The electrochemical behavior of ad-atoms and their effect on hydrogen evolution: Part V. Selenium ad-atoms on gold

Hydrogen evolution on a platinum electrode proceeds through the atom + atom step which needs pairs of two nearest neighbor sites available for hydrogen evolution. The activity for hydrogen evolution decreases with the decrease of the number of pairs of platinum sites with the deposition of foreign ad-atoms. But on a gold electrode it proceeds through the atom + ion step so it does not need such pairs. In this paper, selenium ad-atoms were put on a gold electrode, in order to examine the difference in their effect on hydrogen evolution, which is expected from the difference in hydrogen evolution mechanism mentioned above. The activity decreases not with the number of pairs of gold surface sites but linearly with the number of gold surface sites with the deposition of Se ad-atoms on a gold electrode as expected. This affords experimental evidence for the validity of the electrochemical mechanism of hydrogen evolution on a gold electrode, from molecular level.     

Electrocatalysis by ad-atoms: Part VIII. Ag,Pb, Te and Tl ad-atoms for ethylene reduction

As already reported, ethylene reduction at a Pt electrode can be enhanced by ad-atoms of Cu and Hg. Another series of ad-atom species is reported, that is, Ag, Pb, Tl and Te, in which the enhancement order depends on the number of Pt sites occupied by an ad-atom. S_M. This effect originates from the difference between S_M and the number of Pt sites occupied by an ethylene molecule, which causes an increase in the number of Pt sites available for hydrogen adsorption. This increase results in the enhancement, in the order Ag>PbTl; Te which has the same S as ethylene has no enhancement effect.For the complete understanding of the function of the mixed surface in the electrocatalysis, a new concept, “catalytic domains”, parts of the mixed surface effective for the electrocatalysis, is introduced, on the assumption that the reaction rate is much higher than the rate of surface migration of the adsorbed species. Then the number of Pt sites which belong to the catalytic domain is calculated. Another concept, “reaction unit mesh”, is also introduced.     

The electrochemical behavior of ad-atoms and their effect on hydrogen evolution: Part IV. Tin and lead ad-atoms on platinum

Hydrogen evolution on a platinum electrode decays against X_pt with the deposition of Sn ad-atoms and Pb ad-atoms in the same way as it decays with that of Ge ad-atoms, in which all of these ad-atoms occupy two platinum sites. In general the decay depends on the number of sites occupied by an atom of the ad-atom species.The potential ranges for oxygen adsorption by Sn ad-atoms and Pb ad-atoms are 0.45 to 1.24 V and 0.48 to 0.77 V, respectively, but the oxygen adsorbed by the latter ad-atoms is very small in amount.     

Inhibition by methylated organoarsenicals of the respiratory 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenases

Inorganic arsenic that is ingested through drinking water or inhalation is metabolized by biological methylation pathways into organoarsenical metabolites. It is now becoming understood that this metabolism that was formerly considered to be detoxification may contribute as much or more to increasing the toxicity of arsenic. One proposed mode of the toxic action of arsenic and its organoarsenic metabolites is through its binding to proteins and inactivating their enzymatic activity. The classic case has been considered the affinity of the proximal 1,3 sulfhydryl groups of the lipoic acid cofactor of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex for arsenic. A 2:1 stoichiometry of sulfhydryl to arsenic groups has been measured in proteins and arsenical complexes can be synthesized using free d,l-lipoic acid. The relative importance of this site for arsenic binding has come in to question through the use of methylating bifunctional arsenic complexes, and the suggestion that arsenic inhibits the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex indirectly by elevating mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide generation. In order to separate the effects of direct trivalent arsenite toxicity from that of hydrogen peroxide and activated oxygen, we studied the inhibition of the PDH complex under conditions that did not generate hydrogen peroxide but did expose the lipoic acid group in its reduced state to arsenicals. We also studied the effects of arsenicals in the inhibition of the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. We found that only trivalent arsenical compounds inhibited the activity of both dehydrogenase complexes and only when the lipoic acid was in its reduced form. Arsenite inhibited both enzyme complexes approximately equivalently while monomethylarsenite inhibited the PDH complex to a greater extent than the KGDH complex - although both complexes were very sensitive to inhibition by this complex. Dimethylarsenite inhibition of both complexes was only observed with longer pre-incubation periods. Cumulative inhibition by the reduced arsenical was observed for all complexes indicating a binding mode of inhibition that is dependent upon lipoic acid being in its reduced state.     

