Noble‐Metal Nanocrystals with Controlled Facets for Electrocatalysis

Noble‐metal nanocrystals (NCs) show excellent catalytic performance for many important electrocatalysis reactions. The crystallographic properties of the facets by which the NCs are bound, closely associated with the shape of the NCs, have a profound influence on the electrocatalytic function of the NCs. To develop an efficient strategy for the synthesis of NCs with controlled facets as well as compositions, understanding of the growth mechanism of the NCs and their interaction with the chemical species involved in NC synthesis is quite important. Furthermore, understanding the facet‐dependent catalytic properties of noble‐metal NCs and the corresponding mechanisms for various electrocatalysis reactions will allow for the rational design of robust electrocatalysts. In this review, we summarize recently developed synthesis strategies for the preparation of mono‐ and bimetallic noble‐metal NCs by classifying them by the type of facets through which they are enclosed and discuss the electrocatalytic applications of noble‐metal NCs with controlled facets, especially for reactions associated with fuel‐cell applications, such as the oxygen reduction reaction and fuel (methanol, ethanol, and formic acid) oxidation reactions.     

原子数精确的金属纳米团簇在电催化领域的应用研究进展

金属纳米团簇(MNCs)是由几个到数百个金属原子组成,其尺寸一般小于2nm.金属纳米团簇在许多催化反应中表现出高的催化活性和选择性,这与金属纳米团簇具有高的比表面积、较多暴露的活性原子,以及与金属纳米粒子(MNPs)不同的电子结构有关.金属纳米团簇确定的组成和结构使其成为一种新型模型催化剂,对纳米团簇的催化性能研究有利...     

Pd纳米晶的调控合成及其在燃料电池中的应用

贵金属Pd纳米晶体的催化性能与其表面结构有着密切联系。基于目前Pd多面体纳米晶体可控合成技术的发展,Pd纳米晶体催化性能的进一步优化及其在催化领域的应用前景依然广阔。本文主要阐述了关于Pd多面体纳米晶的制备及其作为电催化剂在燃料电池中应用的最新研究进展。在介绍纳米晶体的生长机理及其表面结构与晶体形状的关系之后,重点描述了Pd多面体纳米晶体常见的几种制备方法,概述了Pd多面体纳米晶体作为催化剂在燃料电池阴极和阳极中的应用。最后总结展望了Pd多面体纳米晶体作为催化剂的研究方向及其发展前景。     

聚合物稳定的金纳米簇催化：理论计算与实验的相互影响

平均粒径为2–10 nm的聚合物稳定的Au纳米簇(NCs)表现出独特的催化性能。多个研究表明，影响聚合物稳定的Au NCs催化活性的主要因素为： Au NC尺寸的控制、聚合物的选择以及反应条件的优化。这是由于聚合物稳定的Au NCs在多个催化反应中表现出明显的尺寸效应，其催化活性也因所采用的聚合物和反应条件的不同而不同。为了阐明影响聚合物稳定的Au NCs催化活性的内在原因，众多研究者关注于聚合物稳定的Au NCs催化中的理论计算与实验的相互影响。本文主要总结了聚合物稳定的Au NCs中这种相互影响的研究进展。     

Embedding Ultrasmall Au Clusters into the Pores of a Covalent Organic Framework for Enhanced Photostability and Photocatalytic Performance

Gold clusters loaded on various supports have been widely used in the fields of energy and biology. However, the poor photostability of Au clusters on support interfaces under prolonged illumination usually results in loss of catalytic performance. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with periodic and ultrasmall pore structures are ideal supports for dispersing and stabilizing Au clusters, although it is difficult to encapsulate Au clusters in the ultrasmall pores. In this study, a two‐dimensional (2D) COF modified with thiol chains in its pores was prepared. With ?SH groups as nucleation sites, Au nanoclusters (NCs) could grow in situ within the COF. The ultrasmall pores of the COF and the strong S?Au binding energy combine to improve the dispersibility of Au NCs under prolonged light illumination. Interestingly, Au–S–COF bridging as observed in this artificial Z‐scheme photocatalytic system is deemed to be an ideal means to increase charge‐separation efficiency.     

Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic CO2 Methanation: From Reaction Fundamentals to Catalyst Developments

Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is demanded due to the gradual depletion of petroleum oil/gas and the environmental impact of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into the atmosphere. Electrocatalytic and photocatalytic CO₂ reduction to methane (CH₄) using renewable energy sources is crucial for sustainable chemical/fuel production and greenhouse gas reduction. In recent years, extensive research has focused on understanding the fundamental aspects of the two approaches, such as reaction mechanisms and active sites, and exploring/designing novel catalytic materials. This review initially discusses the reaction fundamentals, including performance evaluation indexes, reactors, and mechanisms, to understand the catalytic reactions. Subsequently, various catalyst preparation strategies and characterization methods are summarized, trying to outline the catalyst design principle based on the obtained understanding of the reaction mechanisms. Finally, research challenges and perspectives for future development in this area are discussed and presented. It is expected to provide a comprehensive understanding of the photo/electrocatalytic CO₂ methanation, valuable knowledge to novice researchers, and a helpful reference for future research endeavors.     

Polyoxometalate‐Mediated One‐Pot Synthesis of Pd Nanocrystals with Controlled Morphologies for Efficient Chemical and Electrochemical Catalysis

Polyoxometalates (POMs), as inorganic ligands, can endow metal nanocrystals (NCs) with unique reactivities on account of their characteristic redox properties. In the present work, we present a facile POM‐mediated one‐pot aqueous synthesis method for the production of single‐crystalline Pd NCs with controlled shapes and sizes. The POMs could function as both reducing and stabilizing agents in the formation of NCs, and thus gave a fine control over the nucleation and growth kinetics of NCs. The prepared POM‐stabilized Pd NCs exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability for electrocatalytic (formic acid oxidation) and catalytic (Suzuki coupling) reactions compared to Pd NCs prepared without the POMs. This shows that the POMs play a pivotal role in determining the catalytic performance, as well as the growth, of NCs. We envision that the present approach can offer a convenient way to develop efficient NC‐based catalyst systems.     

Size-specific catalytic activity of polymer-stabilized gold nanoclusters for aerobic alcohol oxidation in water

Gold nanoclusters (phi = 1.3 nm) stabilized by poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (Au:PVP NCs) readily oxidize benzylic alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and/or carboxylic acids under ambient temperature in water. Kinetic measurement revealed that smaller Au:PVP NCs exhibit higher catalytic activity than larger (9.5 nm) homologues and, more surprisingly, than Pd:PVP NCs of comparable size (1.5 and 2.2 nm). On the basis of the marked difference in the kinetic isotope effect and activation energy between Au:PVP and Pd:PVP NCs, a reaction mechanism for alcohol oxidation catalyzed by Au:PVP NCs is proposed in which a superoxo-like molecular oxygen species adsorbed on the surface of the small Au NCs abstracts a hydrogen atom from the alkoxide.     

Plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic properties of cu(2)o nanowire-au nanoparticle assemblies

Cu(2)O-Au nanocomposites (NCs) with tunable coverage of Au were prepared by a facile method of mixing gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) with copper(I) oxide nanowires (Cu(2)O NWs) in various ratios. These Cu(2)O-Au NCs display tunable optical properties, and their photocatalytic properties were dependent on the coverage density of Au NPs. The photocatalytic activity of Cu(2)O-Au NCs was examined by photodegradation of methylene blue. The presence of Au NPs enhanced the photodegradation efficiency of Cu(2)O NCs. The photocatalytic efficiency of Cu(2)O-Au NCs initially increased with the increasing coverage density of Au NPs and then decreased as the surface of Cu(2)O became densely covered by Au NPs. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was ascribed to enhanced light absorption (by the surface plasmon resonance) and the electron sink effect of the Au NPs.     

