker hydrogen desorption energy than Ru@N-CC. Ru@N/S-LC requires only 7 and 94 mV overpotential in acidic medium and alkaline medium to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were utilized to clarify the impact of sulfur (S) doping and the mechanism underlying the notable catalytic activity of Ru@N/S-LC. This study offers a perspective for utilizing the natural dopants of biomass to adjust the EMCIs for electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qichang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, PR China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, PR China
| | - Xiaoxuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, PR China
| | - Jianfei Li
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, PR China
| | - Chunfei Wu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - Dekui Shen
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, PR China.
| | - Chongbo Cheng
- Engineering Laboratory of Energy System Process Conversion and Emission Reduction Technology of Jiangsu Province, School of Energy & Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, PR China.
| | - Lian-Hua Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
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