Nickel-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks as Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER)

The exploration of earth-abundant electrocatalysts with high performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is eminently desirable and remains a significant challenge. The composite of the metal-organic framework (MOF) Ni₁₀Co-BTC (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate) and the highly conductive carbon material ketjenblack (KB) could be easily obtained from the MOF synthesis in the presence of KB in a one-step solvothermal reaction. The composite and the pristine MOF perform better than commercially available Ni/NiO nanoparticles under the same conditions for the OER. Activation of the nickel-cobalt clusters from the MOF can be seen under the applied anodic potential, which steadily boosts the OER performance. Ni₁₀Co-BTC and Ni₁₀Co-BTC/KB are used as sacrificial agents and undergo structural changes during electrochemical measurements, the stabilized materials show good OER performances.     

PBA@POM Hybrids as Efficient Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

To realize the effective conversion of renewable energy through water decomposition, efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are essential. In this article, PBA@POM was successfully prepared with a Prussian blue analogue (PBA) as the initial structure. A facile hydrothermal process is reported for obtaining PBA@POM by etching the cubic PBA with a strong Brønsted acid, H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ (HPMo). The hollow cube structure not only exposes more active sites but also promotes electron transport, which results in excellent electrocatalytic activity for the OER. Compared with the PBA, which initially simply adhered to POM, the optimum PBA@POM hybrids display remarkably enhanced OER catalytic activity, with an almost constant overpotential of 440 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^?2 and a small Tafel slope (23.45 mV dec^?1). The facilely prepared PBA@POM with good electrochemical activity and stability promises great potential for the OER.     

高性能析氧电催化剂的设计策略

电催化水分解反应是可以实现规模化制取氢气的一种重要绿色无污染的手段,但是其效率极大地受制于阳极析氧反应. 因此,发展廉价、高效的析氧反应催化剂是当下的研究热点. 通过分析决定析氧反应催化活性的因素,本综述总结了低成本、高效、稳定的析氧电催化剂的一些通用设计与制备策略,包括：1）通过电子结构调控、结晶度调控、相调控、缺陷位调控以及自旋态调控提升单个催化活性位点的本征催化活性;2）设计与构筑先进电极结构,以实现活性位点数量最大化,获得大电流下稳定的电极材料. 进而,选取了一些具有代表性的高效析氧催化剂作为例子来阐述这些策略的实用性. 最后,对高效、可在大电流密度下稳定工作的析氧催化剂的理性设计、可控制备和发展方向提出了展望,以期为新型高性能析氧催化剂的设计提供指导.     

Evaluation of Perovskites as Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an enabling process for technologies in the area of energy conversion and storage, but its slow kinetics limits its efficiency. We performed an electrochemical evaluation of 14 different perovskites of variable composition and stoichiometry as OER electrocatalysts in alkaline media. We particularly focused on improved methods for a reliable comparison of catalyst activity. From initial electrochemical results we selected the most active samples for further optimization of electrode preparation and testing. An inverted cell configuration facilitated gas bubble detachment and thus minimized blockage of the active surface area. We describe parameters, such as the presence of specific cations, stoichiometry, and conductivity, that are important for obtaining electroactive perovskites for OER. Conductive additives enhanced the current and decreased the apparent overpotential of OER for one of the most active samples (La_0.58Sr_0.4Fe_0.8Co_0.2O₃).     

高结晶度硼酸镍纳米棒的制备及其电催化析氧性能研究

氢能被视为21世纪最具发展潜力的能源. 电解水制氢具有诸多优点,如原料来源广泛、操作简便、产品纯度高、无污染,已成为最具有应用前景的方法之一,但其阳极氧析出反应动力学缓慢,严重制约电解水制氢的效率. 因此,发展氧析出电催化剂尤为重要. 本文利用高温煅烧法制备了硼酸镍纳米棒,长度约为2 μm,直径约为200 nm. 与文献报道的低结晶度或无定型硼酸盐析氧催化剂不同,硼酸镍纳米棒的结晶度较高,并且具有较好的OER催化活性和稳定性. 其催化活性可以通过与其他导电材料复合或进一步减小其尺寸等方式提升.     