Enhancing Hydrogen Evolution Activity of Au(111) in Alkaline Media through Molecular Engineering of a 2D Polymer

The electrochemical splitting of water holds promise for the storage of energy produced intermittently by renewable energy sources. The evolution of hydrogen currently relies on the use of platinum as a catalyst—which is scarce and expensive—and ongoing research is focused towards finding cheaper alternatives. In this context, 2D polymers grown as single layers on surfaces have emerged as porous materials with tunable chemical and electronic structures that can be used for improving the catalytic activity of metal surfaces. Here, we use designed organic molecules to fabricate covalent 2D architectures by an Ullmann‐type coupling reaction on Au(111). The polymer‐patterned gold electrode exhibits a hydrogen evolution reaction activity up to three times higher than that of bare gold. Through rational design of the polymer on the molecular level we engineered hydrogen evolution activity by an approach that can be easily extended to other electrocatalytic reactions.     

多金属氧酸盐材料在二氧化碳电催化还原领域中的研究进展

随着工业发展和全球人口的持续增长,人类对化石燃料的消耗日益增加,从而导致大气中二氧化碳含量的显著增加以及与之相伴的一系列环境问题.电化学还原二氧化碳制备高附加值的燃料和化学品具有稳定的效率和较高的经济可行性等特点,目前已成为一种有前景的策略来缓解当前全球面临的能源短缺和气候变暖问题.然而,电催化二氧化碳还原过程存在反应...     

选择性控制的配体工程在金团簇催化中的作用

金团簇表面的硫醇配体影响着团簇的催化性质,尤其是选择性.我们采用在真空条件下通过程序升温的方法逐渐剥除金团簇表面的硫醇配体来制备催化剂,利用透射电镜,红外光谱对催化剂结构进行表征,以硝基化合物催化还原反应为模型反应,详细研究了配体对催化活性和选择性的影响.研究发现因配体被剥离导致底物更容易接近团簇表面,最终使得反应转换率大幅升高.实验结果还表明金团簇催化剂催化不同官能团取代的底物显示了良好的官能团兼容性,有吸电子效应的硫配体使团簇表面带正电荷,进而避免苯胺衍生物的产生.     

Colloidal Self‐Assembly of Catalytic Copper Nanoclusters into Ultrathin Ribbons

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) with diameter below 2 nm are promising catalysts in oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). However, the high surface energy of ultra‐small clusters leads to structural instability, shedding doubt on practical applications. Herein, we demonstrate a self‐assembly method to improve the durability of catalytic metal NCs, employing copper NCs capped by 1‐dodecanethiol (DT) to form free‐standing ribbons in colloidal solution. By tuning the cooperation between the dipolar attraction between Cu NCs and the van der Waals attraction between DT, the thickness of ribbons is adjusted to a single NC scale. Such free‐standing ribbons exhibit excellent catalytic activity and durability in ORR.     

光致热效应促进的全光谱光催化CO2还原

以半导体等为催化剂,在太阳能作用下将CO2和H2O转化为可再生燃料与氧气的“人工光合作用”有望同时解决目前面临的严峻能源和环境问题,因而备受关注.但半导体催化剂光谱响应范围较窄、表面反应动力学缓慢,从而导致目前仍无法获得可观的太阳能-燃料转换效率.已有很多研究采用了晶面调控、元素掺杂和异质结构建等方法,以提高半导体光催化剂的太阳能-燃料转换效率,但效果仍不令人满意,主要原因是半导体光催化剂很难在吸收带边-氧化还原能力和活性-稳定性这两种关系中取得较好的平衡.此外,光催化反应中的动力学也是主要问题之一,尤其在人工光合作用反应中,CO2还原半反应和H2O氧化半反应的动力学均较困难, 这已成为共识, 而解决这个问题, 将有助于我们从一新的角度理解光催化过程, 从而提升光催化反应性能.本文以Au NP/金红石为模型催化剂, 纯金红石为参照, 证明了存在太阳光中的红外光致热和可见光诱导的等离激元热效应等两类光致热效应, 它们均可以促进人工光合作用反应. 研究发现, 人工光合作用反应与其他许多化学反应一样, 表观活化能为正, 从而表明动力学因素在该反应中起着重要作用. 此外, 根据不同反应温度下的结果, 通过计算Au NP/金红石和纯金红石上生成CO和CH4的表观活化能, 发现在这二种样品上CH4的表观活化能均高于CO, 这就从动力学上解释了热力学上更容易得到的CH4在绝大多光催化CO2还原反应中的产率均低于CO. 此外, 无论是对于CO还是CH4, Au NP/金红石的催化表观活化能均低于纯金红石的. 因此, 本文从实验上提供了贵金属纳米粒子改善人工光合作用动力学的实验证据,并从动力学角度解释了人工光合作用反应中的活性和选择性问题. 本研究证明了动力学因素在光催化反应, 尤其是人工光合作用反应中的重要性, 并提出了从动力学角度提升人工光合作用反应的新方法, 即利用太阳光的光致热效应加速反应, 这不仅有助于提升太阳能转化效率, 也有望减少反应设备成本, 从而促进其大规模应用.     