Electrocatalysis by ad-atoms: Part IX. A fast parallel path for formaldehyde oxidation on a platinum electrode by oxygen adsorbing ad-atoms

The effect of various ad-atoms on formaldehyde oxidation was examined on a Pt electrode. Ad-atom species are found to be classified into two groups according to their way of affecting the electrode reaction: one consists of Cu, Ag, Tl, Hg, Pb, As, Bi, Te and Se, the other Ge, Sn and Sb. The enhancement effect of the former depends on the number of Pt sites occupied by an ad-atom of each species (S_M), which suggests to us that geometrical control of Pt site arrangement plays an important role in the enhancement. The latter group of ad-atoms adsorb oxygen atoms, and these oxygen atoms are considered to play an important role in this enhancement. The enhancement ratio by the latter group of ad-atoms is much greater than that by the former group. The enhancement by the latter group of ad-atoms is via a new rapid parallel path, which has not been found on a Pt electrode for formaldehyde oxidation.     

Improvements in the non-dispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometric determination of arsenic and antimony by a hydride generation technique

A sodium borohydride reduction, with subsequent atomization in a small argon—hydrogen—entrained air flame has been developed for the determination of arsenic and antimony by non-dispersive atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The proposed method increases the signal level and decreases the noise level in the system. The detection limits for arsenic and antimony are 0.05 ng and 0.1 ng, respectively. The analytical working curves are linear over about four decades of concentration from the detection limits. The consumption rates of hydrogen and argon are comparatively low, while the speed of hydride evolution is improved; a peak measurement requires less than 40 s. The technique has been applied to the determination of arsenic in steel samples.     

Tuning the hydrogen and hydroxyl adsorption on Ru nanoparticles for hydrogen electrode reactions via size controlling

Controlling the particle size of catalyst to understand the active sites is the key to design efficient electrocatalysts toward hydrogen electrode reactions including hydrogen oxidation and evolution (HOR/HER). Herein, the hydrogen and hydroxyl adsorption on Ru/C could be effectively tuned for HOR/HER by simple controlling the particle sizes. It is found that the metallic Ru (Ru⁰) is the active site for HOR/HER, while oxidized Ru (Ru^x+) will hinder the adsorption and desorption of hydrogen on the catalyst. For the HOR, catalyst with small particles is more efficient, due to it is a three-phase interface reaction of gas on the surface of the catalyst. For the HER, the metallic state of Ru is crucial. The deconvolution of hydrogen peaks indicates that the catalytic sites with low hydrogen binding energy (HBE) shoulder the majority of the HOR activity. CO stripping curve further demonstrates that the stronger hydroxyl species (OH_ad) affinity is beneficial to promote the HOR performance. The results indicate that the design of efficient HOR/HER catalyst should focus on the balance between particle size and metallic states.     

非晶态Ni基合金电极电子结构的XPS研究

用XPS测定了含P、Ce、La的Ni基合金的费米能级及各元素的芯级电子结合能,讨论了合金的电子结构以及它与析氢反应的电催化活性即析氢超电势之间的联系。结果表明：合金中各元素的原子间存在着电荷传输,它对析氢反应活性起重要作用。     

纳米二硫化钼的掺杂及催化电解水产氢的研究进展

电催化水分解制氢是可以形成闭环的生产过程, 起始原料与副产物均为水、 过程清洁无污染, 是极具希望的产氢策略. 目前制约其发展的瓶颈之一是价格昂贵的Pt基贵金属催化剂. 为推动电催化分解水制氢的普及, 亟待开发低成本非贵金属催化剂. 在众多备选非贵金属催化材料中, 纳米层状结构二硫化钼(MoS₂)因催化效果可期、 价格低而获得了广泛关注. 然而, 通常条件下易于获得的层状结构2H相MoS₂大面积的基面部分显示惰性, 仅在片层边缘处存在少量活性位点, 且导电性较差, 因而尚不能替代Pt基催化剂, 而如何增加其活性位点数量和提高其导电性成为亟待解决的问题; 另一方面, 1T相MoS₂虽然活性高、 导电性好, 但却存在制备困难及稳定性差的问题. 鉴于此, 研究者通过对纳米MoS₂进行掺杂改性实现了其活性与稳定性的有效提升. 本文对非贵金属纳米MoS₂催化剂掺杂改性的方法、 机理及其电催化水解制氢性能的相关研究进行了总结与讨论. 作为典型的非贵金属电解水析氢催化剂, MoS₂具有巨大发展潜力, 本文能够对相关非贵金属催化剂的研发提供有益的参考.     

A Cocatalyst that Stabilizes a Hydride Intermediate during Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution over a Rhodium‐Doped TiO2 Nanosheet

The hydrogen evolution reaction using semiconductor photocatalysts has been significantly improved by cocatalyst loading. However, there are still many speculations regarding the actual role of the cocatalyst. Now a photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction pathway is reported on a cocatalyst site using TiO₂ nanosheets doped with Rh at Ti sites as one‐atom cocatalysts. A hydride species adsorbed on the one‐atom Rh dopant cocatalyst site was confirmed experimentally as the intermediate state for hydrogen evolution, which was consistent with the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In this system, the role of the cocatalyst in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is related to the withdrawal of photo‐excited electrons and stabilization of the hydride intermediate species; the presence of oxygen vacancies induced by Rh facilitate the withdrawal of electrons and stabilization of the hydride.     

