Metal‐containing Ionic Liquid/Polyacrylonitrile‐derived Carbon Nanofibers for Oxygen Reduction Reaction and Flexible Zn–Air Battery

Practical applications of Zn–air batteries are usually limited by sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction. Replacing Pt‐based catalysts with convenient, efficient and low‐cost materials to boost oxygen reduction reaction is highly desirable. Herein, a class of Fe?N co‐doped carbon nanofibers is successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile/metal‐containing ionic liquid‐based electrospun films. The ionic liquids act as porogen to provide multiscale pores as well as activator to bring carbon nanofibers active sites. The catalyst possessing appropriate active sites and unique 3D porous architecture exhibits remarkable long‐term stability and electrocatalytic activity. Particularly, the catalyst maintains a shape of membrane after carbonization, manifesting its direct use as air electrode without binders. It is notable that an all solid‐state Zn–air battery based on the carbon nanofibers exhibits good flexibility, indicating its promising application as wearable devices.     

Atomically Dispersed Nickel(I) on an Alloy‐Encapsulated Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotube Array for High‐Performance Electrochemical CO2 Reduction Reaction

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) show great promise for electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CRR), but the low density of active sites and the poor electrical conduction and mass transport of the single‐atom electrode greatly limit their performance. Herein, we prepared a nickel single‐atom electrode consisting of isolated, high‐density and low‐valent nickel(I) sites anchored on a self‐standing N‐doped carbon nanotube array with nickel–copper alloy encapsulation on a carbon‐fiber paper. The combination of single‐atom nickel(I) sites and self‐standing array structure gives rise to an excellent electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction performance. The introduction of copper tunes the d‐band electron configuration and enhances the adsorption of hydrogen, which impedes the hydrogen evolution reaction. The single‐nickel‐atom electrode exhibits a specific current density of ?32.87 mA cm^?2 and turnover frequency of 1962 h^?1 at a mild overpotential of 620 mV for CO formation with 97 % Faradic efficiency.     

Electrochemical Behaviour of Iron in a Third‐Generation Ionic Liquid: Cyclic Voltammetry and Micromachining Investigations

The electrochemical behaviour of Fe in 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Emim]⁺Ntf2^?) and mixtures with Cl^? is studied with the aim of investigating the applicability of ionic liquids (IL) for the electrochemical machining of iron. Whereas in pure IL iron could not be significantly dissolved, the addition of Cl^? enables the active dissolution with anodic current densities up to several mA cm^?2. Although several anodic peaks appear in the cyclic voltammograms (CV), the distinct assignment of those electrochemical processes remain difficult. In particular no proof for the formation of FeCl_x^2?x complexes during Fe dissolution are deduced from the CV, although such complexes are shown to be stable in the employed electrolyte. In addition, we present electrochemical drilling experiments with short potential pulses, which demonstrate that electrochemical machining of Fe is, in principle, possible in IL based electrolytes, even though hampered by slow machining speed.     

离子液体在CO_2电还原反应过程中的催化作用与机理研究

在1-丁基3-甲基咪唑三氟甲基磺酸盐([Bnlim][CF_3SO_3])/碳酸丙烯酯(PC)溶液中,采用循环伏安曲线、交流阻抗谱及阻抗模拟方法,研究了CO_2在Au上发生电还原反应的速率控制步骤与离子液体的催化作用.结果表明,在CO_2电还原反应过程中,吸附态CO_2经单电子还原生成CO_2~-自由基是速率控制步骤.由于离子液体的催化作用,CO_2在[Bmim][CF_3SO_3]/PC溶液中电还原的过电位比在四丁基三氟甲基磺酸铵([Bu_4N][CF_3SO_3])/PC溶液中降低了239 mV.交流阻抗测试结果表明,离子液体中的阳离子[Bmim]~+吸附在Au电极表面,形成离子液体吸附层,吸附态的CO_2分子经单电子还原后生成CO_2~·-)自由基,与周围离子液体发生相互作用,形成中间体[Bmim-CO_2]_(ad),降低了CO_2~(·-)的能量状态,使得CO_2电还原反应的过电位大幅度降低.     