分子催化剂催化水氧化过程及其O–O成键机理

随着化石燃料的不断消耗和生存环境的日益恶化,可再生、清洁且环境友好的新能源逐渐受到广泛关注与利用.太阳能作为一种洁净的可再生能源,在自然界中,植物可以通过光合作用将太阳能转换成化学能.在该过程中,水分子在光系统II中被氧化而释放出氧气,伴随生成的质子和电子进一步将二氧化碳转化为蕴含生物质能的碳水化合物.在光系统II中,叶绿素P680被光照激发生成阳离子自由基P680^·+,其具有很强的氧化能力,可以从附近的析氧中心中夺取电子.析氧中心通过这一过程失去4个电子,可以将两分子水氧化生成一分子氧气和4个质子.作为水裂解的半反应之一,水氧化在热力学方面需要很多能量来断裂4个O-H键(ΔE=1.23 V vs.NHE),在动力学方面涉及4个氢原子与2个氧原子的重组以及氧气的释放,因而水氧化析氧是一个非常缓慢的过程,如何高效稳定地催化水氧化一直是人们研究的热点和难点.研究发现,自然界中存在的析氧中心为Mn₄CaO(x)的钙锰簇合物,在水氧化过程中生成的Mn=O物种可以被游离的水分子亲核进攻形成O-O键,也可以与桥连μ-O(H)反应生成O-O键.通过对析氧中心持续的研究,在过去几十年中设计合成了一系列具有水氧化催化活性的基于金属配合物的分子催化剂.分子催化剂催化水氧化一般主要分为金属-氧物种的演化过程以及O-O成键过程.通常,金属-氧物种可以通过失电子或质子耦合的失电子过程逐步生成高价态的金属-氧物种,其引发的O-O成键过程通常是水氧化催化循环的决速步骤.基于之前的研究成果,目前主要报道了五种不同的O-O成键机理:(1)水亲核进攻金属-氧物种的WNA机理,(2)金属-氧自由基耦合的I2M机理,(3)金属-羟基自由基耦合的HC机理,(4)分子内进攻桥连氧的IOC机理以及(5)氧化还原异构的RI机理.本文综述了过去几十年水氧化分子催化剂的发展,总结了贵金属钌和铱配合物到第一过渡金属锰、铁、钴、镍和铜配合物催化水氧化过程中金属-氧物种的生成与演化,重点阐述了引发O-O成键过程的高价态金属-氧物种的种类及其不同的O-O成键机理.重点总结了O-O成键中WNA机理与I2M机理的异同,并阐述了催化剂设计对WNA与I2M机理选择性的影响.通过对金属-氧物种种类和O-O成键机理的总结,将有助于进一步设计合成高效稳定的水氧化分子催化剂.     

