提升二维材料的电催化析氢和光催化析氢性能的策略

世界能源危机问题和环境问题日益突出,寻找低廉、易得且能够替代化石的清洁能源是目前研究的热点.氢气具有可再生性、安全、高能量密度、环境友好型等优点,因而成为替代化石燃料的首选.在众多途径中,电催化产氢和光催化产氢是目前应用较广且比较成熟的方法,其工艺过程简单、无污染,但由于效率较低或生产成本较高等因素,其大规模应用受到一定的限制.因此,开发高效的析氢催化剂意义重大.迄今为止,贵金属铂是公认的最好的析氢催化剂,但其稀有性和价格高阻碍了大规模的商业应用.因此,寻找高效、稳定、价格合理的析氢催化剂迫在眉睫.近年来,已研究和设计了很多析氢催化材料,其中,二维材料以其独特的物理化学性质(如电子在二维空间内快速移动、超薄结构、较大的比表面积等)引起了科学家的兴趣.但实际研究的二维材料的析氢性能与理论值相比还有很大的差距.因此,提高二维材料的导电性、增加活性位点、提高光电催化剂的循环稳定性是提升其性能的关键.本文综述了四种二维材料(二硫化钼、石墨烯、过渡金属碳氮化物、黑磷)在析氢方面的最新研究进展,包括(1)二维材料的合成方法,(2)二维材料析氢性能,(3)析氢催化机理.并从三个方面总结了提升二维材料析氢性能的策略:(1)缺陷位工程,(2)异质结策略,(3)金属及非金属杂原子掺杂.在提高二维材料的策略方面,本文着重讨论了d带理论、状态密度和费米能级,为更多二维析氢催化材料的制备提供了有效的指导.最后,本文分析了二维催化剂领域目前面临的问题和挑战,展望了未来的发展趋势.     

Oxygen Evolution Reaction on Nanoporous Gold Modified with Ir and Pt: Synergistic Electrocatalysis between Structure and Composition

Active oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts for water splitting have received great attention because of their importance in the utilization of renewable energy sources. Here, the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction activities of a nanoporous gold (NPG)‐based electrode in acidic media are investigated. The dependence of the oxygen evolution reaction activity on the NPG surface area shows that the large electrochemical surface areas of the NPG are effectively utilized to enhance electrocatalytic activity. The NPG surfaces are modified with Pt using atomic layer electrodeposition methods, and the resulting NPG@Pt exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activities compared to those of the NPG and flat Pt electrodes. Ir‐modified NPG (NPG@Ir) electrodes are prepared by spontaneous exchange of Ir on NPG surfaces and exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared to that of flat Ir surfaces. The modification of NPG@Pt with Ir results in NPG@Pt/Ir electrodes, and their electrocatalytic activities exceed those of NPG@Ir. The enhanced oxygen evolution reaction activity on NPG@Pt/Ir over that on NPG@Ir surfaces is examined by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The oxygen evolution reaction activity on NPG@Pt/Ir surfaces demonstrates synergistic electrocatalysis between the nanoporous surface structure and active electrocatalytic components.     

Nanoporous Gold Embedded ZIF Composite for Enhanced Electrochemical Nitrogen Fixation

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) offers an energy‐saving and environmentally friendly approach to produce ammonia under ambient conditions. However, traditional catalysts have extremely poor NRR performances because of their low activity and the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction. The high catalytic activity of nanoporous gold (NPG) and the hydrophobicity and molecular concentrating effect of the zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) were incorporated in the NPG@ZIF‐8 nanocomposite so that the ZIF‐8 shell could weaken hydrogen evolution and retard reactant diffusion. A highest Faradaic efficiency of 44 % and an excellent rate of ammonia production of (28.7±0.9) μg h^?1 cm^?2 were achieved, which are superior to traditional gold nanoparticles and NPG. Moreover, the composite catalyst shows high electrochemical stability and selectivity (98 %). The superior NRR performance makes NPG@ZIF‐8 one of the most promising water‐based NRR electrocatalysts for ammonia production.     