Computer‐Aided Design of Ionic Liquids as CO2 Absorbents

Ionic liquids (ILs), vary strongly in their interaction with CO₂. We suggest simple theoretical approach to predict the CO₂ absorption behavior of ILs. Strong interaction of the CO₂ with the IL anions corresponds to chemical absorption whereas weak interaction indicates physical absorption. A predictive estimate with a clear distinction between physical and chemical absorption can be simply obtained according to geometries optimized in the presence of a solvation model instead of optimizing it only in gas phase as has been done to date. The resulting Gibbs free energies compare very well with experimental values and the energies were correlated with experimental capacities. Promising anions, for ionic liquids with reversible CO₂ absorption properties can be defined by a reaction Gibbs free energy of absorption in the range of ?30 to 16 kJ mol^?1.     

Ionic Liquids as Precursors for Efficient Mesoporous Iron‐Nitrogen‐Doped Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts

A ferrocene‐based ionic liquid (Fe‐IL) is used as a metal‐containing feedstock with a nitrogen‐enriched ionic liquid (N‐IL) as a compatible nitrogen content modulator to prepare a novel type of non‐precious‐metal–nitrogen–carbon (M‐N‐C) catalysts, which feature ordered mesoporous structure consisting of uniform iron oxide nanoparticles embedded into N‐enriched carbons. The catalyst Fe¹⁰@NOMC exhibits comparable catalytic activity but superior long‐term stability to 20 wt % Pt/C for ORR with four‐electron transfer pathway under alkaline conditions. Such outstanding catalytic performance is ascribed to the populated Fe (Fe₃O₄) and N (N2) active sites with synergetic chemical coupling as well as the ordered mesoporous structure and high surface area endowed by both the versatile precursors and the synthetic strategy, which also open new avenues for the development of M‐N‐C catalytic materials.     

用于二氧化碳电化学还原反应的铜基催化剂研究进展

二氧化碳（CO₂）电催化还原对于解决目前日益严重的能源危机和环境污染等问题具有重要的意义,并且能产生一定经济效益. 本文简要概述了水溶液体系中电化学还原CO₂的发展现状,从铜基催化剂的结构/形貌两方面着手,介绍了近年来的最新研究进展. 最后,结合当前发展状况,从能源和经济等角度出发,对未来铜基电极材料研究进行了展望.     

Dual Amino‐Functionalised Phosphonium Ionic Liquids for CO2 Capture

CO ₂ is locked up : Dual amino‐functionalised phosphonium ionic liquids (ILs; see figure) have been prepared. The ILs have excellent thermal properties, such as low glass transition temperatures and high thermal decomposition temperatures. The supported CO₂ absorption of four of the ILs on porous SiO₂ was found to approach one mol CO₂ per mol IL, a factor of two greater than that reported before.

     

A Highly Selective Copper–Indium Bimetallic Electrocatalyst for the Electrochemical Reduction of Aqueous CO2 to CO

The challenge in the electrochemical reduction of aqueous carbon dioxide is in designing a highly selective, energy‐efficient, and non‐precious‐metal electrocatalyst that minimizes the competitive reduction of proton to form hydrogen during aqueous CO₂ conversion. A non‐noble metal electrocatalyst based on a copper‐indium (Cu‐In) alloy that selectively converts CO₂ to CO with a low overpotential is reported. The electrochemical deposition of In on rough Cu surfaces led to Cu‐In alloy surfaces. DFT calculations showed that the In preferentially located on the edge sites rather than on the corner or flat sites and that the d‐electron nature of Cu remained almost intact, but adsorption properties of neighboring Cu was perturbed by the presence of In. This preparation of non‐noble metal alloy electrodes for the reduction of CO₂ provides guidelines for further improving electrocatalysis.     