Enhancing Hydrogen Evolution by Optimizing the Hydrogen Adsorption on Titanium Monoxide Nanodot-Decorated Cobalt Sulfide Nanosheets

Modulating the local electronic state of metal compounds through interfacial interaction has become a key method for manufacturing high-performance hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts. The electron-rich active sites can promote the adsorption of hydrogen, which accelerates the Volmer step and thereby enhances the electrocatalytic performance of HER. Here, we found that the strong interfacial interaction between TiO nanodots (TiO/Co−S) and Co−S nanosheets could advantageously improve the performance toward HER of electrocatalyst. Meanwhile, XPS results showed that modulating the local electronic structure of the TiO nanodots produces electron-rich regions on Co. As a result, the overpotential of the TiO/Co−S nanocomposite at 10 mA cm⁻² was 107 mV, and the Tafel slope was 83.3 mV dec⁻¹. This study focused on the effect of the solid-solid interface on the local electronic structure of the catalytic metal active sites and successfully improved the catalytic activity of transition metal materials in HER catalysis.     

Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure study of disordering in Gd2(Ti1-yZry)2O7 pyrochlores

Disorder in Gd2(Ti(1-y)Zry)2O7 pyrochlores, for y = 0.0-1.0, is investigated by Ti 2p and O 1s near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Ti(4+) ions are found to occupy octahedral sites in Gd2Ti2O7 with a tetragonal distortion induced by vacant oxygen sites. As Zr substitutes for Ti, the tetragonal distortion decreases, and Zr coordination increases from 6 to 8. The migration of oxygen ions from 48f or 8b sites to vacant 8a sites compensate for the increased Zr coordination, thereby reducing the number of vacant 8a sites, which further reduces the tetragonal distortion and introduces more disorder around Ti. This is evidence for simultaneous cation disorder with anion migration.     

High-Resolution Electrochemical Mapping of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets

High-resolution scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is used to image and quantitatively analyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalytically active sites of 1H-MoS₂ nanosheets, MoS₂, and WS₂ heteronanosheets. Using a 20 nm radius nanopipette and hopping mode scanning, the resolution of SECCM was beyond the optical microscopy limit and visualized a small triangular MoS₂ nanosheet with a side length of ca. 130 nm. The electrochemical cell provides local cyclic voltammograms with a nanoscale spatial resolution for visualizing HER active sites as electrochemical images. The HER activity difference of edge, terrace, and heterojunction of MoS₂ and WS₂ were revealed. The SECCM imaging directly visualized the relationship of HER activity and number of MoS₂ nanosheet layers and unveiled the heterogeneous aging state of MoS₂ nanosheets. SECCM can be used for improving local HER activities by producing sulfur vacancies using electrochemical reaction at the selected region.     

A path integral molecular dynamics study on intermolecular hydrogen bond of acetic acid–arsenic acid anion and acetic acid–phosphoric acid anion clusters

We apply ab initio path integral molecular dynamics simulation employing ωB97XD as the quantum chemical calculation method to acetic acid–arsenic acid anion and acetic acid–phosphoric acid anion clusters to investigate the difference of the hydrogen bond structure and its fluctuation such as proton transfer. We found that the nuclear quantum effect enhanced the fluctuation of the hydrogen bond structure and proton transfer, which shows treatment of the nuclear quantum effect was essential to investigate these systems. The hydrogen bond in acetic acid–arsenic acid anion cluster showed characters related to low-barrier hydrogen bonds, while acetic acid–phosphoric acid anion cluster did not. We found non-negligible distinction between these two systems, which could not be found in conventional calculations. We suggest that the difference in amount of atomic charge of the atoms consisting the hydrogen bond is the origin of the difference between acetic acid–arsenic acid and acetic acid–phosphoric acid anion cluster. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Hydrogen evolution and Cu UPD at stepped gold single crystals modified with Pd

The evolution of hydrogen on Au(332) and Au(665) surfaces modified with Pd was studied by cyclic voltammetry in hydrogen-saturated sulfuric acid. A strong catalytic activity of Pd decorating the steps, and even monoatomic rows, reflected in the exchange current density for the hydrogen evolution reaction, was found. In comparison, the activity of Pd at terrace sites is negligible. This is explained by the previously observed weak adsorption of hydrogen at monoatomic Pd rows according to the Sabatier principle. For Au(665)/Pd electrodes where the Pd steps have been blocked with Cu, the catalytic activity decreases to values in the same order of magnitude of those for Au(665) surfaces modified with more than a full monolayer of Pd. No direct evidence of hydrogen spillover from Pd-covered areas to the Au substrate was found. Cu underpotential deposition measurements also suggest that no alloy formation takes place between the Cu atoms and the underlying Pd film, nor between Pd and the gold substrate. Dedicated to Professor Dr. Algirdas Vaskelis on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