Biomimetic hydrogen evolution: MoS2 nanoparticles as catalyst for hydrogen evolution

The electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction is catalyzed most effectively by the Pt group metals. As H2 is considered as a future energy carrier, the need for these catalysts will increase and alternatives to the scarce and expensive Pt group catalysts will be needed. We analyze the ability of different metal surfaces and of the enzymes nitrogenase and hydrogenase to catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction and find a necessary criterion for high catalytic activity. The necessary criterion is that the binding free energy of atomic hydrogen to the catalyst is close to zero. The criterion enables us to search for new catalysts, and inspired by the nitrogenase active site, we find that MoS2 nanoparticles supported on graphite are a promising catalyst. They catalyze electrochemical hydrogen evolution at a moderate overpotential of 0.1-0.2 V.     

Pnictogen (As,Sb, Bi) Nanosheets for Electrochemical Applications Are Produced by Shear Exfoliation Using Kitchen Blenders

Layered materials are of high importance because of their anisotropy and as a source of 2D materials. Whilst there is a plethora of multi‐elemental 2D materials, the number mono‐elemental 2D materials is rather limited. Herein, we demonstrate that aqueous shear exfoliation can be used to obtain As, Sb, and Bi exfoliated nanosheets. Morphological and chemical characterization of the exfoliated materials shows a decrease in thickness, sheet‐to‐nanosheet scale, and partial oxidation owing to a higher surface area. The electrochemical performance is tested in terms of inherent electrochemistry, electron transfer, and sensing applications as demonstrated with ascorbic acid. Potential energy‐related applications are evaluated in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with shear‐exfoliated Sb having the best electrochemical performance overall. These findings will have a profound impact on the preparation and application of 2D mono‐elemental materials.     

Pnictogen (As,Sb, Bi) Nanosheets for Electrochemical Applications Are Produced by Shear Exfoliation Using Kitchen Blenders

Layered materials are of high importance because of their anisotropy and as a source of 2D materials. Whilst there is a plethora of multi‐elemental 2D materials, the number mono‐elemental 2D materials is rather limited. Herein, we demonstrate that aqueous shear exfoliation can be used to obtain As, Sb, and Bi exfoliated nanosheets. Morphological and chemical characterization of the exfoliated materials shows a decrease in thickness, sheet‐to‐nanosheet scale, and partial oxidation owing to a higher surface area. The electrochemical performance is tested in terms of inherent electrochemistry, electron transfer, and sensing applications as demonstrated with ascorbic acid. Potential energy‐related applications are evaluated in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with shear‐exfoliated Sb having the best electrochemical performance overall. These findings will have a profound impact on the preparation and application of 2D mono‐elemental materials.     

MoS2 Nanosheets Supported on 3D Graphene Aerogel as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution

The development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution is essential for energy conversion technologies. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has emerged as a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction, and its performance greatly depends on its exposed edge sites and conductivity. Layered MoS₂ nanosheets supported on a 3D graphene aerogel network (GA‐MoS₂) exhibit significant catalytic activity in hydrogen evolution. The GA‐MoS₂ composite displays a unique 3D architecture with large active surface areas, leading to high catalytic performance with low overpotential, high current density, and good stability.     

Energy‐Saving Electrolytic Hydrogen Generation: Ni2P Nanoarray as a High‐Performance Non‐Noble‐Metal Electrocatalyst

It is highly attractive but challenging to develop earth‐abundant electrocatalysts for energy‐saving electrolytic hydrogen generation. Herein, we report that Ni₂P nanoarrays grown in situ on nickel foam (Ni₂P/NF) behave as a durable high‐performance non‐noble‐metal electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) in alkaline media. The replacement of the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction with such the more thermodynamically favorable HzOR enables energy‐saving electrochemical hydrogen production with the use of Ni₂P/NF as a bifunctional catalyst for anodic HzOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction. When operated at room temperature, this two‐electrode electrolytic system drives 500 mA cm⁻² at a cell voltage as low as 1.0 V with strong long‐term electrochemical durability and 100 % Faradaic efficiency for hydrogen evolution in 1.0 m KOH aqueous solution with 0.5 m hydrazine.     