Self-Supported Nanoporous Au3Cu Electrode with Enriched Gold on Surface for Efficient Electrochemical Reduction of CO2

The key to the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ lies in the development of efficient electrocatalysts with ease of operation, good conductivity, and rich active sites that fulfil the desired reaction direction and selectivity. Herein, an oxidative etching of Au₂₀Cu₈₀ alloy is used for the synthesis of a nanoporous Au₃Cu alloy, representing a facile strategy for tuning the surface electronic properties and altering the adsorption behavior of the intermediates. HRTEM, XPS, and EXAFS results reveal that the curved surface of the synthesized nanoporous Au₃Cu is rich in gold with unsaturated coordination conditions. It can be used directly as a self-supported electrode for CO₂ reduction, and exhibits high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 98.12 % toward CO at a potential of −0.7 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The FE is 1.47 times that over the as-made single nanoporous Au. Density functional theory reveals that *CO has a relatively long distance on the surface of nanoporous Au₃Cu, making desorption of CO easier and avoiding CO poisoning. The Hirshfeld charge distribution shows that the Au atoms have a negative charge and the Cu atoms exhibit a positive charge, which separately bond to the C atom and O atom in the *COOH intermediate through a bidentate mode. This affords the lowest *COOH adsorption free energy and low desorption energy for CO molecules.     

过渡金属单原子电催化剂还原CO2制CO

电催化二氧化碳还原(ECR)技术是实现“碳中和”目标的一种理想途径,而过渡金属单原子催化剂具有电子结构可调、原子利用率高和活性位点均一等特点,在ECR研究中具有显著优势。本文首先介绍了单原子电催化剂在还原CO₂尤其是在选择性生成CO研究中的优势,然后综述了近年来Fe、Co、Ni及其他单原子电催化剂的反应位点调控策略与电催化选择性的调控机制,重点对质子耦合CO₂还原生成CO的中间过程调控进行了归纳总结,并简要展望了发展方向,以期为推动单原子催化剂在ECR中规模化应用提供指导和参考。     

Elucidation of the Roles of Ionic Liquid in CO2 Electrochemical Reduction to Value-Added Chemicals and Fuels

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂ER) is amongst one the most promising technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions since carbon dioxide (CO₂) can be converted to value-added products. Moreover, the possibility of using a renewable source of energy makes this process environmentally compelling. CO₂ER in ionic liquids (ILs) has recently attracted attention due to its unique properties in reducing overpotential and raising faradaic efficiency. The current literature on CO₂ER mainly reports on the effect of structures, physical and chemical interactions, acidity, and the electrode–electrolyte interface region on the reaction mechanism. However, in this work, new insights are presented for the CO₂ER reaction mechanism that are based on the molecular interactions of the ILs and their physicochemical properties. This new insight will open possibilities for the utilization of new types of ionic liquids. Additionally, the roles of anions, cations, and the electrodes in the CO₂ER reactions are also reviewed.     

聚吡咯薄膜在超临界CO_2与离子液体两相体系中的电化学合成

首次在超临界CO2与离子液体两相体系中实现了聚吡咯（PPyr）薄膜的电化学合成.与纯离子液体相比,该体系中合成的PPyr膜具有均匀平滑的表面.随着CO2压力的增加,膜的生长速度减慢,膜的表面变得更加均匀平滑.     

α‐Fe2O3 Cubes with High Visible‐Light‐Activated Photoelectrochemical Activity towards Glucose: Hydrothermal Synthesis Assisted by a Hydrophobic Ionic Liquid

A liquid/liquid interfacial reaction system was designed to fabricate α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes. The reaction system uses a hydrophobic ionic liquid containing iron ions ([(C₈H₁₇)₂(CH₃)₂N]FeCl₄) for manufacturing α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes by a novel and environmentally friendly hydrothermal method under low‐temperature conditions (140 °C). The iron‐containing ionic liquid is hydrophobic and can form a liquid/liquid interface with water, which is vital for fabrication of the α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes. Nanomaterials synthesized from hydrophobic iron‐containing ionic liquids show good crystallinity, well‐developed morphology, and uniform size. The effect of different ionic liquids on the morphology of α‐Fe₂O₃ was investigated in detail. [(C₈H₁₇)₂(CH₃)₂N]FeCl₄ is assumed to perform the triple role of forming a liquid/liquid interface with water and acting as reactant and template at the same time. The effect of the reaction temperature on the formation of the α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes was also studied. Temperatures lower or higher than 140 °C are not conducive to formation of the α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes. Their photoelectrochemical properties were tested by means of the transient photocurrent response of electrodes modified with as‐prepared α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes. The photocurrent response of an α‐Fe₂O₃ cubes/indium tin oxide electrode is high and stable, and it shows great promise as a photoelectrochemical glucose sensor with high sensitivity and fast response, which are beneficial to practical applications of nanosensors.     

