Recent advances in tuning redox properties of electron transfer centers in metalloenzymes catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction and H2 oxidation important for fuel cell design

Current fuel cell catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and H₂ oxidation use precious metals and, for ORR, require high overpotentials. In contrast, metalloenzymes perform their respective reactions at low overpotentials using earth-abundant metals, making metalloenzymes ideal candidates for inspiring electrocatalytic design. Critical to the success of these enzymes are redox-active metal centers surrounding the active site of the enzyme. These electron transfer (ET) centers not only ensure fast ET to or away from the active site, but also tune the catalytic potential of the reaction as observed in multicopper oxidases as well as playing a role in dictating the catalytic bias of the reaction as realized in hydrogenases. This review summarizes recent advances in studying these ET centers in multicopper oxidases and heme-copper oxidases that perform ORR and in hydrogenases carrying out H₂ oxidation. Insights gained from understanding how the reduction potential of the ET centers affects reactivity at the active site in both the enzymes and their models are provided.     

Efficient fuel cell catalysts emerging from organometallic chemistry

During the last few decades organometallic methodologies have generated a number of highly effective electrocatalyst systems based on mono‐ and bimetallic nanosparticles having controlled size, composition and structure. In this microreview we summarize our results in fuel cell catalyst preparation applying triorganohydroborate chemistry, ‘reductive particle stabilization’ using organoaluminum compounds, and the controlled decomposition of organometallic complexes. The advantages of organometallic catalyst preparation pathways are exemplified with Ru? Pt nanoparticles@C as promising anode catalysts to be used in direct methanol oxidation fuel cells (DMFC) or in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFC) running with CO‐contaminated H₂ as the feed. Recent findings with highly efficient PtCo₃@C fuel cell catalysts applied for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and with the effect of Se‐doping on Ru@C ORR catalysts clearly demonstrate the benefits of organometallic catalyst synthesis. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved kinetics of ethanol oxidation on Pd catalysts supported on tungsten carbides/carbon nanotubes

Pd nanoparticles on tungsten carbides modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Pd-WC/MWCNT) catalysts have been prepared by an intermittent microwave heating (IMH) technique for the first time. The Pd-WC/MWCNT catalysts are evaluated and show an improved kinetics for the ethanol oxidation. It is recognized that the significant increase in the catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation on Pd-WC/MWCNT is attributed to both the synergistic effect between Pd nanoparticles and the WC support and the structure effect of the MWCNT. This type catalyst can be universally used as the oxygen reduction catalyst in fuel cells and sensors both in alkaline and acidic solutions.     

燃料电池电极表界面催化氧还原反应的STM研究进展

催化氧还原反应的电催化剂是燃料电池的一个重要组成部分. 从分子尺度研究催化氧还原反应中所涉及的表界面反应机理,不仅有利于深入理解催化机理,更有利于指导人们合理地设计新型的电催化剂. 本文结合近年来国内外的研究工作,概述了通过扫描隧道显微镜研究燃料电池内部催化氧还原反应过程中所涉及的表面形貌变化、单分子结构变化、中间体的观测以及反应产物调控等方面最新进展,并展望了该研究领域的发展趋势.     

Carbon-based catalysts: Synthesis and applications

This paper summarizes the main results obtained by the Fuel Combustion Group in three applications: (1) carbon-based catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process of NO_x, (2) Pt and Pt–Ru catalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells, (3) carbon-supported catalysts for the electroreduction of CO₂. Concerning the first aspect, low-cost catalysts able to work at lower temperatures have been prepared and compared with commercial catalysts; for the second one, new catalysts for methanol and ethanol electrochemical oxidation exhibiting current densities that are double those of the commercial ones have been developed; as regards the third one, carbon-supported catalysts for the electroreduction of CO₂ based on Fe and Pd were synthesized and tested. Formic acid was obtained as the main product on all Fe/C electrodes.     

Influence of selenium on the catalytic properties of ruthenium-based cluster catalysts for oxygen reduction

The favourable influence of selenium on the catalytic properties of Ru-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in acid electrolytes has been investigated by rotating disk electrode measurements. Compared to the oxygen reduction of selenium-free Ru-based catalysts, the overpotential at low current densities (ca. 10 μA cm⁻²) is not affected by the presence of selenium whereas selenium-containing catalysts show higher current densities under fuel cell relevant conditions. The kinetically controlled current density at 0.6 V versus SHE increases 4–5 fold with increasing selenium content. A maximum value is obtained at about 15 mol% Se. This effect is tentatively explained by a modification of the catalytic active centre, which is assumed to consist of Ru---C---CO complexes. IR spectroscopic investigations indicate a reaction of selenium with these complexes. This model is also supported by the study of the electrooxidation of CO. In contrast to the selenium-free catalyst, no CO oxidation is observed on the selenium-containing catalyst. Additional effects of selenium are an enhanced stability towards electrochemical oxidation and a lower amount of Ru oxides formed during synthesis, as evidenced from XRD investigations. Direct four electron oxygen reduction to water is efficient and H₂O₂ production of these catalysts is small (about 5% at potentials <0.3 V vs. SHE ).     