缺陷位工程在二维材料电催化析氢反应中的研究进展

面对不可再生资源的快速消耗和环境污染的日益加重,寻找清洁可再生能源势在必行.氢能是一种清洁可再生的能源,是目前最有希望替代化石燃料的一种能源.电化学水分解可用来产生高纯氢气,其中析氢催化剂起着至关重要的作用.尽管贵金属铂基催化剂表现出优异的析氢性能,然而稀缺性和高成本限制了其大规模应用.因此,开发高效和地球存量丰富的电...     

High Catalytic Activity of Nitrogen and Sulfur Co‐Doped Nanoporous Graphene in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Chemical doping has been demonstrated to be an effective way to realize new functions of graphene as metal‐free catalyst in energy‐related electrochemical reactions. Although efficient catalysis for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been achieved with doped graphene, its performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is rather poor. In this study we report that nitrogen and sulfur co‐doping leads to high catalytic activity of nanoporous graphene in HER at low operating potential, comparable to the best Pt‐free HER catalyst, 2D MoS₂. The interplay between the chemical dopants and geometric lattice defects of the nanoporous graphene plays the fundamental role in the superior HER catalysis.     

Solar Fuels: Visible‐Light‐Driven Generation of Dihydrogen at p‐Type Silicon Electrocatalysed by Molybdenum Hydrides

We show that a robust molybdenum hydride system can sustain photoelectrocatalysis of a hydrogen evolution reaction at boron‐doped, hydrogen‐terminated, p‐type silicon. The photovoltage for the system is about 600–650 mV and the current densities, which can be sustained at the photocathode in non‐catalytic and catalytic regimes, are similar to those at a photoinert vitreous carbon electrode. The kinetics of electrocatalysed hydrogen evolution at the photocathode are also very similar to those measured at vitreous carbon—evidently visible light does not significantly perturb the catalytic mechanism. Importantly, we show that the doped (1–10 Ω cm) p‐type Si can function perfectly well in the dark as an ohmic conductor and this has allowed direct comparison of the cyclic voltammetric behaviour of the response of the system under dark and illuminated conditions at the same electrode. The p‐type Si we have employed optimally harvests light energy in the 600–700 nm region and with 37 mW cm^?2 illumination in this range; the light to electrochemical energy conversion is estimated to be 2.8 %. The current yield of hydrogen under broad tungsten halide lamp illumination at 90 mW cm^?2 is (91±5) % with a corresponding chemical yield of (98±5) %.     

Modulating Benzothiadiazole‐Based Covalent Organic Frameworks via Halogenation for Enhanced Photocatalytic Water Splitting

Two‐dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs), an emerging class of crystalline porous polymers, have been recognized as a new platform for efficient solar‐to‐hydrogen energy conversion owing to their pre‐designable structures and tailor‐made functions. Herein, we demonstrate that slight modulation of the chemical structure of a typical photoactive 2D COF (Py‐HTP‐BT‐COF) via chlorination (Py‐ClTP‐BT‐COF) and fluorination (Py‐FTP‐BT‐COF) can lead to dramatically enhanced photocatalytic H₂ evolution rates (HER=177.50 μmol h^?1 with a high apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 8.45 % for Py‐ClTP‐BT‐COF). Halogen modulation at the photoactive benzothiadiazole moiety can efficiently suppress charge recombination and significantly reduce the energy barrier associated with the formation of H intermediate species (H*) on polymer surface. Our findings provide new prospects toward design and synthesis of highly active organic photocatalysts toward solar‐to‐chemical energy conversion.     

Heterostructures Composed of N‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes Encapsulating Cobalt and β‐Mo2C Nanoparticles as Bifunctional Electrodes for Water Splitting

Herein, we demonstrate the use of heterostructures comprised of Co/β‐Mo₂C@N‐CNT hybrids for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in an alkaline electrolyte. The Co can not only create a well‐defined heterointerface with β‐Mo₂C but also overcomes the poor OER activity of β‐Mo₂C, thus leading to enhanced electrocatalytic activity for HER and OER. DFT calculations further proved that cooperation between the N‐CNTs, Co, and β‐Mo₂C results in lower energy barriers of intermediates and thus greatly enhances the HER and OER performance. This study not only provides a simple strategy for the construction of heterostructures with nonprecious metals, but also provides in‐depth insight into the HER and OER mechanism in alkaline solution.     

