We present a method for calculating the stability of reaction intermediates of electrochemical processes on the basis of electronic structure calculations. We used that method in combination with detailed density functional calculations to develop a detailed description of the free-energy landscape of the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction over Pt(111) as a function of applied bias. This allowed us to identify the origin of the overpotential found for this reaction. Adsorbed oxygen and hydroxyl are found to be very stable intermediates at potentials close to equilibrium, and the calculated rate constant for the activated proton/electron transfer to adsorbed oxygen or hydroxyl can account quantitatively for the observed kinetics. On the basis of a database of calculated oxygen and hydroxyl adsorption energies, the trends in the oxygen reduction rate for a large number of different transition and noble metals can be accounted for. Alternative reaction mechanisms involving proton/electron transfer to ...

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Origin of the Overpotential for Oxygen Reduction at a Fuel-Cell Cathode

The identification of the active sites in heterogeneous catalysis requires a combination of surface sensitive methods and reactivity studies. We determined the active site for hydrogen evolution, a reaction catalyzed by precious metals, on nanoparticulate molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) by atomically resolving the surface of this catalyst before measuring electrochemical activity in solution. By preparing MoS2 nanoparticles of different sizes, we systematically varied the distribution of surface sites on MoS2 nanoparticles on Au(111), which we quantified with scanning tunneling microscopy. Electrocatalytic activity measurements for hydrogen evolution correlate linearly with the number of edge sites on the MoS2 catalyst.

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/317/5834/100.full.pdf

Identification of active edge sites for electrochemical H2 evolution from MoS2 nanocatalysts.

A fundamental change has been achieved in understanding surface electrochemistry due to the profound knowledge of the nature of electrocatalytic processes accumulated over the past several decades and to the recent technological advances in spectroscopy and high resolution imaging. Nowadays one can preferably design electrocatalysts based on the deep theoretical knowledge of electronic structures, via computer-guided engineering of the surface and (electro)chemical properties of materials, followed by the synthesis of practical materials with high performance for specific reactions. This review provides insights into both theoretical and experimental electrochemistry toward a better understanding of a series of key clean energy conversion reactions including oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The emphasis of this review is on the origin of the electrocatalytic activity of nanostructured catalysts toward the aforementioned reactions by correlating the apparent electrode performance with their intrinsic electrochemical properties. Also, a rational design of electrocatalysts is proposed starting from the most fundamental aspects of the electronic structure engineering to a more practical level of nanotechnological fabrication.

Design of electrocatalysts for oxygen- and hydrogen-involving energy conversion reactions

Since the discovery of mechanically exfoliated graphene in 2004, research on ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials has grown exponentially in the fields of condensed matter physics, material science, chemistry, and nanotechnology. Highlighting their compelling physical, chemical, electronic, and optical properties, as well as their various potential applications, in this Review, we summarize the state-of-art progress on the ultrathin 2D nanomaterials with a particular emphasis on their recent advances. First, we introduce the unique advances on ultrathin 2D nanomaterials, followed by the description of their composition and crystal structures. The assortments of their synthetic methods are then summarized, including insights on their advantages and limitations, alongside some recommendations on suitable characterization techniques. We also discuss in detail the utilization of these ultrathin 2D nanomaterials for wide ranges of potential applications among the electronics/optoelectronics, electrocat...

Recent Advances in Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials

5.1. Nanoalloys of Group 11 (Cu, Ag, Au) 865 5.1.1. Cu−Ag 866 5.1.2. Cu−Au 867 5.1.3. Ag−Au 870 5.1.4. Cu−Ag−Au 872 5.2. Nanoalloys of Group 10 (Ni, Pd, Pt) 872 5.2.1. Ni−Pd 872 * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: +39010 3536214. Fax:+39010 311066. E-mail: ferrando@fisica.unige.it. † Universita di Genova. ‡ Argonne National Laboratory. § University of Birmingham. | As of October 1, 2007, Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division. Volume 108, Number 3

Nanoalloys: From Theory to Applications of Alloy Clusters and Nanoparticles

Using the rotating ring-disk technique (RRDPt(hkl)E), the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) was studied in sulfuric acid solution over the temperature range 298–333 K At the same temperature, the exc...

Temperature-dependent oxygen electrochemistry on platinum low-index single crystal surfaces in acid solutions

Temperature-dependent hydrogen electrochemistry on platinum low-index single-crystal surfaces in acid solutions

Methanol electrooxidation on supported Pt and PtRu catalysts in acid and alkaline solutions

Oxygen reduction reaction on Pt(111): effects of bromide

The variation of the adsorption pseudocapacitance with temperature is used to obtain the enthalpy, entropy, and free energies of adsorption of Hupd and OHad on Pt(111) as a function of pH and nature of the anion of the supporting electrolyte. It is shown that the heat (enthalpy) of adsorption of hydrogen on Pt(111) at the electrochemical interface is essentially independent of either the pH of the electrolyte or the nature of the supporting anion. The heat of adsorption has a linear decrease with ϑHupd, from ∼42 kJ/mol at ϑHupd = 0 ML to ∼24 kJ/mol at ϑHupd = 0.66 ML. The heat of adsorption of OHad is more sensitive to the nature of the anion in the supporting electrolyte. This is presumably due to coadsorption of the anion and OHad in electrolytes other than the simple alkali bases. From the isosteric heat of adsorption of OHad in alkaline solution (ca. ∼200 kJ/mol) and the enthalpy of formation of OH• we estimated the Pt(111)−OHad bond energy of 136 kJ/mol. This value is much smaller than the Pt−Oad bon...

Branimir N. Grgur

Papers

Temperature-dependent oxygen electrochemistry on platinum low-index single crystal surfaces in acid solutions

Temperature-dependent hydrogen electrochemistry on platinum low-index single-crystal surfaces in acid solutions

Methanol electrooxidation on supported Pt and PtRu catalysts in acid and alkaline solutions

Oxygen reduction reaction on Pt(111): effects of bromide

Effect of temperature on surface processes at the Pt(111)-liquid interface: Hydrogen adsorption, oxide formation and CO oxidation