燃料电池中Pt基催化剂对CO的催化氧化

燃料电池具有燃料多样性、噪声低、对环境污染小等优势,近年来备受研究者关注。然而,电池中的贵金属催化剂极易被少量的CO毒化,成为制约其商业化的一大障碍。因此,设计出高性能的催化剂对于推动燃料电池的发展十分关键。本文综述了燃料电池中铂(Pt)基催化剂对CO催化氧化的研究现状,首先探讨了CO催化氧化机理以及CO在Pt金属表面化学吸附的机理,其次详细介绍了Pt负载型催化剂、双金属催化剂以及助催化剂在催化反应中的不同作用,然后简单分析了影响Pt基催化剂性能的其他因素。最后,对燃料电池中Pt基催化剂的研究方向作了进一步的展望,旨在为燃料电池中CO催化氧化的发展开拓新思路。     

Construction of Co4 Atomic Clusters to Enable Fe−N4 Motifs with Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Reduction Performance

Fe−N−C catalysts with single-atom Fe−N₄ configurations are highly needed owing to the high activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the limited intrinsic activity and dissatisfactory durability have significantly restrained the practical application of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Here, we demonstrate that constructing adjacent metal atomic clusters (ACs) is effective in boosting the ORR performance and stability of Fe−N₄ catalysts. The integration of Fe−N₄ configurations with highly uniform Co₄ ACs on the N-doped carbon substrate (Co₄@/Fe₁@NC) is realized through a “pre-constrained” strategy using Co₄ molecular clusters and Fe(acac)₃ implanted carbon precursors. The as-developed Co₄@/Fe₁@NC catalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with a half-wave potential (E_1/2) of 0.835 V vs. RHE in acidic media and a high peak power density of 840 mW cm⁻² in a H₂−O₂ fuel cell test. First-principles calculations further clarify the ORR catalytic mechanism on the identified Fe−N₄ that modified with Co₄ ACs. This work provides a viable strategy for precisely establishing atomically dispersed polymetallic centers catalysts for efficient energy-related catalysis.     

一氧化碳低温催化氧化

一氧化碳 (CO) 催化氧化反应因在实际生活中应用广泛而受到人们普遍关注,如激光器中微量CO的消除、封闭体系中CO的消除、汽车尾气净化以及质子交换膜燃料电池中少量CO的消除等。本文总结了近年来CO低温催化氧化研究进展,包括催化剂及其制备方法、CO氧化反应机理以及不同环境气氛对催化剂CO低温氧化性能的影响。催化剂的制备方法主要包括传统浸渍法、共沉淀法、沉积-沉淀法、溶胶-凝胶法、离子交换法、化学气相沉积法、溶剂化金属原子浸渍法等。催化剂可分为贵金属催化剂、非贵金属催化剂、以分子筛为载体的催化剂和合金催化剂等。CO氧化反应机理方面的相关报道较多,人们针对不同催化剂体系提出了各种假设。不同环境气氛对催化剂CO低温氧化性能的影响主要分为H₂O、CO₂、H₂和其它气氛等4部分进行描述。最后对该领域的发展前景进行了展望。     

Oxide supported platinum electrocatalysts for hydrogen and alcohol fuel cells

Efficient oxide supported electrocatalysts for hydrogen and alcohol fuel cells are developed. They are characterized by a low content of platinum, exhibit high activity in the oxidation of low-molecular alcohols and tolerance to the CO poisoning. It is shown that the application of catalysts developed (Pt/SnO₂-SbO _x ) enables one to raise the power of fuel cells operating on ethanol approximately by two times as compared with similar fuel cells with commercial PtRu/C catalysts.     