Ionic-liquid-mediated active-site control of MoS2 for the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction

The layered crystal MoS(2) has been proposed as an alternative to noble metals as the electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the activity of this catalyst is limited by the number of available edge sites. It was previously shown that, by using an imidazolium ionic liquid as synthesis medium, nanometre-size crystal layers of MoS(2) can be prepared which exhibit a very high number of active edge sites as well as a de-layered morphology, both of which contribute to HER electrocatalytic activity. Herein, it is examined how to control these features synthetically by using a range of ionic liquids as synthesis media. Non-coordinating ILs with a planar heterocyclic cation produced MoS(2) with the de-layered morphology, which was subsequently shown to be highly advantageous for HER electrocatalytic activity. The results furthermore suggest that the crystallinity, and in turn the catalytic activity, of the MoS(2) layers can be improved by employing an IL with specific solvation properties. These results provide the basis for a synthetic strategy for increasing the HER electrocatalytic activity of MoS(2) by tuning its crystal properties, and thus improving its potential for use in hydrogen production technologies.     

负载型V2O5/TiO2催化剂表面分散状态和性质对氨选择性催化还原NO性能的影响（英文）

采用多种物理化学手段研究了不同负载量V2O5/TiO2催化剂的VOx物种分散状态、表面酸性、可还原性及其选择性催化还原(SCR)NO性能.结果表明,V2O5在锐钛矿TiO2表面的实测单层分散容量约为1.14mmol V/100m2TiO2,与"嵌入模型"的估算值相符,表明分散态的钒离子应键合在TiO2表面的八面体空位上.随着V2O5负载量的增加,V2O5/TiO2催化剂上NO转化频率(TOF)先急剧增加,至0.70mmol V/100m2TiO2(略超过分散容量的一半)时达到极大(约8.3×10-3s-1),然后又急剧下降;同时,孤立VOx物种可能倾向于分散在相邻的八面体空位上,且通过V-O-V化学键相连形成聚合的VOx物种,V-O-V键所占比例增加而V-O-Ti键所占比例减小,催化剂表面单位钒离子的Brnsted酸中心量增加,故催化剂的TOF急剧增加.随着负载量进一步增加,虽然催化剂表面单位钒离子的Brnsted酸中心量仍缓慢增加,但V-O-Ti键所占比例减少,导致钒离子的可还原性下降,另外,分散容量以上时晶相V2O5的形成也导致钒离子表面利用率下降,从而导致催化剂的TOF下降.桥式Brnsted酸位(V-O(H)-V)也是SCR反应活性中心之一,不同负载量V2O5/TiO2催化剂上SCR活性与表面VOx物种的分散状态、表面酸性和钒离子可还原性密切相关.     

半导体光催化分解水的析氢效率研究

光催化水制氢是太阳能向氢能转化的有效途径,在清洁能源利用方面具有较大的潜力。光催化产氢过程主要包括光生电子和空穴对的产生、迁移以及在表面活性位点的氧化还原反应,在此过程中由于电子-空穴对的复合以及催化剂的结构和表面活性位点的局限,导致电子和空穴不能完全迁移到催化剂表面并参与氧化还原反应,从而降低了析氢效率。因此本文以抑制光生电子-空穴对复合及增加表面活性位点为目的,从调控催化剂微观特性和外在属性两方面入手,分析总结了目前常见的半导体催化剂粒径、形貌、晶面、表面活性位点调控手段以及异质结构建和助催化剂负载的方法,探究了上述因素对催化剂析氢效率的影响途径和方式,从中归纳出提升析氢效率的办法。最后对光催化制氢的未来研究方向进行了展望,希望以此为光催化产氢效率的提高提供借鉴。     

High‐Resolution Electrochemical Mapping of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Transition‐Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets

High‐resolution scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is used to image and quantitatively analyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalytically active sites of 1H‐MoS₂ nanosheets, MoS₂, and WS₂ heteronanosheets. Using a 20 nm radius nanopipette and hopping mode scanning, the resolution of SECCM was beyond the optical microscopy limit and visualized a small triangular MoS₂ nanosheet with a side length of ca. 130 nm. The electrochemical cell provides local cyclic voltammograms with a nanoscale spatial resolution for visualizing HER active sites as electrochemical images. The HER activity difference of edge, terrace, and heterojunction of MoS₂ and WS₂ were revealed. The SECCM imaging directly visualized the relationship of HER activity and number of MoS₂ nanosheet layers and unveiled the heterogeneous aging state of MoS₂ nanosheets. SECCM can be used for improving local HER activities by producing sulfur vacancies using electrochemical reaction at the selected region.