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Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry
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Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrocatalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 14669

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lichen Bai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Interface Science, Fritz-Haber-Institute of Max-Planck-Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Interests: electrocatalysis related to hydrogen and ammonia production; in situ spectroscopy; reaction mechanisms of electrocatalysis
Dr. Jun Gu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: electrocatalysis; CO2 reduction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrochemical reactions, such as water splitting, CO2 reduction, and nitrogen/nitrate reduction, provide a promising way to convert intermittent renewable energy resources in the form of clean fuels and various chemicals. These reactions typically involve multiple protons and electrons transfer, and thus the reaction kinetics are sluggish. The development of efficient and stable electrocatalysts is indispensable to make these reactions proceed with high efficiencies. Moreover, to realize viable and scalable energy storage, the catalysts should be composed of earth-abundant elements (i.e., the first row of transition metals) and easily fabricated.

On the other hand, despite great efforts to develop electrocatalysts in recent years, the nature of the active sites and the reaction mechanism are still not well understood, even for state-of-the-art electrocatalysts. Insight into the active sites and reaction mechanisms are essential to establish the structure–activity relationship and provide a guideline for the further development of more advanced electrocatalysts. Combining in situ or operando characterization techniques and electrochemical methods, as well as theoretical calculations, can provide comprehensive information on active sites and the catalytic process.

This Special Issue aims to compile a set of manuscripts about advanced electrocatalysts composed of earth-abundant elements for energy related electrochemical reactions, including hydrogen evolution, CO2 reduction, ammonia production, and the related anodic reactions. Additionally, we are also interested in new mechanistic insights into catalysts using in situ/operando characterization. The combination of various techniques is expected.

Dr. Lichen Bai
Dr. Jun Gu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • water splitting
  • CO2 reduction
  • ammonia production
  • electrocatalysts
  • reaction mechanisms
  • in situ/operando characterization