Electrocatalysis and pH (a review)

The factors determining pH effects on principal catalytic reactions in low-temperature fuel cells (oxygen reduction, hydrogen oxidation, and primary alcohols oxidation) are analyzed. The decreasing of hydrogen oxidation rate when passing from acidic electrolytes to basic ones was shown to be due to the electrode surface blocking by oxygen-containing species and changes in the adsorbed hydrogen energy state. In the case of oxygen reduction, the key factors determining the process’ kinetics and mechanism are: the O₂ adsorption energy, the adsorbed molecule protonation, and the oxygen reaction thermodynamics. The process’ high selectivity in acidic electrolytes at platinum electrodes is caused by rather high Pt-O₂ bond energy and its protonation. The passing from acidic electrolytes to basic ones involves a decrease in the oxygen adsorption energy, both at platinum and nonplatinum catalysts, hence, in the selectivity of the oxygen-to-water reduction reaction. The increase in the methanol and ethanol oxidation rate in basic media, as compared with acidic ones, is due to changes in the reacting species’ structure (because of the alcohol molecules dissociation) on the one hand, and active OH_ads species inflow to the reaction zone, on the other hand. In the case of ethanol, the above-listed factors determine the process’ increased selectivity with respect to CO₂ at higher pHs. Based on the survey and valuation, priority guidelines in the electrocatalysis of commercially important reactions are formulated, in particular, concepts of electrocatalysis at nonplatinum electrode materials that are stable in basic electrolytes, and approaches to the practical control of the rate and selectivity of oxygen reduction and primary alcohols oxidation over wide pH range.     

Emergence of CO2 electrolyzers including supported molecular catalysts

With access to cheap, sustainable electricity, electrocatalysis is a promising technology for converting electric power into storable chemical fuels or value-added chemical compounds. This has sparked the development of electrocatalysts that need to operate at high product selectivity and high energy efficiency. Electrocatalytic alcohol oxidation, oxygen activation and nitrogen and carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction are examples of reactions with a huge industrial potential. Notably, electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ has recently developed as a favourable pathway to convert this greenhouse gas into value-added chemicals and fuels. Earth-abundant metals stabilized by carbon/nitrogen macrocycle ligands are well-known efficient and selective catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ in homogeneous conditions. Recently, such catalysts have also been used in supported conditions and implemented in flow cell electrolyzers, showing promising performances. This review provides a synopsis for the evolution of CO₂ electrolyzers using molecular catalysts.     

Metal–nitrogen coordination moieties in carbon for effective electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen

Oxygen reduction reaction is a critical process at the cathode of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Carbon-based single metal atom nanocomposites have emerged as effective alternatives to state-of-the-art platinum catalysts, in which the electrocatalytic activity is attributed largely to the formation of metal–nitrogen coordination moieties (MN_x) within the carbon matrix. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the studies of metal and nitrogen codoped carbon as single-atom catalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction within the context of the atomic configuration of the MN_x active sites and topologic characteristics of the carbon skeletons and include a perspective of the design and engineering of the nanocomposites for further enhancement of the electrocatalytic activity.     

Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation in platinum dispersed on tungsten carbide in acid medium

Tungsten carbide dispersed on a high surface area carbon (W₂C/C) prepared by a sonochemical method was used as the support of a Pt-based electrocatalyst (Pt-W₂C/C). The resulting materials were tested for two important reactions with practical interest in fuel cells, that is, the oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation reactions, in acid medium. The electrochemical techniques considered were cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and steady-state polarization curves, obtained utilizing an ultrathin catalyst layer in a rotating ring–disk electrode. The results showed that the Pt-W₂C/C catalyst led to a remarkable enhancement of the oxygen reduction in acid medium, when compared to the standard Pt/C, both following a four-electron mechanism. The hydrogen oxidation reaction showed similar kinetics on Pt-W₂C/C and Pt/C following the direct discharge mechanism on both catalysts. The W₂C/C support presented remarkable activity for the hydrogen oxidation reaction, most probably after the Heyrovsky–Volmer mechanism at low overpotential and the direct discharge irreversible mechanism at high overpotentials. This paper is dedicated to Prof. Francisco Nart, in memoriam.     

Carbon-Based Electrocatalysts for Acidic Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is vital for clean and renewable energy technologies, which require no fossil fuel but catalysts. Platinum (Pt) is the best-known catalyst for ORR. However, its high cost and scarcity have severely hindered renewable energy devices (e.g., fuel cells) for large-scale applications. Recent breakthroughs in carbon-based metal-free electrochemical catalysts (C-MFECs) show great potential for earth-abundant carbon materials as low-cost metal-free electrocatalysts towards ORR in acidic media. This article provides a focused, but critical review on C-MFECs for ORR in acidic media with an emphasis on advances in the structure design and synthesis, fundamental understanding of the structure-property relationship and electrocatalytic mechanisms, and their applications in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Current challenges and future perspectives in this emerging field are also discussed.     