A new class of electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from water electrolysis: metal monolayers supported on low-cost transition metal carbides

This work explores the opportunity to substantially reduce the cost of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts by supporting monolayer (ML) amounts of precious metals on transition metal carbide substrates. The metal component includes platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and gold (Au); the low-cost carbide substrate includes tungsten carbides (WC and W(2)C) and molybdenum carbide (Mo(2)C). As a platform for these studies, single-phase carbide thin films with well-characterized surfaces have been synthesized, allowing for a direct comparison of the intrinsic HER activity of bare and Pt-modified carbide surfaces. It is found that WC and W(2)C are both excellent cathode support materials for ML Pt, exhibiting HER activities that are comparable to bulk Pt while displaying stable HER activity during chronopotentiometric HER measurements. The findings of excellent stability and HER activity of the ML Pt-WC and Pt-W(2)C surfaces may be explained by the similar bulk electronic properties of tungsten carbides to Pt, as is supported by density functional theory calculations. These results are further extended to other metal overlayers (Pd and Au) and supports (Mo(2)C), which demonstrate that the metal ML-supported transition metal carbide surfaces exhibit HER activity that is consistent with the well-known volcano relationship between activity and hydrogen binding energy. This work highlights the potential of using carbide materials to reduce the costs of hydrogen production from water electrolysis by serving as stable, low-cost supports for ML amounts of precious metals.     

Preparation of polymer-protected gold/platinum bimetallic clusters and their application to visible light-induced hydrogen evolution

The dispersions of polymer-protected gold/platinum bimetallic clusters were easily and reproducibly prepared by refluxing the mixed solutions of tetrachloroaureic(III) acid and hexachloroplatinic(IV) acid in ethanol/water (1/1) at 90 ∼ 95 °C for 2 h in the presence of a protective polymer such as poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP). The gold/platinum bimetallic clusters thus obtained were very small, well dispersed and very stable. The UV-Vis spectra and the transmission electron micrographs have indicated that each bimetallic particle has an alloy structure consisting of both gold and platinum atoms, and that the surface of the cluster particle is rich in platinum atoms and the inner core in gold atoms. The gold/platinum bimetallic clusters were used as the multi-electron redox catalysts for visible light-induced hydrogen evolution from water. The rate of hydrogen evolution depended on the mole ratio of the gold/platinum bimetallic clusters. The bimetallic clusters at the mole ratio of Au/Pt = 2/3 were the most active catalyst. The in-situ UV-Vis spectra during the reaction have indicated that the order of the aggregation in the two kinds of metal atoms is very important for structure determination of the Au/Pt bimetallic clusters. The protective polymer PVP plays a role not only in protecting hydrophobic colloidal particles in an aqueous solution, but also in determining the metal composition of the cluster surface.     

The beneficial effect of hydrogen on CO oxidation over Au catalysts. A computational study

Density functional theory calculations have been carried out to explore the effect of hydrogen on the oxidation of CO in relation to the preferential oxidation of CO in the presence of excess hydrogen (PROX). A range of gold surfaces have been selected including the (100), stepped (310) surfaces and diatomic rows on the (100) surface. These diatomic rows on Au(100) are very efficient in H-H bond scission. O(2) hydrogenation strongly enhances the surface-oxygen interaction and assists in scission of the O-O bond. The activation energy required to make the reaction intermediate hydroperoxy (OOH) from O(2) and H is small. However, we postulate its presence on our Au models as the result of diffusion from oxide supports to the gold surfaces. The OOH on Au in turn opens many low energy cost channels to produce H(2)O and CO(2). CO is selectively oxidized in a H(2) atmosphere due to the more favorable reaction barriers while the formation of adsorbed hydroperoxy enhances the reaction rate.     