基于纳米金属的增强效应在CO2电还原反应中的应用进展

将二氧化碳通过电化学方法转化为化工原料再利用,不仅可以有效缓减温室效应,而且可以实现自然界的碳循环,对绿色化学与可持续发展意义重大. 本文简要地介绍了二氧化碳电还原的优势及其基本反应原理并综述了近年来基于纳米金属催化剂的一系列活性增强策略的研究进展. 重点探究了合金效应、界面工程、协同效应、缺陷工程以及载体效应等对纳米金属电催化还原二氧化碳性能的影响及相关反应机理. 基于以上策略,提出未来开发面向工业化应用的二氧化碳电还原催化剂面临的挑战与前景.     

Electrocatalytic and Solar‐Driven CO2 Reduction to CO with a Molecular Manganese Catalyst Immobilized on Mesoporous TiO2

Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction to CO was achieved with a novel Mn complex, fac‐[MnBr(4,4′‐bis(phosphonic acid)‐2,2′‐bipyridine)(CO)₃] ( MnP ), immobilized on a mesoporous TiO₂ electrode. A benchmark turnover number of 112±17 was attained with these TiO₂| MnP electrodes after 2 h electrolysis. Post‐catalysis IR spectroscopy demonstrated that the molecular structure of the MnP catalyst was retained. UV/vis spectroscopy confirmed that an active Mn–Mn dimer was formed during catalysis on the TiO₂ electrode, showing the dynamic formation of a catalytically active dimer on an electrode surface. Finally, we combined the light‐protected TiO₂| MnP cathode with a CdS‐sensitized photoanode to enable solar‐light‐driven CO₂ reduction with the light‐sensitive MnP catalyst.     

Porphyrin/Ionic‐Liquid Co‐assembly Polymorphism Controlled by Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation

Understanding and controlling multicomponent co‐assembly is of primary importance in different fields, such as materials fabrication, pharmaceutical polymorphism, and supramolecular polymerization, but these aspects have been a long‐standing challenge. Herein, we discover that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) into ion‐cluster‐rich and ion‐cluster‐poor liquid phases is the first step prior to co‐assembly nucleation based on a model system of water‐soluble porphyrin and ionic liquids. The LLPS‐formed droplets serve as the nucleation precursors, which determine the resulting structures and properties of co‐assemblies. Co‐assembly polymorphism and tunable supramolecular phase transition behaviors can be achieved by regulating the intermolecular interactions at the LLPS stage. These findings elucidate the key role of LLPS in multicomponent co‐assembly evolution and enable it to be an effective strategy to control co‐assembly polymorphism as well as supramolecular phase transitions.     

Probing CO2 Reduction Pathways for Copper Catalysis Using an Ionic Liquid as a Chemical Trapping Agent

The key to fully leveraging the potential of the electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO2RR) to achieve a sustainable solar‐power‐based economy is the development of high‐performance electrocatalysts. The development process relies heavily on trial and error methods due to poor mechanistic understanding of the reaction. Demonstrated here is that ionic liquids (ILs) can be employed as a chemical trapping agent to probe CO2RR mechanistic pathways. This method is implemented by introducing a small amount of an IL ([BMIm][NTf₂]) to a copper foam catalyst, on which a wide range of CO2RR products, including formate, CO, alcohols, and hydrocarbons, can be produced. The IL can selectively suppress the formation of ethylene, ethanol and n‐propanol while having little impact on others. Thus, reaction networks leading to various products can be disentangled. The results shed new light on the mechanistic understanding of the CO2RR, and provide guidelines for modulating the CO2RR properties. Chemical trapping using an IL adds to the toolbox to deduce the mechanistic understanding of electrocatalysis and could be applied to other reactions as well.