The design and synthesis of efficient electrocatalysts are important for electrochemical conversion technologies. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key process in such conversions, having applications in water splitting and metal–air batteries. Here, we report ultrathin metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as promising electrocatalysts for the OER in alkaline conditions. Our as-prepared ultrathin NiCo bimetal–organic framework nanosheets on glassy-carbon electrodes require an overpotential of 250 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2. When the MOF nanosheets are loaded on copper foam, this decreases to 189 mV. We propose that the surface atoms in the ultrathin MOF sheets are coordinatively unsaturated—that is, they have open sites for adsorption—as evidenced by a suite of measurements, including X-ray spectroscopy and density-functional theory calculations. The findings suggest that the coordinatively unsaturated metal atoms are the dominating active centres and the coupling effect between Ni and Co metals is crucial for tuning the electrocatalytic activity. Efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen–evolution reaction are desired due to their importance in applications such as water splitting and metal–air batteries. Here, the authors engineer ultrathin metal–organic frameworks that require low overpotential to generate oxygen from alkaline media.

Ultrathin metal–organic framework nanosheets for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Mesoporous silica materials containing functionalized organic monolayers have been synthesized. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance suggests that a cross-linked monolayer of mercaptopropylsilane was covalently bound to mesoporous silica and closely packed on the surface. The relative surface coverage of the monolayers can be systematically varied up to 76 percent. These materials are extremely efficient in removing mercury and other heavy metals from both aqueous and nonaqueous waste streams, with distribution coefficients up to 340,000. The stability of these materials and the potential to regenerate and reuse them have also been demonstrated. The surface modification scheme reported here enables rational design of the surface properties of tailored porous materials and may lead to the synthesis of more sophisticated functionalized composites for environmental and industrial applications.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/276/5314/923.full.pdf

Functionalized Monolayers on Ordered Mesoporous Supports

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have recently attracted broad research interest as they combine the merits of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. Rational design and synthesis of SACs are of immense significance but have so far been plagued by the lack of a definitive correlation between structure and catalytic properties. Here, we report a general approach to a series of monodispersed atomic transition metals (for example, Fe, Co, Ni) embedded in nitrogen-doped graphene with a common MN4C4 moiety, identified by systematic X-ray absorption fine structure analyses and direct transmission electron microscopy imaging. The unambiguous structure determination allows density functional theoretical prediction of MN4C4 moieties as efficient oxygen evolution catalysts with activities following the trend Ni > Co > Fe, which is confirmed by electrochemical measurements. Determination of atomistic structure and its correlation with catalytic properties represents a critical step towards the rational design and synthesis of precious or nonprecious SACs with exceptional atom utilization efficiency and catalytic activities.

General synthesis and definitive structural identification of MN4C4 single-atom catalysts with tunable electrocatalytic activities

http://nathan.instras.com/documentDB/paper-69.pdf

Porous silicon: a quantum sponge structure for silicon based optoelectronics

The electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on five binary Pi alloys (PtCr/C, PtMn/C, PtFe/C, PtCo/C, and PtNi/C) supported on high surface area carbon in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell was investigated. All the alloy electrocatalysts exhibited a high degree of crystallinity with the primary phase of the type Pt3M (LI2 structure with fcc type lattice) and a secondary phase (only minor contribution from this phase) being of the type PtM (LIo structure with tetragonal lattice) as evidenced from x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. The electrode kinetic studies on the Pt alloys at 95~ and 5 atm pressure showed a two- to threefold increase in the exchange current densities and the current density at 900 mV as well as a decrease in the overvoltage at i0 mA em -2 relative to Pt/C eleetrocatalyst. The PtCr/C alloy exhibited the best performance. In situ EXAFS and XANES analysis at potentials in the double-layer region [0.54 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)] revealed (i) all the alloys possess higher Pt d-band vacancies per atom (with the exception of PtMn/C alloy) relative to Pt/C electrocatalyst and (it) contractions in the Pt-Pt bond distances which confirmed the results from ex situ XRD analysis. A potential excursion to 0.84 V vs. RHE showed that, in contrast to the Pt alloys, the Pt/C electrocatalyst exhibits a significant increase in the Pt d-band vacancies per atom. This increase, in Pt/C has been rationalized as being due to adsorption of OH species from the electrolyte following a Temkin isotherm behavior, which does not occur on the Pt alloys. Correlation of the electronic (Pt d-band vacancies) and geometric (Pt-Pt bond distance) with the electrochemical performance characteristics exhibits a volcano type behavior with the PtCr/C alloy being at the top of the curve. The enhanced electrocatalysis by the alloys therefore can be rationalized on the basis of the interplay between the electronic and geometric factors on one hand and their effect on the chemisorption behavior of OH species from the electrolyte. The role of Pt/C and Pt alloys on the mechanism of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been investigated previously, 1-4 however the mechanism still remains elusive. One of the first investigations I of the ORR on Pt alloy electrocatalysts was in phosphoric acid; the effect of changes in the Pt-Pt interatomic distances, caused by alloying, was examined. The strength of the [M-HO2]aas bond, the intermediate formed in the rate-determining step of the molecular dioxygen reduction, was shown to depend on the Pt-Pt bond distance in the alloys. A plot of the electrocatalytic activity vs. adsorbate bond strength exhibited a volcano type behavior. 5 It was shown that the lattice contractions due to alloying resulted in a more favorable Pt-Pt distance (while maintaining the favorable Pt electronic properties) for dissociative adsorption of 02. This view was disputed by Glass et al. ~ in their investigation on bulk alloys of PtCr (the binary alloy at the top of the volcano plot) of different compositions. The latter investigation showed no activity enhancement for the ORR in phosphoric acid. This study therefore suggested the possibility of differences in electrochemical properties of bulk vs. supported alloy electrocatalysts (small particles of 35-85 A). A recent study on supported PtCo electrocatalysts ~ revealed the possibility that particle termination, primarily at the vicinal planes in the supported alloy electrocatalyst, is the reason for the enhanced ORR electrocatalysis (i.e., vicinal planes are more active than ). Paffett et al., 3 attributed higher activities for the ORR on bulk PtCr alloys in phosphoric acid to surface roughening, and hence increased Pt surface area, caused by the dissolution of the more oxidizable alloying component Cr. In contrast to these findings on bulk alloys, the supported alloy electrocatalysts have been reported to retain their nonnoble alloying element in the electrode during long periods (6000-9000 h) of operation in phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) 6 and proton exchange membrane fuel ceils (PEMFCs). 7 Based on these previous investigations and in the context of the ORR mechanisms, the principle explanations for the

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/1.2048590/pdf

Role of Structural and Electronic Properties of Pt and Pt Alloys on Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction An In Situ XANES and EXAFS Investigation

Theory of EXAFS. Theory of XANES. INSTRUMENTAL AND DATA ANALYSIS. Design of an EXAFS Experiment. EXAFS with Synchrotron Radiation. Laboratory EXAFS Facilities. Data Analysis. APPLICATIONS. Biochemical Application of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy. Catalysis. Amorphous and Liquid Systems. SEXAFS. XANES Spectroscopy.

Roelof Prins

Papers

X-ray absorption : principles, applications, techniques of EXAFS, SEXAFS, and XANES