Recent advances in one-dimensional nanostructures for energy electrocatalysis

Catalysts play decisive roles in determining the energy conversion efficiencies of energy devices. Up to now, various types of nanostructured materials have been studied as advanced electrocatalysts. This review highlights the application of one-dimensional (1D) metal electrocatalysts in energy conversion, focusing on two important reaction systems—direct methanol fuel cells and water splitting. In this review, we first give a broad introduction of electrochemical energy conversion. In the second section, we summarize the recent significant advances in the area of 1D metal nanostructured electrocatalysts for the electrochemical reactions involved in fuel cells and water splitting systems, including the oxygen reduction reaction, methanol oxidation reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and oxygen evolution reaction. Finally, based on the current studies on 1D nanostructures for energy electrocatalysis, we present a brief outlook on the research trend in 1D nanoelectrocatalysts for the two clean electrochemical energy conversion systems mentioned above.     

Molecular Factors of Catalytic Selectivity

Selectivity—the production of one molecule out of many other thermodynamically feasible product molecules—is the key concept in developing clean processes that do not produce by‐products (green chemistry). Small differences in the potential‐energy barriers of single reaction steps control which reaction channel is more likely to yield the desired product molecule (selectivity), while the overall activation energy of the reaction controls the turnover rates (activity). Recent studies have demonstrated that tailoring parameters at the atomic or molecular level—such as the surface structures of active sites—gives turnover rates and reaction selectivities that depend on the nanoparticle size and shape. Here, we highlight seven molecular components that influence the selectivity of heterogeneous catalyst reactions on single‐crystal model surfaces and colloid nanoparticles: surface structure, adsorbate‐induced restructuring, adsorbate mobility, reaction intermediates, surface composition, charge transport, and oxidation states. We show the importance of the single factors by means of examples and describe in situ analyses that permit their roles in surface reactions to be investigated.     

Diazonium salts for surface‐confined visible light radical photopolymerization

The surface chemistry of aryl diazonium salts has progressed at a remarkable pace in the last two decades, and opened many avenues in materials science. These compounds are excellent coupling agents for polymers to surfaces via several surface‐confined polymerization methods. For the first time, we demonstrate that diazonium salts are efficient for surface initiating radical photopolymerization in the visible light of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) taken as model monomers. To do so, 4‐(dimethylamino)benzenediazonium salt was electroreduced on gold plates or flexible ITO sheets to provide 4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl (DMA) hydrogen donor layers; while excited state camphorquinone acted as the free hydrogen abstractor. In the same way, we co‐polymerized HEMA and MMA with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in order to obtain crosslinked polymer grafts. We demonstrate by XPS that gold was efficiently screened by the polymer layers and that the wettability of the surfaces accounts for the hydrophilic or hydrophobic characters of the tethered polymers. Homo‐ and crosslinked PMMA grafts were found to resist removal by the paint stripper methyl ethyl ketone. The grafted DMA/camphorquinone system operating in the visible light holds great promises in terms of adhesion of in situ designed continuous or patterned polymer coatings on various substrates. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3506–3515     

Selenium‐Enriched Nickel Selenide Nanosheets as a Robust Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Generation

To address the urgent need for clean and sustainable energy, the rapid development of hydrogen‐based technologies has started to revolutionize the use of earth‐abundant noble‐metal‐free catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Like the active sites of hydrogenases, the cation sites of pyrite‐type transition‐metal dichalcogenides have been suggested to be active in the HER. Herein, we synthesized electrodes based on a Se‐enriched NiSe₂ nanosheet array and explored the relationship between the anion sites and the improved hydrogen evolution activity through theoretical and experimental studies. The free energy for atomic hydrogen adsorption is much lower on the Se sites (0.13 eV) than on the Ni sites (0.87 eV). Notably, this electrode benefits from remarkable kinetic properties, with a small overpotential of 117 mV at 10 mA cm^?2, a low Tafel slope of 32 mV per decade, and excellent stability. Control experiments showed that the efficient conversion of H⁺ into H₂ is due to the presence of an excess of selenium in the NiSe₂ nanosheet surface.