Vertically Aligned Porous Nickel(II) Hydroxide Nanosheets Supported on Carbon Paper with Long‐Term Oxygen Evolution Performance

Vertically aligned Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets were grown on carbon paper (CP) current collectors through a simple and cost‐effective hydrothermal approach. The as‐grown nanosheets are porous and highly crystallized. If used as a monolithic electrode for electrochemical water oxidation in alkaline solution, the carbon paper supported Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets [CP@Ni(OH)₂] exhibit high electrocatalytic activity and excellent long‐term stability. The electrode can attain an anodic current density of 20 mA cm⁻² at a low overpotential of 338 mV, comparable to that of state‐of‐the‐art RuO₂ nanocatalysts supported on CP (CP/RuO₂) with the same catalyst loading. Significantly, CP@Ni(OH)₂ shows much better long‐term stability than CP/RuO₂ upon continuous galvanostatic electrolysis, particularly at a high industry‐relevant current density such as 100 mA cm⁻². CP@Ni(OH)₂ can sustain water oxidation at 100 mA cm⁻² for 50 h without any degradation, whereas the performance of CP/RuO₂ is much poorer and deteriorates gradually over time. CP@Ni(OH)₂ electrodes hold substantial promise for use as low‐costing water oxidation anodes in electrolyzers.     

Design of Multi-Metallic-Based Electrocatalysts for Enhanced Water Oxidation

Electrochemical water splitting by renewable energy resources is an efficient and green approach for hydrogen gas production. However, the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) largely impedes the industrial application due to its sluggish four-electron-transition kinetics. Although various materials have been developed to accelerate the OER rate, still some issues should be addressed to meet the industrial demand: (i) considerable 200–300 mV overpotential as extra onset energy input, (ii) limited survival and performance in acidic electrolyte for the majority of oxide/hydroxide composite materials, (iii) unsatisfying long-term durability and (iv) the need for facile and scalable preparation methods. Here, we emphasize on multi-metallic composites with enhanced OER activity based on both precious and nonprecious elements that outperform the unary and binary composites. The regulation effect from multi-metal incorporation is also summarized systematically: (i) introducing foreign metal atoms to the host material boosts the physical properties such as conductivity, surface area, defect density, morphology, wettability, etc., (ii) metal doping can synergistically regulate the electronic features of the host material, e. g. oxygen vacancy, e_g orbit filling, coordinative number and covalence state, which can optimize the absorption/desorption energy of the M−O intermediate, (iii) chaotic impact from the added atoms twists the catalyst lattice into a more aggressive and higher energy state, which is more feasible to transform to an active intermediate with lower required energy supply. This review aims to provide a practical approach to further improve the OER performance via multi-metallic-based catalysts.     

钨掺杂的铁镍基层状氢氧化物用于电催化析氧和析氢反应

采用简便的一步水热合成法,在泡沫镍上原位生长微量W~(6+)掺入的Fe_(0.2)Ni(OH)_2双金属层状氢氧化物(LDH),以此来降低铁镍材料的过电势。通过场发射扫描电子显微镜(FESEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和拉曼光谱(Raman)等分析方法对材料形貌、组成、结构等进行表征,发现钨掺杂使催化剂材料的晶体结构和电子结构发生变化,W_(0.03)Fe_(0.2)Ni(OH)_2LDH表现出优异的电化学析氧(OER)和析氢(HER)性能。电化学测试表明该催化剂在25 mA·cm~(-2)电流密度下OER和HER过电势分别仅有271和208 mV,塔菲尔斜率分别为61和181 mV·dec~(-1)。此外,经过长达20 h计时电位稳定性测试后,材料的催化性能未见明显下降。     

Principles of Water Electrolysis and Recent Progress in Cobalt-, Nickel-, and Iron-Based Oxides for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Water electrolysis that results in green hydrogen is the key process towards a circular economy. The supply of sustainable electricity and availability of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are the main bottlenecks of the process for large-scale production of green hydrogen. A broad range of OER electrocatalysts have been explored to decrease the overpotential and boost the kinetics of this sluggish half-reaction. Co-, Ni-, and Fe-based catalysts have been considered to be potential candidates to replace noble metals due to their tunable 3d electron configuration and spin state, versatility in terms of crystal and electronic structures, as well as abundance in nature. This Review provides some basic principles of water electrolysis, key aspects of OER, and significant criteria for the development of the catalysts. It provides also some insights on recent advances of Co-, Ni-, and Fe-based oxides and a brief perspective on green hydrogen production and the challenges of water electrolysis.     