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3656 KiB  
Article
Carbon-Conjugated Co Complexes as Model Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
by Qidi Sun, Qing Wang, Fuzhi Li, Yizhe Liu, Xintong Li, Zonglong Zhu, Jianlin Chen, Yung-Kang Peng and Jun Gu
Catalysts 2023, 13(2), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13020330 - 2 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1847
Abstract
Single-atom catalysts are a family of heterogeneous electrocatalysts widely used in energy storage and conversion. The determination of the local structure of the active metal sites is challenging, which limits the establishment of the reliable structure-property relationship of single-atom catalysts. A carbon black-conjugated [...] Read more.
Single-atom catalysts are a family of heterogeneous electrocatalysts widely used in energy storage and conversion. The determination of the local structure of the active metal sites is challenging, which limits the establishment of the reliable structure-property relationship of single-atom catalysts. A carbon black-conjugated complex can be used as the model catalyst to probe the intrinsic activity of metal sites with certain local structures. In this work, we prepared carbon black-conjugated [Co(phenanthroline)Cl2], [Co(o-phenylenediamine)Cl2] and [Co(salophen)]. In these catalysts, the Co complexes with well-defined structures are anchored on the edge of carbon black by pyrazine moieties. The number of electrochemical accessible Co sites can be measured from the area of the redox peaks of pyrazine linkers in the cyclic voltammetry curve. Then, the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of one Co site can be obtained. The catalytic performances of the three catalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline conditions were measured. Carbon black-conjugated [Co(salophen)] showed the highest intrinsic activity with the turnover frequency of 0.72 s−1 at 0.75 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. The strategy developed in this work can be used to explore and verify the possible local structure of active sites proposed for single-atom catalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry)
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11 pages, 1934 KiB  
Article
Promoting the Electrocatalytic Ethanol Oxidation Activity of Pt by Alloying with Cu
by Di Liu, Hui-Zi Huang, Zhejiaji Zhu, Jiani Li, Li-Wei Chen, Xiao-Ting Jing and An-Xiang Yin
Catalysts 2022, 12(12), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12121562 - 2 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1917
Abstract
The development and commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells requires active and durable electro-catalysts towards the ethanol oxidation reactions (EOR). Rational composition and morphology control of Pt-based alloy nanocrystals can not only enhance their EOR reactivity but also reduce the consumption of precious [...] Read more.
The development and commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells requires active and durable electro-catalysts towards the ethanol oxidation reactions (EOR). Rational composition and morphology control of Pt-based alloy nanocrystals can not only enhance their EOR reactivity but also reduce the consumption of precious Pt. Herein, PtCu nanocubes (NCs)/CB enclosed by well-defined (100) facets were prepared by solution synthesis, exhibiting much higher mass activity (4.96 A mgPt−1) than PtCu nanoparticles (NPs)/CB with irregular shapes (3.26 A mgPt−1) and commercial Pt/C (1.67 A mgPt−1). CO stripping and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments indicate that the alloying of Cu enhanced the adsorption of ethanol, accelerated the subsequent oxidation of intermediate species, and increased the resistance to CO poisoning of PtCu NCs/CB, as compared with commercial Pt/C. Therefore, alloying Pt with earth-abundant Cu under rational composition and surface control can optimize its surface and electronic structures and represents a promising strategy to promote the performance of electro-catalysts while reduce the use of precious metals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry)
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12 pages, 1776 KiB  
Article
Interfacial Electron Redistribution of FeCo2S4/N-S-rGO Boosting Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysis Performance
by Wen-Lin Zhang, Shi-Meng Liu, Lu-Hua Zhang, Ting-Ting He and Feng-Shou Yu
Catalysts 2022, 12(9), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12091002 - 6 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1966
Abstract
Developing bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for the development of zinc–air batteries (ZABs), but several challenges remain in terms of bifunctional activity. FeCo2S4/N-S-rGO was prepared by in situ homogeneous growth [...] Read more.
Developing bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for the development of zinc–air batteries (ZABs), but several challenges remain in terms of bifunctional activity. FeCo2S4/N-S-rGO was prepared by in situ homogeneous growth of bimetallic sulfide FeCo2S4 on N, S-doped reduced graphene oxide. FeCo2S4/N-S-rGO exhibits a half-wave potential of 0.89 V for ORR and an overpotential of 0.26 V at 10 mA cm−2 for OER, showing significantly bifunctional activity superior to Pt/C (0.85 V) and RuO2 (0.41 V). Moreover, the FeCo2S4/N-S-rGO assembled ZAB shows a superior specific capacity and a power density of 259.13 mW cm−2. It is demonstrated that the interfacial electron redistribution between FeCo2S4 nanoparticles and heteroatom-doped rGO matrix can efficiently improve the electrochemical performance of the catalyst. The results provide new insights into the preparation of high-capability composite catalysts combining transition metal sulfides with carbon materials for applications in ZABs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry)
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10 pages, 3387 KiB  
Article
Copper Incorporated Molybdenum Trioxide Nanosheet Realizing High-Efficient Performance for Hydrogen Production
by Pengzuo Chen, Weixia Huang, Kaixun Li, Dongmei Feng and Yun Tong
Catalysts 2022, 12(8), 895; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12080895 - 15 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2404
Abstract
The development of highly active non-precious metal electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing the practical application of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Doping engineering is one of the important strategies to optimize the electrocatalytic activity of electrocatalysts. Herein, we put forward a simple strategy to [...] Read more.
The development of highly active non-precious metal electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing the practical application of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Doping engineering is one of the important strategies to optimize the electrocatalytic activity of electrocatalysts. Herein, we put forward a simple strategy to optimize the catalytic activity of MoO3 material by incorporating the Cu atoms into the interlayer (denoted as Cu-MoO3). The prepared Cu-MoO3 nanosheet has a larger surface area, higher conductivity, and strong electron interactions, which contributes to optimal reaction kinetics of the HER process. As a result, the Cu-MoO3 nanosheet only needs a small overpotential of 106 mV to reach the geometric current density of 10 mA cm−2. In addition, it also delivers a low Tafel slope of 83 mV dec−1, as well as high stability and Faraday efficiency. Notably, when using the Cu-MoO3 as a cathode to construct the water electrolyzer, it only needs 1.55 V to reach the 10 mA cm−2, indicating its promising application in hydrogen generation. This work provides a novel type of design strategy for a highly active electrocatalyst for an energy conversion system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry)
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14 pages, 2356 KiB  
Article
High-Efficiency Oxygen Reduction to Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Oxidized Mo2TiC2 MXene
by Ge Li, Bin Zhou, Ping Wang, Miao He, Zhao Fang, Xilin Yuan, Weiwei Wang, Xiaohua Sun and Zhenxing Li
Catalysts 2022, 12(8), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12080850 - 2 Aug 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3617
Abstract
The two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e−ORR) pathway electrochemical synthesis to H2O2 has the advantages of low investment and environmental protection and is considered to be a promising green method. Herein, the oxidized Mo2TiC2 MXene (O-Mo [...] Read more.
The two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e−ORR) pathway electrochemical synthesis to H2O2 has the advantages of low investment and environmental protection and is considered to be a promising green method. Herein, the oxidized Mo2TiC2 MXene (O-Mo2TiC2) was successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method as an electrocatalyst in electrocatalytic H2O2 production. The O-Mo2TiC2 achieved the 90% of H2O2 selectivity and 0.72 V vs. RHE of the onset potential. Moreover, O-Mo2TiC2 showed high charge transfer ability and long-term stable working ability of 40 h. This significantly enhanced electrocatalytic H2O2 production capacity is assigned the oxidation treatment of Mo2TiC2 MXene to generate more oxygen-containing groups in O-Mo2TiC2. This work provides a promising catalyst candidate for the electrochemical synthesis of H2O2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry)
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11 pages, 3163 KiB  
Article
Boosting Oxygen Electrocatalysis by Combining Iron Nanoparticles with Single Atoms
by Bowen Liu, Sihong Wang, Fang Song and Qinglei Liu
Catalysts 2022, 12(6), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12060585 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2219
Abstract
The development of high-performance non-noble metal-based oxygen electrocatalysts is crucial for the practical application of zinc–air batteries. Most of them suffer from low intrinsic activity and poor stability, failing to meet the needs of practical applications. Here, we report an efficient and durable [...] Read more.
The development of high-performance non-noble metal-based oxygen electrocatalysts is crucial for the practical application of zinc–air batteries. Most of them suffer from low intrinsic activity and poor stability, failing to meet the needs of practical applications. Here, we report an efficient and durable bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst of Fe@Fe-SAC composite (SAC stands for single atoms on carbon). A facile and ease-to-scale-up process synthesizes it. Fe single-atom and Fe nanoparticles are anchored on nitrogen-doped porous carbon, with the latter encapsulated by the graphitic shell. It exhibits appealing activity and durability in a basic electrolyte, requiring a half-wave potential of 0.805 V for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and an overpotential of only 348 mV to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Both activities are comparable to the corresponding benchmarking electrocatalyst of Pt/C for ORR and IrO2 for OER. The superior activities are attributed to the strong electronic interaction between metal single-atom and nanoparticles. The favorable stability is ascribed to the physical encapsulation of carbon coatings on nanoparticles. This work presents a feasible scheme for designing and large-scale preparation of high-performance non-noble metal-based bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Earth-Abundant Catalysts for Energy Related Electrochemistry)
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