铂基金属间化合物纳米晶的最新进展:可控合成与电催化应用

铂基金属间化合物纳米晶因其高度有序的结构特点,优异的抗氧化及耐腐蚀性能,作为电极材料被广泛应用于各类电催化反应,目前已有的PtCo金属间化合物纳米晶在燃料电池阴极反应(氧还原反应)中的活性和稳定性均达到了美国能源部(DOE) 2020年的目标。为了进一步提高金属间化合物纳米晶的电催化性能,需要对影响纳米晶电催化性能的因素进行深入研究。本文综述了铂基金属间化合物纳米晶的研究现状,着重介绍了铂基金属间化合物的可控合成策略及其在电催化领域的最新研究进展,分析总结了该领域存在的问题,并展望了其未来发展方向。     

Regulation of Electrocatalytic Activity by Local Microstructure: Focusing on the Catalytic Active Zone

Traditional regulation methods of active sites have successfully optimized the performance of electrocatalysts, but seem unable to achieve further breakthrough in the catalytic activity. Unlike the conventional viewpoint of focusing on single active site, the concept of local microstructure active zone is more comprehensive and new methods to regulate the reaction zone for electrocatalytic reactions are developed accordingly. The local microstructure active zone refers to the zone with high catalytic activity formed by the interaction between active atoms and neighboring coordination atoms as well as the surrounding environment. Instead of the traditional single active atom site, the active zone is more suitable for the actual electrochemical reaction process. According to this concept, the activity of electrocatalysts can be coordinated by multiple active atoms. This strategy is beneficial for understanding the relationship between material, structure, and catalysis, which realizes the design and synthesis of high-performance electrocatalysts. This review provides the research progress of this strategy for electrocatalytic reactions, with emphasis on their applications in oxygen evolution reaction, urea oxidation reaction, and carbon dioxide reduction.     

MOF衍生碳基电催化剂限域催化O2还原和CO2还原反应

化石燃料的大量消耗和环境的逐渐恶化导致迫切需要开发和探索有效的能源转换和存储技术. 电化学是各种能源转换装置的基础和关键. 设计和合成具有高催化活性的非贵金属基和非金属基催化剂是最好的选择. 金属有机骨架(MOF)衍生的碳基材料具有比表面积大、 孔隙率高的特点, 可以选择性地限制不同类型的金属. 因此, MOF衍生碳作为催化剂载体使用时具有良好的限域效应, 有利于提高催化剂的活性和稳定性. 本文综合评述了MOF衍生材料在催化反应中的限域效应, 并介绍了MOF衍生碳基材料在氧还原反应(ORR)和二氧化碳还原反应(CO₂RR)电催化方面的最新进展, 揭示了MOF碳基材料在电催化反应中的构效关系. 最后, 讨论了MOF衍生的碳基材料在ORR和CO₂RR电催化中的挑战和机遇, 以及未来可能的解决方案.     

Nanoplasmonic Photoluminescence Spectroscopy at Single‐Particle Level: Sensing for Ethanol Oxidation

Surface plasmon resonances of metal nanoparticles have shown significant promise for the use of solar energy to drive catalytic chemical reactions. More importantly, understanding and monitoring such catalytic reactions at single‐nanoparticle level is crucial for the study of local reaction processes. Herein, using plasmonic photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, we describe a novel sensing method for catalytic ethanol oxidation reactions at the single‐nanoparticle level. The Au nanorod monitors the interfacial interaction with ethanol during the catalytic reaction through the PL intensity changes in the single‐particle PL spectra. The analysis of energy relaxation of excited electron–hole pairs indicates the relationship between the PL quenching and ethanol oxidation reaction on the single Au nanorod.     

Current progress of molybdenum carbide-based materials for electrocatalysis: potential electrocatalysts with diverse applications

Electrocatalysts are the cores of many electrochemical reactions including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), and CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). Recent advances in research have demonstrated the potentials of molybdenum carbide-based catalysts for these reactions arising out of their unique electronic structure and physicochemical properties. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent advances of molybdenum carbide-based catalysts in these electrochemical processes. The corresponding synthesis strategies, structure and electrocatalytic performance of the catalysts are discussed and the relationships of the process-structure-property are highlighted. In addition, the catalytic mechanisms are analyzed based on the structure characterization and theoretical calculations results. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives are put forward for further development of molybdenum carbide-based catalysts.