钼基析氢反应电催化剂的研究进展

电催化析氢反应作为一种绿色、可持续的制备氢气方法,受到了广泛关注. 近年来,非贵金属析氢催化剂以其低成本和相对高的催化活性取得了较快的研究进展,其中,钼基纳米催化剂目前已成为电催化析氢中最受关注的研究热点之一. 本文综述了钼基碳化物、磷化物、氮化物以及硫化物在电催化析氢反应中的催化机理和研究进展,分析了提高析氢催化活性的方法,并对钼基非贵金属催化剂的发展趋势进行了展望.     

Bifunctional Catalysts for Reversible Oxygen Evolution Reaction and Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Metal-air batteries (MABs) and reversible fuel cells (RFCs) rely on the bifunctional oxygen catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Finding efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts is the ultimate goal and it has attracted a great deal of attention. The dilemma is that a good ORR catalyst is not necessarily efficient for OER, and vice versa. Thus, the development of a new type of bifunctional oxygen catalysts should ensure that the catalysts exhibit high activity for both OER and ORR. Composites with multicomponents for active centers supported on highly conductive matrices could be able to meet the challenges and offering new opportunities. In this Review, the evolution of bifunctional catalysts is summarized and discussed aiming to deliver high-performance bifunctional catalysts with low overpotentials.     

Rose‐like Nanocomposite of Fe‐Ni Phosphides/Iron Oxide as Efficient Catalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

In order to accelerate the reaction rate of water splitting, it is of immense importance to develop low‐cost, stable and efficient catalysts. In this study, the facile synthesis of a novel rose‐like nanocomposite catalyst (Ni₂P/Fe₂P/Fe₃O₄) is reported. The synthesis process includes a solvothermal step and a phosphatization step to combine iron oxides and iron‐nickel phosphides. Ni₂P/Fe₂P/Fe₃O₄ performs well in catalyzing oxygen evolution reaction, with a very low overpotential of 365 mV to reach 10 mA cm^?2 current density. The Tafel slope is as low as 59 mV dec^?1. Ni₂P/Fe₂P/Fe₃O₄ has a large double‐layer capacitance that contributes to a high electrochemically active area. Moreover, this catalyst is very stable for long‐term use. Therefore, the Ni₂P/Fe₂P/Fe₃O₄ catalyst has a high potential for use in oxygen evolution reactions.     

用于电催化析氧反应电极的制备策略

随着能源枯竭和环境污染等问题的日益严重,开发清洁可再生能源及相关新型技术迫在眉睫。近年来,水分解、金属-空气电池等电化学能源储存和转换技术得到人们的广泛关注。电催化析氧反应(Oxygen evolution reaction,OER)是其中的一个关键反应,大量高性能的OER电催化剂不断见诸报道。除了材料本征催化活性的影响,不同的电极制备方式同样会对催化剂性能的发挥起到重要作用,越来越多的研究者致力于探索高效OER电极的设计与制备方法。本综述从方法论的角度,详细介绍了目前高效OER电极的制备策略,讨论了各类制备方式的优势和不足,总结了相关工作的最新研究进展,概述了新型电极的制备方法。最后,对电极制备策略的发展方向进行了总结与展望。     

Improving the Electrocatalytic Activity of a Nickel-Organic Framework toward the Oxygen Evolution Reaction through Vanadium Doping

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been considered as potential oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts owning to their ultra-thin structure, adjustable composition, high surface area, and high porosity. Here, we designed and fabricated a vanadium-doped nickel organic framework (V_1−x−Ni_xMOF) system by using a facile two-step solvothermal method on nickel foam (NF). The doping of vanadium remarkably elevates the OER activity of V_1−x−Ni_xMOF, thus demonstrating better performance than the corresponding single metallic Ni-MOF, NiV-MOF and RuO₂ catalysts at high current density (>400 mA cm⁻²). V_0.09−Ni_0.91MOF/NF provides a low overpotential of 235 mV and a small Tafel slope of 30.3 mV dec⁻¹ at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². More importantly, a water-splitting device assembled with Pt/C/NF and V_0.09−Ni_0.91MOF/NF as cathode and anode yielded a cell voltage of 1.96 V@1000 mA cm⁻², thereby outperforming the-state-of-the-art RuO₂⁽⁺⁾||Pt/C⁽⁻⁾. Our work sheds new insight on preparing stable, efficient OER electrocatalysts and a promising method for designing various MOF-based materials.     