A Direct Formaldehyde Fuel Cell for CO2-Emission Free Co-generation of Electrical Energy and Valuable Chemical/Hydrogen

Converting carbon-based molecular fuels into electricity efficiently and cleanly without emitting CO₂ remains a challenge. Conventional fuel cells using noble metals as anode catalysts often suffer performance degradation due to CO poisoning and a host of problems associated with CO₂ production. This study provides a CO₂-emission-free direct formaldehyde fuel cell. It enables a flow of electricity while producing H₂ and valuable formate. Unlike conventional carbon-based molecules electrooxidation, formaldehyde 1-electron oxidation is performed on the Cu anode with high selectivity, thus generating formate and H₂ without undergoing CO₂ pathway. In addition, the fuel cell produces 0.62 Nm³ H₂ and 53 mol formate per 1 kWh of electricity generated, with an open circuit voltage of up to 1 V and a peak power density of 350 mW cm⁻². This study puts forward a zero-carbon solution for the efficient utilization of carbon-based molecule fuels that generates electricity, hydrogen and valuable chemicals in synchronization.     

SiC Monolayers as Promising Substrates for the Development of Highly Stable Palladium Single Atom Catalysts: A Density Functional Theory Study

Single-atom catalysts have been touted as highly efficient catalysts, but the catalytic single-atom sites are unstable and tend to aggregate into nanoparticles during chemical reactions. In this study, we show that SiC monolayers are promising substrates for the development of highly stable single-atom catalysts (Pd₁/SiC) within the density functional theory. In presence of a Si-vacancy, the diffusion barrier energy of a Pd₁ atom embedded in the SiC monolayer is substantially enhanced from 2.3 to 7.8 eV, which is much higher than the reported diffusion barrier energies of graphene, boron nitride and defective MgO of the same catalytic system. Ab initio molecular dynamic calculations at 500 K also confirm the enhanced stability of Pd₁/SiC monolayer (Si-vacancy) such that the Pd₁ atom remains embedded in the vacancy. Additionally, the Pd₁/SiC monolayer (Si-vacancy) catalysts show a ∼34 % reduction of activation barrier energy for CO oxidation as compared to pristine catalysts. This work implies that nanostructured SiC materials are promising substrates for the synthesis of highly stable single-atom catalysts.     

Bio-inspired iron catalysts for degradation of aromatic pollutants and alkane hydroxylation

Today, more and more metalloenzymes are understood at the molecular level. The accumulated knowledge is a very rich source of inspiration for chemists to prepare new catalysts with iron, manganese or copper, which could be cheaper and lead to processes more friendily with environment. We report here two examples. First, the preparation and study with Elf of iron catalysts efficient in the degradation of aromatics by H₂O₂. In particular, we completely characterised iron hydroperoxo and peroxo intermediates that formed upon reaction of H₂O₂ with these iron catalysts. The same complexes activate catechols toward ring cleavage by dioxygen. Overall, these complexes mimic degradation of aromatics by bacteria. The second example of bio-inspired catalyst is a di-iron system able to catalyse the oxidation of alkanes by dioxygen in the presence of hydroquinone at ambient temperature and pressure. This research was done in the framework of a research program sponsored by the Japanese New Energy Development Organisation. The ultimate goal is the biomimetic oxidation of natural gas into methanol for fuel cells. Such artificial systems are still in their infancy, but large potentiality is open to them, in particular if the separation of the Fe(III) to Fe(II) reduction and the Fe(II) oxidation by dioxygen steps is achieved.     

Carbon Nanomaterials in Direct Liquid Fuel Cells

Fuel cells have attracted more attentions due to many advantages they can provide, including high energy efficiency and low environmental burden. To form a stable, low cost and efficient catalyst, we presented here the state of the art of electrocatalyst fabrication approaches, involving carbon nanotubes and their multifunctional nanocomposites incorporated with noble metals, such as Pt, Pd, Au, their binary and ternary systems. Both fuel oxidation reactions and oxygen reduction reactions were emphasized with comprehensive examples and future prospects.     

A Membrane-Free Neutral pH Formate Fuel Cell Enabled by a Selective Nickel Sulfide Oxygen Reduction Catalyst

Polymer electrolyte membranes employed in contemporary fuel cells severely limit device design and restrict catalyst choice, but are essential for preventing short-circuiting reactions at unselective anode and cathode catalysts. Herein, we report that nickel sulfide Ni₃S₂ is a highly selective catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in the presence of 1.0 m formate. We combine this selective cathode with a carbon-supported palladium (Pd/C) anode to establish a membrane-free, room-temperature formate fuel cell that operates under benign neutral pH conditions. Proof-of-concept cells display open circuit voltages of approximately 0.7 V and peak power values greater than 1 mW cm⁻², significantly outperforming the identical device employing an unselective platinum (Pt) cathode. The work establishes the power of selective catalysis to enable versatile membrane-free fuel cells.