Multifunctional Active-Center-Transferable Platinum/Lithium Cobalt Oxide Heterostructured Electrocatalysts towards Superior Water Splitting

Designing cost-effective and efficient electrocatalysts plays a pivotal role in advancing the development of electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen generation. Herein, multifunctional active-center-transferable heterostructured electrocatalysts, platinum/lithium cobalt oxide (Pt/LiCoO₂) composites with Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) anchored on LiCoO₂ nanosheets, are designed towards highly efficient water splitting. In this electrocatalyst system, the active center can be alternatively switched between Pt species and LiCoO₂ for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. Specifically, Pt species are the active centers and LiCoO₂ acts as the co-catalyst for HER, whereas the active center transfers to LiCoO₂ and Pt turns into the co-catalyst for OER. The unique architecture of Pt/LiCoO₂ heterostructure provides abundant interfaces with favorable electronic structure and coordination environment towards optimal adsorption behavior of reaction intermediates. The 30 % Pt/LiCoO₂ heterostructured electrocatalyst delivers low overpotentials of 61 and 285 mV to achieve 10 mA cm⁻² for HER and OER in alkaline medium, respectively.     

镍铁水滑石电催化氧析出研究进展

氧析出反应(Oxygen evolution reaction, OER)是电解水制氢、二氧化碳还原、二次金属-空气电池等能源储存和转化技术中的关键半反应。镍铁水滑石类材料(NiFe layered double hydroxide, NiFe-LDH)具有独特的层状结构、优异的催化性能和成本低廉等优点,是一类极具潜力的OER催化材料。但电导率低、活性位点暴露不充分等缺点也限制了其催化性能的进一步提高。本文综述了包括引入缺陷、片层剥离、元素掺杂、表面修饰和原位生长等针对NiFe-LDH的改性方法,这些方法能有效提升反应活性位点数量、增强导电性并促进反应动力学过程。最后,讨论了对NiFe-LDH改性中存在的问题以及对后续研究的展望。     

Bio-inspired Design of Bidirectional Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reaction Molecular Electrocatalysts

The proper utilization of renewable energy sources has emerged as a major challenge in our pursuit of a sustainable and carbon-neutral energy landscape. Small molecule activation is a key component for proper utilization of renewable energy resources, where O₂/H₂O redox couple is reckoned to be a potential game changer. In this regard, electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have become the prime interest of catalyst designers. Typically, these ORR and OER electrocatalysts are developed distinctly; however, very soon, the requirement of a bidirectional ORR/OER electrocatalyst becomes obvious for practical applicability and rapid energy transduction purposes. A bidirectional catalyst is defined as a catalyst capable of driving a redox reaction in opposing directions. This review has portrayed the development of enzyme structure-inspired design of molecular bidirectional ORR/OER catalysts. The strategic incorporation of secondary and outer coordination sphere features has significantly enhanced the performance of these catalysts, which can be monitored via the key catalytic parameters. These bifunctional OER/ORR catalysts are vital for metal-air battery and fuel cell applications and appropriately poised to lay the foundation for an efficient, economical, and eco-friendly pathway for sustainable energy usage with the rational assembly of energy converting and storage devices.     

二元析氧催化剂CoxCr1-xO3/2的制备及性能研究

用热分解法制得不同混合比例的二元金属氧化物催化剂Co_xCr_1-xO_3/2（x = 0,0.2,0.4,0.6,0.8,1）,使用SEM、XRD和XPS观察表征催化剂形貌、晶型和价态,使用线性扫描伏安、阶梯波伏安和恒电位测试电极活性、过电位和稳定性. 结果表明,该Co₃O₄和绿铬矿型Cr₂O₃混合物形成固溶体Co_xCr_1-xO_3/2. x = 0.2时,Co_0.2Cr_0.8O_3/2电极性能较单一Co₃O₄和Cr₂O₃电极好,在高电位（1.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl）,其电流强度是Co₃O₄的3.75倍,Cr₂O₃的15.2倍,其过电位（η = 0.0703 V）也较Co₃O₄（η = 0.6109 V）和Cr₂O₃（η = 0.435 V）小,催化性能最好,在强碱性溶液（pH=13）中有良好的稳定性.